Another experimental game

[DrPraetorious]

This will be done with 6 players on a map, modified like I always modify them, with my usual settings (slightly rich across the board.)

The players will be arranged thusly (with wrap-around on both sides)

1 2 3
4 5 6


The goal is to wipe out all adjacent players. Thus - 1 wins when 2,3 and 4 are eliminated, 5 wins when 2,4 and 6 are eliminated, and so forth.

A joint win is possible - if 1,3 and 6 are the only players left, when 3 is eliminated, 1 and 6 get a joint win.

The idea is that, if we cannot eliminate diplomacy, we can at least fix the alliances before play begins. The friend-of my friend-is my foe set up allows the game to retain a certain level of tension.

Thoughts?

[Gandalf Parker]

Everyone gets three enemies and two allies?
Interesting.

[Dragonninjaakira]

I like this idea. It will definitely make for an interesting game. I'd like to be a prt of it.

[FrankTrollman]

Deleted.

[Tyrant]

Good idea

[Meglobob]

Sounds like a really great idea Dr Praetorious.

I very much like the fact you have definite enemies and allies.

However, all Dom3 nations are not exactly balanced vs each another which could be a problem. Helheim vs Marverni for example.

Also it does favour diplomacy/co-operation very, very strongly. Example if 1&5 work closely together to eliminate 2, well 4&6 don't bother with diplomacy. Well 1&5 have a huge advantage.

[DrPraetorious]

There are several nations which are somewhat weak, especially on face-hugger maps. Marverni is, in spite of their excellent mages, I think probably the weakest EA position overall. Ermor also has excellent mages and their military is much better.

Incidentally, this is my face-hugging scale for EA. Water nations are a distinct category.

(Most face-hugging)
Niefelheim
Helheim
Abysia
Mictlan
Lanka
Agartha
Sauromatia
Vanheim
Yomi
Pangaea
Arcoscephale
T'ien Ch'i
Kailasa
Caelum
Ermor
Ulm
C'tis
Marverni
(Least face-hugging)

Okay, baseline - T'ien Ch'i is not that good a face hugger, but as T'ien Ch'i you have a respectable chance of repeling any rush. Maybe not a 50:50 chance, but you have a real chance of winning so that's okay.

So even in a hate-your-neighbors situation like this, there are 13 perfectly respectable positions to play. I don't see a problem.

[Meglobob]

Yea, I pretty much agree with your face-hugging list or alternatively most powerful to weakest EA nations, my list would be similar to yours. Although later in the game alot of those lower down become the most powerful later on, like T'ien Ch'i, if they can survive the early game.

I suppose map size will influence nation selection.

[Hellboy]

At the risk of being called a noob, might I ask what "face hugging" means?

[DrPraetorious]

Face huggers are the things that come out of the eggs in Alien (the movie.)

So, if you are "face hugging", the first thing you see, you indiscriminately attack it.

[FrankTrollman]

Deleted.

[Gandalf Parker]

Excellent explanation.

[Hellboy]

Thanks for the explanation on Face Hugging guys - both were helpful, but Frank the extra background was especially informative.

Frank (or anyone), when you're talking about Abysian capital only sacred troops being "essentially undefeatable" I guess I was a little bit surprised. In my experience (which is admittedly quite limited), I found the low defense and high expense of the burning ones a problem.

Even w/ their high prot, they still ended up afflicted at an alarming rate. Does everyone go w/ a water blessing to compensate? Or have I just not seen all that they can offer, water blessing or no?

[FrankTrollman]

Deleted.

[Hellboy]

Once again, Frank, quite helpful. I'm starting to get this whole bless thing down, but it does take some work!

[jutetrea]

Love the idea.. is there a way to hardcode PC nations as allies and go for an allied victory? I've read you can do so with AI - just not sure on Players.

[DrPraetorious]

Unfortunately, no.

Also, it should be noted that there is no game mechanical effect from making two AI players "allies" - and I'm not sure how much they cooperate or coordinate - I believe that it's just an instruction for AI players not to attack eachother.

[lch]

FrankTrollman said:
Burning Ones don't really need the classic Water or Fire much, because their Attack and Defense skills are so polarized that they usually hit and are hit against virtually any opposition. The goal then becomes granting the Burning Ones a better chance of killing or staying alive in that environment. A modest Blood blessing, for example can significantly increase their kill rates, as can a Death Blessing. A big Earth blessing or any Nature blessing helps keep them alive to a large degree.


I'd like to add that the big plus that the non-LA sacred Abysians have is their two attacks. So they have an expected three attacks per round with water bless and increased damage potential for all their attacks with fire bless. But Earth bless to keep their fatigue down and Nature bless to protect them from damage that adds up and from afflictions is probably better than that, because everybody tries to get some form of fire protection against Abysia anyway and quickness will make their Fatigue up even faster, too, I think. And yeah, the increased defense, which otherwise can be quite crucial, is really useless to them.

[fictionfan]

I would like to play are the nations already decided?

I would like to be the children of fire

[Tyrant]

You need to check the dates, last post on this thread was 14 months ago!