Turn 9

Im closing in on Eriu. Sorry to Joelz, Ill make any reparations you wish. Next turn ill get storm power, then ill split research between evoc and const, and start forging for us.

I had a pretty good turn. Got a good scouting report on Eriu. Took 4 provinces. Found some magic sites. Building another fortress now, and I'm starting to recruit the enchantresses that I found. Forged my first hammer, and now I'm getting my first fever fetish out, which will coincide with the completion of my second fortress.

Here's my situation with Ermor:



Since I have quite a bit of weight sitting in that province (349) and Ermor isn't threatening any of my other provinces, I think I'm going to move hard against those Vestals in province 355. To this end, if Abysia and Machaka can rain down some fire on either or both (355 & 359) provinces, it would be very helpful.

Additionaly, if Caelum (or anyone else) has Seeking Arrow, please hit province 359 with 2 of those.

Comments and Suggestions are welcome.

Action Report:
All offensive engagements were successful.

Discovered an ancient temple by site searching. I now have (small) astral pearl income (with no way to spend it). Feel free to hit me up for the occasional pearl.

Research is almost halfway to Conj 4.

Events:
Water Gems ++
Some fuckers destroyed my shiny new temple. This is going to put me slightly behind on bakemono sorceror production. More importantly, its going to cost me an extra 400 gold and a mage's turn to rebuild it. This means I'm going to miss getting Conj 4 this turn by *1* RP. Not happy. Even losing the lab would have been less annoying (could have purchased my 'priest' unit - which gets a 100% random pick but no normal picks - meaning he can be built without a lab but can also build a lab).

Marching Orders:
GK to Cerulean Sea (356). He has 1 ghost hanger-on.

Endzone to 269, vacating the first of Bandar's provinces I said I'd nab for him. Seeing as I see no Bandar flags yet, I'm going to assume he's not ready to start taking ownership (its ok, i can use the income).

Newly formed army in capitol moving to site of second fortress to get closer to the front and to pick up dai-bakemono purchased this turn at that fortress.

Bakemono sorceror rebuilds temple.

Bakemono sorceror moving for more manual site searching.

Research split between Conj 4 and Evoc 1 (20 to Evoc to complete it, 29 to Conj - can't finish Conj 4 so might as well finish something else and get Conj to the point I can finish it next turn).

Armies from 292 and 302 to 280 to combine forces and repel plausible Ashdod invasion. I've also got another army moving up behind them (to 282). I'd be more aggressive, but I don't trust Pipsqueak (in 302) to handle an actual combat with Ashdod by itself, since it only has 7 dai-bakemono archers. Combining with the army in 292 gives me 22 dai-bakemono archers and 23 assorted bakemono-sho (9/14 archer/melee), which gives me a plausible offensive force (and another 29 dai-bakemono archers right behind them). Ashdod's force disposition is given in my espionage report.

Espionage:
Two Ashdod armies spotted. Ashdod apparently found the ~50 'militia and knights' to be intimidating, so they went around them to the south (267 -> 244 -> 254) with ~10 Edomites and an Adon.

In response to discovering me on his border he advanced ~40 slingers and sheshai anakites to 284 under the command of a Zazzummite.

So, I think 22 dai-bakemono archers and 23 bakemono-sho can probably handle that, but I honestly have no idea what most of that actually is. My dai-bakemono are tough, hard hitting, and well armed and armored, so i don't think a dozen giants plus a bunch of slingers is going to be that much of a problem, but what do i know? If he attacks and I lose, I'll get another chance at them right away.

I could really use some pressure on Ashdod from the other side, fwiw. If our forward armies are as evenly matched as I think they are, I could steamroll him with reinforcements if he has to split his. Even just finding your border with him could be enough of a distraction.

----

Other espionage news:
Still no indie scouts... Seriously, wtf? I've never seen so many provinces with 'regular' troops and no indie scout option.

No sign of Ermor in the water yet - although admittedly I haven't taken a 'pole' territory as of yet. Can Pythium or C'tis confirm or deny Ermor has aquatic holdings? (I don't want to put my pretender in a position where he ends up fighting Ermor in the water - GK vs. undead does *not* work in my favor).

Quartermaster
Supplies to rebuild temple.
Equipment for:
1 bakemono sorceror
1 uba
1 indie commander
26 dai-bakemono archers (18/8 capitol/2nd fortress)
5 triton troopers
Small amounts of PD

Turn went well. Took the indie provinces of 325 & 360 with only two casualties, and zero interference from Ermor. Not much else to report.

Next turn, two minor armies will be detailed to grab the last remaining indies on my border (310 & 318). The rest of my available front-line forces (50+ medium-heavy infantry, 25+ Serpent Cataphracts, 1 Arch-Theurg, and my prophet) are going to attack Ermor, probably at 348, which has lots of PD, but no other defenders at the moment (he could reinforce from his capital, but the bulk of his forces seem to be deployed against C'tis).

More intelligence information is starting to flow (plus, I captured another scout-producing territory last turn): ~20 Lion Tribe archers, Shadow Vestals, and Long Dead Horsemen in 340. Light PD and no defenders in 358. Moderate PD and no defenders in 354. Next turn, I'll have a scout in Ermor's capital, and another directly to the south, in 345.

Um, can anyone teach an idiot how to take screen-shots?

TwoBits wrote:Um, can anyone teach an idiot how to take screen-shots?

On the standard 'expanded' keyboard layout its inline with the function keys above the insert/delete etc... keys. The key you're looking for is Print Screen, possibly "Prnt Scrn". On a more collapsed keyboard (say a laptop) it might be a ctrl+ or alt+ use of one of the function keys.

This generally saves the screenshot to your clipboard, so then you open up your favorite graphics program (paint will do) and use paste to get it somewhere you can play with it or just save it.

Sheshai Anakites are, imo, the lesser of Ashdod's recruitable sacreds. They have lower starting protection, but they berserk. Berserk gives them more prot, but more encumbrance as well, allowing them to be worn down with fatigue until they become vulnerable.

Overall incomes as of turn 9:

Team Noob gold income: 84340
Team Noob gem income: 398

Team Vet gold income: 38546
Team vet gem income: 234

Attacking indues in 281 and 255. Will be building forts in both. I've delayed my second and third fort construction, as I want my front to be as far forward as possible.

C'tis (Raiel), I recommend you take 303 to secure your southern border and give you a direct attack route to Ashdod.

Skinu wrote:Im closing in on Eriu. Sorry to Joelz, Ill make any reparations you wish. Next turn ill get storm power, then ill split research between evoc and const, and start forging for us.

No reperations are needed, all I ask is that you warn me next time you plan on crossing the border set in Maps/Images thread.
I conquered 3 provinces with a few casualties, lost 11 barbarians to an unfortunate conflict between me and Caelum.
Attacking 175 with my main forces to get in touch with Eriu. Lots of Lion Tribe Warriors moving to 155. Attacking 149.
Began constructing a Forest fort in 143. My Peg castle in 169 will be completed in 2 turns.
By the way, Caelum, do you happen to need 139 for long? The forest fort I began to build could use that neighbour once it's completed on turn 13

I take 3 provinces with a few of casualties and i lost the shipwreckers.

I'm in provinces 148 and 180 and i haven't find an enemy army...

Well things are not going well.

Vanheim has taken three provinces off me this turn. He has sailed an army of 50 skinshifters to the swamp province south of my Capital. I had forgotten about sailing but it appears to put a large number of the south’s provinces in range of him due to the nature of the pole. And a couple of Vans with a leader have taken another province between my Capital and Caelum. Their bless is Water 9, Earth 4. His main army (still over 50 strong) has destroyed my temple so is NOT next to my Capital. Unfortunately the 50 Skinshifters that are can besiege me next turn.

I lost more troops and again did next to no damage to him. Even archers seem do too little damage. Skinshifters with their extra life are very resilient, I wound a lot but too few actually die due to their regeneration and the second shape having plenty of hps. I can't get any critical mass, and that would need far more troops than I can get now.

I have some forces in my Capital and expect to be sieged next turn. This will close down my production.

I am not sure what to do now. I am just a few turns from being knocked out. I will get as any troops as possible in to my Capital so that the siege lasts a long time, because once he has a breach I will be slaughtered. I am not sure whether to try and save a small force to live on after my capital falls? Marignon is now in contact with me in the north and I expect he will join the attack next turn. I could be down to a besieged capital and as little as two provinces next turn

It would still be helpful to get maps from Caelum, Machaka & Arco so I can put together a composite map so we can all see the extent of Marignon & Vanheim.

Either way Caelum (and the other southern powers) need to work out what to do when I am gone and Vanheim can move on to someone else. Specifically what you can do to kill large numbers of skinshifters. He has 70 odd in my territory already. Sorry to say I have not put up a very good fight. Even with as few as 250 resources in his capital he can build 35 of these a turn as they are just 7 resources a piece.

I’ll make a more detailed report with a screenie or two if I have time when I get home this evening.

EDIT: PS Any advice on what to do will be appreciated! I currently plan to build as many Goblins as I can this turn. Then accept the siege. Most of my Goblins can stealth out if he gets a breach quickly and I am still in the game at that stage. And although only size 1 I can get more troops to prolong the siege this way. By the way I have two Skrattis and with a bit of equipment they could make a difference. But on there own would simply be toast.

Hoplo: I think what you need is an airstrike at some of those armies, preferably targeting the leaders, but killing/injuring troops could also help. Sadly, I do not have any relevant research to help with such an attack, but i know some other players do.

Squirrelloid wrote:Hoplo: I think what you need is an airstrike at some of those armies, preferably targeting the leaders, but killing/injuring troops could also help. Sadly, I do not have any relevant research to help with such an attack, but i know some other players do.

Yes that would be very helpful. Unfortunately only the main Vanheim army is now at risk from Seeking Arrow as I think stealth leaders won't be targetted?

If someone has Fires from Afar that would be very helpful. But again Skinshifters would be largely immune due to the second shape/high hps.

Hoplo, your position looks grim. Hordes of goblins might be able to hold the gate at your capital at least (or at least delay the time before a breach). How's your gold supply holding up?

Honestly, I think anyone who can put pressure on Vanheim needs to start doing it now. Arco, are you ready to put that money to good use? Machaka, do you have any access to Vanheim?

Caelum, as Jotunheim's neighbor, you're in the best position to help. Maybe time to start some raiding, or look for chances to attack Vanheim's flanks as they push into Jotunheim's territory? It seems you've got the research to use some effective battle magic at this point, plus your fliers should give you operational flexibility.

And I hate to say this Caelum, but I think you you need to make a contingency plan for the occupation of Jotunheim's capital if it falls into enemy hands, if worse comes to worse. If you can keep the Vets out, perhaps the Jotuns can hang on in some rear area, and perhaps move back in if the threat abates.

The rest of us need to think of other ways we can help the situation. Remote attacks. Help with forging for Jotunheim. Maybe gifts of gold. Most importantly though, we need to make the Vets start reacting to us! I think it's time for C'tis and I to start putting the screws to Ermor, and make the Vets expend energy to help them out. C'tis and Pythium have 26 provinces and loads of cash, vs Ermor with only 10. His research is slowing, so I think he's sending his Thaumaturgs out to fight, or to reanimate deadites. Raiel and I are already PMing about how to handle Ermor.

Pangaea, what's your strategic situation? Can you lend a hand, or would you rather concentrate on keeping Ashdod out of C'tis' hair? You mentioned Revelers earlier - can you send a band into Ermorian territory?

Ermor's capital is on the coast - can anyone drop a Hurricane or two on him (Caelum? Sorry, you're being asked a lot of right now, I know)? Any other remote unrest spells ready to go?

Any other thoughts on what can be done?

I'm worried about Bandar Log too, although the situation is not as critical. It's starting to leave a gap in our line, I imagine. If necessary, I think Shinuyama and Ulm need to move their border one province-distance to the south and north respectively, at least near the front lines, to keep the Vets from exploiting the situation. Luckily Shinuyama and Ulm are leaders in province numbers, so hopefully should be able to contain things until Bandar gets on its feet?

Bandar, what's going on? If you need to ask for advice of any sort (but especially advice on how to expand and handle indies?), don't hesitate to ask! You can PM people if you'd rather have one-on-one advice rather than opening yourself up to the "peanut gallery". But I think you need to do something drastic soon to rectify your situation. Sorry to come of a bit harsh, but that's the way I see it

There's still an indy province between me and vanheim, but I'll be in his land in 3 turns with a reasonably large army and some mages.

north side - attack ermor as soon as you can. we need to take the vets down a notch.

Caelum - I think hoplo is pretty well in trouble. I doubt he can get rid of the vanheim armies himself, and my hitting vanheim's flank probably won't attract those armies unless he gets very desperate, and even then itll take a little while. The only way I see out of this for hoplo right now is if you fly in some mages with some troops for cover and spam thunderstrike on his skinshifters. And regarding ermor - twobits, you and raiel have got each got twice his provinces, more income, and larger armies, whereas hoplo is in major trouble. Caelum needs to focus on Vanheim, and we need the vets worrying about their north as much as we are the south.

remote attacks will help, but they won't get vanheim off hoplo. I seem to recall that machaka said he could throw fires from afar if he had the gems. anybody got fire gems they could send him?

Hoplo, what is your research at right now?

Joelz - your best counter to thunderstrike spam is probably getting people to send you shock resist rings. absent that, your best option is to stick large numbers of chaff units - find some cheap indie slingers or something - in front of your army to get his mages to throw thunderstrikes at them instead of your real troops until they fatigue out. honestly you don't have great options for it.

O.K... I've given this A LOT of thought, perhaps even too much. Here's what I want to do:

While TwoBits attacks from the west, I want to throw a scout to the wolves to see how his script is set up and what bless he chose for his Vestals. I'll attack the following turn, after I have intel on his setup and bless.

Of course, this intel could prove to be worthless, as scripts will change every turn and TwoBits may get a chance to see the bless in action on his side.

So, captain, pull the trigger this turn or next?

Raiel wrote:O.K... I've given this A LOT of thought, perhaps even too much. Here's what I want to do:

While TwoBits attacks from the west, I want to throw a scout to the wolves to see how his script is set up and what bless he chose for his Vestals. I'll attack the following turn, after I have intel on his setup and bless.

Of course, this intel could prove to be worthless, as scripts will change every turn and TwoBits may get a chance to see the bless in action on his side.

So, captain, pull the trigger this turn or next?

do it. especially if you're going to scout him first.

TwoBits wrote:I'm worried about Bandar Log too, although the situation is not as critical. It's starting to leave a gap in our line, I imagine. If necessary, I think Shinuyama and Ulm need to move their border one province-distance to the south and north respectively, at least near the front lines, to keep the Vets from exploiting the situation. Luckily Shinuyama and Ulm are leaders in province numbers, so hopefully should be able to contain things until Bandar gets on its feet?

Bandar, what's going on? If you need to ask for advice of any sort (but especially advice on how to expand and handle indies?), don't hesitate to ask! You can PM people if you'd rather have one-on-one advice rather than opening yourself up to the "peanut gallery". But I think you need to do something drastic soon to rectify your situation. Sorry to come of a bit harsh, but that's the way I see it

Ashdod is in no position to drive towards Bandar. Trust me - if he does that he opens himself up to a first class raping, courtesy of me. I'll have mages on my front lines with respectable combat magic by the end of the year - something Ashdod is not going to be able to match (i've got almost 5x his research - he seems to have traded research for expansion potential and got beaten on both counts by me). He probably out-thugs me, but he's not going to have great gear yet and my dai-bakemono are a pretty amazing troop chassis, especially given his lack of good archers.

Basically, I see no need to expand my front with Ashdod to contain him - the front I have will force him to focus attention on me in a predictable area that I can easily defend.

Hoplo, hang in there as long as you can. As usual, I'd prefer we lose no one if it can be helped, especially if we can recapture your capital, or other territories at a later date (even if your down to a single province). Abysia, has fire gems of course. My revelers are rather slow moving, which is why I'm trying to build my forts closer to the front lines. I could get them to ermor quicker than to Vanheim. Shin and Agartha if possible can head down the coast via water and bring pressure that way. If we can take that southern pole province, that would be a major blow.

Septimius Severus wrote:Hoplo, hang in there as long as you can. As usual, I'd prefer we lose no one if it can be helped, especially if we can recapture your capital, or other territories at a later date (even if your down to a single province). Abysia, has fire gems of course. My revelers are rather slow moving, which is why I'm trying to build my forts closer to the front lines. I could get them to ermor quicker than to Vanheim. Shin and Agartha if possible can head down the coast via water and bring pressure that way. If we can take that southern pole province, that would be a major blow.

I'm not sure i have the resources to do that and deal with Ashdod. Not to mention my water forces are all north to work on containing any Ermor expansion into the sea. Plus there's a single water way down south, which means only one of us could go (and by going north I'm sort of implicitly ceding the south to Agartha - although I don't know how aquatic he is yet).

melnorjr wrote:

Hoplo, what is your research at right now?

I have Alteration 3 (Mistform, Etherial). I will get Enchant 1 next turn (Breath of Winter) and I am then going for Construction 2 for gear.

Whether I can hold out long enough for this to count for much I don't know.

Here is my current screenshot.



I am retreating my Pretender northwards. But leaving the rest of my forces in the Capital. Where I am buying a lot of Goblins.

My force near Marignon will consolidate at Iron Range and either go to (in caelum's sector) Dural Woods to build a fort. Or strike against marignon if it looks winable.

I am taxing most places around my capital 200% as I will lose them soon. And building some Lizards in Silver Swamp and Lion archers in Dragon Point.

If anyone has any overland spells the provinces to hit are:

Elderhill if you have seeking arrow (mundane commanders) and either Sulphuria or Elderhill if its something like Flames from Afar.

I am hoping that even with his full 100+ troops it will still take a while before he can crack my Capital. Maybe enough time for me to research and forge some items.

Hey Caelum, we still need a turn for you. Have about 7 hours.