"The situation hasn't changed that much now, except that Marignon decided to go AI, for losing SC's/mages, and not sticking around with this royal piece of steaming... excrement. Which a good player should've done."
I fear I simply dont understand this sentence entirely, Quitti. You suggest I should stick with the game and go down with my flags raised high, correct?
About the hidden secret weapons of Marignon I still have up my sleve, there are... none. I cant get enough gems to empower one single mage to cast a seraph. I cannot counter Ermors Golems running amok, as a) I have fewer than him b) I cannot waste my few astral boosters on mages to teleport in and mind war him - I have neither the cash nor the gem income. Mind hunt is also out of the question. The only mages capable of casting astral bolt are cap only, and if I loose all my province I cant afford them anyway.
I could stop Ermor's horde of undead with my priests, but now I cannot stop his SCs. Thanks to that metagame incident with Ryleth he openened two new fronts that put my capital directly into his line of fire. So, military wise, I'm done. I'm gonna ask Ermor for a NAP and some remaining provinces though (so I'm not going ai) so I can see the end of the game.
I'm just so frustrated because this was also my favorite game of the year until that thing with Ryleth happened - I just felt cheated. I've come over it though, but while we all saw Ermor growing stronger and stronger (and we all know who is going to win this game by now), noone took up the opportunity while he was low in research and engaged against my H3 priests to weaken him. Everyone (arco
?) just turtlered and waged their own petty wars.
Ermor even offered me a NAP (twice!), but I turned it down - just for the sake of the game, as I thought I would be the most potent player to stop him in the beginning. As there's hardly anything to gain from conquering Ermors provinces, I truly didnt do that to get the lead above the other players.
I just feel frustrated and let down, and now my armies are routed, my castles under siege and I cannot even slow his advance.
I dont blame Zeldor for anything - actually, he played a difficult (well, should be with sensible players) nation extremly well and his diplomatic skills at keeping everyone appeased won him this game.