"Got Blood?" -- BF Ulm AAR (Newbie)

[Scott Hebert]

Turn 8

--

Short form: All battles won, no casualties taken. Always a good thing.

Rexor's Barbarians leave to try to get rehired (with 1 barbarian, I hope someone does). Black Bones's Pirates are available to hire.

Albrecht, the Member of the Second Tier, joins me in C'tis, and Sethenana, an SD Fortuneteller, joins me in Ulm.

Akesta has an Arena.

To deal with unrest, Cun Aral has its taxes set to 50%, Zanthrast to 60%, and Akesta to 40%. This should eliminate unrest so that taxation can return to normal levels next turn.

Unit Orders:

Albrecht Sneaks to Zimmria (at 6.7k, my best Bloodhunting province to start).
Karl moves to attack Bitra.
Dante and Arnaud move to attack Frygia.
Irma moves to attack Dothian (the other province between me and the Machaka province; I have Dominion there now).
Sethenana is commanded to Research.
Ulrich is reanimating Soulless in Zanthrast.
Evita (my SN Fortuneteller) Forges an Ivy Crown.

Purchase Orders:

I spend 85g to rehire Dante's Stingers (22 men left).
I spend 90g to hire a Fortuneteller in Ulm.
I spend 160g to hire a Member of the Second Tier in C'tis.
I spend 30g to hire a Commander in Fenatice (it will take 2 turns).
I spend 10g to hire a Morningstar Infantry in C'tis.

Research:

My research is currently focused on Construction to get up to 4 ASAP. My research levels are currently:

Conjuration 1
Alteration 2
Construction 2
Enchantment 1
Thaumaturgy 1

Status:

Treasury: 0
Income: 454 (+68)
Upkeep: 88 (+20)
Gems: 5A/3S/25D/2N
Gem Income: +1S/+6D/+3N

Questions, comments, suggestions, feel free to post.

[HotNifeThruButr]

"I have a hard time seeing Ulmish infantry as 'diVersionary'. I plan to have a center line/block of Ulmish infantry whose job is to hold that line until my Rangers/other archers defeat the enemy."

Isn't that being a diVersion? Just a big diVersion.

It seems to me like you're using mercs and mages extensively instead of normal national troops. I wonder what would happen if you lost just one battle with the mercenaries. That's why I tend to not be in favor of hiring mercs. Would I be correct to assume that you're toast if your merc army routes one time?

[Scott Hebert]

Originally posted by HotNifeThruButr:
Isn't that being a diVersion? Just a big diVersion.

I see it as more of a wall. Slaves are a diVersion.

It seems to me like you're using mercs and mages extensively instead of normal national troops.

At this point, if I want to have any research at all, I need mages. The Mercs are cheaper than what I can get otherwise (and in numbers I just can't match), so I get them instead of hiring 'normal' troops. What would you be doing different?

I wonder what would happen if you lost just one battle with the mercenaries. That's why I tend to not be in favor of hiring mercs. Would I be correct to assume that you're toast if your merc army routes one time?

Not particularly. First, the chances my mercs will rout is minimal, considering that I currently have 22 HI and 30 Longbowmen (my mercs) going up against 20 Militia and LI. If you don't use them effectively, of course you're not spending your money wisely.

And, even if I did lose them, I still have my 'main' army with Karl, which is very low-upkeep and very good at taking out Independent provinces. I also have my SC VQ. So no, I don't think I'd be hurt that much at all.

Do you have any other questions I can answer?

[Scott Hebert]

Turn 9

--

Tien Chi names a Khan his prophet. I believe this means he's playing the Barbarian theme.

I gain 1 Nature gem from a Cursing Witch event.

In Bitra, I take no casualties.
In Frygia, I take one HI casualty.
In Dothian, my VQ takes out HC.

Taxes:
Cun Aral, Zanthrast, and Akesta all go back up to 100%.
Dothian goes down to 30%.
Frygia goes down to 40%.
Bitra goes down to 60%.
Zimmria goes down to 50%. (This is in anticipation of Bloodhunting.)

Unit Orders:

Albrecht starts to Blood Hunt in Zimmria.

Aistulf (my new Second Tierer) Sneaks to Zimmria.

Meliath (SB Fortuneteller) Researches in Ulm.

Evita begins a monthly ritual of Awakening Vine Men after donning the Crown she made. (These I consider more of a distraction.)

Irma moves to attack Waywoods, on the other side of the capital. Having taken Dothian, I note Caelum occupies the province SE of Dothian and S of Machaka's province.

Ulrich builds a Temple in Zanthrast. (Rather impressed he could. I do so here because it's surrounded by my own provinces and I can build Priests here and not necessarily in the capital.)

Dante and Arnaud move to attack The Woodlands.

Karl moves to attack Wicker Woods.

Purchase Orders
Spend 90g to rehire the Farstrikers.
Spend 200g to build a temple in Zanthrast.
Spend 90g to hire a Fortuneteller.
Spend 22g to hire a Morningstar Infantry and a Ranger in C'tis.

Research
No real change from previous, up to 32 RPs, still researching Construction

Status:
Treasury 2
Income 532 (+78)
Upkeep 106 (+18)
Gems 5A/4S/31D/5N
Gem Income: +1S/+6D/+3N

Comments welcome.