Priori - New MA Game (Draw)

[IndyPendant]

Hmm, I've been thinking about this a bit, and I have to ask: Why do you want to 'stick it to Ermor' so badly?

I haven't asked for these wars; I've actively sought peace the entire game, including offering it a few times during our wars. It seems to me that we have had one of the most amicable knock-down, all-out conflicts you can have in a MP game, with much banter and good-natured posturing back and forth. Indeed, to a large extent the players have been the fun part of this game for me.

I'm not trying to be defensive (or offensive!) here. Just honestly curious. Did I earn wrath somehow, or is that 'stick it to Ermor' just part of the game? ; )

[Lingchih]

I think it depends on your style of play. I am playing MA Ermor in another game, and have amicable relations with most of the other players, and this is way into late game. But, I am not uber powerful in that game, just a middle of the road power.

Ermor always elicits some suspicion, and if you play very aggressively, and take the lead the lead in the game, then you will of course cause the "stick it to Ermor" effect to happen.

If on the other hand, you expand to middling size, play nice with the neighbors, and quietly sit back and summon your Tartatians and recruit massive numbers of shadow vestals and longdead horsemen, you can come out swinging in the late game.

[Rathar]

For me it was the huge lead in provinces, forts, gems and the potential represented by that commanding lead in those areas.

Eventually you would be able to just swarm territory and race for the win.

If we sat around, we'd get squished.

[Amhazair]

"Tithonos looked up to the divine form of Vitae, God of Gods, Prince of Fate, God of the Sacred Eye, Guardian of the Bridge, God of the Celestial Bodies, the feeling of awe clearly visible on his features. Next to the fountain a beautiful young girl with a glazed look in her eyes spoke: 'We are beset by enemies on all sides, Tithonos, and our future is grim. But we are certain you will serve us well in this difficult time. Your strength is still unequalled, and we will make good use of it. It's time for you to move out.' Tithonos stood up from his kneeling position, and couldn't resist showing of his massive muscles to good effect after the compliment. His reply was simple and to the point though. 'As you command master, so shall it be.' And the little girl remained standing next to the fountain, watching as rank after rank of centaurs and satyrs escorted the thaumaturgs out the gates of the former Abysian capital, to face Ermors enemies on the field of battle."

In its unbridled imperial arrogance the forest dwellers of Pangaea had seen fit to invade the heartlands of our peaceful nation, in order to colonize it for their own nefarious purposes. Being threatened in our very existance by this uwarranted act of agression Ermor's senate authorized the redirection of all resources of the nation into organizing the defence of the threatened territories.

The colonizing army is now ours.

The senate wishes to extend its thanks to the Pangaean government for the gift of quality troops, a commodity Ermor used to be short on.

[Rathar]

Ahahahahha.. Man that was brutal.

"And thus ended the story of Pangea's expeditionary army"

I got utterly schooled there. How does one protect against master enslave?! Mightve helped a bit if my guys had cast the spells they were supposed to but no they just stared in horror at the debacle. My near total lack of endgame experience will slay me!

Treat Tithonos well!

[Amhazair]

Rathar said:
I got utterly schooled there. How does one protect against master enslave?! Mightve helped a bit if my guys had cast the spells they were supposed to but no they just stared in horror at the debacle.

I've been on the receiving end of master enslaves when storming an enemy castle twice now. The first time I didn't see it comming, and the result was pretty much the same as here, total annihilation of my attacking army. The second time was just this past month. I knew I would be hit by it, and I thought I had prepared well for it. I had a massive army, with a big communion of my own, and I hoped to use master enslave myself to get some of my troops back and steel my opponents too. I had several mages capable of casting massive damage spells, battlefield buffs, and enough pearls to cast master enslave 5 times. And the communion had enough endurance for my slaves to survive all that spellcasting without passing out. Or so I thought. What happened was that I got hit by the first enslave and when it was my turn, instead of hitting back with everything I had prepared, my key mages decided to melee with my own enslaved troops. (Which is what happened to your army too. Mages in melee have 50% chance of attacking instead of casting spells, and with so many of your troops enslaved, every one of your mages was probably engaged in melee. ) The result, despite all my preparation was, once again, total annihilation.

As to how to defend against master enslave? Difficult, very difficult. Antimagic/army of lead helps a lot, but not if the defender manages to get off his enslave on the first turn. In this particular situation, I see no way you could have conquered the castle with a regular army. (which doesn't necessarily mean there is no way of course) What would probably have worked was you sending in a SC and/or several thugs with really high MR (end 20's, preferably begin 30 if you can manage it) so they could not only survive master enslave, but the inevitable soul slays as well. With a MR like that I would have been very unlikely to kill them, and they would have made short work of the few troops and many mages I had in the castle.

[Amhazair]

Rathar said:
Treat Tithonos well!

I'm afraid I'll just have to use him as cannon fodder, along with the other centaurs I captured. Unforunately as he was enslaved, he no longer is a commander, and there's no way I can gather the nature gems to GoR him. And without items he's just an elite unit, nothing more.

Since we've been following his carreer since the beginning of the game (yes, I read the entire thread) I felt he deserved a fitting farewell though.

[Velusion]

Rathar said:
How does one protect against master enslave?!

Field some strong SCs. Armies alone are usually not enough in a protracted end game.

[Amhazair]

I came home with a blinding headache today, and really (really!) don't feel up to playing my turn now. Am gona hit the sack instead.

I haven't been in this game long enough to have seen how you all feel about timer extensions? If it's possible to delay hosting by 24h that would be wonderful, if not I'll just have to stale.

Either way, I wish you all a pleasant night.

P.S. Of course, I'm also getting a new computer tomorrow, and I'm technically ignorant, so worst case scenario I screw something up and don't manage to get everything on line tomorrow either. I hope to manage though.