PBEM game: The first step (Running)

Molog · #1 June 5th, 2005, 07:00 PM

Turn 19

Everything going its merry way.

My sitesearching still isn't finding any sites.

sushiboat · #2 June 5th, 2005, 07:37 PM

Turn 19

The province tally is: Machaka 19, Ermor 19, Marignon 13, Arcosephale 10, Pythium 10, Jotunheim 10, Man 10, and Pangaea 8. Pythium, Arco, Ermor, and Marignon found gems. Ermor passed Pangaea in research to hold third place solo. Ermor rehired Dagan, and Marignon now employs Victor's Villains. Marignon now has four living celebrities in the Hall of Fame.

Shmonk · #3 June 5th, 2005, 08:06 PM

Hmm, seems like Marignon is doing really good. He hired Victor's Villains too? Wow! j/k I'm not doing that good.

When I bought Victor and his villains I knew not to expect anything big, at all, but for so cheap I couldn't resist.

And 4 celebs in the HOF? Wonder how that 4th "champion" got in there, with 0 kills no less? Hmmm...

But at least I finally found some gems.

RibbonBlue · #4 June 5th, 2005, 10:51 PM

I feel like im doing pretty good. My only downside I feel is my rate of expanding, I got a good army, a great research, good dominion good income. I feel like im doing pretty good.

Just a question for all you pros. It seems to me the best setup for a GOd is an SC so you can take provinces really fast starting on the first few turns, and latter you can use an army as well.

Using an SC god would allow you to get a jumpstart on your provinces, and allow you to get more provinces then your enemy. Are SC gods a staple of multiplayer games?

Alneyan · #5 June 6th, 2005, 05:29 AM

A SC can serve several purposes, but most can do some fighting early in the game. There are two brands of early-game province-takers: the physical Pretender, relying on protection and brawn, and the magical Pretender, relying on spells for defence. The physical Pretender can start taking provinces on turn 1, while the magical Pretender will need to wait for a few turns to research Alteration 2, and Alteration 3 to safely take more heavily defended provinces.

Some Pretenders will have a harder time fighting however: most notably, the rainbow mage (not uncommon for Ulm), with several paths at low level, and the immobile Pretender (a somewhat common setup for very high levels of magic, useful for powerful bless effects). Rainbow mages *can* take provinces, if you put enough points in the main paths of expansion, but it is quite risky, as the death of a Rainbow mage is a very hard blow (while going from Water 9 to Water 8 is nothing to write home about). If you have the points to spare, you could take a Vampire Queen: with her immortality, she will be much safer and will be able to do some mischief.

sushiboat · #6 June 6th, 2005, 10:15 AM

Here are a few topics that might help with Pretender designs for early expansion:

Shmonk · #7 June 6th, 2005, 12:53 PM

Thanks for the links, sushiboat. They should help (in my next game, of course).

RibbonBlue · #8 June 6th, 2005, 03:04 PM

But, is it important to get a jumpstart on takeing provinces? Or is it okay to start taking provinces on indie 9 from turns 5+ and a province a turn/2 turns? Or is it really import to expand fast?

Ironhawk · #9 June 6th, 2005, 05:44 PM

Quote:

RibbonBlue said:
Just a question for all you pros. It seems to me the best setup for a GOd is an SC so you can take provinces really fast starting on the first few turns, and latter you can use an army as well.

Using an SC god would allow you to get a jumpstart on your provinces, and allow you to get more provinces then your enemy. Are SC gods a staple of multiplayer games?

As panther said, it depends. My advice is just that you have to look at the conditions of the game and choose what is best for you.

Is the map small, where you are likely to fight early and every province will be life or death for you empire? If so, you probably want a hardcore fighting SC.

Is the game larger/sparsely populated that fighting other players can be delayed? Then you may want to trade off early pretender power for a Mage type to site-search and for a platform to cast the mega late-game spells of your choosing.

Is your nation very powerful militarily, such that you can rely on your armies alone for initial expansion? Then maybe you can go with a Mage or perhaps a Titan or one of the other half-and-half pretenders.

Shmonk · #10 June 6th, 2005, 10:44 PM

Hmmm... I'm looking at these tactics now (for creating a Pretender) for my next game. And I can see why it depends. So many choices, so few games...