[SPOILERS]Flauros needs no advice!

[Molach]

Welcome to circus Molach! Where I clown about and have as much fun with myself as common decency allows.

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Spoiler espace:

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Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain.
Doctor says "Treatment is simple. Great clown Perpentach is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up.
Man bursts into tears.
Says "But, doctor...I am Perpentach"

Good joke.
Everybody laugh.
Roll on snare drum.
Curtains.

But who am I?

[Molach]

Actually, first post isn't really true, I can't play Perpentach as we are only playing losers this game. Or leaders who are so unimpressive that they've never even been in a game yet.

I sent in these picks:
1. Flauros (CRE/FIN) of Calabim.
- I like CRE. Makes early settling much, much easier, and pushes out borders to give me greater visibility vs players and barbs. Extra-speed carnivals and monuments are almost a joke, I suppose carnivals are okay for +1 happy, especially with some animals to chain to it, but monuments will never be built. FIN is not very good. It'll be a long while till I run at 50% gold - and that is the time I get 10% extra commerce from the trait. Cheap markets are good enough, can help a bit if I overexpand early on...but most traits are better. But then there are vampires - I get an early economic boost, or a mid-early boost and enemies get a bit hurt from worldspell. And courthouses for extra production. And vampires. We shall see.

2. Shekinah of Sidar.
- I like CRE. And got a taste of this leader when I entered into PBEM XXV. Good potential, fun recon units and this leader can go arcane pretty early. Palace mana, enchantment + spirit are good for warriors, so I could go arcane pretty early. Be a change from my horse-stint last game.

3. Thessa of Ljosalfar.
- It seemed like a good idea at the time....will think more if I get this.

4. Sabathiel of Something.
- Could be fun trying out bannor, just spam spam spam those units they get.

5. Ethne the White of Elohim.
- Go for a worldspell-protected TOM-victory? No idea.

...so let the games begin. And may the RNG ever be in our favor.

[Ichabod]

Imba first post!

[Molach]

Picks are IN!
Molach is Flauros of the Calabim
HidingKneel is Thessalonica of the (I honestly can't remember if it's Elohim or Bannor ) [Elohim!]
Mardoc is Auric Ulvin of the Illians
Suttree is Dain of the Amurites

Allright!

If Yellow picks a vampiric leader I'll be Shekinah of Sidar. He will certainly not pick Hippus. But I'll prepare for the journey to Malefia regardless.

Quick review -
HK: Elohim - Worldspell is a great asset. Would be good to do an early invasion to force it's use - if he is allowed to use it offensively and all-in attack someone it is worse.
Mardoc - Have some way to deal with Priest of winter rush. No idea what this might be, though.
Suttre - Firebows and then exp-d mages.

There, now to focus on my own civ. I'll play around with the vampires a bit in SP a bit, see what they are like. Been a while since last time.

First querstion is when to pop the River of Blood - Turn 1, Turn ~18 or after first city plant. Will depend a bit on map, but leaning towards _not_ turn 1. Or 0.
Otherwise I can see a pretty quick CoL, depending on map again.

Well, time to prepare to get into character.

[Molach]

Some more thoughts before I get into character...

Provided I do get Calabim, a River of Blood turn 1 is best. There might besome starts where this is not true, but probably not in any reasonable start like we're gonna get here. Right, Q?

I ran two tests, testing turn 1 ROB versus early settler (after worker and a bloodpet) and ROB after founding the new city. New city would typically be founded turn 30-35. Turn 1 ROB built Worker, worker, warrior, settler.

Tech path was agri-calendar-crafting-mining.
Test 1:
Early ROB:
449 beakers
277 Fammers
34 worker turns

Delayed ROB:
328 beakers (73% of target value)
246 Fammers (89%)
20 worker turns (59%)

Test 2:
Early ROB:
442 beakers
305 Fammers
54 worker turns

Delayed ROB:
372 beakers (84%)
279 Fammers (91%)
25 worker turns (46%)

So freedom to get two early workers - much more developed empire - 2nd city will grow fast anyway. If there is nothing for a 2nd worker to do, will get earlier 2nd city or more bloodpet-hammers and growth in capital. So I could trade some worker turns for extra Fammers easily here.

I also noted demographics, to see how opponents fared. Demo at turn 35 (right after firind worldspell) would show weakened opponents, obviously, but 5 turns later they would more or less be up to speed. Plentiful food - cities quickly grow 2 pop sizes. Perhaps slow them down 3-4 turns.

I'll see what the map has to say, but leaning towards the early ROB now.

[mackoti]

But in this you didnt counetd how much cost the other late ROB.How do you do that?And if you find a second city with low food but good comerce as i found in some pbem ,dont remember the number...

[Molach]

I just looked at demographics, had a look in worldbuilder. Civs grow pretty fast back up to speed. This was vs. AI who all had agranism, though. But to grow 2 pop turn 30-35 should not take very long for civs that have improved food. Say 2 turns at -2 pop, 4 turns at -1. Lose maybe 30-40 units of food/hammers/commerce.

Perhaps I'm such a nice guy, would rather give myself an advantage rather than hurt my poor fellow players....gain goodwill too.

However not using the ROB for a while means my opponents always have to be on guard, prepared for it...psychological warfare.

My start will hopefully help decide what to do.

[Molach]

A Letter from Malefia to Molach

Molach, we are extremely pleased to inform you that we have approved your application for serving in the administration of Lord Flauros here in Malefia. You may immediately begin your preparations for the journey here. You need not bring anything besides what you require for the journey, as we will fully provide anything you need to fulfill your duties.

We suggest you make for the nearby town of Gelidia. Upon your arrival there, check in at the Golden Krone hotel. We will be informed of your arrival, and our personal carriage shall pick you up from there.

Respectfully yours,
Lord Flauros of the Calabim

[Molach]

Travel Journal of Molach, day 3

On my way to Gelidia, just passed the ruins of Orcamon, said to have been abandoned by Hippus several decades ago. We made a stop for the night at the village of Domsdale.

I've been underway for three days now, but this is the first real chance I've had to collect my thoughts. I'm very excited about this wonderful opportunity - soon to be working with one of the most dynamic and powerful men in the country. Father would be so proud. Even if he did tell me to get out and play (at town watch and robbers) rather than run over to prior John's books all the time. Guess my literate skills have become noticed, even though I never had thought my letters to Calabim lands would have any effect.

The Calabim, of course, have a long and interesting history. In the first war of races, aeons ago, they grew to great power and reached great levels of scholarly knowledge - but lost all when Kuriotates barbarian raiders razed all of their cities, burning countless tomes of knowledge. Not content with this, they even spread rumors of devil worship among the calabim to destroy their reputation for good.

In the second war little is known...only texts to survive have been carved in wood or chiseled in stone - rumor has it that the Calabim nation was swallowed by a suddenly rising sea, if one has a notion to believe such things.

However everyone knows what happened on the Isle of Dread last year - Lord Decius managed to beat back the barbarians, defeat the evil Balseraph and establish Calabim hegemony over that accursed isle - to soon an age of enlightenment will grow as a beacon against the darkness.

This victory must be why the Calabim are looking to settle here in the lands of Arwa - perhaps we shall witness the rise of Calabim in our world as well.

And I shall be right in the middle of things - among the council of Lord Flauros himself.

I have no recent maps of Malefia, but my Dear friend Q. has promised to send a Raven to Gelidia bearing the required map as soon as it is ready - these scribes may take a while producing their maps, but such is the cost of making an accurate map.

I was about to write about the other races vying for power here on Arwa, but I feel a spell of sleepness coming over me, and I shall have my rest.

-M

[Qgqqqqq]

I have to say, I always love your threads Molach
But there's no way you're getting Domsdale again, not now that I've got your number.