A Tale of Fire and Blood

[General Tacticus]

The sun is setting on the Mictlan Empire, and the sky is red. The red of fire, and the red of blood. From the top of the palace (a 17 step pyramid that is now also, of course, the most Holy Temple of the Mictlan Faith), two small figures watch the sunset. Tacticus Sanguinus, God of the Mictlans, turns to his new chambellan. The man is kneeling, and doing his best to stay very, very still.

- A good omen of things to come. My reign starts under the most favorable auspices.
- Indeed it does, O Mighty One.
- You have, I believe, being chambellan here a long time ?
- Since before the days of your predecessor. I served his predecessor before him, although not in so exalted a position, O Great God.
- So you remember the old days, and the old ways ?
- Indeed I do, Most Powerful of Lords.

The God considers a moment. Then he pats the old man on the shoulder.

- You may keep your heart, then, and serve me in that office.
- I am honored, O Most Ben.. Tenacious One.

With his head still bent low, the man has nonetheless felt .... something ... And with the promptitude of tongue that marks only the best chambellans, those that keep their tongues, he changed his words, without faltering. The God reflects on this, and find it good. He still has many good servants to find, a charismatic prophet, cunning generals, talented priests... but he has already found a very good chambellan. And that, too, is a good omen.

- I have much to ponder. Dispose of the remains.
- As you command, O Wisest One.

And the chambellan goes to find some servants. Meanwhile, the God looks a Last time on his predecessor , the Lawgiver, late king of Mictlan. He is lying on his back on the altar at the top of the pyramid. The great wound where his heart used to be proclaims that the old ways are back.


This is the tale of my conquests as Tacticus Sanguinus, God of the Mictlans (and other silly randomly generated titles omitted here) It will be, or so I hope, a story of glorious and bloody conquest, and utter triumph over my enemies

Before you ask, the details :
Tacticus Sanguinus
Smoking Mirror Pretendor, ruler of the Mictlans
Magic : 9 Fire, 4 Blood, 4 Death
Castle : Fortress
Dominion 7, Turmoil 3, Heat 1, Growth 1, Luck 1, Drain 1, no special theme.
World War Scenario, 339 provinces, all 17 nations, all impossible AIs

I welcome any and all comments, and all general strategy advice. I have extensively played Ulm, and Pythium and Marignon a bit, but never Mictlan before. I hope I can cope with a lack of armored troops

[apoger]

You have chosen an extraordinarily challenging path.

Good luck!

[Orlanth]

Mictlan and 17 Impossible? Kudos you are a gutsy guy.. I don't know about the chance of glorious conquests but this will at least be a very good read!!

I think your bless effect is great but you might be better off with Sloth than Turmoil. Other than that I've no idea - best of luck

[General Tacticus]

Well, I like random events, so turmoil 3 with a bit of luck should make the game fun

And my first conquests have been glorious (a bit) and bloody (extremely). I used cheap troops (even by mictlan standards) as arrow fodder, more cheap troops as sword fodder, then there was sling fodder, javelin fodder, assorted fodder... oh, there was a commander as well, he was under strict orders not to become fodder

[Keir Maxwell]

My advice is extreme caution towards other nations. Raise defences on border provinces to 10+ before they become border provinces. Show troops on the border if anyone is looking upitty. Try and build a nice compact empire which doesn't get in to many other peoples road and let them fight each other. Then when your blood magic really gets going kick their butts as they are only silly computers in the end! You on the other hand are a God to be!

Jade Knives are important as are the Sanguine Dousing Rods.

I like Sun Warriors but I use them with earth so that I get the double whammy of +4 prot and reinvigoration for my mages. The fly boys could be good with your combo of extra offence and fear generating fast routs.

Mass Protection gets rid of all your problems. Good luck surviving till then.

Have fun

Keir

[Psitticine]

One thing I've found helpful with Mictlan is to make good use of their cheapest priests, the ones just called Mictlan Priests. Equip them with Jade Knives and Sanguine Dowsing Rods and let them spread the Dominion as well as rounding up the Blood Slaves. The more expensive guys have better work to do!

Oh, and summons are very important to Mictlan, IMO, and not only blood summons. Anything you can conjure up will be a help.