[Spoilers] Defining the phrase "€˜Hung Like a Horse"€™: Pb & the Kuriotates

[pocketbeetle]

Turn 178:

Nothing interesting happening in the turnlog, but the Vampire brigade has split up, with only the highly promoted one heading North.



That means Jumbo is free to do this:



He survived the encounter with half health left, which I considered enough to explore the dungeon.
The outcome was a dud – gave my unit a wasting plague (-50% str), but fortunately my Stonewarden is up at Zaonce now and will be able to heal that easily.
To dissuade Sareln from getting any funny ideas I promoted and used Sirona to get him back to str 6.4

Tech screen tells me that the Khazad gifted 400g to the Calabim this turn, hooray!

Which just leaves the question of what to do about Dracula…
Time for a chat methinks.

(11:44:42 AM) pocketbeetle: wanted to catch you quickly, nothing crucial
(11:44:49 AM) Selrahc: Yeah, sure.
(11:45:08 AM) pocketbeetle: will probably request the Ice x2 next turn, to start the turn after, hope that's okay
(11:45:15 AM) Selrahc: Alright.
(11:45:22 AM) pocketbeetle: also, any thoughts on the water vs enchantment?
(11:45:46 AM) Selrahc: Haven't got the fire mana sorted yet.
(11:46:00 AM) Selrahc: Got a settler on the way to a mana source.
(11:46:37 AM) Selrahc: I'll let you know when I get it connected.
(11:46:45 AM) pocketbeetle: K, well I'm becoming more interested in it, I think I could use an extra enchantment. Would you be interested in 10t exchange, to pick up the water later?
(11:47:02 AM) Selrahc: Yeah.
(11:47:42 AM) pocketbeetle: Okay cool, I'll probably request that Enchantment same time as the Ice then, with the understanding you'll ask for the Water at another time. If happiness is an issue, let me know
(11:47:47 AM) Selrahc: I'll be looking forward to getting some metamagic magesrunning around though.
(11:47:50 AM) pocketbeetle: I've got a little room with happy cap atm
(11:48:06 AM) Selrahc: Okay.
(11:48:27 AM) Selrahc: Anything else from your end?
(11:48:38 AM) pocketbeetle: Lastly, couldn't help noticing a level 14/15 vampire runnign through your land, heading towards Ring of Carcer?
(11:48:53 AM) pocketbeetle: Please tell me you're not going to let him get Bridget?
(11:49:58 AM) pocketbeetle: oooh long pause ><
(11:50:04 AM) Selrahc: Ah. Alright, here is the thing. Bob is fairly convinced that I am a benevolent neutral.
(11:50:33 AM) Selrahc: Which, if it comes to war, could let me get in a good attack with surprise.
(11:50:46 AM) Selrahc: If he is focussed on attacking you.
(11:51:02 AM) Selrahc: I've told him we have a NAP, implied that you threatened me to get it.
(11:51:46 AM) Selrahc: But putting up a friendly face does require some ground work.
(11:51:59 AM) Selrahc: In.. not refusing fairly reasonable requests.
(11:52:20 AM) pocketbeetle: Sure, but comon. There's a big difference between being friendly and letting a player get an Immortal unit
(11:52:31 AM) pocketbeetle: You realise he'd have two then? Losha and Bridget
(11:52:52 AM) Selrahc: Yeah.
(11:53:08 AM) pocketbeetle: For your own safety you should really be interested in stoping him from getting Bridgit/Bridget, however it's spelt
(11:53:11 AM) Selrahc: I can't really do anything about it at tis juncture.
(11:53:23 AM) Selrahc: Without letting slip about my motives.
(11:53:32 AM) Selrahc: Or at least, giving him a big tip off.
(11:53:37 AM) pocketbeetle: You've agreed to let him get it have you?
(11:53:54 AM) Selrahc: About a million years ago.
(11:54:23 AM) Selrahc: Before he even had vampires.
(11:54:30 AM) pocketbeetle: Have you even made sure that he'll only get one? Remembering your tech post a while ago, you and I agreed to delete the extra Bridgets, Bob never said a word
(11:54:41 AM) Selrahc: He agrees.
(11:55:00 AM) Selrahc: Talked with him about it after I made the tech post.
(11:55:16 AM) pocketbeetle: K, would you have a problem with me killing the Vampire?
(11:55:30 AM) Selrahc: If you can do it, go ahead.
(11:55:40 AM) pocketbeetle: sec, let me look at the map
(11:55:53 AM) Selrahc: I think I can bluster through that diploimatcally.
(11:56:07 AM) pocketbeetle: sec, cutting and uploading an image
(11:57:09 AM) Selrahc: I'd load up the game to get my views, but I'm away from gaming computer.
(11:58:27 AM) pocketbeetle: http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9785/...t00071.jpg
(11:58:30 AM) pocketbeetle: here's what I can see
(11:58:38 AM) pocketbeetle: the vamp is directly below eck the halls
(11:58:42 AM) pocketbeetle: at the bottom
(11:59:03 AM) pocketbeetle: by my map, he'd have to go through wonderful time, but have you built some more roads since then, via deck the halls etc?
(11:59:34 AM) pocketbeetle: ie what route will he probably take?
(11:59:35 AM) Selrahc: Yeah.. there is a whole other city between those two locations
(12:00:06 PM) pocketbeetle: He can move 6 tiles, so will probably end up SW of Deck the Halls maybe?
(12:00:38 PM) Selrahc: Yes. That should be the route he takes.
(12:00:48 PM) Selrahc: Cull has in retrspect, been scouting out the rpote for him
(12:00:57 PM) Selrahc: (I hate library keyboards)
(12:01:09 PM) pocketbeetle: rpote?
(12:01:12 PM) Selrahc: route]
(12:01:18 PM) Selrahc: Gragh
(12:01:20 PM) pocketbeetle: ah k
(12:01:35 PM) pocketbeetle: alright, so long as you don't mind, I'm happy with that
(12:01:49 PM) pocketbeetle: I would prefer not to declare on Bob, but looks like we don't have a choice there
(12:01:55 PM) pocketbeetle: have you seen his power?
(12:01:59 PM) pocketbeetle: He overtook me this turn
(12:02:14 PM) pocketbeetle: and bear in mind, that us being equal pwoer = him vastly stronger
(12:02:23 PM) Selrahc: Not really.
(12:02:28 PM) pocketbeetle: xp doesn't factor in, my CAs mostly 6xp, his could all be 100
(12:02:35 PM) Selrahc: He summons all his spectres every turn.
(12:02:53 PM) pocketbeetle: I have visibility on around 25 vamps this turn
(12:03:21 PM) Selrahc: Are they not summoning spectres?
(12:03:26 PM) pocketbeetle: not all no
(12:03:41 PM) Selrahc: Albeit, I was basing that on his list of reasosn why he hates playing the calabim.
(12:04:21 PM) Selrahc: He is scary.
(12:04:33 PM) Selrahc: I would say w've still got a substantial ege though.
(12:04:44 PM) Selrahc: Even if he gets Bridget
(12:05:12 PM) Selrahc: (The keys don't bloody work properly. It's vexing)
(12:05:13 PM) pocketbeetle: I'm going to get Saverous soon etc, but I am worried. He'll be building ritualists soon
(12:05:30 PM) pocketbeetle: Potential free tech from Grimoire etc
(12:05:49 PM) Selrahc: Yeah. The summon ing of Hyborem is going to be fairly soon.
(12:06:03 PM) pocketbeetle: Most likely will end up with you?
(12:06:33 PM) Selrahc: If he spawns up in the empty land, I can get a kill team together sharpish.
(12:07:10 PM) Selrahc: Nick that glaive.
(12:07:15 PM) pocketbeetle: kk.
(12:07:24 PM) pocketbeetle: Blight soon also btw, probably in next 3 turns
(12:08:02 PM) Selrahc: Yeah. I've been smacking my population about pretty hard in preperation.
(12:08:15 PM) pocketbeetle: Don't you do that anyway?
(12:09:06 PM) Selrahc: Yeah point taken.
(12:09:15 PM) Selrahc: Not anyt more though.
(12:09:20 PM) Selrahc: I'mn a reformed character.
(12:09:30 PM) pocketbeetle: Keke ^^
(12:09:44 PM) Selrahc: Now I just steal their food to train my elite magical supermen.
(12:09:50 PM) pocketbeetle: Well thanks for letting me take a shot at the vampire, I'm sorry for the difficult situation I'm putting you in at the moment
(12:10:04 PM) Selrahc: Nah, its okay.
(12:10:05 PM) pocketbeetle: I'm glad we at least sorted this out.
(12:10:15 PM) pocketbeetle: Now I need to go away and try and figure out how to slay Dracula
(12:10:17 PM) Selrahc: I feel kind of bad about misleading Bob.
(12:10:38 PM) Selrahc: But.. I think it basically makes us even for some o the earlier stuff.
(12:10:52 PM) pocketbeetle: what sort of stuff?
(12:11:03 PM) pocketbeetle: oh Sareln
(12:11:19 PM) Selrahc: Yeah, mostly.
(12:11:28 PM) pocketbeetle: Sounds fair to me
(12:11:33 PM) pocketbeetle: I'll try and make it so that I don't start with any units on your territory
(12:11:48 PM) Selrahc: I'd appreciate that.
(12:11:51 PM) pocketbeetle: Either way, it won't take him long to feed up another unit though
(12:12:00 PM) pocketbeetle: But time is valuable
(12:12:00 PM) Selrahc: True.
(12:12:03 PM) Selrahc: Yeah
(12:12:17 PM) Selrahc: And him losing a lvl15 vamp doesn't hurt.
(12:12:32 PM) pocketbeetle: yup
(12:12:33 PM) pocketbeetle: Cheers, thanks for the chat and catch you soon
(12:12:42 PM) Selrahc: Hang on...
(12:12:44 PM) pocketbeetle: oooh
(12:12:45 PM) pocketbeetle: go on
(12:13:11 PM) Selrahc: In the follow up to yo killing dracula I'm sure Bob is going to want some sort of action.
(12:13:32 PM) Selrahc: Are you okay with me telling im I'm banning ou fromentering my lan?
(12:13:38 PM) Selrahc: land
(12:14:17 PM) pocketbeetle: depends. If it just means he walks another level 15 vamp up there 2 turns later, then I do have a problem yup. I really really don't want him getting Bridget
(12:14:50 PM) Selrahc: I think if combat comes into my lan, I can announce that I'm banning all foreign entry.
(12:15:03 PM) pocketbeetle: That works for me
(12:15:16 PM) Selrahc: Alright, cool.
(12:15:23 PM) pocketbeetle: I'm happy to go along with anything you want Selrahc, so long as Bob doesn't get Bridget
(12:15:56 PM) Selrahc: Alright, thats everything then I think.
(12:16:01 PM) pocketbeetle: Notice that Cull gave Bob 400 gold this turn?
(12:16:25 PM) Selrahc: No.. ugh. Annoying.
(12:16:29 PM) pocketbeetle: Happy days, yup
(12:16:45 PM) Selrahc: I'd hope he was at least playing with some semblance of self interest.
(12:16:59 PM) Selrahc: Ah well.
(12:17:16 PM) Selrahc: I'll just have to take him down one of these days.
(12:17:34 PM) pocketbeetle: Yeah. Probably means he'll be supporting an attack also. Do you have visilibty into Cull's lands? Is he massing any offensive units other than warriors?
(12:17:59 PM) Selrahc: Not seen.
(12:18:05 PM) Selrahc: I'vegot a few hunters now though.
(12:18:11 PM) Selrahc: I could get some scouting ready.
(12:18:34 PM) Selrahc: Probably a good idea anyway.
(12:18:52 PM) pocketbeetle: Yeah. Now worries, just food for thought

And thus, a pitchfork-wielding mob masses on the Illian border:



I also founded OO temples in the border settlements of Riedquat and Zaonce, so ending turn meant their borders expanded.



Kwythellar completed another adept who will go improve the mana node at the city.
There's an adept on Caledor's raw node currently switching it to Enchantment...

[pocketbeetle]

Turn 179:

Double update!
Save arrived with the following note from Selrahc:

Dracula has taken a more western route and is 1E 1SE of Twelve Days, on a Plains forest tile. The roaded route veers away from his path over towards Wonderful Time before heading back. I'm not sure if he'll follow the roads, or cut across the desert and tundra.
He will definitely be passing over the desert spirit mana tile as the last roaded tile that unambiguously gets him closer to his destination. After that, his path might change.

Sending a hawk up there reveals:



All-righty then.
The odds on Mimas attacking Dracula outright are 15%/30% win/retreat, which you should know by now, I don’t like at all.
So in goes Melaneus the 75% withdrawer.



Who dies.
Dracula is damaged down to 3.8, but Mimas is still not getting decent odds (~70% iirc), so Petraeus is promoted up the Flanking line and sent in too.



He survives and does a bit of damage, leaving Mimas to go in and mop that mess up.



Once again I forgot to cast Sprint to potentially gain more experience sigh, although I did get a free Healing Salve from the battle.
Petraeus at 1.0 str is in danger of being killed by the 25% death damage from Blight, so I Sirona’d him up to 1.9 str. He should now survive.

What’s that? Blight you say?
Well with Avelorn completing a hospital naturally this turn, KK getting the hospital rushed for less than 200g and all megacity food boxes being just shy of full, I would say the Kurios are fully prepared for any piffling diseases.
So away we go.



Say hello to Blight folks, hope you enjoy 31 unhealth in Prespur Bob.



Other stuff going on around the map:

• Rocky the Stonewarden removed the Plague from Jumbo, who will heal up before maybe visiting Sareln’s Goblin fort.
  
  
• Speaking of forts, the Urgortheth one spawned a Goblin, will kill it next turn when it leaves.
  
  
• The adept built in Kwythellar last turn started converting the city’s raw node to Enchantment.
  
  
• Bob unsurprisingly teched Priesthood last turn, so can now start on Ritualists.
  
  
• I requested Ice mana and Enchantment mana from Selrahc, sending the Ice request three times just to make sure. (The trade menu is poorly equipped for dealing with multiple requests for the same resource - it doesn’t let you choose Ice twice).
  

Declaring on the Calabim meant I had to declare on their vassals the Khazad also.
That unfortunately means Vanilla Ice is trapped and probably dead, but in the tradition of all good Ratmen with their backs against the wall, he’s going to go down with a snarl and bared fangs.



Four workers of Cull’s got deleted, it’s also unlikely that Cull can kill him next turn, doing so would require sending the sole unit garrison on a 50:50 attack out of Glulynn. Even if he builds a 1t warrior in the city to cover against a loss, it’s still pretty risky.

Also worth noting that Bob could reach and delete a couple of my more exposed workers this turn using spectres.



Not a big deal.
I picked up a bunch of free ones from the Hippus war, losing one or two doesn’t matter at all, although I did move a few CAs into the area SE of Riedquat.

Ending turn completed multiple hospitals, the Bazaar of Mammon in Caledor (more cash for the Guild of the Nine) and a CA in Kwythellar.
Research is 70b short of Arcane Lore :rolleyes: but I received a RoK spread in Urgortheth to compensate (plus RoK spread to Cull’s capital between turns).



Sent this to Cull also:

Hi Cull,

Had to declare war on the Calabim which means the game automatically declares on you also.
Anytime you want to cancel that vassalisation, let me know.

Pb

I estimate its chance of success as being less than zero.


So.
War, Blight, destruction and general mayhem.
Enough excitement for one turn? =)

[The Reverend Doctor]

Good luck! Should be a fun war for us lurkers.

Sorry to hear about Vanilla Ice... but I'm not completely giving up on him yet. He has already survived waaaaay longer than he should have.

[Mardoc]

War, Blight, destruction and general mayhem.
Enough excitement for one turn? =)

I don't know - last time you declared war you took three cities in the first turn - that's hard to top

[Square Leg]

I assume that blight will trigger at the turn rollover?

[pocketbeetle]

Good luck! Should be a fun war for us lurkers.

Sorry to hear about Vanilla Ice... but I'm not completely giving up on him yet. He has already survived waaaaay longer than he should have.

I don't know - last time you declared war you took three cities in the first turn - that's hard to top

Might as well enjoy it while I can.

http://realmsbeyond.net/forums/showpost....tcount=677

I assume that blight will trigger at the turn rollover?

Don't know, hope so.

[Ilios]

You know Pb, what would really top things off is a [STRIKE]steaming love scene[/STRIKE] romantic dinner between Calabim Vassals Kandros Fir and Faeryl Viconia...

If you could somehow pull that off...

[Mardoc]

That newspaper is awesome! Is there anything in that third, cut-off column, or is it just lorem ipsum?

On a more serious note - what are your plans for the war? Is this the big push to kill Bob, or just to wound him and slow him down, or are your diplomats already offering peace? How do the vassals fit into that? Apparently you're trying to split Cull off, at least - does that apply to Sareln as well? And how long do you intend to give them to decide?

Finally, of course, there's the more tactical questions - are you planning to play defense or offense? What details can you share?

[Darkmantle]

Stigmata promotion says it gives bonus strength equal to 50% of the AC counter. I presume that doesn't mean they get +15 strength but instead get +15% strength at the current AC of 30. Is that correct?

Can we also get some screenshots of exactly how awful the health situation is going to be in Caledor and Kwythellar? I'd be interested to see how awful it really is.

[Sciz]

yeah it's 15% if the AC is at 30