FastBlitz - Running

[Folket]

Time to return to 100 hour schedule.

[AdmiralZhao]

Yes, these game settings do change the usual balance of power, and reduce Ashdod from impossibly overpowered to just overpowered. Even with BL's help, it was a close thing, and I was only able to win against his large sacred army by throwing in all my capital only mages, a dozen or two F3 mages, and then getting very, very lucky with the army scripting. And if he had ever reached Earthquake, or had started spitting out fire resistant Adons with 30+ armor & regen & reinvig, it would have been all over for me.
Anyway, good game Squirreloid. Sorry if I'm too anti-Ashdod, I've started next to them one to many times.

As to the rest of the map, yes, Abysia is enjoying it's moment in the sun. At least we are in the North. I expect things to change though once we start seeing more battlefield enchantments by the other players. You can stick a fork in me once the first Mass Enslave comes out. Like our mages, our nation is powerful but tends to die young. Personally, my money is on C'tis, but we will see.

[Squirrelloid]

Hardly a close thing, you had me all on your own. BL made it faster, it didn't make it any more sure.

As far as outfitted SCs - well, lets just say it was a few turns away at best to get even one.

I'd say Ashdod is underpowered at these settings, honestly. They simply can't build enough units to matter against any nation with good infantry. (This doesn't include BL, whom i could possibly have handled if Abysia had left me alone, but it most certainly includes Abysia and nations like Shinuyama and Man). Actually, these settings would really make MA Man shine, since their armies are awesome, its their magic which is awful.

[AdmiralZhao]

Ughh. That communion master picked the wrong day to forget to bring his gems along...

[TwoBits]

Crap crap crap. Did my turn, and then forgot to submit it to Llamaserver I'm afraid to even look at the new turn yet (although the Admiral's words give me some small hope)

[Graeme Dice]

Blinded, berserking, regenerating lava warriors who can still hit hard enough to kill a soul vortexed, 19 hitpoint per turn regenerating mother of serpents are my new nemesis. That plus mages who cast mass protection unscripted when fighting Abysia. Oh and mages who cast serpent's blessing because they are worried that that slayer is going to make it through an elite warrior lizard bodyguard and might poison somebody.

Rain is your friend when fighting Abysia, now if only I had had somebody to cast rigor mortis and relief that battle might have been even more onesided.

[AdmiralZhao]

Hah, you are not the only one was disappointed by this turn. When I opened up the battle replay and saw 4 astral mages instead of 5 in the back row, I knew they were all doomed. One day I'll learn to check my turns and make sure everyone is moving where they should. And have enough gems. Poor Abysians. Their best mages are inbred and senile, and cannot even put together a simple communion.

[Folket]

I was quite surprised when you cast mass protection but I think it served you well in the battle.

[AdmiralZhao]

Humanbred to act as a meatshield: 10 Gold
Flamestorm to nuke a block of Mindflayers: 2 Fire Gems
AI deciding to cast Inner Furnace, causing 350 indie archers to cook each other to death: Priceless

[Folket]

The inner furnace bug is pretty amazing.