MP: Pyrothere - LA slowpace - Game on!

[cupido2]

Duh, I'll NEVER EVER take misfortune 3 again. All my army does is running around in circles to fend off barbarian and triton-invasions.

[Agema]

Ah, misfortune.

I played Mis-2, once in a game by my own devising, and once as a permanent sub. In the former I found it very frustrating. In the second it was crippling: in 30 turns, I had about 5 labs and 5 temples destroyed (in one particularly bad stretch, I lost one of either six turns consecutively). Revolts all over my empire: cost me two castle builds (over 2000 gold down the drain!), and two would have doomed me had an enemy been more aggressive, as they hit a vital crossroads province that would have left me unable to combine my armies against his. (My PD even at 25 wasn't able to stop knights).

It's the unpredictability I can't bear, the chance that something really, really important goes. I'd take death scales any day. It might be damaging, but at least it's steady, controlled decline which you can plan around. Other people have other views, of course.

If you have high Mis, you might generally want high PD (20 or so?). Good PD should mostly stop weaker revolts like barbarians and tritons. On grassland and plains where you can get nastier enemies like knights, PD might not work, and you probably just have to suck that punishment up. Alternatively, if it's a really important province and you don't want to put a fort on it, build a lab, and station several research mages there. When the revolt arrives, they'll assist the defence and their spellpower should be enough to help the PD see off the invaders.

[Fakeymcfake]

Going on a short vacation and I'm not entirely sure when I'll be back. So while I've submitted this turn if it doesn't look like I'll get the next in before the date it's due in I'd ask that you delay the turn until wednesday.

[Gregstrom]

The big postponement for Fate is in place - hopefully the game will quickhost, at which point I'll put in another postponement.

[cupido2]

Thanks for the help Agema. I think I just suck it up. R'lyeh PD isn't the best even with all the freespawnchaff hanging around in the provinces. I usually take luck 2-3 so I'm used to a gold and gem shower every two month, so I presume those permanent bad news bug me more.

[Fate]

Wow, thanks for the VERY long delay. I am back and will continue to submit turns as usual. I shouldn't miss any for a while now.

[AreaOfEffect]

Looking for water gems. Message me with offers please.

[Hoplosternum]

LA Ulm has been set to AI as I was brought in to do. Sorry about the stall, I had got used to the two weeks between turns

I played a few turns just to see what LA Ulm was like. And they had a stack of cash I wanted to spend I have to say I don't think much of LA Ulm. The position was hopeless of course in this game. But I can't see they have much potential anyway. It is micromanagement hell without much power at the end.

Want to cast almost any battle spell? You'll need a communion. For just about everything, even to get Summon Earthpower

With very low path mages overland spells (even site searching) is tough. And globals, summons and more fancy forging impossible without trades or empowerment in all paths. And research seems poor, even for LA.

It is a blood nation but the low quality blood mages mean you can't do much with the blood without a lot of empowerment, hardly something limited to LA Ulm, but it does mean blood is more micromanagement than usual.

The immortal Vampire Counts gather free chaff and can blood hunt. But thats it. They make poor thugs as they have few castable buffs and are too weak to be used without equipment (which is lost when it dies).

I took a brief look at the guide and it mentioned a go to battle spell. Sadly it doesn't seem to be in my manual and it never came up as an option on my casting lists so I have no idea what it's requirements are or if it would indeed have saved them....

Anyway Ulm is gone to AI. The two main neighbours of Ulm are Vanheim and TC so these two are likely to benefit most. So the rest of you have been warned. Their lands lie in a strip along the Western edge of the map.

[Gregstrom]

Many thanks for standing in as long as you did, Hoplo. And more thanks are due for setting Ulm to AI.

[Aethyr]

So long Hoplo, even with all you've said you made be bleed for evary scrap of ground.

Although, seeing that Van is woefully behind in the two most vital areas (research & gems), I'm not sure how much of a threat we pose to anyone.