MP game: Nations at War. Started!

[CUnknown]

Try again, Jeffr, my internet's been going on and off lately.

It's obviously up now.

[jeffr]

I was able to connect and do my turn.

I really thought that this time I would take the fort at the Yellow Mountains. Nope. The Soulstone of the Wolves now takes its place on the Sh*t List.

Man, I'm being taught a lesson in how you don't need an army to win. Just a bunch of well equiped Super Combatants and Ghost Riders do the trick. You don't seem to need much else. Maybe throw in some wolves and hawks to take forts. Why build an army at all? Spend the money on castles instead. The only Giants I'm seeing are the province defense. Otherwise, I feel like I'm fighting the undead.

But it's been fun (even the wolf stone was cool)

[CUnknown]

I hear ya, Jeffr.

Yes, the Soulstone of the Wolves is f*cking incredible.

Um...well, your centaurs are pretty amazing, too. I think they are worth building. But, castles are very important, too. This is what people complain about in this game, armies don't always get the job done. Although, I'm guessing Jurri would love to have an army, if given the option. He's just spending his cash on other things.

This whole game was an attempt to make armies worthwhile. I think it's pretty much succeeded: It's not by accident that the last three survivors are strong early game factions: Ulm, Pangea, and Jotunheim. All the strong late game wussy magic factions died off, hehe. Your army, for example, was just about unstoppable earlier in the game. Now it's still good, but stoppable.

And, oh, Jurri--we are at war as of now. I'm pretty sure Jeffr and I can stop you together.

[Jurri]

Just a few more turns, mommy... Ah well, it had to come sometime Will you honor our NAP, though?

The Soulstone is soo beautiful 'cause it bends and breaks the usual battlefield summon limitations! Imagine it combined with a Haunted Forest... It can be countered rather easily though, with an SC or a battlefield-wide killspell. Even some lucky fliers could do the trick.

As to the eternal question, 'why build an army at all?' I think armies can be used in the early game. As evidenced by how easily you and Ulm have crushed your enemies beneath your heels. Even now the only thing I can do is try to kill off enough of your armies to get my bearings and mount a proper counter-attack! I think your choice of castle hampers you too much, though.

The game concept sure works great! It's so much more dynamic and since the amounts of gold netted are so huge at the beginning viable national armies can be built and used. I took a different approach, though, betting on an early game monster SC and trusting that I can gain magical supremacy since early game powerhouses like Pan and Ulm will kill off the other fast researching nations. Cynical, I know.

[jeffr]

Eh, I'm just crying in my beer like a wussy

[CUnknown]

If I honored our NAP, what would that mean again?

[Jurri]

That would be you only attacking me at the earliest after three peaceful turns since your declaration. That is, agressive orders on turn 47...