Whosit Clowns Around in EitB PBEM XXVI [SPOILERS!]

[Whosit]

Quite the tale. I can see why it took a while to write. Quite the interesting read! Well, if nothing else, I can lead my people laughing and screaming into the flames.

Anyway, as for the present day:





What did I do to deserve this? I don't need another barbarian army banging on my gates now.



I killed one Skeleton with a reinforcing Warrior, but he was so badly injured in the fight (with 90% odds) that if I didn't cover him, he'd surely die. I shifted a unit out of Coombe View and moved another from the hill to protect him, and I'm gambling that the Spectre (where did it come from, anyway??) won't defeat my city's defender if it goes to attack. Actually, the desert should slow it anyway, right? I hope.

I left the capital on temple building duty. Hopefully my other cities can spit out enough units in the next few turns to deal with the second barbarian force. Oy oy oy....

[DaveV]

the Spectre (where did it come from, anyway??)

If a skeleton reaches level 3, he can cast a spell to change himself into a spectre (which is why the spectre says "has already casted this turn"). If a barb spectre reaches level 6, he can upgrade to a wraith.

[Whosit]

So the freaking skeleton that killed my scout got to level 3 off of that?? Is it me, or do Barbs earn promotions faster?

[HidingKneel]

Units that attack earn xp faster.
Winning a battle at near-even odds battle on the attack will often net you two promotions.

[spellman]

In short, life's not fair.

[Whosit]

I just feel like when my units attack they don't earn that much more extra experience. Oh well. Tick tock and all that. Wonder if Serdoa will not kill me for some reason, but really, I see no reason for him not to just conquer me. Hopefully I can still throw together some kind of defense in time, though if it's a war of attrition I won't be winning that, either....

Not much remarkable this turn. Barbs are grouping up. Oh, I guess I founded a new city but it seems I didn't think that was important enough to take a screen shot of. Oh well.

I got my first Freak, though.



Has, what was it, Empower I and Stoneskin? So, a +10% combat bonus and a one-time defense buff. Still, probably a keeper.

By the way, I switched to Kilmorph (a turn after a Kilmorph only event, of course) so I could tech Arete. It occurred to me that Serdoa might be going for the mines, too. Of course, if it's a race, I've probably lost it already since I can't match his production by any means (I think he has over twice my production). Still, might as well try. I'm kind of at a loss for what to tech to next, honestly. If I'm going for the mines, teching Smelting and Iron Working is probably silly, though I may turn out to need those techs after all.

I need some techs that provide passive bonuses because I don't really have the production to spare to make a lot of new units or buildings. Hrmmmm.

[Qgqqqqq]

What are you building?

[Whosit]

What are you building?

In... any particular place? Or everywhere? I just closed the game so lets see what I can remember.

Jubilee: Temple of Kilmorph (2 turns)
Coombe View: ToK (4)
Hexam: Catapult (3 or 4)
Argenteria: 1 turn Warrior (finished EoT) > Freak (3) (I'm trying to cut back on Warrior production now, but it was just enough to do it in one turn, and it wouldn't have made much difference for the Freak)
New town I can't remember the name of yet: Warrior (1)

Hexam and Argenteria will remain on Military builds for a long time, as I've only just succeeded in matching 1/2 of Serdoa's power. I need to build at least one Arena somewhere, though. Probably in Argenteria since Hexam and Jubilee can make Catapults. In retrospect, the Siege Workshop in Jubilee may have been a bad choice as I could have spent time making things I'd use right away, though it is nice to have the option to build catapults in more than one place. Honestly, I have no idea how many catapults one needs in EitB. I'm assuming about as many in BtS.

Speaking of him, he sent me a message asking about extending the NAP. Seeing as my only viable strategy to win at this point is to do so in the future, since there's no way I can win now, this would be good for me if it's legit. However, I won't extend the NAP if it means maintaining the restriction on my settling. If it does... then I'm on my own.

I'll reply to him later today. If he accepts my terms by some fluke, I think I will build Settlers ASAP (one in Jubilee, another... I dunno where) and settle north as quickly as I can to stake my claims.

I would also want to finally build Loki so I can scout and maybe make contact with Molach. That would be nice.

Basically, the story remains: I want to do everything at once but cannot.

[Whosit]

Hey Whosit,

Our NAP is running out soon and there is still an abundance of land to be settled. I really would like to go on building stuff and expanding. As you are certainly have found out by now my lands are directly above yours and I can't do that without having some security - one way or the other - that I won't get stabbed in my south while expanding east and west. Do you have any interest in discussing terms for a further NAP-extension?

Kind regards,
Serdoa

Who is this Whosit he keeps writing to?

Continued peace we'd like to have considering such precious coin we paid
No end of troubles would there be should good relations fade.
But one clause that makes us shout and groan and with heavy hearts sigh
That above the line we cannot go is a price that's just too high.
So that is the bargain which we present to you oh fair and mighty king
Peace, yes, but also that joke told in distant lands: Let freedom ring!

~Perpentach

[Whosit]

He wants to think about my deal.

I guess that means I'll just settle where I want and hope I don't die.

Also, Barbs harassing my southeast. I sent a sacrificial warrior out to delay them, though Combat I + Shock I + on a hill should put a dent even in a 4 Warrior stack. I'm expecting he kills 1 and wounds 1. If I'm lucky he kills 2 and wounds 1. If I'm really unlucky he'd just die, and honestly, I wouldn't be too surprised at that.

Or they ignore him and move onto the farm I'm trying to protect. That would be a pain in the butt.