AAR: The Caelum Confessional

[Calistas]

Hi all. In the popular style I thought I would write an AAR of a game as Caelum I am just about to start playing. I'm quite keen on seeing comments and criticism as I'm still learning the magic game and from mid-game on I will get quite lost

Anyway, lets start with..

Pretender creation
I went for a Vampire Queen with 4 air, 3 water, 4 earth and 3 blood. This combo was suggested to me after chats about a rough design I had with folks on IRC. I can't remember exactly why this combo was suggested.. but I do like SCs, so maybe that is why!


Scales
Order 3, Sloth 3, Cold 3, Death 3, Misfortune 2, Magic 3. In the end I understand that magic and summonings is going to be how Caelum wins wars and so population and productivity aren't particularly necesary. Once the gems come in things wil be moving quickly enough.

A watch tower was suggested as a relatively cheap way of getting bases to churn out casters as soon as possible.


Game Settings
Map, Cradle of Zen. Seven computer players on Normal. Abysia, Atlantis, Pythium, Man, Ulm, C'tis, Arc. Indie strength 9, very difficult magic research, 50% site chance.

Right, lets go!

[Calistas]

TURN 1

Turn Results
"...In the beginning there was chaos"

Empire Status
We start on the farmlands of Starko.
- Income 212 (treasury 400)

Turn Orders
- Queeny is to research Alteration to get the spells she needs to go out and fight.
- Zanantes the scout heads to the plains of Anodyr to the NE (plains = gold! Lets check it out).
- Burja the storm general patrols as the tax is set to 130.
- Burelk's city guard are up for hire so I put in a bid at 145.
- I call on a a seraphine (to be my prophet) and a Mammoth to join us next turn.

Comments
I need gold, and lots of it quickly in order to build castles and support my research purchases.. once I'm up and rolling the leaders and power will flow like water from a flowy thing!

[Calistas]

TURN 2

Turn Results
"...Proclomations from Ulm and C'tis"
"...6 brigands killed and Starko is safe once more"
"...Burelk has been hired"
Nothing terrible. Good!

Empire Status
Vaedhang has arrived.
- Income 203

Turn Orders
- Vaedhang is instructed to complete the rights to become a prophet. Burelk and Bujra are ordered to Anodyr which only has 40 units, a mix of infantries. I hope the mammoth doesn't die and the huge mob of other units will finish off the enemy quickly.
- Zanantes the scout is told to head east to the Selebir woods, a rich province.
- A Seraph and a Mammoth are ordered to join us.
- Tax is dropped to 100.

Comments
Expand! Not much else on my mind.

[Calistas]

TURN 3

Turn Results
"...A proclomation from Pythium/Caelum"
- The battle at Anodyr goes well and the province is captured easily with the loss of 8 militia. 4 of those died to my Mammoth which is now battle frightened. O dear!
- Damn troops are eating too much and starting to starve. Tighten your belts lads!

Empire Status
- Two provinces. Good start I think.
- Income 155

Turn Orders
- The Armies are ordered into Selebir woods where about the same number of units reside our scout informs us.
- I order the prophet into Selebir with our 2 mammoths (1 ran home from the fight). I don't script any orders as I want her to respond as needed to any panic.
- I order another Seraph.
- Zanantes heads to the Isle of the Hundred which looks like it might be heavily populated with enemies.

Comments
Expand! Kill! Dominate them my flappy minions! I'm now aware I might have expanded in the wrong direction and will thus not be able to use my mercenaries effectively on the third turn. Damn. Well we'll see where I can move next time.

[Calistas]

TURN 4

Turn Results
"...Aleration 1"
"...A proclomation from Arc."
- The battle didn't go well. Why? I forgot to send the Mammoths in. Too much typing hehe. I lose most of my men and all of the mercenaries. Damn. O well.

Empire Status
- 2 Provinces
- Income 153

Turn Orders
- Ok, THIS TIME go and kill those Last remaining people!
- New seraph set to research
- Zanantes reports on 70 units at Isle of the Hundred, including heavy cav. Darn. I order him back to the wastes of Westwatch, to the west of my home province.

Comments
Grr!

[Calistas]

TURN 5

Turn Results
- Battle a complete success and we lose just one man.
- Unfortunately we're beginning to starve. That will teach them for not knowing I wanted them to attack properly the Last turn. I don't care if I didn't tell them.. I expect my people to KNOW what I want regardless!

Empire Status
- 3 provinces
- Income 215 (treasury 352)

Turn Orders
- The wastes have only 30 units. I tell Zanantes to go east of home to Valogda, a nice rich province.
- Selebir has an arena. Handy.
- Armies return to the home province. They can't move anywhere else.
- I recruit a high seraph and another mammoth.

Comments
Well at least my fighting went ok. I really did 'paint' myself into a corner though. Should have thought about that.

[Calistas]

TURN 6

Turn Results
(no events)

Empire Status
- 3 provinces
- Income 214 (T 208)

Turn Orders
- Mammoth given to the Prophet and she's told to cast Fanatacism and then holy avenger. The 60 units to the east in Valogda won't know what hit 'em!
- Bujra the storm general tags along for the fun (And experience) of it. He's getting stronger and lets keep that going.
- Zanantes heads NE to Heaven's Hold.
- I order another high seraph.

Comments
Gold gold gold gold! I need more! So off I go to get it. I notice now I am connected to a nearby port to the south (because my home has a port icon and that's how the map is). That's a nice rich province and so I will have to consider it soon. Perhaps with Queeny.

[Calistas]

TURN 7

Turn Results
"...Alteration 2"
- Well, it seems they DID know what was coming for it and prepared by wearing large scary masks, resulting in my Mammoths fleeing just after contact with the enemy. A few losses to my archers and that was it, the lot fled. My Prophet did none of my orders and I've no idea why just yet.

Empire Status
- 3 Provinces
- Income 214 (T 174)

Turn Orders
- Armies having retreated to home are told to go and head into Westwatch. They've got to be able to take 30 light infantry and assorted rubbish, right? Well. It's worth a shot. If they don't do their job I might have to reconsider the connection between certain prophet's heads and their shoulders!
- Zanantes heads NE once more.
- I order another mammoth and some archers. I need more power! She can'e take it cap'n!

Comments
Who would have thought I could fail so much? Well, ok, you lot I bet. But shussh! I don't want you to scare my prophet. I think she's a fragile type. Ahh, I read holy avenger properly. Silly me. She is set to the other lvl 4 priest spells.

[Calistas]

TURN 8

Turn Results
"...A vengeful witch" - 3 units cursed in Starko. Hopefully not a mammoth.
- The battle.. is a terrible failure and all my flying monkeys die in a suicidal charge on heavy infantry. The local lads seem to have heard about the scary mask trick and so the mammoths again run for the hills!

Empire Status
- 3 provinces
- Income 212 (T 139)

Turn Orders
- Well my units end up all over the place and so I will have to spend this turn gathering the units back into one place at home. Grrr!
- Zanantes returns home
- I order another mammoth

Comments
Boy, so much for a fast start with a lot of research! My own fault in wasting those mercenaries so quickly.

ps. Yes, it was a cursed mammoth.

[Calistas]

TURN 9

Turn Results
"...Research in alteration" - Lvl 3 at Last

Empire Status
- 3 provinces
- Income 215 (T 144)

Turn Orders
- I decide to be a bit more careful and so order yet another mammoth and a couple more archers to see what I can do to finish up some of these provinces. Taxes go back up and the armies patrol. I'm again broke as I have been at the end of every turn.
- Zanantes is told to head into that port I mentioned earlier, Armavir.
- Research is switched to Enchantment to get Breath of Winter which will be available next turn.

Comments
Grr! I will get them this time! Well, maybe Queeny will!