Initiative: EA game. "Grow that Nub!"

[Samhain]

Here's my AAR. It's a bit long. But, I actually kept decent notes in this game. Take the turn numbers with a grain of salt, though.

I also attached a couple of turn files, turn 20 and turn 70. Turn 20 was the decisive turn in my war with Lanka. (If that doesn't provide the info you were looking for Immaculate, let me know.) And, turn 70 was obviously the last turn of the game.


PRETENDER

Physical: Titan - EA Abysia CBM 1.92 [Belloc]
Awakening: Dormant
Magic: 4A5E
Dominion: 10
Scales: T3P3H3G2L3M1

Adds access to the critical path of air at a level capable of making air boosters and strength in earth. The bless is helpful for mages, but not a gamemaker. The dominion on the other hand is. Also of great value is that he makes for a both highly mobile (cloud trapeze) and extremely formiddable SC. What's more, in CBM 1.92 this chassis gets an extra temple check.


BEGINNING
In the first few turns I agree to NAP for 12 turns with Lanka. Expansion otherwise is kind of weak. But, I plan to attack Lanka anyway as soon as possible unless first attacked by another nation. It is Lanka after all. So, waiting won't make it any easier.

TURN 15
Attacked Lanka the same turn that he attacked Sauromatia. As Helheim had Sauromatia too tied up to respond anyway, Sauromatia agrees with Lanka to let it slide.

War starts out as a cat and mouse where I bluff him with a weaker force (according to my battle tests) while taking three provinces and keeping him away from my fort construction in 153.

One of the provinces is Sauromatia's former province of 154. I apologize but keep it as I need to make sure Lanka doesn't get it.

TURN 20
Took two more provinces next to Lanka's cap adding 3 to my take putting our province ratio to about 18 to 8.

Decisive battle in Lithia (38). Lost 7 commanders including 3 Annointed but took out most, perhaps 70, of Lanka's Palankashas using a combination of 30 PD, 20+ Burning Ones (mostly KIA), a whole lot of lesser fire elementals and the above pretender decked out in level 0 and level 2 gear.

Most importantly, my tactic of using lesser fire elementals proves sound and he is now on the defensive.

TURN 22
Took Lanka's home province wiping out what must have been the last of Lanka's Palankashas. Losses were significant. But, I think I have enough left to keep him from ever getting it back. We'll see.

TURN 23
C'tis asks for NAP3. I agree according to my standard terms.

TURN 26
Lanka is out. Domkilled after both of his armies were destroyed and both forts under siege.

Domkill via putting my pretender and prophet both on his capital while an Annointed blood sacs in an adjacent province.

TURN 29
A scout witnesses a major battle between Agartha and Marverni, the latter is victorious on his own soil. Meanwhile, Agartha swipes a water province from R'lyeh.

TURN 30
I notify Agartha of the expiration of our NAP in 3 turns and begin to prepare for war. I think I'll try Will o' the Wisps. I know he's got high Construction and is using Weapons of Sharpness, that plus his units high Strenght will otherwise destroy my slow dodging troops.

TURN 31
Agartha sends me a message ment for Marverni stating that he agrees to peace. Caelum attacks Marverni.

TURN 34
Attacked Agartha in the two of our three border provinces that seem most well defended. Defeat him solidly with Will o' the Wisp spam.

TURN 37
Multiple victories against Agartha. No losses. Caelum asked to take 3 provinces, two of which had fortresses. I agreed though with the stipulation that he agree to NAP7 with me. I figured it was time to take a permanent ally. Sauromatia's new management is an unknown quantity. And, Caelum+Abysia seems to have a better chance against Sauromatia+C'tis than Sauromatia+Abysia has against Caelum+C'tis.

TURN 38
Saw Caelum's pretender across my border. She is a crone. Also saw a battle. Her bless is N4E4D4. That means she has no more than S3. Caelum took three of Agartha's provinces. I had sent 80 blood slaves to Caelum and received the promised 10 D gems with 10 more to follow the next turn.

TURNS 40-43
Lost a surprise attack in Oaklands (7) immediately west of Agartha's cap. After, I agreed to let Caelum take that province and Agartha's cap. He seemed eager to do so while that left me free to prepare for war with Sauro. Researched Cons 8 on 43.

TURN 44
Contacted Sauromatia to declare an end to our NAP in 3 turns. Forged what I could use from the list of available artifacts.

TURN 45
Caelum lost his initial attempt at taking the province of Agartha but still has significant reserves. In addition to Maelstrom from a turn or two prior, he also snagged both Mother Oak and Eternal Pyre from C'tis.

TURN 46
C'tis took Maelstrom and Mother Oak from C'tis.

TURN 47
Attacked Suaromatia. Two small armies took two provinces with little resistance. A couple of more small forces were put in place to join in. Took Bogus and three of his crew with Charm and Hellbind Heart.

TURN 50
Split the rest of Sauromatia with Caelum. The war was over a few turns later.

TURN 60
Cast Arcane Nexus with about 600 pearls.

Declared end of NAP7 with Caelum.

TURN 62
Started monthly casting of Wish, initially just for gems.

TURN 65
Declered end of NAP3 with C'tis.

TURN 66
Attacked Caelum on multiple fronts with rather large armies composed of devils, imps, Abysian infantry, and Abysian fire mages.

Three forts were sieged and their gates broken down in the same turn.

Caelum steals Maelstrom back from C'tis. His attack on me is limited to trapezing an A2W1 mage on one of my forts.

TURN 67
Escalated the attack against Caelum. Started a more limited attack against C'tis. Among the first in is Tart Killer 1.0, a Golem with Styphalian wings and a Holy Scourge included in its kit. The plan is to turn out one of these per turn. Also, wished for the The Chalice to throw a wrench in the works of C'tis's Tart factory.

TURN 68
Austen, in command of Caelum, has had enough of the game and agrees to go AI as finding a sub at this point seems pointless.

TURN 69
Grabbed 10 provinces, mostly from Caelum, in a successful series of attacks.

C'tis dispelled my Arcane Nexus. Took his Boots of the Planes with Wish.

TURN 70
Final scores:

Nation 	Provinces
Marverni 	0
Sauromatia 	0
Mictlan 	0
Abysia 	74
Caelum 	40
C'tis 	33
Pangaea 	0
Agartha 	0
Helheim 	0
R'lyeh 	8
Independents 	0
Lanka 	0

Nation 	Forts
Marverni 	0
Sauromatia 	0
Mictlan 	0
Abysia 	26
Caelum 	17
C'tis 	12
Pangaea 	0
Agartha 	0
Helheim 	0
R'lyeh 	3
Independents 	0
Lanka 	0

Nation 	Income
Marverni 	0
Sauromatia 	0
Mictlan 	0
Abysia 	6331
Caelum 	2731
C'tis 	1750
Pangaea 	0
Agartha 	0
Helheim 	0
R'lyeh 	933
Independents 	0
Lanka 	0

Nation 	Gem Income
Marverni 	0
Sauromatia 	0
Mictlan 	0
Abysia 	161
Caelum 	130
C'tis 	149
Pangaea 	0
Agartha 	0
Helheim 	0
R'lyeh 	18
Independents 	0
Lanka 	0

Nation 	Research
Marverni 	1609
Sauromatia 	7329
Mictlan 	1267
Abysia 	28260
Caelum 	32000
C'tis 	32000
Pangaea 	1933
Agartha 	7782
Helheim 	1510
R'lyeh 	8313
Independents 	0
Lanka 	872

Nation 	Dominion
Marverni 	0
Sauromatia 	0
Mictlan 	0
Abysia 	1227
Caelum 	673
C'tis 	446
Pangaea 	0
Agartha 	0
Helheim 	0
R'lyeh 	46
Independents 	0
Lanka 	0

Nation 	Army Size
Marverni 	0
Sauromatia 	0
Mictlan 	0
Abysia 	3123
Caelum 	3454
C'tis 	3549
Pangaea 	0
Agartha 	0
Helheim 	0
R'lyeh 	970
Independents 	87
Lanka 	0