MP: Noobs & Vets: Rise of the AI Menace. EA, BI. Game Over. Team ACGHHS wins!

[Septimius Severus]

If players didn't like the idea behind the Arboreans (nature and earth), why vote it so highly?

Bringing in one of the other voted themes might rectify a critic or two (such as the Magisterium, whose focus is on nations with multiple high level priests which probably cuts across many paths, have to look into it) though I am sort of saving the other highly voted choices for game 3, trying to avoid as many conflicts as I can. With the power of Collegium Arcanum, and the evil of Regnum Inferorum (reminds me, I need to add a fire path to them), a divine theme sounds best in game 3.

[Illuminated One]

And the hawks of Formoria fell upon the hawks of Caelum but the hawks of Caelum valiantly gave battle and scattered them like chaff before the wind.
And then the hawks, a dozen and a half of number, went through the province and slew whoever they found in revenge. On this day the heads were counted to be more than 2000 (it was a markata province, ok?).
May this serve as an omen for the time to come when numbers will no longer avail the forces of darkness. Pray that this time is now, oh brethren.

[Gregstrom]

Originally Posted by Septimius Severus

If players didn't like the idea behind the Arboreans (nature and earth), why vote it so highly?

The proposed lineup didn't help. Only 1 of the 4 'nature/earth' nations actually had E access. Two of them being Man and Eriu banged a bunch more nails in the coffin.

Pan/Machaka/C'tis/one from Agartha/Man/Eriu/Ulm/Mictlan sounds like a less obvious fail.

[rdonj]

Originally Posted by Gregstrom

The proposed lineup didn't help. Only 1 of the 4 'nature/earth' nations actually had E access. Two of them being Man and Eriu banged a bunch more nails in the coffin.

Pan/Machaka/C'tis/one from Agartha/Man/Eriu/Ulm/Mictlan sounds like a less obvious fail.

Yeah, this could work.

[rdonj]

Originally Posted by Septimius Severus

Well, squirrel, I've noticed your having access to Tartarians hasn't helped your team much against the Deva's. If it is the path to victory, I haven't seen it yet. In fact I might say that exploiting the Mysterios and Blessed might be ACGHHS true path to victory in this game.

Currently the Tartarians are not doing a whole lot, no. Sauro has this one equipped with armor of virtue that's continually bombing DrP's solar brilliance army with rain of stones to kill off the lesser communion slaves, likely in preparation for some sort of attack from mictlan's huge jaguar warrior army. Other than this we so far haven't been hit with any tarts. Tartarians are quite powerful, but certainly no instant win button. The other two teams have certainly caused far more damage as of yet than the tartarian mad bomber, but when they get their numbers up a bit it they may be able to start hurting our (largely SC-dominated) armies. Definitely though, the mysterios and the blessed ones have been a thorn in our sides for some turns now. And after we showed mercy on you earlier, hmmph. Your team in particular has actually expended much more of its power against us than the ACGHHS have. ACGHHS is sort of just kicking along, slowly bringing its guns to bear. Whereas the mysterios are rushing caelum in an all out blitz

In vague relation: The king is dead! Long live the king(slayer)! The lands of ulm are safe once more.

[Squirrelloid]

Originally Posted by Septimius Severus

Well, squirrel, I've noticed your having access to Tartarians hasn't helped your team much against the Deva's. If it is the path to victory, I haven't seen it yet. In fact I might say that exploiting the Mysterios and Blessed might be ACGHHS true path to victory in this game.

Yes, well, tarts are more effective when you can persuade your teammates to pass you gear. We also have really weird gem distribution, which certainly hasn't helped.

I'll note that I have to bludgeon my way through Niefl's army of doom to do any damage, so not only would I like what useful tarts I have to be geared (blah), I'm also going to need them in useful quantity to bludgeon a bunch of Niefl Jarls to death.

I will also point out we're hardly in lategame. Not even close. I had tarts early, and I'm still ramping up critical mass =)

Of course if you wish to start a game that caters to the dueling crowd...

Ok, sept, wth. There is no 'dueling' crowd. A duel is a 1 on 1 game, they are virtually non-existent. Almost nobody duels, at least on these forums, and the rare few that happen feature people who also play MP games. Gandalf loves to throw that term around and it means absolutely nothing. That it is without applicable meaning in general is clearly a problem of conception on your and his part. That it is devoid of meaning to me means you are totally failing to communicate whatever it is you're trying to say.

My comments on lategame certainly apply to *any* MP game that lasts long enough for someone to cast Wish. And I did not mean those were the only things that saw play, just that they were the dominant strategic considerations. (I mean, if you can throw large numbers of tarts around, you can also do plenty of other things as well. But the fact that you have lots of tarts to throw around is a dominant strategic consideration both for you and your opponents).

[Stagger Lee]

Algae - 6 minutes to get your turn in? If we were all so efficient we'd already be playing the next installment!

[Septimius Severus]

Originally Posted by Gregstrom

The proposed lineup didn't help. Only 1 of the 4 'nature/earth' nations actually had E access. Two of them being Man and Eriu banged a bunch more nails in the coffin.

That's because the main thematic path of the Arboreans (and hence the name) is nature, earth is a secondary path. Was also thinking of nations that with the least conflict between teams ranked lists. But as I say, I most likely don't intend to pick nations for teams, takes the fun and choice away from players and captains.

Originally Posted by Squirrelloid

My comments on lategame certainly apply to *any* MP game that lasts long enough for someone to cast Wish. And I did not mean those were the only things that saw play, just that they were the dominant strategic considerations. (I mean, if you can throw large numbers of tarts around, you can also do plenty of other things as well. But the fact that you have lots of tarts to throw around is a dominant strategic consideration both for you and your opponents).

Yes, i've no doubt Tartarians can be a major consideration in the end game, I suppose having 3 powerful and well led teams ally against you could be another major strategic consideration (and can happen with open diplomacy). There also those other high level summons and elemental royalty. There's also player skill level, team coordination, and a hundred other things. My point is the game is so much, much more.

Veteran and intermediate players in this series play a service role really. It is certainly nice to see players with an intense love of the game such as yourself. Hope that love is just not narrowly focused and I hope that is not what the whole game boils down to.

Originally Posted by rdonj

In vague relation: The king is dead! Long live the king(slayer)! The lands of ulm are safe once more.

Well, I'm sort of spent playing 3 nations, hopefully this will be the last turn of that. It will be time for me to relax soon. The lands of ulm may be free but unrest abounds. The Ulmish people are upset (wonder why). The kingslayer will soon meet his match when Fomoria returns to Ulm.

[Septimius Severus]

Recently, I had a chance to sit down with Micah, team advisor for The Blessed Ones, Hall of Fame member, and Dom3 champion extraordinare. Micah was kind enough to take some time from his busy schedule to answer a few questions for us.

SS: Micah, everyone is grateful to you for stepping in and at least trying to help the Blessed Ones whenever you have had the chance. And I'm sure the Blessed Ones have been blessed to have any help they could. Tell me, what qualities do you think a good team advisor should possess? And do you think having you as their advisor (or anyone for that matter) has been beneficial to the Captain and members of the Blessed Ones?

Micah: I don't know, seems like a team adviser should possess the quality of being team captain. Not playing the game makes it difficult to keep up with the situation, and not having any decision-making capability is frustrating. I suppose a general knowledge of the game is helpful, but the role of the position is very vague, so the qualifications are as well. You should ask my team how helpful I've been, they're the ones that have seen how things worked out, if I didn't think my advice was helpful I wouldn't have given it.

SS: Have you found the position of team adviser difficult or challenging in any way? And if so how?

Micah: Caring enough to give good advice but not caring enough to actually join the game is a difficult line. Also, my team has chosen to disregard some of my advice, which is quite frustrating.

SS: On a scale of 1-10, (10 being most likely) how likely do you rate your team's chances at winning?

Micah: 1.

SS: Thanks for your time, you are a wonderful asset to the community and I am sure everyone appreciates your efforts.

[rdonj]

That's okay, it would be hard for him not to being blind and all. He's passing on the torch to another generation of kingslayer, and will be put to work elsewhere. The new kingslayer will be equipped slightly more sensibly, as some of the gear on the old one was kind of bad.

That's kind of rough playing 3 nations simultaneously. I guess on the bright side, you don't have to wait for a lot of commentary from the rest of your team.