New EitB PBEM

[coldrain]

EitB PBEM LVI finished recently and I'm eager to start the next one! Some discussion was already held in discord, but better to cauge interest here.

Aurorarcher, Bing and I have shown interest to join a new PBEM, any others ready to jump in?

Discussion of map type, starting era etc. and suggestions are welcome. Also a map-maker is needed (RefSteel made an excellent map last game, Q showed some potential interest as well?).


EDIT3: Added summary of proposed game settings and other information below to find them more easily.

Confirmed players and play windows:

BING_XI_LAO:  01:00 to 15:00 GMT
xist10:  9:00 to 23:00 GMT
Aurorarcher:  16:00 GMT to 21:00 GMT but can often play earlier
coldrain:  16:00 to 21:00 GMT preferred
mackoti:  17:00 to 21:00  GMT (alternate morning window exists too but not consistently)
Ginger:  19:00 to 24:00 GMT.

Map-making guidelines (these have been locked)

• Minimum distance between starts: 15 tiles
  
• Land tiles per player: 200-300
  
• Map-script: Map-maker choice
  
• Continent + start distribution: All players on same land mass
  
• Amount of ocean/water: Map-maker choice
  
• Islands (amount and size): Map-maker choice
  
• Lushness: Not totally barren plains or desert hell, otherwise Map-maker choice.
  
• Blessing of Amatheon: Map-maker choice
  
• Unique features: Yes, but balanced
  
• Strategic resources: ensure copper, horses, iron, mithril, reagents, incence, and blasting powder in all starting areas (not necessarily in capital BFC)
  

Boosted thaw start
All players start with a free worker in addition to normal starting units. First level technologies are researched (agriculture, ancient chants, crafting, exploration) and players can choose one additional technology based on their civiliztion pick (for example Hippus can choose either animal husbandry or calendar). Same setup was used in EitB PBEM LVI.

Random block for leader + civ selection
Players receive three leader/civ choices (unrestricted leaders is OFF). Player can choose to keep one choice or to have a new random selection if available options are not satisfactory, but next round starts only after all players have made a decision on the ongoing round. New selection can be chosen twice. Final pick has to be made on third round, if not done on earlier rounds. Same setup was used in EitB PBEM LVI. Results:

- Aurorarcher picked Volanna (Aggressive/Creative) of the Svartalfar over Shekinah of the Sidar and Jonas of the Clan
- BING_XI_LAO picked Ethne the White (Creative/Organized) of the Elohim over Cardith of the Kuriorates and Amelanchier of the Ljosalfar
- coldrain picked Flauros (Creative/Financial) of the Calabim over Arturus of the Khazad and Tebryn of the Sheaim
- Ginger* picked Furia the Mad (Charismatic/Barbarian/Raiders) of the Balseraphs over Auric of the Ilians and Cassiel of the Grigori
- mackoti picked Varn Gosam (Spiritual/Creative/Adaptive) of the Malakim over Beeri of the Luchuirp and Charadon of the Doviello
- xist10 picked Dain the Caswallawn (Philosophical/Arcane) of the Amurites over Tasunke of the Hippus and Falamar of the Lanun.

Game settings

• AI diplo
  
• Quick speed
  

• Emperor difficulty
  
• No tech trading
  
• No vassal states
  
• No espionage
  
• No Acheron
  
• No Orthus
  
• Wildlands
  
• Living world
  
• Tribal huts: no
  
• Lairs, barrows, graveyards, etc: yes
  
• Mana nodes: two guaranteed sources in starting area (previous game had one)
  
• Normal settler at start (no bonus vision or movement)
  

EitB version 12.1 used in this game:
https://www.realmsbeyond.net/forums/show...p?tid=7646

[Brian Shanahan]

Might be a good idea to PM a few players of recent games. Unfortunately I won't be taking part, too busy at work as we're short handed.

[Qgqqqqq]

As mentioned happy to be involved in the map.

I'm also happy to make some modding changes to lower mobility across the board, if that's what players are interested in. As I'm not playing and we tend to do one game at a time, I'll only do this if there's interest in it for this game, and players are interested with those changes. The idea is to shift the balance somewhat towards base civ, with wars less able to be settled decisively with knockout blows to an army, without changing much overall.

So, potential changes:
* Remove access to mobility 1/2 across the board OR to most units (who should have access, if so? Heroes?) OR gate it behind a level/promotion requirement. Do SPI/ARC need anything to compensate?
* Shift Haste to Body II (does regeneration need to be weakened?)
* Remove access to Spell extension I or gate it behind a promotion/level requirement.
* Potentially strip summons that start with two moves to one? Not sure about this. Reduce range on Maelstrom (others? Crush?)
* Does RAI need any changes, or is it appropriately weakened?
* Do ships need any changes, e.g. lose access to Longshoreman?
* Anything else? I've done this all from memory and I'm sure jumping into the tech tree would give more.

Please let me know if you want this, or not, or any other changes - worldspells etc.

Re PMing, I'd suggest Dreylin and the dedlurkers from last game, as well as perhaps Thoth and, mackoti.

[mackoti]

I woul like to join. What you say about a snake pick game  with unrestricted with ilians banned ? A map a litle larger then last. About changes I like the ame how is now, and i would like to play another game wth curent status. Moving haste to Body 2, well is even a bigger burden fo civs whic get hard mages...

[coldrain]

About changes to movement: Moving haste to body II (mages) makes it harder for less magic oriented civs, especially the dwarves, to even out the mobility. Q's proposals are interesting, but I'd rather do small changes first to try and see how the it balances out in a game. I prefer to have another game with a larger map without modded changes, but if most players vote for reduced mobility, I would support limited modding: such as moving spell extension promotion to channelling III (leave it available to channelling II for summoner trait?) and mobility II promotion only for heroes (can be seen as a slight buff to Grigori)?

About mackoti's proposals:
- I agree with a larger map (previous map was designed well, but we run out of space quite fast).
- I'm not sure about snake pick with unrestricted leaders. This could lead to some hilariously over powered combinations, and the game outcome could be decided during the picking phase? Then again, if we allow unristricted leaders and the game is resolved quick, we can start another one soon afterwards? 

[mackoti]

Chariots and recon without mobility 2 will have even a harder time against a mage army. I think they balance quitte right  now.

[RefSteel]

As mentioned happy to be involved in the map.

And I'm glad to do map-making stuff too - I'll defer to Q here: I can just make occasional comments on what Q posts if he wants to take lead, or I can build the whole thing from a rolled map on up with whatever advice Q and others are willing to give, or anything in between, depending on what Q wants to do (and/or which of our schedules is most flexible when the number of players is set...).

[Ginger*]

I'm inclined to trust mackoti's opinions on the balance of the mod if he thinks there should or shouldnt be changes.
I would also like to sign up for this game, my preference is for slightly poorer than usual maps but whatever goes

[Dreylin]

I’m not able to think about the possibility of another game for a couple of weeks. If planning is still ongoing then, I may be able to have coherent thoughts about whether I’m interested in joining.

[Qgqqqqq]

I would incline with mackoti that you either hit mobility across the board or you leave it where it is, so sounds like no changes this time around.