Ironically as the game grew into the heavilly tactical stage past turn 20 or so, we started posting maps less and less. I think their main purpose was to help everyone familiarize themselves with fronts they couldn't see. Also as we got used to IRC meetings every two days we shared a lot of intel there.
Anyway, here's a taste of vets IRC:
(11:49:08 AM) Ironhawk: i still cant believe i got the plague
(11:49:11 AM) Ironhawk: in my cap, no less!!!
(7:39:11 PM) Lingchih: he had almost won too. the mage had run up to attack him
(8:06:26 PM) Lingchih: did you read how my Jarl got killed, Hawk?
(8:06:47 PM) Ironhawk: yeah you got killed by a sleep touch, eh? thats hard luck too
(8:06:58 PM) Lingchih: almost made me cry
A few days later...
(7:34:04 PM) qm: holy crap, now _I_ lost a sc to sleep touch
(10:35:29 PM) Lingchih: well, this conversation has degenerated to the point where we are talking about maggots in ears. Are we done?
(11:30:55 AM) TheDemon: I'm probably the worst army vs army player ever
This fact proved several times during this very game
Oh and sometimes we talk strategy too:
(5:27:43 PM) TheDemon: qm needs 400, we have about 600 total to give out
(5:28:29 PM) TheDemon: how much would you need in handouts for a fort started next turn?
(5:31:24 PM) Ironhawk: 600?
(5:31:54 PM) TheDemon: might be a bit out of our reach for this turn
(5:32:48 PM) Ironhawk: yeah i dont want it this turn, either. want to see if I luck out with the search
(5:36:17 PM) TheDemon: so for the fort plan this turn, atul sends qm 300, I send qm 100, I keep 250, we have 2 forts starting next turn
That's us on turn 7 or so talking gold-sharing for forts
(1:48:30 PM) atul: Dunno about this whole C'tis debacle
(1:48:49 PM) TheDemon: well, basically we underestimated him a little
(1:49:06 PM) atul: we did, that I admit
(1:49:50 PM) TheDemon: if we figure out how many jarls ling will have, and how many will potentially die, we just send him the equipment to deal with c'tis and I think we have it though
(1:50:06 PM) atul: Yeah well, that's one of my problems
(1:50:25 PM) TheDemon: I don't think the current "make a bunch of stuff" is good enough, we need specifics
(1:55:22 PM) TheDemon: but we need a count on the jarls
(1:55:29 PM) atul: indeed
(1:56:04 PM) atul: Ever heard of "beer distribution game"?
(1:56:10 PM) TheDemon: no
(1:56:27 PM) atul: That's a classic game in system operations research
(1:56:44 PM) atul: has this line of orders with delays and delays in supply
(1:56:54 PM) TheDemon: oh, I have, but they didn't call it that
(1:56:57 PM) atul: Basically it proves how much people make mistakes
(1:57:01 PM) TheDemon: I took a whole class on modelling supply chains
(1:57:07 PM) atul: And we're enacting it now
(1:57:27 PM) atul: My minor's in operations research, we played it as a part of some course
(1:58:04 PM) atul: Anyway, this "I need a bunch, NOW" thing was the stuff that led to a downfall.
After Ling lost a few Jarls to C'tis and was in a bit of a panic, and atul and I putting our degrees to use.
(12:43:28 PM) TheDemon: ok. the way I see it is we have 1 turn before you'll need to have your armies in 51/73 to surface against abysia
(12:43:33 PM) TheDemon: as in one extra turn
(12:44:04 PM) TheDemon: I'm hitting 116 this turn, that means the soonest I can clear PD on 88 or something is in 2 turns
(12:44:31 PM) TheDemon: likely it'll be more like 3 as I think my next move is to siege the cap or chase down army remenants
(12:44:48 PM) atul: So if I go to 6 I'll be too late?
(12:45:00 PM) TheDemon: no, if you go to 6 you could make it on time
(12:45:38 PM) atul: 6 this turn, back to 20 - 51 - 88 or so?
(12:45:55 PM) TheDemon: next turn 6 & 116. turn after, 32 and cap. 3 turns from now, 51 and 88, 4 turns from now 88 and wherever
(12:46:03 PM) TheDemon: yeah basically
(12:46:48 PM) TheDemon: let's compare that to a "siege c'tis" plan
(12:54:19 PM) TheDemon: so under "siege c'tis". next turn: atul in 6 and ling in 37.
(12:54:19 PM) TheDemon: 2 turns: atul in 32, ling in 34.
(12:54:19 PM) TheDemon: 3 turns: atul in wherever, ling in 14.
(12:54:19 PM) TheDemon: 4 turns: atul in 11, ling in 272
(12:54:19 PM) TheDemon: 5 turns atul in 273, ling in 260
How we killed Abysia, planning stages.
(11:46:53 AM) Ironhawk: so, i tested out the vanjarl shockwave plan. it has potential
(11:47:03 AM) atul: good
(11:47:28 AM) Ironhawk: I have a strong feeling tho that I will need to use 3A mages (like Vanlade, or Handgodrotts), instead of Vanjarls
(11:47:40 AM) Ironhawk: and there will be a maximum limit on the number of troops I can fight
(11:47:52 AM) Ironhawk: since we cannot afford to forge all the reinvig items
(9:46:05 PM) atul: Did IH yet figure out a solution against Sauro?
(9:46:31 PM) Lingchih: hmm. dunno. ask him, I guesss
(9:46:42 PM) Ironhawk: about to do my tests
(9:46:57 PM) atul: Because I had one idea
(9:47:09 PM) atul: He's got 2 leaders
(9:47:14 PM) Ironhawk: unfortunately CTis didnt step into my trap and now im in a position where I may step into his
(9:47:19 PM) Ironhawk: yah
(9:47:24 PM) atul: TheDemon has seeking arrow
(9:47:33 PM) atul: he has hydras in his army
(9:48:06 PM) atul: basically if you kill both the commanders and attack that province with just a single commander, all the units should be up in one bunch
(9:48:12 PM) atul: and hydras do the killing
Ironhawk and atul brainstorming raiding strategies.