[Spoilers] Hidden in the mist - gtAngel plays Shekinah of the Sidar

[Molach]

Yeah, noted. Supplies also have this feature....

[Molach]

T96

A bit brief report, so still not ready to present my master plan on how to win the game.

I have several, but need to decide on which soon.

Barb duty: As marked there is a Hill giant somewhere to the southeast. My warrior has 25 xp, needs one more. I'll let him kill lion on defense - he'll have better odds than on display because he'll heal up 0.3 health more. After that I run him home and wane right away.

Also got another up to 18 xp, he'll stay up north and kill barbs as they come. Or enter the desert and kill skeletons if they refuse to come play.

Capital spat out a worker, growing a tad more, then doing a settler.

Next city:

I plan to get several soon, this one is light on worker turns, just a bazillion of farms. Some wood to chop, can perhaps drop those into another worker. Also getting some cities for resources in the jungle, but need for resources is not as pressing after the nice vampires gave us some spares.

Had some diplo too, starts a couple turns back:

To Rhoanna, the semi-translucent,

I recommend you check out Iskender's Sidar thread from FFH-V, since it's a good read and he really demonstrated what the Sidar have to offer. For now, you'll probably do best by leveling up units against the barbarians, but eventually those will become scarce and that's when you'll want an alternative source of unit exp. We can do this in a couple of ways. Moroi have access to the "burning blood" skill, which increases their strength and mobility. Using it means that they will probably defect to the barbarians, though. This method is expensive, but it lets me produce a controlled source of barbarian units. Using summons such as skeletons or spectres would be a lot less expensive, but we would have to declare war on each other(which has drawbacks as well). I was already planning to use some rogue moroi to level up certain specialized units of my own, so if the benefits are worthwhile I am willing to provide them.

Having barbarian units around to kill can be a valuable resource, especially for the Sidar. Animal dens are especially great if you can trap them in your culture, because they'll continue to spawn lions/bears/etc. and you can capture or kill them whenever it's convenient. Here's some info on how much exp you can expect from various situations and combat odds:

4 exp for a 89% battle, 7.00 v 5.00
5 exp for a 74% battle, 7.00 v 6.00
6 exp for a 53% battle, 7.00 v 7.00
7 exp for a 31% battle, 6.00 v 7.00
7 exp for a 30% battle, 5.00 v 6.00
8 exp for a 14% battle, 5.00 v 7.00

The numbers will be slightly worse for you because I calculated these with the raiders trait, so you may want to go into worldbuilder and recalculate them. Try to avoid defending whenever you can, because you'll get half the exp you would have gotten for attacking at the same odds. In general, I try to aim for 5-6 exp per battle with my less experienced guys, and then 3-5 once they're more valuable.

I'm willing to provide Body mana for ten turns whenever you like(or another type if you prefer). In exchange, I'd actually like to start borrowing Enchantment mana right away. I don't have any adepts yet, and I'm not sure when I plan to get some, but the resource counts as a luxury and it would allow me to grow my two best cities slightly bigger. I can prioritize and probably get adepts within 10-15 turns, and you can just cancel the trade whenever you're ready with adepts of your own. (To offset the loss of enchantment happiness to your cities, I've hooked up a second source of pearls this turn that you are welcome to have regardless of whether you offer the enchantment mana.) To sweeten the deal, I'm also willing to send you copper weapons to upgrade your warriors, with the condition that I reserve the right to cancel the copper trade prior to ten turns if I need it for my own military. (I'd have to pillage and re-mine it, but I only have one source.)

Spirit and Law mana are both required for the Tower of Divination, and we each have one of those, so a straight swap for those at some point in the future seems like a pretty obvious thing to do. (At different times of course) We could also do this for Mind and Sun mana, since the nodes on this map aren't exactly plentiful. I've explored the area around my territory pretty thoroughly, and have only located two mana nodes in "my" area of the main continent. (One is very close to Prespur, and the other is nine tiles away from it toward the east.) The only other nodes I've found have all been typed but unimproved nodes on islands, and were protected by barbarian units. One island north of my cities had enchantment, spirit, and shadow and was protected by Spectres and an Illusionist(mage), while another had Metamagic mana defended by a stoneskin Phalanx in a citadel(strength 30 on defense... I don't really expect to dislodge him until I have summons or cultists, or probably both.)

Thanks for contributing to the excellent turn pace!

(Wow, that's a lot of words.)

Ellimist

Helpful and friendly. Until he sinks his blood-sucking fangs into my neck, I'd guess. But thanks for the info about the game. That bit about raiders made me think - getting drill promotions might be smart - loAnd then I took a long time to play my turn, so had to apologize for that. Nearly 10 hours.

Hey.

Sorry for delay in playing today, had some family stuff get out of control while travelling.

About moroi, that might be expensive, yes. I have a barrow which will produce skeletons for me, I have several dens nearby.

I thank you for copper, I will actually have my own resource ready in 5 turns but it helped with immediate barb-hunt-exp duties. I'll send mine to you in 5 turns and when that deal has run 10 turns we can cancel both.

Enchantment - it is possible for me to cancel the deal my turn, promote unit to enchantment I, then re-offer the trade on my turn, for no loss in happy for you? I'd think that would work but am not well versed in PBEM-mechanics.

And thanks for tip on Iskender and Sidar, will check it out.

-M

So, in return for past kindness we send enchantment mana to the vamps. They are in the lead, and I'm helping them further. We should get contact with others and see what they have to offer. Before they offer sudden death, though. Still need to make myself more useful alive than dead to these people.

[Molach]

Slow day, barely got the turn before bedtime.

Barb woes - my active warriors have gotten pentagons (I wish). Red star means upgrade to bronze weapons. I guess the 0 xp warrior guards new town, so I can move up with my 5 xp one. It has garrison, but still, 4 str + combat I is not useless.

Barbarian Lion wisely did not attack, but waited for Bear Backup. All my warrior will be fully healed next turn, my expert warrior will get odds on bear but I can't risk unit fighting two enemies. My 18 exp C3 shock warrior is mainly there to support my wane-abe, as is the 2 xp one - he can suicide if needed into the bear to give odds to my wane. I have a decent anti-barb force now. I would personally not have built guerilla units as Sidar, but I do not know circumstances...maybe it was mandated by barb invasion. Anyway, defensive promotions means I have to defend to use it, and that means less exp.


Secondary city builds warrior while growing, gonna start worker when I feel it has run out of useful tiles to grow into. One or two sizes more, then I'll probably need another worker. Got one chop/farming, could use one more.

Capital just grew (EOT), gonna switch to settler (12 turns). Probably gonna switch to the divided soul to not lose hammers to decay at a time, but I need more cities more than dancing lions and bears.

How about a plan for wanes - build the shrine, get earth mana. Build a ton of adepts. Promote them Combat + earth I. The first bunch to become mages get earth II. Fight easy enemies with stoneskin for xp. Wane. Too bad stoneskin is only defensive strength, but the first strikes should help out a bit.When they turn mage they will be Str 4 C3 - 6.4 strength with 3 first strikes - plenty for most barbs. Free mobility means they can get around.

OO was founded in a distant land, and Decius started a golden age.

Demographics are kind of silly, but they are interesting to see how it is going.

GNP top is Decius. If low value is the elves (?) then balseraphs have 162.
MfG I assume too, being in the golden age and all. So elves again bottom, and balseraphs have 72.
Crop yield...the 3 have 132, 130 and 116. Decius is one of the top two.

---
And I know that Decius/Ellimist were choking balseraphs with a Griffon unit and Hidingkneel was attacked by mistforms, losing many turns of developement, and blowing his worldspell. Ellimist is now firmly in the lead. I think that I'll play nice to vampires still, but not become a vassal state, and not do any summon-for-exp deals. I'll pretend I don't fully understand the concept or something. I've only given him enchantment mana, which of course is only fair after getting +3-4 happy now, but I should open communications with balseraphs, which, I'm sad to say, I know to be to my south...or southeast somewhere.

Think I'll go heavy arcane line soon, not quite ready to build a Mage guild and 4-5 adepts yet...perhaps sanitation for faster expansion and growth is better. +1 food per farm is a nice passive benefit. Will take about 11 turns at current research. KotE is 6-7 turns, but I don't think I can build anything at that point - worker and settler will be needed first. Okay. Santitation it is, then KotE.

[Molach]

Still hopping around, waiting for that last xp point.

I can let thm hold in place. Bear will probably attack hilly warrior, and actually most likely to lose but decent chance he wins. Lion probably too cowardly to attack over river...

Deals with decius. Or rather, mutual gifts.

Enchantment mana is currently not being used to adepts but happy. Helping the leader, but I am also having cities two sizes largen than without his help. And health actually helps too, capital would be unhealthy without.

Capital decided to finish the divided soul first because it took exactly 2 turns, which was also time to get a final city growth. But then a settler, I promise.

[Molach]

Bear killed rookie (but still strength 4, Combat I and hillside) warrior.

Left with 2.9 health, meaning that at turn 100 I got a 97.5% chance of a shade. I'm leaning heavily towards engineer in capital. Academy means I get more output from a great sage, but....production is king. Faster settlers, faster mage guild and adepts. If I calculate correctly it's 3 hammers or 6 beakers.

And since Balseraphs popped the worldspell I post these so we can compare demos for the clowns as well in a GA.

[Molach]

Turn 100! Time for the great update.

Attacked a bear at 97,5% odds gave our first highlevel warrior. He will enter the wane-o-matic in capital.

The 18 xp warrior will hit the lion next turn for some exp as well, 2 or 3.

A nice supplies for us:


Down south - holding the fort. Just seen a lion poking about.


Spider attack. My freshly built divided soul will not have odds on it, need to fight some lions and bears first. I can still found the city here, just move & found same turn.

However Next city will be on the hill where my Wane is right now. Then this. Then jungle. Damn I need cities...

Capital - worker or settler? I think worker, so much to do still. Worker-settler-settler (secondary city builds a worker) will take 20 ish turns, but after that I can think about getting KotE. Divided souls get safe mobility with that, so I can send one to find the clowns then.


Secondville. I'm thinking to get a market here at some point, run priest+merc for shrine. But need to grow first, make a worker. Also some production is required before too long.

[Molach]

So, the REAL turn 100. Hm.

We can work bronze!

Not much use now that we got vampire copper, but still. Sending this to him I guess.

Great success. Shade. Promoted him to sentry, because I could.

Also got one hurt warrior but 3 xp. 5 more for second shade.

Molach the Mediocre. Got a nice ring to it. Totally not true, though.

[Ichabod]

Looking at the bright side, you are running 100% science and still making a profit!

Yes, let's pretend this is a good thing. Everything is fine. Everyone loves us.

[Molach]

Yeah my _vaults_ will be overflowing in no time now. So I must be doing well. Run a merc+priest and get tablets of bambur, more gold for me. I'll gather 10 000 gold, then tell the others that I have financial domination and that all their civs have been subjected to a hostile take over, and thanks for the game. When's then next start?

Got my offensive/defensive big plan figured out - I'll fight with poison and fire. But still gonna spread out like a gambling farmer for now, no point pretending otherwise.

Got a turn played just now but going to bed. More xp incoming (barbs), no worry about them.

[Molach]

Smart barbarians:

Warning, almost hidden from normal eyes, there has been a slight ghost-edit to this photo.
Since I'm (again) last in turn order, I saw the hill giant move, but then he was gone. I was very puzzled till I realized that the jungle NW of where my troops are is brand new. No notification because it was outside my lands. Not ready for mr. Hill just yet, so divided soul will kill lion, which will probably give enough exp to get animal capture. I want to use a warrior as backup, but the one on the hill might as well head SE and see what is up. Clowns, or maybe huts or graveyards.

New barb incoming. Sadly my 21 xp warrior will not reach him in time, so gonna finish him with this 10 xp one. Not taking the promotion for more exp.


5 more xp on this guy. He could also use bronze weapons, I guess, even though normal warriors are easy enough already, don't wanna curb his xp gain altogether.


And new city - forgot to cancel market build. I was thinking about a worker, but just as well to grow another size - another aristofarm finishes next turn. Market will be interrupted by at least one worker though.

I'll turn this into the gold-city, market is for a few gold as well as possibility of running merchant spec. Priest + 2 mercs once sanitation is up means a quick Great Person to build the shrine. Yay for +2 gold! But also earth mana and some GP points. Still 25 turns into the future.

Shade will settle in 2 turns - any objections to Great Engineer? 3 hammers rather than 6 (_after_ academy) beakers? I think these hammers will have a snowball effect, faster worker/settler/economy buildings - I've the tech to build all kinds of stuff, but not hammers. So there. Maybe next one can be a scientist.

(What's the logic behind shades, by the way? I can see adept passively gaining exp then becoming a great scientist, but I take my prime warriors, those who survived because they are big and strong...let them kill all matter of creatures to become really heroic fighters....and:
"Aha, you're level 6! Awesome. Now go work in the library"
"....kill monsters in library?"
"No, start reading. Research. Find out useful stuff for our civilization"
"....we know 15 way to kill humanoid. That useful"
"No, read the books, develop a better alphabet and writing, find out about the magical essence, the ether, and perhaps fishing and sailing and study the chemistry behind poisons..."
"...?...."
"You'll do fine. Let's go)

Perhaps the idea is they 'motivate' my people to start inventing stuff, OR ELSE!