Abysia CB 5.0 AAR

[RedRover]

TURN 52
Drat! C’tis has the same idea I do. His Pretender, leading 310 Longdead, Ghouls, and Soulless, appear just beyond the east bridge. I will hold, taking one more turn to prep. I hope it’s not one too many. I divert research to pick up cheap upgrades: Alteration 1 next turn, then Thaumaturgy 3.

On the west continent, a force of 90 mixed infantry from Man moves adjacent to me. He has an independent province to hit, or me. Me he’s not at war with, and beyond the independent province is Caelum, whom he is at war with. I’m hoping he hits the independent, because there’s not much I can do to stop him if he decides to attack me.

On the west coast, I divert the big Devil unit directly to the east bridge. They can get there next turn. I have to stop the coastal campaign one province short of sealing the area. All the Devils in the small unit are dead and God’s Just are down to 21 men, so I send the Demonbred here back to the capital for infernal reinforcements. I have no idea if these will be back or if they will be sucked into the east bridge area.

Blood hunting has netted barely enough for one more Devil (I have three Apprentices, two with Sanguine Rods, active in three different provinces with populations over 6,000—I’m beginning to think a province only yields Blood Slaves once per season!).

In the northeast, I have stripped the fort garrison, and all mercs are forced marching toward the front. C'tis is too weak to penetrate me here in the northeast, and I will pillage my way down to the east bridge if he attacks there.

At the east bridge, I recruit another Anathemant Dragon. I slow down research to maximize item production. If this lot goes, I want at least one Flame Helmet in store so I can create a Flames From Afar caster quickly. Given the number of undead, I make up some Just Man Crossbows for leaders, and make sure all casters have a gem supply. If he hits me I may not win, but they’ll talk about the fight for a while.


TURN 52-53
Surprise! No attack. On the west continent, Caelum boots Man out of the province next to my fort. Man pulls out of his other province next to me instead of attacking me or the independent. Go figure. This turn I will have 810 gp to work with. Blood hunting yields 20 slaves this turn…finally.

On the west coast of the east continent, Arco has pulled out, too. I will grab the available Devils in my capital and finish sealing this area.

Even though I am greatly outnumbered, I’m gambling that a lot of the C’tis strength is undead, and that my Priests will be able to destroy much more than I lose. The plan is to attack in strength from the north, capturing provinces, but more important, razing Temples along the east edge of the map.

The force from the east bridge fort will attack across the river and see how much of his land north of his capital they can pillage. The big Devil unit is in the fort, to hold it, reinforce a main battle, or to harry an isolated province. My coming attack probably isn’t wise, but it will be fun.

Note: I manually archive Turn 53, the turn I attack, before turn resolution, so I can go back and see what a longer game would have brought, if this goes badly.

"And so, it begins..."