The Perpy Traitors- Selrahc, Sareln, Black Sword and Bob

[The Black Sword]

I lost the original diplo message. I re-offered some mana back 1 at a time and asked him to only take what he needed. I also said I'd give him Entropy next turn.

Then I said I should use the gold to fund upgrades, since there's not much point researching.

Somehow that turned into this:

I gave some authority. I think you get just what you need. If I wanted one more, I will give to you after the train is just Govannon the corruption.

I buy gold as possible, and to improve their düşünüyorum.ş research is not very expensive now.

We had our first desperate stand this turn:




Enraged Lanun units surround the city, but I think we can hold it. The last mage commands the defense, breaking his spellstaff for a second maelstrom then sallying forth to kill a fireball softened unit outside the city. Meanwhile I upgrade a firebow to a Crossbow and hire a Merc to allow the rest of the units to hopefully suicide on the city. I couldn't afford to put a floating eye up, so hopefully nothing else is in range. Based on what I saw last turn that should be the case, but it's game over if not.

I didn't realise the two Eidolons I showed last turn were Raiders, and that cost me a city on the interturn. I had a desperate scramble this turn to put up sufficient defenses in my front cities, dry-whipping warriors.


And Cevedes is cut adrift from the mainland, it's garrison stranded. They sell their lives to protect the Death Mana, to give Govannon a chance.

[The Black Sword]

Cevedes has an unlikely saviour:


How the crap am I going to deal with him?



Not sure where the extra boarding party came that allowed the Eidolons to take the city.

It's time for the Amurites to strike back.


The Lanun cut my trade connection with the Luichurp, a turn too late to stop Govannon's promotions, just in time to deny him snowfall. We need to try open a path for just 1 turn to get that ice mana through. Anyway I'm gambling that the enraged Lanun units, who ignored my city last turn, will do something stupid. These commando Eidolons tie up far too much resources.

I gather together all the units I can find and Govannon teaches them the secrets of magic, most importantly; Rust. Technically they resisted the spell, but they lost their mithril weapons. The Last Wizard calls another storm, 2 fireballs explode on the demons and the dust settles ...

46% ctk with my super crossbow on his top Eidolon.
Might as well throw the dice ...
Victory!

For the next guy my Merc gets decent odds to soften him up, above and then

The weak crossbow cleans up!

The remaining units manage to finish off the diseased corpses, the super crossbow getting another kill thanks to blitz. Then Govannon and the wizard evacuate because there's a second wave coming in:



Unfortunately, only the two of them were fast enough.



Celebrating the suprising fact that they are still alive, the Cevedes defenders retook two empty cities, and the Longbow's fireball managed to kill the offending boarding party at low odds.

This is the defense I manage to scrounge up in Incensed:


We should be able to upgrade 3 Wizards and a spell-slinging Stonewarden there next turn.

[The Black Sword]

More diplo fun:

The Lanun cut our trade connection. If we could open it for 1 turn I could send you entropy and you could send me ice. I don't know how I can stop Meshabber without snowfall. Perhaps we build a spare settler and look for possibilities to settle a new trade route for one turn?

Another idea; maybe you should build the Tower of Divination in your capital. Obsidian Gates or the Nexus would allow us to help each other better.

becomes

Cut Lanun our trade association. If we could open while the entropy could send and ice that I could send. I do not know how I can Meshabber without snow. Maybe we can build a replacement settlers and looking for opportunities to settle for a new trade route again?

Another idea; Maybe we should build the Tower of Sorcery in the capital. Obsidian Gates or Nexus would help us better.

[The Black Sword]

Thanks Q!


Ice mana is Govannons, just a few more turns and he can take snowfall. For the moment, it's time to teach:



I also took the opportunity to promote two of the mages to life 1 and enchant 1 while we have the mana from the Luchuirp. Life in particular could be very handy against all these corpses.

Speaking of which, those corpses aren't known for their bravery, they backed off:


With no immediate pressure from the Lanun this turn I was finally able to scrath off the enraged units running around my land. Govannon killed the Phalanx himself:


My other stacks:

Something like 6 boarding parties and a ritualist were also sent to the Vault of Agares. We're up to around 10 effective lvl 2 casters.

Of course we still have Meshabber munching away at our stuff:


And, just in case things were looking up:

[The Black Sword]

The Lanun fleet disappeared without doing anything. If/when we get enough units we can send floating eye scouts to each edge of our empire to watch the seas.

My floating eyes show that the Lanun appear to have replaced most of their high level Phalanx and Eidolon's already, and now they're all raiders. In fact, their traits appear to have changed to arcane/raiders/something else that wasn't so worrisome now. We're still in a bit of a respite period, so I set up my defences like so:



I hope Loop is strong enough to hold properly, he has some commando ritualists in range. Rethink of course is doomed but hopefully we can punish any units that do attack. The city in the south east is also probably takeable, but that's just a speed bump so I wouldn't mind if he diverts that way instead of continuing towards our mage producers.

End of turn army:

[The Black Sword]

As the number of their commando units grow, so does the number of places I need to defend. It's getting a bit tiring opening up each turn and having to check how many units can hit each city. Engineering + Raiders is ridiculous. And with 65% inflation, this Bone Wall is expensive. Next turn Govannon should get snowfall and this force should be healed though, so an offensive might be possible. The majority of the Lanun stack is Diseased corpses which should probably fall to two Destroy Undead Castings(after Maelstroms+Snowfall).

I considered switching some cities back towards commerce but decided against it. My successor can change that around if he wants.

[The Black Sword]

Hmm, the moment of truth approaches.



Tests show that Meshabber is barely scratched by damage spells though. I could just try blinding the stack and go after his cities instead. No time to play for a while today.

[The Black Sword]

Alrighty then. Here's the array of enemy forces when I open the turn:

That's Meshabber 41.4/45 health on top. The Firebow that he killed(actually converted) got one good shot in!





I decided to go after the Meshabber force. He's Raiders and can wipe my cities out quicker than I can his, additionally, my forces disappear when he wipes out my cities, he's got another continent.

First we Pillage a road out of Ozymandias:


I think that means his forces here can only reach Loop. I left 15 skeletons there to hold it. Divide and conquer!

Then we move all applicable units into Rethink and pray. First the Storm Lord casts Maelstrom:

Which doesn't injure Meshabber at all.

I decide to get the easy spells out of the way, I cast Rust with scouts/warriors/mercs until all the Mithril is gone and Dispel with a Stonewarden:


Then I break out my secret weapons:



2 C4, Maelstrom wizards.


Well, that was effective. Break Spellstaff:


Bit better. Summons won't touch Meshabber though and I think everything else will be cake afterwards. I mass promote Maelstroms on Wizards and Stonewardens, favouring those with combat promotions:

I preferred breaking Spellstaffs to promoting extra units. Eventually, with 2 mages left I think, we get him down to the maximum 70%:


Finally, Govannon steps up. Snowfall!


It was super-effective! Seriously, 6% is pretty good from my tests. Meshabber is on 26.2 health, and it's time for my not so secret weapon:

Stoneskin Crossbows with 4 first strikes. Meshabber kills and converts this super crossbow but is down to 8.2 health.

At this stage we need to clean up some other defenders before Meshabber comes to the top again. I save my 2 other stoneskin crossbows for him:


Eventually:


The Demon falls!

After that, his stack looks like this and it's all clean-up and xp gathering:


Some of the combat log:



And finally, anybody who hasn't casted spells goes in to pick up the equipment, before retreating to Rethink:


Who's next Lanun?

[The Black Sword]

I just played turn 209, who's up next? I think 211 is my last turn.

The Lanun offered peace. I iced another stack and retook Bupsy. Minor problem; the only way to change ownership of Athame and War is to kill their owners.

[RefSteel]

I believe I'm up next. No idea what my schedule will look like when T212 rolls around, but I'll fit the turns in as best I can.