REPLACEMENT NEEDED - Lategame AE Ermor

[Vicious Love]

On Try_Something_New, that is*.

I really haven't a clue whether I'm winning or losing, at present. Caelum have made a Big Push into my heartlands, and it seems to be succeeding. If anyone's interested in taking over, I could fill you in on my assets and diplomatic condition. The former are by no means unimpressive, but this is nearly the endgame, and I'm deinitely not the most powerful force out there.
Especially if you believe the score graphs, but those have a habit of overlooking secret weapons, they do. Not to mention sheer power of unpredictability. I've got plenty of not-particularly-Ermoresque tricks up my sleeve which I could pass on to you, the permasub, as part of this amazing bargain.
Any takers?



If anyone in the game's wondering why I'm looking for a way out, by the way, I'll try and respond without getting too anecdotal:
It turns out Bone Grinding does not cause "All [corporeal]units on the battlefield" to fall to the ground and take damage, as the flavor text implies**. Which is something of a moot point, as my Lich Queen insisted on only casting the spell once per round, despite quickness, a well-stocked gembox, and death-10. Until the fourth round, wherein she decided to chain the Last two castings in her script, to no avail(Due to that whole "not affecting everyone on the battlefield" thing).

This wouldn't bug me quite so much, were it not the second time I've lost a major asset(In this case a ring of wizardry, the Sceptre of Unholy Regency, a rune smasher, yet more miscellaneous equipment, a shot at recovering my Gate Stone and decimating an enemy army, and a round of my pretender's time) due to an unadvertised technicality. And that's not counting the time I lost a bunch of commanders and a gem-wealthy province with a lab and temple in it because my pretender had to paralyze one of the fleeing enemies after a 50-turn "Raise Skeletons" spamfest, and then had to raise a bunch of skeletons to chase him down, instead of just Soul Slaying him as she should have been doing to foes at that range since round one.

Which wouldn't be all that aggravating, either, had I not lost substantially more to my own ineptness in ways which are nonetheless frustrating. For instance, forgetting which besieged enemy fort contains a group of ultravulnerable, pricey mages, a temple, and no laboratory, and which contains their nigh-unvanquishable(To my longdeads) SC pretender, a temple, and no laboratory is definitely my fault, but an annoying way to miss an opportunity, regardless.
By that same token, although not realizing Archbishops of Eldergate aren't ethereal is entirely my fault, it's an awfully unpleasant way to lose a prophet, the Ark, the Gate Stone, and 80 leaderless, uberblessable Knights of the Unholy Sepulchre, particularly after their Sword of Aurgelmer-wielding, Armor of Virtue-wearing spectator*** escort was nearly killed by the Ark when fighting indies, "Blessed" status nonwithstanding.
Add to that a botched foolproof assassination(Again, I was the fool. Didn't notice he was in the same province as a few stragglers that'd make him rout prematurely) and half a dozen or so similar mishaps, and you might get a sense of my mood.

Apologies if this seems like a complaint of some sort. I realize I'm to blame for most of what's gone awry on my end of the game, but that's beside the point. The point in question being that I'm really not enjoying spending so much time assessing, planning, and fine-tuning only to be foiled by trivialities twice as often as by my opponent. If said opponent's end of things is likewise, more's the pity.

Further apologies if this has been rambling or incoherent. For the past three days, the house has been full of people. Many of whom I dislike. Few of which are quiet. And one of which is a baby.

I can't stand babies.


* Applicants must not have played either of Ermor's special themes in multiplayer before. Not sure if Zapmeister'll allow Broken Empire players, best to inquire within, so to speak.

** Explicitly states

*** How was I to know the Sword of Aurgelmer can't be unequipped? I mean, sure, the Fates, and all that, but the same could be said of your run-off-the-mill Lucky Pendant.