Pitboss 18 Lurker Thread of Infinite Wisdom

[Ceiliazul]

Having read Xenu's pirate journal, I feel much more empathy for CheaterHater and his irrational paranoia:

Too bad I couldn't capture the GG and take a morale promotion, I could have killed another one. Why?! Why leave the units just hanging around?
...
I spotted a GM in CH's territory and hoped beyond hope he would send it into plako's land for a quick mission.
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Back on the coast, still sailing through Greece:
...
At this point it was no longer the North Fleet, it was the East Fleet. And it had a directional name because there was now also a South Fleet to go with it. And they were converging on a target....
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T181, OK dammit this isn't going to work. ABORT! At least I ripped up his fishing nets....
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I hadn't had much action against CH for a while but every now and then he'd wander a unit through plako's territory into my reach. I kept my boats loaded for these opportunities.
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I'm an asshole, what can I say?

That's just a taste, it goes on and on from there. That's some hardcore psy-ops right there.

[Commodore]

Man holds a grudge. That mass teleport spell was mad genius, though.

[Qgqqqqq]

Man holds a grudge. That mass teleport spell was mad genius, though.

He's probably taken more civs than anyone else who's died/reached his size in the game. That is a victory in and of itself.

[fluffyflyingpig]

It's not paranoia when everyone actually is out to get you.

[MJW (ya that one)]

There are "special sauce" actions that Krill can take in-game but Krill won't do them this game as the lowest turn (where his stack actually got blown up) has already happened. Assuming BGN doesn't crack nothing much will happen until the threads are actually opened up.

[Ceiliazul]

Turn 212

We were greeted by offers of open borders and defensive pact from dtay

Yeah, as I look in the map attached to that post, I can see why dtay would come calling. it is 100% necessary for OldFin to take out the culture pressure on the Pindian holy city. That city is probably the 3rd most important city in their empire for a space race, and it is at risk of 1-movers. They could garrison that city at overwhelming levels, or use those same troops to kill dtay at a tech advantage.

[Commodore]

So yeah. Looks like I majorly (and I mean cataclysmicly) screwed up with regards to late-game resources; oil and coal inconsistent, uranium kaput, and I'm sure aluminum is messed up too. That's a major mea culpa. This game is going to have a far more thrilling conclusion than deserved, given the shortcomings of the map.

I still maintain that the ethereal wisp of “perfect balance” is flatly impossible in an enterprise like this game. Going toroidal might have had good effects vis-a-vis balance, but I somehow doubt it would have been above the neighbor-noise. But I really really should have dispensed with the linear continents.

If I could do this all over again, I think I'd make eleven continents largely like the Mongolia/HRE/Korea (WilliamLP bracket) triangle, offset at multiple angles to avoid direct tip-to-tip touches. Big islands, like the ones around HAK or the Molach/WLP battleland, would be filling the gaps...still maintaining the “channel” appearance of the seas. So multiple big islands, with tiny channels in between those again...

I really wish I had made that map, instead of this one. Makes the unstable 3-man-FFA a bit fairer a setup than “screwed chicken vs. biscuits”, and also moves a lot more of the action off of the initial continents before the existential mass-invasion cavalry/infantry era. Basically, nobody gets screwed at start (I am sorry, chickens) and lots more firework (Isla Loopies all over the place!). Hell, with the landmasses big enough and “place” enough, I'd even play that myself on a toroid. Toroidal doesn't have to mean torusland.

I really really want to play the next 33 player one of these. We wanna start signups while we wait for the Finharry Domination vs. TBS CV race to end?

[Ceiliazul]

So yeah. Looks like I majorly (and I mean cataclysmicly) screwed up with regards to late-game resources; oil and coal inconsistent, uranium kaput, and I'm sure aluminum is messed up too. That's a major mea culpa. This game is going to have a far more thrilling conclusion than deserved, given the shortcomings of the map.

I looked over the map and can attest that I did not even attempt to balance for the late game resources... it was just inconceivable that this game would get so far. And maybe it shouldnt have, but LordParkin doesnt obey Do Not Resuscitate orders any better than he does turn orders.

And we've proved now beyond any doubt that every map better be balanced to completion.

About the triangles/toroid, yes. We talked at the time about how player skill would create opportunities despite land arrangement, but I think we found the limit of that ability with Pindicator. Also, jowy had a good point about not tailoring each start to that player's cramped-or-not preferences. So some lessons here for me too.

May Krill have mercy on my soul.

But speaking of Krill, he spawned on exactly the kind of triangle you are talking about, and he had the benefit of backing to the safe South pole... so he cant blame you for his situation!

Is there really NO uranium on the map?

[Commodore]

Need to look at the original file, but...

Is there really NO uranium on the map?

[pindicator]

If I'm gonna be the chicken in a biscuit, can I be a Reggie?

Ceiliazul, you've been to Pine State, right?