[Eitb spoilers] Miguelito's fortune hangs on a thread

[Miguelito]

I agree with going for evisceration. Did you clean up in the west, as it appears?

Too bad you killed his heroes with Hosts, it would have been nice to have the extra XP on permanent units. But it's hard to complain about the results.

Don't forget to pick up the pieces of Barnaxus and send them somewhere safe, so he can't re-summon his hero.

Edit: oops, looks like you killed Bambur with a mage. Huzzah.

In the west he retreated,  and I threw fireballs past him, killing the Wood Golem and the soldier (the first two on the log). The adept and 2 warriors escaped,  but still pretty good for no contact at all.  I then moved Sybill defensively before going for the big battle,  which is not ideal. 2 wizards and the melee units are going in, 1 tile per turn through the forested hills. 

The Host that killed Barnaxus was intended as a sacrifice,  but won its fight at 30 or 40%. Maybe we can keep it alive for a few turns going for the jungle cities in the east?  Bambur fought better,  but in the end brought George to 41 XP, which will have casting the firiest fireballs of them all. 

And yes,  Auror still being dangerous was point 3 on my list of how to possibly screw up this new position

[Miguelito]

Excellent news. We found Bing to Auror's east, and he has had war with Q and no OB (yes that's an unimproved gold tile). Meaning that Q could only come through the jungle, which sounds much less scary than through Auror's core.
We also took Belegost, and have iron weapons now courtesy of Mines of Gal-Dur . Most swords couldn't promote yet, and Auror can take the city back, but then we should get it for good.
In the west it's a little tight, and Auror might actually attack out before getting himself hit with more Maelstrom, but it should be safe. Thanks to him taking Arete his fresh units get no easy mobility promotion, that helps a lot. He took conquest now, but that has had no effect yet.
There is just one further Auror city in the south, the capital... And with more capture and pillage gold we might even get to research Trade and Construction for chariots. Our economy meanwhile is getting us 15 gpt after unit upkeep . And war weariness is rearing its ugly head as well.



Dave or someone else knowledgeable, can you explain to me what that promotion icon on Q's Hippus horseman means? Is it the effect of the worldspell (looks different in the civilopedia). I have seen no records of him casting it, but to be fair I have not looked too closely. Or is it a generic Hippus promotion that all his mounted units get? Do they always have 4 moves, +1 with worldspell, + mobility?

[DaveV]

That's the Horselord promotion, automatically given to all Hippus mounted units. +1 move, +10% retreat.

[Miguelito]

I haven't played this mod enough.... so 8 move horsies are a thing? (Horselord, worldspell, mobility 1+2, haste)

[Amicalola]

I love your wizard names.

[DaveV]

I haven't played this mod enough.... so 8 move horsies are a thing? (Horselord, worldspell, mobility 1+2, haste)

Yep. And if you're Tasunke, they're also born with Commando.

[Miguelito]

I  haven't played this mod enough.... so 8 move horsies are a thing? (Horselord, worldspell, mobility 1+2, haste)

Yep. And if you're Tasunke, they're also born with Commando.

would be just boring without.




Our raze of Erebor (which, looking back, proved an error) triggers bad omens...
Gundabad was autorazed, leaving the rice unclaimed and a gap in our dotmap. Not sure what to do about it yet. It hasn't occurred to me to build a settler, but maybe that's what you do in a case like that?



the turn after we took Belegost, Auror had assassins in his capital. With easy 3 moves those look terrifying for us!



However, taking the empty Nogrod we had a road to just get in range of Khazad-Dum in time, and the concentrated power of our wizards was just enough to take out the first defenders and then the assassins, nipping that threat in the bud.



More wizard names for Potter fans. Not in a stack at that time are our first one, Sybill Trelawney, and Ron who is giving Hope to the former barbarians out east in Deluoc.



Nubukizzdin was a tough nut to crack, since the Bone Palace (Taj) makes its garrison magic resistant (because a golden age is too little a prize). We had to bring in the iron swords, and one died at 95% or so (we also lost a 97% sword battle at Khazad-Dum, but we've had our share of lucky rolls, so won't complain)



Luchurpia after the recent conquest. We have terribly long revolt times, and I almost want to research Way of the Earthmother just so we can build Thanes and cast the little Great Works, but I fear we don't have the gold, and by the time they'd be there the revolts would have finished. I learned that Hope doesn't end revolts, sadly  
Amon Rudh falling next turn looks like a pretty sure thing, and Iron Hillls next or the one after. 
Sadly, so far we have not captured an intact Sculptor's Studio, which should convert to Siege Workshop right? That would let us build/upgrade to chariots without researching construction.



Q meanwhile took the jungled center of the map. His army looks as it's supposed to, horsemen mixed with horchers, all moving with 4 moves. For our mages + iron swords that doesn't look too threatening tbh, although they can of course run circles aroound us.
Q offered OB. I declined, because I don't see why I'd want him scouting us when we have the eyes, and sent back sheep/sheep. I don't really want to fight him right now (and have to keep an eye on the elves, see below), and also, what would we do there even?
I now am asking myself if I should be worried about him sailing around the globe and hitting our rear. Something that may not happen right now but in 20 turns. I guess OB could spot the ships in his land... And also, we're about to research Trade, and if we ever want something resembling an economy again maybe we should sign OB?



speaking of around the globe, here's a random shot that I took last turn. What is Syraether's stand though? Bradeline's  well gives entropy mana, right? Rust would actually be quite dangerous for us. Is there a protection?



Coldrain is sporting these funny fellows now. He seems to be ignoring his own Arc trait and just collecting Elf toys. Are these anything special? I never felt they were. But they also can sprint through forests right?


In today's screenshots that didn't take, coldrain's land and army. He has some 12 priests, 8 fawns, and a few hunters and Fyrdwells. That doesn't seem too threatening against str 6 swords and our spellcasters, just have to return in time (which I think we'll mostly manage). We might go for another offensive, although it would give us another border with Q to secure...



Seemed like the most informative graph. Q has something like an alive economy, as opposed to us. But it's not near the levels that Auror was attaining yet. Trying to get an idea especially if he could get ocean crossing ships soon. After horse archers, what other mounted units are there for him? Just knights, right, and they are limited in number?

[DaveV]

After horse archers, what other mounted units are there for [Q]? Just knights, right, and they are limited in number?

Also chariots, which get bronze and iron weapon bonuses on top of their nominal 5/3 strength. And a cute trick for Hippus is to build Guild of the Nine, which lets them hire mounted mercenaries (strength 5 + copper/iron/mithril, move 3, receive defensive bonuses). They're expensive, but can be hired by units with no movement points, and the mercenaries are born with full movement.

Trying to get an idea especially if [Q] could get ocean crossing ships soon.

Optics tech isn't horribly expensive (about 60% more than Trade), and all those ships can carry at least one unit (2 for the Frigate), plus optional Expanded Hull. Astronomy is twice as much as Optics, so he'd have to sink a lot of beakers to grab that one. Once you have Trade, you can scry out everyone's techs pretty well on the tech trading screen.

[RefSteel]

What is Syraether's stand though?

It's not officially a world feature; just a "landmark" (visible-to-all unremovable sign) I put on the map.  I did write some flavor text about it to post for anyone who shows it or asks about it in their thread though:

Rumors are spreading about the site of a terrible battle between the living and the dead that took place soon after the glaciers receded from an ancient vault.  Many died and rose again to do battle against life, and the master of the undying army was only thrown down and destroyed when one who dared stand alone against it in the face of the deathless hordes transformed the power of the vault itself.  Tales vary with the tellers and the audience and with time, but it is said that Syraethe, the mysterious general who led the living army, ultimately gave her life to effect the transformation in a last and desperate stand.  Some say her courageous spirit still watches over the site where the vault once stood, but all agree that afterward, when the corpses were carried away - some perhaps still restless - and cairns or tombstones raised above them all, then whatever became of Syraethe's spirit, her body was never found.

(Bradeline's  Well is an official world feature, and an "Epic Dungeon" - but it doesn't come with Entropy mana, nor with any other mana type.)

[Aurorarcher]

Fwiw, my impostor syndrome is going strong. I really feel like I have played a terrible game, 2 great scientists are no good excuse for ending up dead last in all relevant demos, and I didn't even know what I did so very wrong. Meanwhile Auror appeared to have played near flawlessly, yet here we are...

Don't say that! You might've made some early game decision that were a bit questionable but your attacking was well-planned and very powerful. So well-deserved there. I admit I played a pretty good builder game but made some tactical and other mistakes... I mean leading in tech by so much makes it hard to focus. I wanted to grab Sorcery asap to force you use your worldspell while defending but it didn't really work out... I should've grabbed Poisons earlier probably. And also I should've attacked you earlier when coldrain used his WS. I didn't realize how empty your core was until I had floating eyes... But yeah, I didn't expect Maelstrom at all, that was nice (not for me). Without that I'm not so sure how easily you could've taken Erebor. I was counting on my strong defenders being able to eat a lot of fireballs.

Anyways, good luck and enjoy my land