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Realms Beyond Forum     Gaming     Civ Game Reporting     Completed Games     Completed Fall From Heaven / EitB     Erebus in the Balance PBEM XXV     Not another elf chick? HidingKneel beats a dead horse. (Spoilers!)

 
Not another elf chick? HidingKneel beats a dead horse. (Spoilers!)

#61
February 7th, 2013, 23:30
HidingKneel Offline
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Well, I don't know how the other players feel, but it doesn't bother me at all. I was planning to disband the chest as soon as it started costing maintenance. (Wouldn't have been able to claim it until late in the game anyway.)
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#62
February 7th, 2013, 23:47
Merovech Offline
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Yeah, so far, everyone else that has responded has lost their chests, so idk.
Merovech's Mapmaking Guidelines:
0. Player Requests: The player's requests take precedence, even if they contradict the following guidelines.

1. Balance: The map must be balanced, both in regards to land quality and availability and in regards to special civilization features. A map may be wonderfully unique and surprising, but, if it is unbalanced, the game will suffer and the player's enjoyment will not be as high as it could be.

2. Identity and Enjoyment: The map should be interesting to play at all levels, from city placement and management to the border-created interactions between civilizations, and should include varied terrain. Flavor should enhance the inherent pleasure resulting from the underlying tile arrangements. The map should not be exceedingly lush, but it is better to err on the lush side than on the poor side when placing terrain.

3. Feel (Avoiding Gimmicks): The map should not be overwhelmed or dominated by the mapmaker's flavor. Embellishment of the map through the use of special improvements, barbarian units, and abnormal terrain can enhance the identity and enjoyment of the map, but should take a backseat to the more normal aspects of the map. The game should usually not revolve around the flavor, but merely be accented by it.

4. Realism: Where possible, the terrain of the map should be realistic. Jungles on desert tiles, or even next to desert tiles, should therefore have a very specific reason for existing. Rivers should run downhill or across level ground into bodies of water. Irrigated terrain should have a higher grassland to plains ratio than dry terrain. Mountain chains should cast rain shadows. Islands, mountains, and peninsulas should follow logical plate tectonics.
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#63
February 9th, 2013, 01:45
HidingKneel Offline
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After a long, hard think about popping the barrows, I decided to be scientific about it. Added a barrows to my sandbox six tiles from the capital, and saw what happened. Eliminated by a skeleton on turn 14, four turns before my first warrior yikes!

Granted, that was unlucky. But given the plan to run a farmer's gambit, even skeletons showing up a little later could really ruin my opening. So, time to do what was necessary:

[Image: Civ4_Screen_Shot0010.jpg]

Woohoo! jive Party like it's FFH XX!

I get to repeat the excitement next turn:

[Image: Civ4_Screen_Shot0011.jpg]

No question that I need to pop that ruin. Skeletons are mildly annoying, but lizardmen can be deadly early on.

Not sure what I'm going to do with those supplies. But I've got plenty of time to figure it out. In the meanwhile, the elves are mighty:

[Image: Civ4_Screen_Shot0012.jpg]

Also of note: looks like I'm the only one with a landlocked capital.
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#64
February 9th, 2013, 22:37 (This post was last modified: February 9th, 2013, 22:38 by HidingKneel.)
HidingKneel Offline
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An Unexpected Ally

Volantis motioned for silence as he and his companions approached the wilderness ruin. They converged on the stone circle from three directions, materializing in union from the thick forests. They had seen a light from some distance away, and thought perhaps to survey and ambush an orcish encampment. But within the circle they found no orcs, only a single man. Or was it? In the fading sunlight it was hard to say, but Volantis thought he could detect a faint greyish cast to the man's skin.

Volantis stepped forward as his companions trained their bows on the man. He was bound with silver chains, and the flesh around his wrists and ankles was charred black. But he smiled as they approached. "At last, a bit of company."

When it was clear that the captive posed no threat, Volantis gathered his companions near. "I mislike this," the first ranger offered quietly. "This place and this man are accursed."

The second ranger shook his head. "That is no man, it is a demon. We should kill it and be gone from here."

After hearing their council, Volantis carefully stepped toward the man, drawing a slim sword and holding it at the ready. The prisoner smiled at his approach. "Do you mean to kill me with that?" he asked.

"Who are you?" Volantis demanded of him.

"Once I was called Averax, when I led the dread armies of Sheaim on their quest to unmake the world. They succeeded only in unmaking themselves, and that empire has long since crumbled to dust. You may call me Averax still, but the name holds little meaning any more." The man stood tall as Volantis approached, and the manacles around his wrists and ankles made a hissing sound as they made contact with his flesh.

"And who bound you here?"

The man laughed. "Our conquerers." He stared at the drawn sword in Volantis' hand. "Have you come to end my torment at last?"

Volantis frowned. "Have you no fear of death?"

"I would prefer life to death, but my captivity here is no life. Release me from these chains, and I pledge you my service for a hundred years and a day."

Volantis turned to his companions. The first ranger shook his head vehemently, while the second drew a finger across his throat. He then turned back to find the prisoner smiling confidently at him. Time seemed to stand still as he weighed his options.

Who wants to live forever, anyway?

Volantis stepped forward and severed the chains with a swift motion of his sword.

[Image: Civ4_Screen_Shot0014.jpg]
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#65
February 9th, 2013, 22:58
Merovech Offline
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Oh, man, what a nice coup (and great flavor)
Merovech's Mapmaking Guidelines:
0. Player Requests: The player's requests take precedence, even if they contradict the following guidelines.

1. Balance: The map must be balanced, both in regards to land quality and availability and in regards to special civilization features. A map may be wonderfully unique and surprising, but, if it is unbalanced, the game will suffer and the player's enjoyment will not be as high as it could be.

2. Identity and Enjoyment: The map should be interesting to play at all levels, from city placement and management to the border-created interactions between civilizations, and should include varied terrain. Flavor should enhance the inherent pleasure resulting from the underlying tile arrangements. The map should not be exceedingly lush, but it is better to err on the lush side than on the poor side when placing terrain.

3. Feel (Avoiding Gimmicks): The map should not be overwhelmed or dominated by the mapmaker's flavor. Embellishment of the map through the use of special improvements, barbarian units, and abnormal terrain can enhance the identity and enjoyment of the map, but should take a backseat to the more normal aspects of the map. The game should usually not revolve around the flavor, but merely be accented by it.

4. Realism: Where possible, the terrain of the map should be realistic. Jungles on desert tiles, or even next to desert tiles, should therefore have a very specific reason for existing. Rivers should run downhill or across level ground into bodies of water. Irrigated terrain should have a higher grassland to plains ratio than dry terrain. Mountain chains should cast rain shadows. Islands, mountains, and peninsulas should follow logical plate tectonics.
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#66
February 10th, 2013, 00:08
HidingKneel Offline
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(February 9th, 2013, 22:58)Merovech Wrote: Oh, man, what a nice coup (and great flavor)

Not the most useful GP to land, but I'll take it!

Things I'm obviously not going to do with it:

1) Trigger golden age.
2) Recruit a single unit in the capital

Which leaves two options:

3) Attach Averax to Volantis. Normally this would be ridiculous, since early scouts just get eaten by animals. But
the sentry promotion makes me a lot safer than usual... I'll probably see danger coming, and have the mobility to avoid it.

4) Build Command Post in the capital. Synergizes well with Arcane focus, since elves are slow to start and will almost surely not win the race to Military Strategy. And useful early on: lets me build warriors with one promotion pre-education.
Only drawback: great commander points will dilute my GP pool. I'm pretty sure I don't want any more great commanders...
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#67
February 10th, 2013, 06:38 (This post was last modified: February 10th, 2013, 06:38 by UnforcedError.)
UnforcedError Offline
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Sorry for being away for a bit, had lots of RL issues.

Looks great and an awesome read so far smile That commander is heaven sent especially as the alternative would have been dodging lizardmen from very early on... a fair bit of luck though, could have been worse smile I definitely agree on the tech path you envisioned, Calendar is great to have early on this map.

I really see no point in attaching the CG to a scout. Building a CP this early would help us a lot though. Even if they pollute the GP pool.
Dedlurking: Tatan / CFCJesterFool / Nakor in Pitboss 8 as Mansa of India. (already dead frown )

Dedlurking: HidingKneel in EitB PBEM XXV as Tessa of the Ljosalfar.
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#68
February 10th, 2013, 12:13
HidingKneel Offline
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(February 10th, 2013, 06:38)UnforcedError Wrote: I really see no point in attaching the CG to a scout.

My thought was to do so very temporarily. The scout is a pretty nifty unit: having Mobility I and Sentry I will let me take
Mobility II and Sentry II without meeting the normal prerequisites. Which would make him pretty amazing at, well, scouting.
But he'd need to get some exp first, which is normally very hard for a scout. Having the GC attached would let him attack several types of animal without much risk, and boost the xp for winning. Once he's got a promotion or two, we could detach the GC and built a command post then.

The main downside, of course, is that it's risky: even with the GC attached, the scout could get eaten. Also it means delaying the benefits of the command post. Though that's not an immediate issue: command post hammer boost won't matter until we've got some more hammers in the capital, and the xp boost won't matter until we actually finish building a warrior (turn 18).
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#69
February 10th, 2013, 22:04 (This post was last modified: February 10th, 2013, 22:23 by HidingKneel.)
HidingKneel Offline
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Another turn in. I opted to play it safe with the commander, who is now en route to the capital. Hopefully it won't get eaten by griffon on the way there...

Meanwhile, my scouts are scouting. Found something potentially useful:

[Image: Civ4_Screen_Shot0004.jpg]

Bear den could be a potential culture source... though it requires animal husbandry plus units that get good odds on bears
(hunters or fawns). So that's a long way off.

Volantis would have odds on that one with a GC attached... but not good enough that I'd want to risk him or it.

Also some fun stuff up north:

[Image: Civ4_Screen_Shot0003.jpg]

Wines, gems, and dyes. Would make a nice spot for a city if I could spring the desert and chop the jungle.
Scout ended turn on graveyard, which I'll explore next turn. It's far enough from the capital that a bad result shouldn't mean elimination. (There's also another graveyard that I found a little closer to the capital, but I'm going to hold off on popping it until I have some defenders.)
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#70
February 10th, 2013, 22:18
Merovech Offline
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That's an incense on the desert, not a wine. You'd know this if you turned on the resource bubbles...
Merovech's Mapmaking Guidelines:
0. Player Requests: The player's requests take precedence, even if they contradict the following guidelines.

1. Balance: The map must be balanced, both in regards to land quality and availability and in regards to special civilization features. A map may be wonderfully unique and surprising, but, if it is unbalanced, the game will suffer and the player's enjoyment will not be as high as it could be.

2. Identity and Enjoyment: The map should be interesting to play at all levels, from city placement and management to the border-created interactions between civilizations, and should include varied terrain. Flavor should enhance the inherent pleasure resulting from the underlying tile arrangements. The map should not be exceedingly lush, but it is better to err on the lush side than on the poor side when placing terrain.

3. Feel (Avoiding Gimmicks): The map should not be overwhelmed or dominated by the mapmaker's flavor. Embellishment of the map through the use of special improvements, barbarian units, and abnormal terrain can enhance the identity and enjoyment of the map, but should take a backseat to the more normal aspects of the map. The game should usually not revolve around the flavor, but merely be accented by it.

4. Realism: Where possible, the terrain of the map should be realistic. Jungles on desert tiles, or even next to desert tiles, should therefore have a very specific reason for existing. Rivers should run downhill or across level ground into bodies of water. Irrigated terrain should have a higher grassland to plains ratio than dry terrain. Mountain chains should cast rain shadows. Islands, mountains, and peninsulas should follow logical plate tectonics.
Find
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