AAR-Neophyte with Caelum

Wyatt,

Are you going to name your AAR anything particularly menacing and frightening? For when it's added to the AAR thread?

[Wyatt Hebert]

Um, no.

This isn't supposed to be role-playing at all, really. Just me (the neophyte) playing Caelum basically with the entire forum second-guessing and laughing over my shoulder .

Still, I named it how I wanted it to show up.

If I'm right, I've already taught one thing to Inigo, which means the endeavor is paying off already. (If I'm not, oh, well... plenty more chances for the future). [Edit: My apologies for being rude, Inigo. You're quite welcome! ]

Your thoughts on my progress, Zen? (If you have the time)

Wyatt

[ March 27, 2004, 15:45: Message edited by: Wyatt Hebert ]

[Scott Hebert]

Yo bro! (For those in the know, Wyatt is my twin brother who I suc^H^H^H got interested in this game.)

Nice AAR so far. I agree with most if not all of your decisions, except one. No fair taking Caelum! Guess I'll have to do one on Machaka...

One other thing: Obscuro IME always comes with Air gems, and you _can_ take them off of him. You could either have hired him into your main army to replenish your supply for Wind Guide or hired him in the capital to put them in the lab and start him researching. With Ulm on your doorstep, I really would have gotten him. An extra 7 research a turn is not too shabby.

Bayushi Tasogare

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally posted by Wyatt Hebert:
In that case, the extra turn I get from the prophet is a direct advantage, and the only benefit of the Seraphine is her stealth.

Just a point for people to add to their hint-n-tips (dont we all have a notepad file we are adding to?). That flying stealthy +3 priest seraphine can be a useful tactic as a prophet. Its a great way to quickly find and hold the dominion of certain nations. Since you specifically mentioned leaving Ermor out of this game I didnt bring the point up earlier.

I have a few observations, not particularly suggestions As it's your AAR. Normally with Caelum I tend to crank taxes in the beginning and not appoint a Storm General Prophet instead using him for Patrolling.

I also dislike the militia mercs (just because they are so fragile). So I usually will let them slide unless I have some desperate need for them. As they are mostly just fodder.

As your brother said, if you get Obscuro first, you get up to 8 Air Gems or something. I'll always bid on him his first turn out (and often later as I like having a free Air2 caster).

The Beast Brothers are great mercs, very cheap and very good at doing what they do best, dying.

With your current research strategy (Evo2, Alt 2?) I'd probably concentrate on Evo until you get Wrathful Skies after you get Quickness (that's usually my primary goal with Caelum regardless of my Pretender). Maybe even stop off to grab Alt 3 after you get Evo 4. Nothing quite hammers an Army like a few High Seraphs with Quickness, Air Shield, Mistform, Mirror Image, Resist Lightning, Shock Wave for a quick routing punch. Or if you are using alot Mammoths, you'll have your artillery.

But that may just be my preference as I tend to use my Air Gems early on for Wrathing.

[Wyatt Hebert]

*nods* Agreed, Gandalf. Never said it wouldn't be useful, just not necessarily immediately in the beginning. I don't think it's made a difference the way I've done it this time, so maybe next time I'll try playing the Seraphine.

Guilty as charged with Obscuro. I guess I just wanted to get my Mammoth out the door. Ah, well, live and learn.

Surprisingly, Burelk has taken both his provinces thus far, but I don't have the money to rehire him, so I'm sending him on a difficult run to see if I can get most of his men killed in case someone paid to hire him.

Never having used Wrathful Skies, I'll bow to your superior wisdom and rush for it, just to see it. And, Zen, I'm specifically asking for feedback, so that anyone else who may ask why I do something, or if they think there's a better way to do something, can find out differing opinions. Also, I want to get better, personally, so I want feedback!

Turn 3 Aftermath coming up!

Wyatt

[Wyatt Hebert]

Turn 3 Aftermath

No events have popped up (at all, yet). Strange, to me, actually... does positive luck affect rate of events in 2.08? (I usually play positive luck with high Order, and I think I'm used to seeing more events than this).

No new research... only real report are the two battles.

Prophet/Seraph/Urgek vs. Barbarians.

Friendly Commanders 3/0 (Start/Died)
Regular Units 54/26

Enemy Commanders (2/2)
Regular Units (24/24)

As you can see, Urgek did his job. Provided the speedbump to slow down the Barbarians. However, I learned something else. If I was to do that again, I'd put the Spire Horn Warriors (of whom I lost 6, I believe) on Guard Commander, so they wouldn't have gotten creamed along with the Mercs. Learning to change the tactical options for a given combat will take some time, I believe. No losses to the Missile group, so that's good.

Burelk vs. Independents

Friendly Comm 1/0
Regular Units 54/5

Enemy Comm 3/3
Regular Units 21/21

Actually, I think I got off lucky! Come to find out, the enemies had 3 Heavy Cav (w/ Lances), 6 Light Cav, 12 Militia of their own, and 3 Mounted Commanders. It should have been a lot worse, imo.

Anyways, that's all for aftermath (other than finding out Arco has their Hero already, and he's now their prophet).

Orders coming up!