Uncommonly Good: A Story of Elves

[Mardoc]

Also - how long should we wait to get the new game post up? None of the other games looks particularly close to over at the moment.

I'd give it til Mondayish. PBEM5 is getting close to ended, but of course that's only three of us anymore. So the reasonable choices are to wait for the oxygen to come back into the room after FFH14 starts, or to wait for another set of games to approach completion. I don't wanna wait that long .

[Man Behind the Mask]

Anyone have any additional thoughts on the Brian situation?

I think we’ve always been clear and consistent on our feelings about the Clowns. The other civs all need to team up, we’re happy to help whenever any action takes place, but we are the furthest away. If somebody gives us a time, a place, and a requirement, we will have Hawks and combat forces in the appropriate spot. I’m not sure what else we can say unless we start sending group emails to everybody and being the cat-herder.

Also - how long should we wait to get the new game post up? None of the other games looks particularly close to over at the moment.

I’d think that we should until at least after XIV starts up before we go propose the suggested game. If anybody tries to start anything before that, then we can jump in, but I agree we might need some more people to feel free. That also leaves us some time for playtesting!

I think it would also be a good idea to get feedback from some of the more experienced FFH hands who can’t read this thread – principally Bob, but maybe Selrach and Sareln too. That way we can put it out there fully formed. On that front – email soon on some more details.

[Gaspar]

So, unbeknownst to me we actually are still playing this game. Percentage chance of me remembering wtf I was doing 10 days ago when we last had a turn?

0.penguin %

Apparently, the people of The Chronic would like us to kill a witch. I don't precisely remember what the consequences of saying no are, but I do know that a benevolent despot such as myself would not execute someone for something as trivial as 10T of +1 happiness. Now, 30T? Sure, I could be talked into that.



I started a PoL on the 7T trek to Nicolae's city. In the interest of easily remembering, I renamed him "FOR NICOLAE" should one of you gents grab a turn in the meantime.

I dialed up a 4T Library in Cypress Hill. After that, its got to start banging out foodhammer units like its going out of style.

We're up to 277 bpt upon hitting enter. That sounds pretty decent, I think. Corruption of Spirit completes next turn, making Veil temples the next priority. Fortunately, every city but Paradise City has veil despite not yet building a single savant. Religion spread rate is ridiculous for that thing. Its easily the world's most followed religion at 20% of the world's cities.



And some "haven't seen the turn in roughly forever demos"

[Azoth]

I'm back on the forums after a short break.
I'm sorry I couldn't get the sandbox done, Gaspar;
but it doesn't look like it would be much use at this point.

Now that we've had good look at the whole continent,
we can say that terrain bonuses are rather - unevenly - distributed,
but that we're still a solid #3 on the scoreboard and conspiring against #1.
I guess that's something.

I'll have more thoughts if and when I get fully caught up.

[Gaspar]

This came in from RG upon his return:

Huh, Kyan's got death nodes, chaos nodes, and two air nodes. I
technically still owe him a 10T loan but he still owes me two 10T
loans as well. Really don't want to give him a third air node, Gaspar,
you interested in air mana? (and nature mana as well, still probably
not going to have mages by the time I'm in the war with the clowns).
Remember you can upgrade ashen veil zealots into mages to take
advantage of potency.

In other news, now that I'm back from vacation my to-do list consists
of asking if the Elohim can provide us with spirit mana for spectre
protection (fear will ruin us otherwise) and potentially enchantment
mana from the Grigori. Could line up a two-spirit mana loan as well
(from elohim + grigori), but the timing will be awfully difficult.

[Gaspar]

And we don't get through a turn today after all this. Just painful.

If it comes in tomorrow before say 16:00 GMT, feel free to play guys. I'll be at work until 20:00 GMT. Rather keep it moving - just take good notes.

[Man Behind the Mask]

Everything okay, Gaspar?

I'm going to try and get up the long-suggested RP post today.

I have ended my posting strike (very busy weekend) despite this promise continuing to be unfulfilled.:neenernee

Not much to add on the turn. Need to get my head back into things….

Nice to receive a message from RG that actually says something and is looking for constructive ways to work together. The Hippus better get those mana loans in soon, though, given that we’re all supposed to be at war with the Clowns in less than 30 turns. I’d agree that getting Courage on units will be handy for when the Spectres roll into town, worth pursuing that. The one mana he doesn’t mention is Water, which we definitely need to avoid flaming forests and to improve the Remnants tile.

We really should try run an Adept or two off the production line soon for the Level 1 spells, and to give us some hope of a Dispel Mage before the end of the game.

[Gaspar]

Everything okay, Gaspar?


I have ended my posting strike (very busy weekend) despite this promise continuing to be unfulfilled.:neenernee

Not much to add on the turn. Need to get my head back into things….

Nice to receive a message from RG that actually says something and is looking for constructive ways to work together. The Hippus better get those mana loans in soon, though, given that we’re all supposed to be at war with the Clowns in less than 30 turns. I’d agree that getting Courage on units will be handy for when the Spectres roll into town, worth pursuing that. The one mana he doesn’t mention is Water, which we definitely need to avoid flaming forests and to improve the Remnants tile.

We really should try run an Adept or two off the production line soon for the Level 1 spells, and to give us some hope of a Dispel Mage before the end of the game.

Yeah - everything's good. I haven't seen a turn, the save RG passed on was his. He indicated in his email that he had to replay the turn so I assume he forgot to delete the original save. Unfortunately, that means we're sitting on something like one turn played in two weeks. On an organizing level, if the save comes in after 18:00 GMT and one of you guys can play, please do, I'm working tonight so I wouldn't get it until really late.

Agreed re: slightly more promising diplo from RG. I think right now my issue is that I need to see a few turns in a row just to get back into the flow of things. They're talking to me but I have zero feel for the game at the moment because its been so long since we've played regular turns. People always complain about this stuff in PBEMs but that's the biggest factor - you need to see the game regularly to be able to play it well.

No question as well we need to get a Mage Guild up soon for adept level spells. As far as a dispel Mage goes, though, I'd assume we'll get any mages we have promoted from Savants.

And on the RP post - I wrote about a third of it then realized it sucked so scrapped it. I need some more material. If you guys all talked more it would be great.

[Commodore]

Well I notice you're finally gotten your plains back around del Pipe de la Hash. So that's something. What are the plans for your witch?

[Gaspar]

Got this from Brian. Loose lips sink ships, Nicolae.

Gaspar,

could you try and direct Nicolae to come and meet me in the next 20 turns or so. I want to rant at him for mentioning (vaguely) about my decision to do the dirt on Acalostas. If you could also mention to him I said "do you want a competent player in charge of the land, or do you want an Acalostas, who when faced with the two biggest military powers on his doorstep, decides to invest in infrastructure that does nothing for his chances of survival, or alternatively failed to settle a wonderful copper site until hit over the head repeatedly with his current inability to defend himself, for his most immediate prospective partner in the dogpile?"

As regards the settling copper bit, I was having a rocky time with Kyan on the whole spoils issue, and to work a plan B decided to tell Acalostas that his land was indefensible without copper and a larger army if Kyan got hungry, as a start to co-operation against the clowns if the Kyan deal fell through. It took him 15 turns to settle the site after that (IIRC). And he still hasn't improved his army or connected the copper (no culture).

Obviously the reason why I am sending this is naked self-interest, but being Acalostas' neighbour all the game, I can safely say that if I hold Grigori land I'll be a threat to Kyan (actually now Krill) but if Acalostas remains he'll fold like a house of cards within 5-8 turns (depending on speed of adavance, not power of defence).

Treat this message as confidential vis a vis Acalostas please.

Brian.

There's not really any way for Nicolae to meet Brian as he doesn't have hawks and he'd need to pass through Kyan's lands to get there. Only other option would a long trek through our lands and then Rawkking's, but he doesn't have any two move units even. Really need to tech HBR early for mobility when you have such a naturally slow military, IMO.

Anyway, I find it cute that everyone is suddenly so interested in Kyan. Where was this 50T ago when it would have been infinitely more useful?