I hadn't been reading the tech thread. Nice of Mack to volunteer me to spend time on this. I've never done anything of the sort for him, all he did was download an Adventure I created and determined that must mean I can fix whatever tech problems you all are having.
Well, fine, whatever. Nauf, if you're reading this, then PM or email me the WB file, and either nauf or Miguel please let me know what I need to do to generate your save with Miguel in the #1 position, without inadvertently altering anything else on the map. Or I guess you could probably just send me the WB file with Miguel already as #1, and then I just need to use it to generate the PBEM?
(January 25th, 2021, 19:55)Bobchillingworth Wrote: Or I guess you could probably just send me the WB file with Miguel already as #1, and then I just need to use it to generate the PBEM?
Thanks, Bob. It'll take a sec to fix the WB file; I need to manually change the player numbering to put Miguel first. (Btw, in the tech thread I mentioned Python exceptions. Turns out this wasn't a mod problem. It came from incorrect player numbering, so if the thing crashes on you, it means I was sloppy editing the file. I'll take care.)
And for what it's worth, I'm pretty sure this problem's on Mack's end and this doesn't solve it, so let me doubly thank you; first, for doing anything at all; second, for making effort that's a tiny bit hopeless.
No problem- you did all the work here anyway, I essentially just had to load the WB file, which seems to work just fine. Plus Miguel indicated that it would give him an advantage in going first
Miguel, see attached; both the player and game admin password are set to the letter "A".
As far as I know, it is possible to insert another player for Hyborem / Mercurians when they get summoned, and it has been done..
It has, for both the Infernals and Mercurians, but a third party needed to edit the save file each time to swap the AI with a human player slot. Unlikely to happen again this game, even if someone does summon one or both civs.
Although if it's done in an all out rush, the original civ might not be as strong?
Right, and the Luchuirp are the fastest civ for getting the gate built, but one of the worst to have as an AI buddy due to them preferring to build Golems which don't provide Angels when they die. That said, the AI will still be getting the Immortal difficulty boosts; super production, bonus research, and free exp on units, so they won't necessarily be worthless either. Plus there's no rule that you have to tech Construction and enable them to build those Wood Golems- found the Runes, Order, or Empyrean instead, and the Luciurp AI will spam good-aligned religious units. Plus, unlike the Infernal, the Mercurians can self-feed their powers by building regular living units, who still turn into Angels upon death.
The Mercurians are incredibly strong, easily the best civ in the game; they're held back by being difficult to unlock and only starting with a single city + 1 Settler. You can request your new AI buddy hand over some of your former cities, but they might not be willing.
That said, I don't want to prematurely worry you that you're going to be fighting a horde of Angels; if there's a doom scenario to keep in mind, it's Death by Airship. Just be aware that it's a possibility, and keep an eye out for signs that Mack's beelining Fanaticism.
Infernals have a similar mechanism respawning bad guys, but as weaker Manes, which I think also don't keep the original XP. Otoh they can join cities as citizens or be used as mini great engineers (?). Afaik they are not in a team with the summoner.
Correct, the Infernal do not count as a team with their summoner, and in fact if you're rushing them you're likely best off deleting all of your combat units the turn before you finish the Infernal Pact so that you can immediately conquer your former civ if you're fortunate enough to start next to it (unless you have a neighbor nearby who will beat you to it).
Manes aren't made for fighting- the primary advantage of the Infernal is that their citizens do not require food, allowing you to run as many specialists as you have pop points, or work nothing but workshop tiles, mines, and the periodic cottage for enormous production. The downside is that your cities don't grow either unless you're merging Manes into them, which is what you should do with all of them.
Also cities founded or captured by the Infernal get a bunch of free buildings, including one which functions as the equivalent of the BTS airport.
(January 23rd, 2021, 18:43)Miguelito Wrote: Now with Volanna it's different . Let's see what's in that package:
...
Agriculture starting tech. Well that's certainly useful on this start. I'd just hope there are some calendar resources in the fog, then heading straight there should do us really well. It's significantly cheaper than Crafting, so if we have gold and need mining fast then the joke's on us.
...
called it.
Bob, you're around? I don't want to hold this up for more than an hour max.
(January 25th, 2021, 21:11)Bobchillingworth Wrote: As far as I know, it is possible to insert another player for Hyborem / Mercurians when they get summoned, and it has been done..
It has, for both the Infernals and Mercurians, but a third party needed to edit the save file each time to swap the AI with a human player slot. Unlikely to happen again this game, even if someone does summon one or both civs.
Although if it's done in an all out rush, the original civ might not be as strong?
Right, and the Luchuirp are the fastest civ for getting the gate built, but one of the worst to have as an AI buddy due to them preferring to build Golems which don't provide Angels when they die. That said, the AI will still be getting the Immortal difficulty boosts; super production, bonus research, and free exp on units, so they won't necessarily be worthless either. Plus there's no rule that you have to tech Construction and enable them to build those Wood Golems- found the Runes, Order, or Empyrean instead, and the Luciurp AI will spam good-aligned religious units. Plus, unlike the Infernal, the Mercurians can self-feed their powers by building regular living units, who still turn into Angels upon death.
The Mercurians are incredibly strong, easily the best civ in the game; they're held back by being difficult to unlock and only starting with a single city + 1 Settler. You can request your new AI buddy hand over some of your former cities, but they might not be willing.
That said, I don't want to prematurely worry you that you're going to be fighting a horde of Angels; if there's a doom scenario to keep in mind, it's Death by Airship. Just be aware that it's a possibility, and keep an eye out for signs that Mack's beelining Fanaticism.
Infernals have a similar mechanism respawning bad guys, but as weaker Manes, which I think also don't keep the original XP. Otoh they can join cities as citizens or be used as mini great engineers (?). Afaik they are not in a team with the summoner.
Correct, the Infernal do not count as a team with their summoner, and in fact if you're rushing them you're likely best off deleting all of your combat units the turn before you finish the Infernal Pact so that you can immediately conquer your former civ if you're fortunate enough to start next to it (unless you have a neighbor nearby who will beat you to it).
Manes aren't made for fighting- the primary advantage of the Infernal is that their citizens do not require food, allowing you to run as many specialists as you have pop points, or work nothing but workshop tiles, mines, and the periodic cottage for enormous production. The downside is that your cities don't grow either unless you're merging Manes into them, which is what you should do with all of them.
Also cities founded or captured by the Infernal get a bunch of free buildings, including one which functions as the equivalent of the BTS airport.
I assume the 'yellow-white' posting style is for Miguelito's benefit rather than our own, but I just wanted to say it is extremely helpful to the (probably) many players like me who know near-nothing about FFH2, as well as just being very easy to follow, so thanks Bob. Loving the thread.
Let's see. I'm pretty hard leaning dot 1, but I wanted to weigh some thoughts and give Bob an opportunity to voice his opinion.
dot 1:
riverside - Deruptus will be a beast with 2 x precious and high quality cottages. I'll double check on an SP map that a river bend counts as riverside for that purpose.
Great port city W of corn picking up cow when founded.
dot 3 could be a good early expansion
Some useless desert doesn't matter, and in fact one desert hill is converted to a good city tile (wait, does that mean that it gets no defense bonus? probably).
Oasis helps with early commerce.
Only 3 forests.
Founded next turn.
dot 2:
Founded this turn.
Oasis first ring (5 commerce benefit - scratch that, we're Cre, so just 3), but doesn't pick up gems. But maybe we don't get mining before the first setller anyways?
Less awesome Deruptus city than 1. but still good.
port city NW of rice is also good
4 forests.
dot 3:
gets the wine. We have to pick up crafting for mining soon. Otoh, no oasis and less river commerce could mean it has slower early research
I count at least 6 forests
we move a whole lot inland, possibly in somebody's direction
good stuff may await in the fog
as far as we know though no oasis and no floodplains
founded next turn
edit: also agree with beelining mining? Agrarianism isn't bad with the FP / grassland grain, but as you mentioned we don't want to stay there because forests, and the gold is highly alluring ...
(January 25th, 2021, 03:24)Kaiser Wrote: Ok you already mentioned the Infernals as an option for us to go for and the mercurians as a potential though unlikely beeline target.
I have encountered them in my SP games, can you dive a bit into the reasons for playing the game as one CIV to then later switch to one of these two?
The infernals seem to be a bunch of units lead by a Greater Demon of Khorne (please insert correct EitB name here) whoe rushes somebody when spawning.
The Mercurians seem to be angel-like without any benefits I am aware of, they probably come with a decent army? So choosing them seems to abandon most of your cities to an AI.
How does this work in a MP game btw? Does the AI take over the remaining CIV?
Awesome game that one. In fact the only one where I have read entire threads of despite it being finished before I joined RB (Sulla's PB 2 doesn't count, because I read that before joining, and not on RB ).
Just checked and the pictures in the Kurios thread as well as plako's are still working. Recommended, highly.
).