The Sinister Six: A Competitive EitB SG

[DaveV]

is it better if one of the hunters clears the hut first?

Yes, a recon unit is more likely to get a good result from the hut.

And I agree that the hut location is a better city spot than 2N.

[RefSteel]

Edit: also, the setting to force the appearance of all unique features doesn't appear to be enabled on the settings page.

Oops - my fault; I failed to check this one (and also forgot to check "Blessings of Amathaon"). And...

One note - I had to rename (actually, I created a new copy) the mod folder in order to load the save. Something to with it having been "EitB v12.1" on Ref's box rather than "Erebus in the Balance v12.1" on mine.

...I may as well fix this while I'm at it. Obviously up to you guys if you want to play on the save with the wrong settings, or use this alternate version instead, which should hopefully have everything correct. (Yes, there is an official "Challenge: One City" game setting, which I did select for each of these. Apparently it doesn't affect AI allies. I might(?) be able to create a work-around for that if you really want Einon to play an OCC too, but I'm not sure.

The attached save is an entirely different map, probably with different opponents than the first one (I didn't check; just rolled it randomly) because the two settings I missed both affect the distribution of stuff on the map itself.

Good luck, all of you, whichever map you use!

[Bobchillingworth]

I probably won't get to playing this for a little while anyway, so whichever!

[DaveV]

The new start is ridiculously good:



The settings look like they match Bob's first post.

I would settle to the SE to pull the wine inside our borders, unless there's something irresistible in the fog.

[Aurorarcher]

Well that's quite lush indeed. Agreed with 1SE.

[Bobchillingworth]

I concur.

[Brian Shanahan]

Yeah one SE is good, we're Kurios so Yggadrassil will be inside BFC. Obviously we'll have to pull the Worldspell asap.

I'm happy with order of sign up, anything bar me going first is OK. It's too hot this week and I definitely wouldn't be able to play until the weekend as a result.

[shallow_thought]

Tasty start. 1SE looks good to me.

FWIW, I have no memory of what the sign-up order was . I guess I could go look it up.

[Miguelito]

I can only add to the chorus and support 1SE (of the warrior, right?), altough we can get quite a lot of scouting info before still.

[Bobchillingworth]

Campaign Diary: Day 1

Many in Erebus believe the Kuriotates to be pacifists, idealists, merchants- hardly warriors.  Dragon King Cardith is now a man however, and has become pragmatic with age.  He has hired our band of mercenaries to assist band of Elohim dissidents, who broke from their empire after Queen Thessalonica seemingly went mad and embraced the Ashen Veil, anathema to all civilized nations.  





The men take up positions across fertile countryside at our arrival point.  


Given the resources revealed by our scouting, I elect to found our base camp, named Fort Defiant, 1SW of our starting spot.  We had initially discussed a different location, but the spot chosen captures flood plains, wild grapes we hadn’t known about, and isn’t lacking in production either.  






I use our World Spell to immediately pop borders, and a hut whose occupants teach us the secret of Education.  

Initial tech set to Crafting to connect our wines, first build set to a Worker.  

I declare that Shallow, our necromancer, take the “spell extension” promotion; he then immediately summons a 2-move Skeleton, who can act as an expendable scout.  


Day 2



For reasons unknown, our protectorate Einon insists on fortifying most of his units in place, while his two Settlers move together unescorted into the wilderness.  I may need to divert some members of our party to prevent an early and ignominious elimination.  




A Scout hireling approaches another village, whose occupants teach us Animal Husbandry.  No horses nearby, not that we have much need for them.  

I’d like to advance on our enemies before they can establish themselves, but without knowledge of their whereabouts would be advancing blindly into the fog.  I therefore elect to focus initially on claiming more huts (we can see at least two) and securing the various lairs in Fort Defiant’s immediate vicinity.


Day 3



I fear for Einon’s mental health, as he advanced his Settlers forward by a single tie, still without escorts, and then apparently elected to leave them in place.  


I’m not certain what we did to earn them, but it’s time for promotions all around.  

• I take Combat I, by far the most useful option, and begin exploring the Ruins next to our capital.  

• Dave also takes Combat I, and advances toward Einon’s Settlers while also being able to reinforce Fort Defiant if necessary.  




• Shallow is promoted to Combat I was well; his Skeleton pillages a grave for some pocket change, and then Shallow terminates it, before summoning a new one, this time with Empower.  




• Miguel takes Flanking I; as one of our most combat-oriented party members, it’s critical that he be able to survive the battles to come.  Shortly Miguel’s promotion, our Scout encounters one from the evil Rivanna the Wraith Lord, who promptly declares war on us!  I advance Miguel in her direction.  


• Having found Rivanna, I select Combat 1 for Auro, and more him toward our opponent.  

• Ditto for Brian, who was headed toward a hut which Einon has diverted a Scout toward anyway.  


Day 4



Einon finally founds his capital, in a decent location which nevertheless will compete with our capital for two tiles.  He still refuses to move in defenders (or move his Worker, for that matter), so unfortunately one of our party will likely need to occupy it to prevent his elimination via stupidity.  I select Dave for the task, as he is closest and also I don’t want to do it myself.  

As for what I am doing, I clear the Ruins, and am blasted with mutagenic energy!  It doesn’t actually do anything, however.  Probably for the best, though it’s regrettable to know that I’ll now never be “strong”.  


Day 5



Einon finally decides to move his Worker toward his capital, where he’s keeping his second Settler fortified.  His various starting Warriors also advance, in the wrong direction, into the wilderness.  I’m not sure our mercenary company can provide him with the kind of help he needs.  He also pops the hut Brian had been headed towards- not sure what he received, other than that it wasn’t a tech.  

Feeling a rush of experience from having cleared the ruins, I take the Shock promotion and begin work removing the Dungeon feature from next to Fort Defiant.  Need to make room for future improvements.  

Dave enters Einon’s capital to provide security.  Einon is at least building a Warrior, so hopefully he doesn’t have to stay long.  




Miguel charges into our first combat, and attacks one of Rivanna’s Scouts!  He kills it and earns several exp, though he’s wounded in the process.  I move Brian to cover him.  

Shallow’s Skeleton loots an abandoned hut for more cash.  Shallow unsummons it, advances toward Rivanna, and then summons a new one to protect himself.  

Auro continues advancing toward Rivanna.  


Day 6

We somehow make contact with Charadon; war declared.  In a display of abject incompetence which shouldn’t surprise me but somehow still does, Einon deploys his World Spell.  No need to protect him any more then, so Dave will move toward Rivanna as well.  He takes the Combat II promotion, to increase his lackluster strength.  




A friendly spirit decides to “guide” me for delving in the dungeon, which remains in place next to our capital.  Certainly hoping its guidance never actually proves itself relevant.  I will attempt to clear the dungeon against next turn.  

Miguel takes the Combat I promotion and will spend the turn healing in place.  Auro and Brain have promotions available, but I elect to forgo taking them at the moment for flexibility.  Shallow takes Combat II, but keeps his Skeleton summoned for now, as it may be able to kill one of Rivanna’s scouts next turn.    




Speaking of whom, we have visibility of Rivanna’s capital, via our Scout.  It’s well-defended and on a hill, so it’ll be tough to eliminate, but she’s also keeping a second Settler fortified within for some reason.  


Day 7



Shallow’s Skeleton is indeed able to kill Rivanna’s second Scout.  He unsummons it and creates a new one, this time with Empower II.  Four members of our party are now grouped to advance on Rivanna.  


Day 8



Ah, a fool am I!  The Dungeon holds a trap which encages me (or a cage which entraps me?); thankfully Dave is nearby to helpfully free me from the consequences of my recklessness.  At least I’ve cleared two features from our territory.  I feel experienced as a result.  

Auro finds a Giant Spider lurking nearby- such a beast could be useful, so Auro promotes to Combat II and situates himself across a river from the Spider, where he will surely have odds to prevail.  

Our Scout encounters Valledia the Even; now we’re at war with three bandit gangs.  


Day 9

Our Scout encounters the dwarven thug known as Garrim Gyr.  

The Giant Spider refuses to attack Auro, and in fact turns away in retreat.  Auro has less than perfect odds to prevail in combat, so I send Shallow’s Skeleton forward as either bait or a sacrifice.  

I take the Combat II promotion, to steel myself for the Barrow I intend to begin exploring on the final day of our rotating command.  

Our utterly useless ally’s culture takes two tiles from our capital.  Great.  He still refuses to do anything with his spare Settler.  


Day 10

Wonderful, the Giant Spider not only retreated again, but when I moved Auro forward to locate it I walked into a ambush between both the Spider and a Tiger!  I send the now-healed Miguel plus Shallow’s Skeleton to cover.  


And here’s where my turn as leader ends; I leave it to my successor how to disseminate the remaining promotions and whether to wait the animal attack with the units we have in place, or take the offense against the Spider with a low-odds strike from our Skeleton.  Good luck!  Don’t get me killed.  


Miguel is up!

Score additions, not counting exp:

* Bob, 2x lairs cleared

* Shallow, 1x lair cleared