"Got Blood?" -- BF Ulm AAR (Newbie)

[Scott Hebert]

Just a short update... I do intend to complete this AAR. I'm currently looking for my notes up to turn 7. When I do, I'll update to then, and then post one turn a day until I win or lose.

edit: spelling

[ June 16, 2004, 00:32: Message edited by: Scott Hebert ]

[Scott Hebert]

Turn 5

Irma regarded the young-looking man before her. "Excuse me? You believe I have made an error?"

"Yes, my Queen. And as Castellan of your Keep..." The man trailed off. Of course, he was more than merely a man now. The new Castellan, who succumbed to the Malediction and fed on his father's corpse.

Irma continued to stare at him. "And this error I made was..?"

"My Lady, the Barbarians, while useful, were destined to be ground into dust facing C'tis's defenders. There was no need to pay the dead." His face seemed troubled, as if he was not sure of the wisdom of questioning his Queen's judgement.

Irma chuckled slightly. "Fear not, Baron Ulrich. You can be my advisor, until such time as you become unfit for service." Ulrich bowed his head in acknowledgement, and if Irma was not mistaken, relief. "Make ready a reinforcement column to send to C'tis, and find what mercenaries you can as well. I think the Serpent's Mausoleum will make a fitting summer cottage for me."

--

Abysia names Ba'al Chozron the Anathemant Warlock as their Prophet. Always a pleasure... :|

As noted in the story above, I successfully take out the PD in C'tis, but I lose all of Rexor's Barbarians but Rexor in the process. It would have been better to not pay for him again.

I give orders for Karl and Rexor to siege in C'tis. Nan Bagor moves in to reinforce the siege. Zierod (my new Wolfherd) takes the Rangers and the Wolves in Ulm and Sneaks to Zimmria. Ulrich meanwhile takes the Morningstar Infantry in Ulm and moves to Fenatice. Finally, Irma and her coven research.

For taxes, I increase taxes in Zimmria to 80%, and reduce taxes in C'tis to 50%.

I note that Dante's Stingers are available to hire, and so I pay 160g to hire them straight into C'tis. I also pay 102g for a Fortuneteller and a Ranger in Ulm.

Status:

Treasury: 7
Income: 284 (+55)
Upkeep: 57 (+6)
Gems: 5A/5S/15D/5N
GI: +1S/+3D/+3N
Research: 39/39 points, Construction 2 should be researched next turn.

Next update: Turn 6.

[HotNifeThruButr]

I'd really love to see more of this, I dabbled in Black Forest for a while, because of the rangers. Accuracy AND axes in melee, wow! But I got trounced... repeatedly... by the AI.

Anyways, I wonder why you use Infants of Ulm instead of Zweihanders. Although rangers can fend for themselves in a melee, I'm sure Zweihanders' improved armor, and therefor tanking ability, makes them superior to Infantry of Ulm combined with the fact that your recruitable mortal commanders, the Commanders of Ulm (how imaginative) can only take 25 men apiece instead of the standard 50.

Aside from that, I also wonder how/when you're going to get a slave trade going. I'm a newbie to blood magic, and have only dabbled in it in one game with Diabolical Faith. What demons do you plan to summon, if you're not only using it to make Counts. How will you deal with only having your pretender to summon them?

I might've missed it from another post, but are you playing the AI or in Multiplayer?

[Scott Hebert]

Originally posted by HotNifeThruButr:
I'd really love to see more of this, I dabbled in Black Forest for a while, because of the rangers. Accuracy AND axes in melee, wow! But I got trounced... repeatedly... by the AI.

The Rangers are nice, but they're not much different from the Arbalests of base Ulm. Well, they fire more rapidly, and are more accurate, but they're much worse in melee combat (due to lack of armor).

Anyways, I wonder why you use Infants of Ulm instead of Zweihanders. Although rangers can fend for themselves in a melee, I'm sure Zweihanders' improved armor, and therefor tanking ability, makes them superior to Infantry of Ulm combined with the fact that your recruitable mortal commanders, the Commanders of Ulm (how imaginative) can only take 25 men apiece instead of the standard 50.

Actually, I don't use the Zweihanders because 1) they're more resource-intensive than the infantry (IIRC), and 2) They don't have shields. Especially when you consider I'm firing crossbow bolts into melee after a while, you want shields on your tanks. The difference in survivability between Morningstar Infantry and Zweihanders is quite large. Point-by-point:

1) Zweihanders don't have shields, which means they're going to be taking damage from my own Rangers.
2) Zweihanders are easily hit, and while they better armor, defense is rather important.
3) Zweihanders actually have greater encumbrance, and therefore their endurance is less.
4) I can buy a Morningstar Infantry, a Ranger, and a mage for the same resource cost as a Zweihander. This is my limiting factor at present.
5) I seem to recall from SaberCherry's combat simulator that the Morningstar Infantry was generally better than 2-handed wpn. Infantry.

I have quite a few reasons why I'm using Morningstar Infantry. Points 1) and 4) I think are the most important.

Aside from that, I also wonder how/when you're going to get a slave trade going. I'm a newbie to blood magic, and have only dabbled in it in one game with Diabolical Faith. What demons do you plan to summon, if you're not only using it to make Counts. How will you deal with only having your pretender to summon them?

Well, with a little help, the Counts can summon each other. Irma can also summon the Ice Devils. I can probably also get her Blood high enough (through Vessel/Armor/Thorn/Artifact Book) to summon the Heliophagi. Time will tell with this.

I might've missed it from another post, but are you playing the AI or in Multiplayer?

I'm playing SP (that is, against the AI). If this wasn't totally after the action, I'd be kinda stupid to do it.

Another small note. Everything up until turn 7 was done under 2.08. That means, before the missile fire rules were changed. If anything, this should make the Rangers more deadly.

Hope this helps.

[Scott Hebert]

Turn 6

Marignon names the Cardinal his Prophet. Would that make him Holy 6? Gotta keep him away from my Vampires...

I was able to hire Dante's Stingers, and I broke down the walls of the Mausoleum, so I order Dante, Karl, and Rexor to storm it. I don't see any provinces of C'tis's around here, so I'm hoping that if I win, C'tis will be eliminated.

Nan Bagor transfers his troops to Karl, and summons up wolves.

Zierod and his troops sneak to C'tis. (Another bonus of the Wolfherds... strategic move of 2, and can sneak with Rangers and Wolves.)

Ulrich and his Morningstar Infantry move to Zimmria.

Eata, my Astral/Blood Fortuneteller, moves to Fenatice to prepare for Bloodhunting.

Meanwhile, most of the rest of my coven switches over to forging items for Irma, since Construction 2 has been reached. Evita forges a Rawhide Shield, Irma forges herself a Horror Helm, and Coma forges a Pendant of Luck.

I note that the Farstrikers are up for hire. I've always considered them among the best mercenaries, and so I spend 165g in an attempt to hire them. This leaves me with 62g, which I use to buy another Wolfherd, and a single Ranger.

Taxes are moved to 70% in Zimmria and 80% in C'tis.

Status:

Treasury 0
Income 331 (+47)
Upkeep 64 (+7)
Gems: 5A1S13D1N
Research: 7/39, Conjuration 1

Turn 7, the Serpent's Fall, up next.

[Scott Hebert]

Turn 7

"Your report, Castellan?"

Ulrich bowed before his Queen. "My Lady, fate has smiled upon us. The evil serpents of C'tis have been overthrown, and the secrets their Archmage leader had secreted in his Mausoleum are now ours."

"Most excellent. I now have a home away from home... although it does strike me..." Irma quirked her lips in what was almost a smile.

"Yes, Your Majesty? Do you need anything?"

Irma shook her head slightly. "A small lesson in statecraft, Baron Ulrich. As you recall, the Illuminated Society recently paid me a call, asking for a place they could carry out their plots and schemes. Naturally, I could not give them the Keep, but..."

Ulrich smiled as well. "Now you have another Fortification that they can occupy. They gain access to the Archmage's research..."

"And I gain access to perhaps the best cabal in the world." She rose from her throne. "Baron, send word to the Order and tell them they may have use of the Mausoleum. Eata should be able to carry my words to them. Now, if there is nothing else..." His small cough interrupted her. "Yes? Is there something else?"

"We have sighted the Spiders of Machaka on our northwest frontier, Great Lady."

"Ah... hopefully a worthier adversary than the snakes. Has my coven finished my accouterments yet?"

"They have, My Lady."

"Then I must give Machaka a proper welcome, now mustn't I?"

--

At the battle in C'tis, they had their Archmage (AAAADDDD and something else), a Shaman, and their Serpent Dancers. What they were missing was a Priest to bless them. Had they had one, the assault may have gone differently. In any event, not much to talk about there. About the scariest thing (NPI) was the Archmage's Terror spells.

But they died, and I lost few units.

I was able to purchase the Farstrikers.

Arcoscephale made a Strategos their Prophet. At least I know they're playing the base theme.

Machaka is 2 provinces away from Ulm to the NE. To be more specific, there are 2 provinces that are adjacent both to Ulm and their territory that I can see.

My battle plan for the moment is to try to swallow up as much territory between me and them as a buffer.

One attack squad, made up of Dante's Stingers, Arnaud's Farstrikers, and Ulrich's Morningstars, is attacking Zanthrast, a province cradled by C'tis, Zimmria, and Fenatice.

The second squad, made up of Karl's forces, attacks Akesta, above Zanthrast.

The third squad, Irma by herself, is attacking Cun Aral, the province between Machaka and Ulm that I have positive dominion in. She has the equipment I forged for her Last turn, with orders of (Quickness)/(Stoneskin)/(Earth Might)/Attack Rear. I am slightly concerned that she is going after Barbarians, who if they can get through the Ethereal/Luck combo, can do some serious damage.

My wolfherds (2 in C'tis and 1 in Ulm) all Summon Wolves.

Ulga, Evita, and Coma in Ulm all Research.

Eata moves to C'tis to Research/protect from bad events.

Taxes in Zimmria and C'tis are increased to 80% and 90% respectively.

In Ulm, a Fortuneteller and 4 Rangers are recruited.
In C'tis, a Member of the Second Tier is recruited.

Status:

Treasury 0
Income 386 (+56)
Upkeep 68 (+4)
Gems: 5A/2S/19D/4N
Gem Income: +1S/+6D/+3N (C'tis, booyah)
Research: 21 points, researching Enchantment 1

... and I've caught up to where I was a couple of months ago. (Don't worry. I haven't been playing.) From now on, it's 2.12 (albeit with a VQ that is illegal under 2.12).

This thread has been added to the AAR Thread. Good job Scott.