Ulm SP AAR- Swords Vs. Sorcery

[RedRover]

Arralen is right. Listen to Arralen.

Priest morale effects start at H3 (that should teach me to check instead of relying on memory!).

On the Swords of Sharpness, I could have sworn I read that they weren't magic (in a thread long ago), but several days of searching hasn't turned up a reference, so go with Arralen.

Another cool thing about research-boost items is that different types stack (a feather and a lantern give +9).

On dominion, you do know that five Temples gives you a +1 (to a maximum of dominion 10).

Good going against Caelum--give the lizards heck!

[Blofeld]

RedRover said:
Arralen is right. Listen to Arralen.

On the Swords of Sharpness, I could have sworn I read that they weren't magic (in a thread long ago), but several days of searching hasn't turned up a reference, so go with Arralen.

Sword of sharpness - an item made from 5 earth gems in one of 2 variants (one- and two-handed) is a magic weapon.

Weapons of sharpness - a combat spell gives affected
units armor-piercing, but not magical weapons.

Good AAR, keep it up!

[boltcutter]

I'm not worried about Dominion as long as I have a major advantage on research- I don't think faith and legions can compete with dozens of uparmored Trolls and hundreds of flying knives. I have enough Smiths that I probably can do without spending the extra 30 Earth gems on a King- or maybe I only need one, for the starter set.

I find that my real enemy in the later game is distraction. . . once the game gets really big, it requires more work for each turn, and more "where was I?" time for the first turn of the night. I renamed all my Smiths to composers, and that helps me find them. Any tips to help coordinating my spies would be appreciated.

[Endoperez]

RedRover said:
On dominion, you do know that five Temples gives you a +1 (to a maximum of dominion 10).

However, it doesn't increase EVERYTHING:

Kristoffer O
Colonel
Re: Dominion Spreading effects [Re: Huzurdaddi]
#329648 - Sun Feb 06 2005 11:45 AM

Checked the dominion spread: The chance of a temple generating a possible increase is dependent on the initial dominion of the god. The chances of an increase from the god himself or his prophet is dependent on number of temples though.

Thus the effectivity of temples are determined by the godly power of the pretender and the effectivity of the pretender is dependent on his number of adherents.

This applies to blood sacrifices as well. Make sure you have high dominion if you are Mictlan. Later temples will not have much effect apart from a higher max lvl.

The max dominion and the ability to lower enemy dominion is dependent on temple numbers.

So, temples won't affect dominions spreading, except for your pretender, prophet, and possibly Juggernauts. The maximum increases, as well as resistance to enemy dominion, but the speed of spreading doesn't.

EDITED another reply in here. It took a while to find that post!
Boltcutter

I find that my real enemy in the later game is distraction. . . once the game gets really big, it requires more work for each turn, and more "where was I?" time for the first turn of the night. I renamed all my Smiths to composers, and that helps me find them. Any tips to help coordinating my spies would be appreciated.

Check the new turn after you have generated it. You don't actually have to do anything, indeed, it's better if you can stay from doing it. And if you find that you already made everything for that turn, at least don't host it. Then, when you return, you recall your plans (that you never completed as you left), or see what you were doing (if your Magic Resistance was low).

Also, doing fewer turns might help to remember your plans. During the thrice-a-week game of Dom:PPP (that lasted over turn 100!), checking the turn always set the wheels rolling, and I let the ideas to mature for a while. Never really tested it in a Single-player game, though. AI never gives such surprises as humans... and the best of all, you aren't afraid the AI will quess your plans even when its impossible. But, you know, a human just might quess that your rainbow pretender has to move through one uncastled province with only few bodyguards...

[Morkilus]

I've been enjoying the AAR; I really like Ulm, too! I'm curious if you'll ever bring Ulmon back out of retirement; sufficiently equipped with the latest in high-tech gear. Have you been investing in any other magic paths?

[boltcutter]

We have been occupying Ourselves, since Our return, with various army-feeding miracles- magical wineskins, summer swords, and the like. We have been equipped with a flaming sword and matching flaming shield by the Smiths, and have built a ring of regeneration, but We are respectful of Our worshippers and try to avoid gaudy displays of magic.

Also, as the lands around Us are filled with unbelievers, heretics and pagans, We feel that it might be . . . less than safe to travel without a strong escort, such as twenty or thirty Hammermen and perhaps a few Trolls.

(My dominion doesn't really extend into enemy lands, and fighting in enemy dominion can be surprising hazardous. Regeneration doesn't help much when you have only 30 HP.)

[boltcutter]

Turns 50-53: Relative Calm.

We clean up some of the remaining provinces of Caelum. We discover the secrets of contacting Trolls, and acquire 12 for the First Army and 16, plus a Troll King, for what will become Second Army. The Trolls, as predicted earlier in this thread by thejeff, are expensive in upkeep. We have a gift for spending gold as fast as it comes in. . .We have also built a small unit of cavalry- I have been impressed with the previous unit and hope these are even better.

It seems Caelum, like Pangaea, will be driven into the oceans and remain there, safe. . . until We develop techniques for invading even there.

Our spies are creeping through the lands of Pythium, spreading dissent with small visible success

Magically, We have pushed heavily to increase our knowledge of Construction- next turn, We will have several lightless lanterns. We now have a lab and a library, and a single Sage [unfortunately, one with fire magic] to research- soon, we will be able to free all our Smiths for the armies.

Our enemies are still large and ominous.

Jotunheim is near the end of their strength- they have taken some lands back from Pythium, but are down to a handful of provinces and their army is weak, primarily undead .

Pythium is growing ever stronger, and slowly developing some magical might. We are tempted to turn aside from the relatively constant C'tissan enemy to strike them first.

C'tis has some unexpected dangers- aside from the hundreds or thousands of their troops, they have one or more provinces that are sinks of disease; two of my spies have fallen victim already.

Vanheim is the most disturbing to Us- I know little of their armies, I have not seen them in battle, and they are powerful in both magic and materiel. Their armies can grow tremendously strong without starving, and who knows what evil sorcery they can muster?

Our current plans are unchanged: strike hard and fast, from two directions, at the C'tissian threat. Once they are reduced, continue on into Pythium. Last, Vanheim. Possibly a third force will be mustered, to clean out the oceans. We are developing large stocks of various gems; We may enhance Our power in water, and build Tomes of Water Breathing. Possibly my Sages will produce another answer. Come the time, Caelum and Pangaea's false gods will be cleansed from this desert earth.