[Spoilers] Cometh the Messiah - Varn Gosam and the Malakim

[Ilios]

Drama is good.

Hi Pb!

Way too many posts without a lurker comment, so just wanted to let you know we are lurking.

Well, I certainly hope so.

Did you figure this out?
Forests are definitely only 0.5 health, so you should only be getting 2.5 health rounded down to 2.

You're definitely not counting the Life mana and Agrarianism +1 health twice?

I'll post a screenshot tonight clearly showing the +3 health I get from forests, to prove I haven't gone bonkers!


Now, earlier today, I asked Sciz to send me proof Mist had offered a joint assault on me. My good friend initially balked at the idea, but in the end provided me with this:

Well it doesn't really matter now as he's already declared on me and
killed Barnaxus (though it took him 4 wolves to do so)

But first his mail:

[...]
1) We shall form a 'joint-venture' aimed at 'arresting' the alarming
growth of 'Malakim Sunny Co'. Since this will significantly hurt your
'direct competition' and open many 'growth opportunities' on your
eastern border, we expect to be properly compensated for our hard work
on the project. We have certain 'concessions' in mind, we're also open
to 'salvaged asset exchange scheme'

2) We go back to the original plan. Using cutting edge 'heavy ax'
technology and an unique 'many-a-wolf' solution we'll perform a
'hostile takeover' of your Cotton 'business', 'liquidate' your 'assets
in the field' and hopefully 'seize' your 'executive' Barnaxus. You can
also expect multiple future challenges to the 'legal status' of your
'corporation headquarters'. Possibly involving other 'interested
parties'.
[...]
=====================================================
Then in a chat about his "concessions":
Mist: 1) I want the Mines, you'll get one Iron from them for as long
as we remain in state of no hostilities

4:56 PM
Mist: 2) I want you to settle eastwards after I make you some space there

there's enough for one more city between us at the moment and I want
that spot :]
4:57 PM
You'll pay me 50g for each malakim city burned. Adjusted by ingame
inflation payable on when one of us gets to trade gold
=====================================================
Then further on:
Mist: The only reason we were holding talks in the first place was due
to the fact I thought you'd consider common raid on Ilios in your
interest and worth deferred payment worth 10 or so turns of research
with financial civ. I've arranged the whole structure in a way that
makes me take all the risk and get paid in full only on spectacular
success. I personally consider the offer fair, what's more, its
borderline profitable to me considering I put in 200g in upgrades,
about 20 turns of maintenance in hostile territory and a worldspell
trigger. This will NOT pay off by plunder on Ilios and getting a
wonder you don't want, or territory you couldn't hold anyway doesn't
make the deal any better.
[...]
Mist: It's clear to me you don't see this idea as in your interest, or
even if you do, you're not ready to pay anything near making it worth
my time. This gives me absolutely no assurance that you won't leak the
whole setup, or just back off in few turns once you get enough golems
to protect all you've got
[...]
Mist: Therefore, we'll fight it out and see who's right. Taking CV and
70% shot at your capital is worth it for me and I can afford a
protracted war. Ready your golems and good luck
[...]
Mist: I'm going to work now :] Anyway, we won't cooperate on this, if
you want me gone and CV intact you've got two turns to come up with an
offer worth my while to go somewhere else, not pillage the hell out of
you and not take that city
===============================================================
That's pretty much it. I don't really care about giving out
secret/private info anymore as my relevance in this game is gone now
anyways, so i don't really care. I'm just gonna annoy Mist as much as
I can, and try to survive as long as possible. I'm not even revolting
to aristocracy because it gives me a warrior less because of the
anarchy lol

Alright, I think that pretty much forces me to build a Training Yard (one-turn-build) to spam Swordsmen (one-turn-build).

Tech plan should be AH - Cartography - Archery - Philosophy - Priesthood

I'm building me an army...

[Ilios]

This is what I sent back to Sciz:

Ouch man!


Does that mean that Cotton Valley has been captured?


I have a RoK Thane that was already headed to Ra. I've been thinking, a single Medic 1 unit should significantly increase your chances of survival, allowing you to heal more in between turns. It has Mobility, so should be able to reach your capital in about 4-5 turns. I think I'll get Cartography at about the same time the Thane reaches your borders.

As mentioned before, I can finish a Training Yard in a turn, and then build a rookie Swordsman every turn.

With a little luck you should be able to hold him off for me to able to muster a counter force.

Regards,


Ilios

Now I plan to move Swordsmen to my western borders, and check regularly with Sciz what the situation is looking like, before committing any troops on top of the lone Thane I'm sending.

This is what he sent back:

Nah CV hasn't fallen yet, but it probably will next turn unless I have
extraordinary luck (i've got two fortified warriors on a hill vs two
sons of asena and two wolves). Mist's attacking force vs Ithralia is
now 4 wolves, 5 sons of asena, 1 beastman and 2 scouts. It'll take him
4 turns for them to reach Ithralia, and I should have 10 warriors or
so in there then, but no Barnaxus sadly. Still a Thane would
definitely help I guess. I guess i'll research exploration now, it's a
3t tech without aristocracy. Only have one mud golem though because my
2nd one was due to come out in two turns in CV.

He has one worker?...

[Ilios]

T70:

Festivals splashscreen:



I didn't get the Adaptive change yet, must be next turn then...

In any case, I have set En-Kai and Horus to other builds then Markets, since hammers should be doubled while building those once I'm Financial.

An Eventful turn:



Proof that Ilios is not Insane:



Five forests... Three health... Madness...

I have decided not to build the Training Yard, instead building A Kilmorph Soldier.

Allow me to explain my reasoning:

I want 4 str 5 units. To build Swordsmen I need a Training Yard.

1 Training Yard = 67 hammers
4 Swordsmen (40 hammers) = 160 hammers
-----------------------------
Total = 227 hammers

I only need a Kilmorph Temple to build Kilmorph Soldiers, which I already built.

4 Soldiers of Kilmorph (60 hammers) = 240 hammers

So that's only a difference of 13 hammers, and I get to convert those Soldiers back to hammers once I get better units.

Plus, the Soldiers count as Dwarves, so have double movement in hills, which could come in handy in Sciz' unroaded, hilly realm.

The Thane (ooh I forgot to name him because I was planning on simply converting Ra with him) should be inside Luchuirp borders by T72, and will hopefully reach the capital in time for the final Doviello assault. I actually think he will make a big difference, if he manages to survive the first attack.

[pocketbeetle]

Proof that Ilios is not Insane:

Going to take more than a screenshot to prove that!

Five forests... Three health... Madness...

No idea then.
Caledor in my game has 5 forests and +2 health, so I think you should take your wickedly unfair advantage and run away laughing like a madman.

I was entertaining thoughts that (for reasons unknown) the game might have been counting the forest tiles diagonally 2NW and 2SE. However looking back at older screenshots, even that doesn't explain it.

I have decided not to build the Training Yard, instead building A Kilmorph Soldier.

I like SoKs, regret not being able to build some.
They're a bit expensive, but like you say, decent strength and can be useful for helping to land a wonder.

[Xenoborg]

I was under the impression that if a city has an even number of forests and chops one it doesnt lose the health untill a second is cut.

[Ilios]

Question for the peanut gallery:

Assuming I have Open Borders with Sciz, will my Thane heal his units?

[Ilios]

Going to take more than a screenshot to prove that!

Touché!

I was entertaining thoughts that (for reasons unknown) the game might have been counting the forest tiles diagonally 2NW and 2SE. However looking back at older screenshots, even that doesn't explain it.

Yeah I thought of that too. So it's either how Xenoborg tells it, or the game somehow still counts the forest under Helios!

I like SoKs, regret not being able to build some.
They're a bit expensive, but like you say, decent strength and can be useful for helping to land a wonder.

Yup

Assuming I have Open Borders with Sciz, will my Thane heal his units?

No-one? Let me rephrase that for the BtS crowd. Does the Medic promotion work on rival units?



The pedia doesn't specify that the units need to belong to you, only that they need to be in the same tile.

[Ilios]

Ok, either no-one knows, or is too ashamed to answer a question that stupid...

You'll get your turn report, not like you've deserved it, lazy lurkers!


T71:

I finally get to switch traits:



I've counted 11 tiles that were making two or more commerce, so that's 11 extra commerce for Ilios. It shouldn't show that much on the GNP graph, since I'm losing 8 culture per turn as well.

But even if I hadn't told you which new trait I took, you should have been able to figure it out when I showed you this:



All cities have been set to Markets, which cost 20 hammers now, and so should be quickly finished.

The Thane, renamed "God of Divine Fire", has moved into position, and should enter Luchuirp lands next turn, provided Sciz doesn't forget to ask for Open Borders.

We'll see whether the Medic bonus will be shared with the dwarven warriors, at the least, I'll have met another opponent.

The first Soldier of Kilmorph has moved towards the staging area in the west. I have decided to call him "Piety", because how else are you going to name a smelly, beer-swigging, armed to the teeth Dwarven warrior?

"Truth", "Humility" and "Compassion" should follow shortly.

[Square Leg]

I'm not posting in here until you go pay the werewolf thread a visit.

Edit: damn it!

[Mardoc]

Ok, either no-one knows, or is too ashamed to answer a question that stupid...

I'm afraid I have to put myself into the first category there . I'm really enjoying your naming schemes, though! And you've made it clear that Malakim can be pretty awesome, despite not standing out in the manual.

A long while back you mentioned you were debating between Ashen Veil and Empyrean. Have you come to any conclusion there, or mixed in any other possibilities, like sticking with Kilmorph?