I'll be on vacation and mostly offline from March 23-31. Since the game hasn't started yet, it will be in its very early stages so we're not talking about a big time commitment. I can't guarantee being able to log in and give turn-by-turn directions, so the sub should be unspoiled.

We need plans concerning the war. I'm still trying to collect my thoughts, but here are some preliminary thoughts:
* My gut feeling is that Gillette is building up for land war. I've our galley moving towards them, but I suspect that the amount of boats we'll be facing is limited
* Pyramids city is the most logical 1st target. They can use hills to reach it with slow movers
* Our empire is quite stretched out. Long distances between the cities and our defense will be based on cats and maces. I think our beakers during the next 5T period are best invested on Engineering.
* All our efforts should go on keeping our core cities. On Gillette front BM, WIFOM and OTR. We can give up new cities near the borders if nescessary e.g. Mai-Tai, Cuba Libre and Deerslayer

I was messing around with an AW game (SP) and discovered this odd promotion:



How did Bismark get Drill onto a sword? This is unmodded (and recently re-installed) BTS. I opened world builder because I thought this was weird and he other melee units have it too. Is this a random event?

Hello,

This critis is coupled with propositions so it is productive.

I have a solide experience of the Multiplayer in Civ IV BtS, of the solo playing in FFH2 and few of this mod (like Erebus in the Balance or Master of Mana) and a begineer experience of the Multiplayer in Erebus in the Balance, ETMP (a modmod for EitB) and Master of Mana.


My global opinion is : the changements bringed by the modsmods are often goods but totally ignore the worst overpowered things of the game. I doubt, wich is perhaps an arrogance, but I doubt that the creators of this mods have really got a true experience of competitive multiplayer game.

The mains overpowered things which i can affirm from now are :

1. The super speed of fast units and the divine Raider trait

- Totally overpowered : No defense vs that, specially with cavalery off course. Compare the situation with BtS, which is very balanced : In BtS the quickest land unit have speed 2, even the modern tank. With an additionnal, you can have speed 3, and with combat 5 (which is hard to obtain because experience is low to obtain compared to FFH2) you can have the commando promotion, to use ennemy road. As you see, it is exceptionnal units, nearly never use in multiplayer.

Only the sea unit can have speed move promotions, and only the air unit can move faster (but cannot take town...).

In FFH2 on any mod (I guess), you have :

- Cavalery who have movement 3, so they can come in your territory, pillage, and back. Or just take workers or town. You can bring this speed to 4 if you have just and adept with Body magic, which is easy to have with Civilization who have it (for exemple the Calabim).

- And the Hippis, have units who have all movement 4 naturally... and can up it to 5 with their world spell...

- When you have Horseback, you can buy promotion Move 2 for infantery and Move 3 and 4 for cavalery and I guess for Scout units...

- AND the worst joke of this picture, is the Raider traits. With that, there is no defense, you are just totally raped.
Just with 3 speed, a normal cavalery, you can move 6, or maybe just 5 squares. It is suffisant to take workers, pillages and back, or take a town off course. Absolutely nothing can be done, the worst is when the ennemy make this move at 00:00 of the timer. You have no time to move your units. So the ennemy can have doule movement, so double 6 speed... 12 squares movements.

- I really dont understand how the people who made modmod for take FFH2 to a multi experience could let this trait alive.

2. The magic hidding

- Furtivity of animals can be seen with recons units like hunter, so it is not too powerfull. But magic furtivity (I dont speak about Invisibility) can be see by very few units, and very late units, like the Elite marskmen (I dont remember his name).

- So, you have a faculty, which can be use with Assassin for exemple, or the Sidar Hero. You can use it when you want, you can move in the ennemy territory where you want (especially with Raider trait), you can kill workers, take city etc. So, to counter that, you need to be Empyrean (due to ratha unit who can see magic hidding), or have Elite marksmen (in each city approximately lol), or have the Perfect Sight promotion which need Combat 1, Combat 2, Increased 2, Increased View 2 and Perfect Sight (unpossible to have unless to have Vampire of very experienced unit).

3. The Kuriotates

Interesting civ but too strong due to Centaurs. So, Centaurs :

- Don't need any ressource, any bulding, but cost 60 and not 40 hammers (I guess). (Only the hippus can make this due to their ressource palace).

- Can have + 1 speed for free any turn, for i spall penaly of strenght the turn after (I dont remember how much, -1 perhaps). No other civ have this.

- The worst of all their advantages : they KEEP their bonus defense, fortifications etc. like the infantery units. Event the hippus have not this advantage. So, the Kuriotates, which are designed to be a protective, I mean, not an imperialistc civilization, have the most powerfull attacker/defender/pillager units of the Creation. They can defend any of their Three city with centaurs who can run into one of their in one turn.

4. The attack spells

- Here I am not sure of my critic, but I got the impression that there is magic attack who are too powerfull. And when I say powerful, I mean : no defense vs it.

- Take the exemple of fireball : You can use it with armurite fire bowman one per turn (two per turns if you have some mage but it is not easy !). The fireball have two movement speed, which it is ok and tactically intersting. The thinkgs I don't think balanced are : the fireball can pillages the improvements (if a squeleton is too stupid to do it, why a fireball could do that ?!), and can attack units without defense possible. I mean : you should be able to prevent a thing to come to you and attack you without defense. I'll explain proposition after.

- Now take another exemple : I have not enough experience of the game in multi in his aspect of magic combat, but I got impression that magic have a too big MASS area of attack. For exemple : the Slow spell of the Frost, make -1 to speed of all ennemy unit in any square adjacent I guess (or even on one only but it does matter). So, you can, with one, two adepts, totally block and army (except the scout or cavalery) on your territory, and you can do it every turn. There is magical defense, like the Dispell Spell, but it need Metamagic (a node rarely taked and I guess only the Armurites have it on their palace) and Canalization II (mages).

So it is too strong, and too hard to defend versus this. Things must be changed.

5. The assassin faculty

- The guard promotion is strong but nearly only the Bannor have it. So, usally you can lost all your adept/mages/priests with few units who totally destroy your strategy of attack, and let you very fragile. Something must do vs that.

6. The dived soul of the sidars

- Their faculty is too strong for attacking : it gives you 2 free movements and you can teleport after natural barrier. Moreover I dont think this feat well with the powerfull trait of sidar, the shades, and their defensive way of life.

7. The power of recon units

- Recons units are too strong in defensive purpose. They are quicker than infantery and have the same fortification bonus. It is not balanced and not their logical function (a hunter can defend land but not town).



The main critics are done now I need to propose !

1. The super speed of fast units and the divine Raider trait

- Replace Raider faculty (commando) by auto pillages (with a possibility to desactivate on each unit), +100 % of gold earned, and a small heal for each things destroyed (excluding roads, but if not possible, including road). By small healing, I mean : 1 point of heal per thing pillaged. If too hard to do, dont add this but replace by one free attack promotion for every units.

- All land units, recon units or mounted units, go from 3 or 4 speed, to 2 speed, as in civ IV. Centaurs lost their quickness faculty. Only the Hippus Keep 3 speed for their mounted units, and 4 speed with their world spell. Dont forget that, with an adept with hast, you can obtain speed 3 (moreover, with Arcane trait, adept have speed 2, which permit them to follow cavalery ).

- Last things : note that forester 2, elves or dwarven promotion you can walk with two speed in forest or hills. It looks normal and you have to cut forest or construct fortress on your hills if you cant to avoid that ! Note : I propose to let the elves be able to cut their forest for this strategic problem !

2. The magic hidding

- If the hunter or even scout I guess can see the animal hidding, the adept should be able to see it too. To see magic unit you need an adept, the adept (or mages etc.) have only two squares of view, it is not much and ennemy can sneak if your territory. So, just put and adept in your front city or in strategic position, and you could see hidding units (not invisible units which need the Perfect sight promotion or the Ratha, oro ther complicated way I dont mind in my opinion).

3. The Kuriotates

- Speed go to 2, as all units, and their off course lost their defensive bonus.

4. The attack spells

- Fireballs, meteors or others destructive non sentiant things must mot be able to pillage. Any canalysation I invocations must not be able too. But all canalysation two alive, golem or undead things, must be able (it is an intersting force of the invocator strategy).

- No more totally massive spells for all unbeff spell (buffing or protecting must be keeped massive I think). The slow effect for exemple, can only strike 6 units of the pack (The mechanism can work as I guess the Fireball works : it strike the six most powerfull units, or if it is possible six random units). So with that, with enought adept, you can block a part or totally a pack in your territory or in city. 6 units for every canlisation 1 or 2, and ALL units for any unbuff spell (canalisation 1 2 and 3) use by Archmages units, because archmages are hyperpowerfull and rare to obtain ! If it is too complicated to do, just give it to canalisation 3 spells.

5. The assassin faculty

- Create a new unit : the Guardsman (or another better name) for every civ, obtain with Code of Laws, which have Guard promotion for free, a strenght of 4 but 100 % vs the assassins. (Assassins have 5/3 + 1 poison). Cost of creation : 60 hammers. Barrack required.

6. The dived soul of the sidars

- Supress the divided soul faculty and replace it with Free Spiritual Guide and a special Evasion promotion. An evasion spell, who need one TWO turns to be cast. You use it and two turn after, you are teleport to capital (You cannot move when you have used the spells). Logical and perfect for the strategy of this civilization. You can go attack ennemy, same if you lost, you know you ll can flee.

- Moreover, ill add this but it just a proposition : any sidar units in their territory have free spiritual guide promotion, but lost it outside border (not the Divided Soul who always have it).

7. The power of recon units

- Give -1 of defensive point of all hunter units, -2 to all more advanced recon units (not assassin they have already 3 at defense), and -20 % city combat strenght to all recon unit (not in the recon unit who ever have this kind of malus). As it, they can defend city but archers/infantey still stay better (but slower to come).



Conclusion :

I would like to see a modder who applicate these modifications, and permit us to have a multigame more balanced on points really very important ! I have posted this message on CivFanatic too : http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread...st12291508

And MP me if you want to play a game with any mods for FFH2 if you want.

"I'm sorry, but as I've told you repeatedly, the council is not to be disturbed while -"
"And like I've told you, this is important, so get out of my way!" I shoved the cretinous old man to the side. He sneered at me, but did not attempt to impede my path any longer. The door in front of me was imposing and inlaid with all sorts of engravings and filigree, making it look even more presumptuous than the council that met in the room beyond. I set down my package so that I could use both of my arms to open the door.

The door opened with the audible creak of a door that was not opened regularly, and all of the figures inside were staring at me. It was quite unnerving, but I held fast and pulled myself together as I took up my package again. Slowly I began to walk forward, all eyes still trained on me, and kept walking until I reached the center of the room. At some point the door closed behind me, although I am not sure whether the door closed on its own or if the old man had closed it. At that point it hardly mattered - I wasn't planning on leaving quickly anyway.

After a moment of silence as I stood in the center of the room, a booming voice spoke out as a singular figure moved forward from the herd of councilors. "What is the meaning of this? Angel, why have you disturbed this meeting?" In response, I took the package I was holding, and began to open it. I unwrapped layers of cloth, with the wrappings slowly piling on the floor. The room grew quiter and quieter as it became more apparent what I held in my hands: a human head. After what seemed an eternity, the same figure from before began to speak again, "I see. Wait here a moment while we discuss." I nodded, placed the head on the pile of cloth, and wordlessly stood there while the figure moved back into the shapeless herd.

Councilors were strange creatures. They weren't quite human, as far as anyone could tell. When they meet they don't quite speak in the way two people would. It's more that they speak in the same way people use their hands - speech aids communication by giving it emphasis and emotion, while some other factor portrays the message. It's quite unnerving to be in a herd of them to be sure. It almost sounds like an entire room full of mumbling people, and all of them were constantly looking at me, or at least in my direction.

I don't know how long the councilors have been in charge either. At the very least it's been as long as I have been alive, and no one I've met has ever remembered a time before the councilors either. I can't say it's been bad or anything - they are quite effective, and not despotic in any way - it's just strange having some other creature that you don't fully understand in charge. Most people I know feel the same way - it's strange, but not terrible. To be fair though, most of them don't have the same experience I do. For the most part people don't ever see the councilors, because the councilors spend almost all of their time isolated from society, whether it's in a council room, travelling, or in their mansions. I'm one of ten, well now nine, people who have actually been in a council room while the councilors were having a session. Most people probably don't understand how alien and strange the councilors are, and just thing of them as secretive humans. It's probably easier that way at least.

After twenty of so minutes, it seemed like the councilors had come to some conclusion. They split up into individual shapes, and the chattering began to cease as they took up positions around the room. Then they began to speak - not quite audibly, but in some other form I can't easily describe. It's how they normally talk as a group, at least how I perceive it - I understand their meaning, but don't hear or see anything. Everyone in the room will hear the same thing, but they describe it differently - some people see shapes and colors, others hear some strange language and just understand the meaning, and others might picture written words giving the message.

After a few moments, I bowed, and turned to leave the room. At some point the door opened up, because when I turned around the door was open and the hallway was visible. I hadn't heard anything, which was yet another unnerving aspect of the experience, but I've done this enough to not be too surprised at strange things happening in the council room. Besides, I had something to do that was more important than pondering the acoustic properties of a room I didn't fully comprehend.

Well following THH's lead, this is the turn discussion thread for the Chaos Empire.

I'm following THH's path to SH, and anything else after that we'll figure out as these next handful of turns go.



For my scout, I'm thinking he'll make a distance run. Unless anyone thinks I REALLY need to explore the territory right around my capital, he's going to keep going north/northeast or something like that. Head off to find the first neighbor to know where they are.
With warriors & workers and maybe even the scout from THH opening up the fog between our cities, and the fact that it'll be awhile before I get my second city, I think that's the best use of my scout.

Also, as you can see I've already found gold and floodplains to the north. So its likely that's going to be a good spot for a second city anyway. I'm going to move NE-NW next turn to go onto the gold hill to see what's around it.

Hi there,
I usually don't like to play when other races can be Klackon, Lizardman, and sometimes Gnoll.
Is there a way to easily remove them from the start?

Simone

This thread is for the collection and analysis of intelligence derived from all sources, especially prisoner interrogations and signal decrypts. T0 intelligence data may be found in the 'Sandbox' thread; SHAEF requests all future data be posted here.

Google document link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?...sp=sharing

This thread is to report on the progress of THH's civilization (Victoria of Korea) through the game, and to conduct planning related to micro and military operations.

T0:



We didn't discuss where to move our scouts, but I thought moving to the hill overlooking the river valley and toward HAK was a reasonable first move. I propose moving to the forested grassland hill 2E next turn.



As we had planned, I settled in situ and started on a worker. Evidently we still have seven to eight turns to finalize our micro plan.

Whoever guesses my naming scheme first without recourse to the internet will receive a field promotion. In some circles we'd call that a hint, but here we call it intelligence.

Also, this colour for my civ, though I didn't request it, is perfect.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/220660/

Has anyone been paying attention to this? Expectations to be good/bad/indifferent?