New Player Question --How am I Getting Flanked?

Redfive · #1 March 24th, 2004, 04:09 PM

I'm into my first pretty serious game as Ermor and have been progressing well until I was mysteriously flanked by Pythium. Specifically, I had a two province front with Pythium with water on either side and significant troops/defense in both. Out of the blue Pythium takes the two provinces BEHIND the front completely going around my defenses.

As far as I can tell, they don't control anything adjacent to these two provinces as they are bordered by yet another of my lands to the east and a neutral water province to the west. Is this some game mechanic I'm not aware of? How are they able to simply bypass my main forces and attack into non-adjacent territory?

Torvak · #2 March 24th, 2004, 04:14 PM

Flying or used a spell that just summons some units in a distant province. Did you get a battle report so you can tell us what kind of units attacked you?

von_Schmidt · #3 March 24th, 2004, 04:15 PM

Some possibilities:

1. Global spell which targets a province (Call of the Wilds, Phantasmal attack, Call of the Winds).

2. Sneaking army.

3. High level teleport spell (Gateway or something? Forgot the name), allowing the mage plus his troops to teleport.

4. Sea crossing capability; Vanir have it by nature, there might be a spell or item which allows it as well.

5. Bug...(unlikely, never heard about this one before).

Redfive · #4 March 24th, 2004, 04:24 PM

Ah, yes I forgot about sneaking armies. I suppose that could be it though I'm surprised they were able to sneak two 50+ unit armies to two different provinces on the same turn.

Do you have to have units on patrol to find stealthers or is there a default chance as well?

I also suppose it could have been due to a teleportation spell, in which case I have to hand it to the AI. It wasn't as devastating as I first thought it would be but it is still quite a setback.

Also, there was a battle report but I didn't actually check the units to see what got me. If I see this sort of thing happen again you can be sure I'll check.

Also, since I'm asking questions: I received a battle report that my units had conquered a far off province so I went to investigate and found that indeed I had a new province and several commanders and troops garrisoned inside. How in the world does something like this happen? It turned out to be very fortuitous as I was able to help seal off a choke point to stave off AI advances but I'd like to at least know why it happened.

Endoperez · #5 March 24th, 2004, 04:27 PM

There is an event which causes Ermorian cultists to try to conquer a probince. Same thing for Dryads and Maenads, and IIRC Marignonites attackin Ermor. You just got lucky... Or maybe someone else got unlucky!

BTW, you should always look the battle, maybe not fully but atleast check the enemy units and positions. Just press 'Q' when you are satisfied...

Sindai · #6 March 24th, 2004, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Redfive:
Ah, yes I forgot about sneaking armies. I suppose that could be it though I'm surprised they were able to sneak two 50+ unit armies to two different provinces on the same turn.

Personally, I think it's more likely it was astral travel. From what I've seen, the AI usualy doesn't make much use of deep-striking flying armies or sneaking armies.

On the other hand, I've never seen them use Astral Travel either, but it is Pythium, who has far easier access to high-level astral magic than they do sneakers or fliers, so that seems most likely.

Quote:

Do you have to have units on patrol to find stealthers or is there a default chance as well?

A bought province defense of 10 or higher has some chance of detecting sneakers, but I think patrolling armies are much better at it.

Graeme Dice · #7 March 25th, 2004, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sindai:
Personally, I think it's more likely it was astral travel. From what I've seen, the AI usualy doesn't make much use of deep-striking flying armies or sneaking armies.

I would think that it would be far more likely that it was a call of the winds, since Pythium can cast that easily.

Yossar · #8 March 25th, 2004, 01:46 AM

With Pythium's strong Astral, I'd say more likely than not it was the Thaumaturgy spell Imprint Souls. I've had the computer use this on me a lot.

Psitticine · #9 March 25th, 2004, 02:00 AM

Did they take the province? If so, the aggressors should still be there, unless they've moved on to attack your neighboring provinces. Take a look at the Province Info and it should reveal the basic troop make-up, and that'll give a clue as to what happened.

Redfive · #10 March 25th, 2004, 03:12 PM

I took both provinces back next turn but I had to use front line troops to do it so now the border is weakened and he will probably move in force to take some ground back.

It's a multiplayer game and I didn't get to play any turns Last night so I haven't progressed past reclaiming the initially stolen provinces.

So, to defend against this kind of attack I need to keep sizable forces/high prov. defense in all my territories?