Arcoscephale Golden Era AAR

[Blitz]

AAR's seem to be popular, and I've always enjoyed writing them for various games, so I've decided to try my hand at one. I've been playing golden era a lot as I'm tinkering with a mod, so I'll use them. Since I would like a shorter game, I'll play on the Ormus map. It's only 54 provinces, with 11 of them being sea provinces. The mapmaker suggests playing with 2-4 nations, but I've invited both water nations as well as C'tis, Ulm, Man, and Plythium. Should make for some fast action!

My pretender god of choice these days is the Virtue. She's cheap and is great against independants... plus with the right equipment she'll be a good weapon later in the game. I'll start her off with 3 Air and 3 Earth... plus a healthy 7 dominion. I'll take a castle, 3 points of order, 3 points of magic, and the 1 point of forced sloth under golden era. I'm using my arco mod, which gives wind riders +1 awe and slightly boosts the myrmidons... so I'm going to try and pair construction summons in the front lines with chariots and wind riders attacking the rear. Hope you enjoy the read.

[Blitz]

Turn One
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I start off on a small two-province island in the middle of the map. Luckily it's connected to the mainland through a magic bridge =). Syren, my pretender god, is joined by Mesthies the mounted commander and Nanvather the scout. I send Nanvather off to explore the small island of White Oak to the north. Syren heads to the laboratory and begins studying the secrets of alteration.

I purchace a Wind Lord for 175 gold, and queue up two myrmidons for the main army. Myrmidons are slow to build, but I'll be spending the bulk of my coin on wind riders and mages anyway. My military advisors believe that chariots are best used in large numbers, and I concur. For now, our garrison of 12 Cardaces and PeLasts will have to do.

[Blitz]

Turn Two
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Klepohon the Wind Lord answers my call to duty, and as the finest warrior in the nation's military, I give him the honor of being my prophet. My blessings will further enhance his battle prowness, making him a key component of my early march towards divinity. As he will be doing mostly fighting and not much preaching, I set about training a priestess to handle the more mundane duties of a cleric. I indicate to the military that I wish them to continue training myrmidons as quickly as possible... but sadly my smiths are lazy, and they can only work so quickly. I'm told that only two will be ready when the army marches.

Nanvather brings troubling news. The Island of White Oak is populated by a huge number of barbarians! He estimates there are at least fifty of them crammed onto that tiny island. I curse my bad fortune, as that island is my only link to the mainland. An arial assault is possible, but won't be easy for some time. I inform Nanvather to continue onto the mainland, hoping for better news in the future.

My sages also bring poor tidings. The capitol of the aquatic Ry'Leh nation lies just to our west. While not known for their abilities out of the water, I know they can be fierce opponents nontheless. I remind myself to aquire a ring of poison protection for both Lord Klepohon and Syren at the earliest possible time. There is better news to the east. Salt Plain holds no more than 30 militias and light infantry. In addition, it is said to be worth at least 31 gold per turn to the imperial coffers. I indicate to Klepohon to be ready to invade as early as next month.

[Blitz]

Turn Three
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Syren has completed her research in alteration, and informs me that she can now cast air shield. While not the best of protections, they will ward off any errant javelins from our peLasts. This is good, as the plan to invade salt plain will be carried out this month.

The entire Arcoscephale military, including our new priestess Andromache will carry out the invasion of Salt Plain. I inform Lord Klepohon to wait until Syren has cast her spells before attacking the commanders in the rear. The national smiths have only managed to equip two myrmidons. I will assign one to Lady Andromache and mix the other with the front line Cardaces of the imperial military. Hopefully their battle skills will inspire the under-equipped peLasts and cardaces on the front lines. With the battle plans set, I turn my attention back to the recon reports.

Nanvather brings better news from the mainland. Many of the same tribe of barbarians from the Island of White Oak inhabit the mainland, but in far fewer numbers. He estimates that only twenty warriors reside here. The beginnings of a plan form, as I have no doubt that Syren and Lord Klepohon can rout the small barbarian forces. Unfortunately I know that sending them aff alone has huge risks, but it's an option, one I am glad to have. I send Nanvather west to Florien, with the intentions of having him explore the larger island to the west of it. I do not know who resides there, but I will not stand for having the western flank so open.

I set about training one of our mystics for duty, and indicate to continue the slow production of bronze armors for our myrmidons. As our numbers of skilled warriors far outstrapped our production of armors, I indicate that one of the new myrmidons should be allowed the honor of a pegasus steed, a Wind Rider, the pride of the military. Something must be done about our mation's blacksmiths!

[ June 20, 2004, 03:27: Message edited by: Blitz ]

[Scott Hebert]

If I may, I have a question regarding your overall strategy.

Why did you not take a Bless effect for your Wind Riders? I would think that if you plan on using Sacred units that expensive, some investment to make them worth their Sacred status would be wise, wouldn't it?

I guess I'm confused.

[Blitz]

Turn Four

The entire might of the imperial army is unleashed on the unsuspecting garrison of Salt Plain with pleasing results. As the first line of Cardaces crashed into the poorly-trained militias of Salt Plain, our peLasts simultaniously unleashed their first volley of javelins. Fourteen of them fell in one wave, and their better armed spearmen and footmen turned and fled! Syren and Klepohon wiped out four of their commanders in the first wave, and blocked the passage of many of the routing army. Sadly, even in a battle this one-sided we managed to lose two men. I knew the ranks of peLasts and cardaces would not stand up to the perils that lay ahead. These men were already dead. Fortunately they did not know it, and were celebrating a great victory for the people of Arcoscephale on this day.

Back in the capitol, I noted with pleasure that our new mystic had brought with him a gift of fire gems he had found on his way to the capitol. Anthros was a skilled water mage, with some talents in the realm of earth. His skills may be needed sooner rather than later, however. I noted with displeasure that in addition to the accursed Ry'leh forces, we had an infestation of Atlantian spearmen off our eastern shores. Where could they have come from? The only explanation for their presence is that they had crossed the small ithmus to the east. This was troubling, as if the atlantians were to be so bold, they may just feel corageous enough to try and invade further onto the mainland. Not much to be done about it now, however. I imagine they have enough to worry about being so close to the Ry'leh capitol. They are no friends of ours, but they cannot hate us as much as they do the Atlantians could they? Surely not.

Nanvather brings good and bad news together. On the western shores of the mainland, he has located a nation of skilled horsemen. Long have I indicated to our generals that some heavy cavalry akin to those found in the armies of the other nations of man could enhance our armies greatly. They stubbornly stand by the chariot, but I hope to replace them with a more modern cavalry. But we have no time for that now, as the time has come for a decision regarding the barbarians in the Isle of White Oak. Any invasion would doubtlessly be costly, and there was even a chance of defeat. Anthros would in time be able to turn the tide in our favor, but for now he was not yet skilled enough. My instincts tell me that an arial invasion of the mainland with merely Syren and Klepohon would not be prudent at this time. While I have faith in their battle prowness, such boldness could easily backfire and end my campaign early.

While pondering the matter, I turn my attention to the realm of magics. While Anthros was indeed a skilled water mage, I knew he would need more help in finding sites of magical power. I recruit a second mystic, while continuing to admonish our nation's smiths to work more quickly. I note with pleasure that the conquest of Salt Plains has increased the flow of resources to the capitol. That sealed my decision. I would invade the tiny Island of White Oak, regardless of the cost. I inform my generals that again, the entire military might of Arcoscephale would be summoned and their combined wrath brought down on those fifty barbarian warriors. The price would be high, but in times of war men must do what they must do.