Jotunheim:Utgard AAR

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
Is that what the green foresty province I mentioned is called? It's definitely to your advantage to take that one BEFORE Ulm takes it: It'll reduce the number of provinces exposed by far. Even if you don't think Ulm will attack now, it's inevitable that they will: Don't you want your front lines to be fairly controllable by then?

1. Just how do you expect me to get to it before Ulm? My army is 3 months away from it.

2. Taking the province would *increase* the number of my border provinces with Ulm. Only by having taken Arnbeg before Ulm could I have minimized my long-term exposure to Ulm. And taking Arnbeg would have required that I know in advance that Ulm was going to. It had sat there for 2+ years untouched. My attention is on Man and Vanheim. Sure, if I'd known 3-6 turns ago what the situation would be now, my armies would be deployed differently, but I have to make do with what I can predict 1 turn in advance. And even that isn't very certain.

3. Why are you so hung up on Ulm? I'm already at war with Vanheim, Atlantis is impinging it's dom on me, as is Pangaea. And Pangaea is the #2 world power behind Van. So I (the #3 power) already have borders with the two largest AIs. Ulm simply isn't a concern. They are a problem for R'lyeh to deal with, not me.

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Arryn:
1. Just how do you expect me to get to it before Ulm? My army is 3 months away from it.

You don't happen to have a teleporting FART you save just for when you absolutely, positively, have to get people somewhere yesterday? A remote summon or teleport-drop should likely be able to secure the area for you before Ulm overruns it.

2. Taking the province would *increase* the number of my border provinces with Ulm.

On the surface, this may appear to be true, but consider what happens if the province falls to Ulm instead. You'll gain two additional points of exposure at the Well of All Waters AND that foresty province, Feral-something, south of it.

3. Why are you so hung up on Ulm? I'm already at war with Vanheim, Atlantis is impinging it's dom on me, as is Pangaea. And Pangaea is the #2 world power behind Van. So I (the #3 power) already have borders with the two largest AIs. Ulm simply isn't a concern. They are a problem for R'lyeh to deal with, not me.

Obviously, because Ulm is up to something evil. You can tell just by looking at them. Just look at that shifty look in their beady little eyes. They're evil, I tell you! Evil!

Call it an old man's intuition. I've seen the pattern before.

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
Obviously, because Ulm is up to something evil. You can tell just by looking at them. Just look at that shifty look in their beady little eyes. They're evil, I tell you! Evil!

It's obvious you're a Man. Elves have an unreasoning hatred of dwarves ...

[Norfleet]

Ulm is dwarves? They're really big humans, I thought. They're still obviously up to something, though. Can't you tell?

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
Ulm is dwarves? They're really big humans, I thought.

Okay, so they're mutant dwarves ...

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Arryn:
Okay, so they're mutant dwarves ...

I tend to be rather fond of dwarves, myself. They're old, they have long beards, and they're often mean, cranky, and irritable. They're also noted for tireless productivity. You know, rather like me!

But mutant dwarves? Unless you mean "mutant" in the sense of "has a chaingun for a hand", no mutants allowed!

[Arryn]

Turn #36, Early Spring of Year 4
In the nick of time.

Part 1 of 2

This month, no travellers bring word from afar of events in distant lands.

Vanheim summons a score of Black Hawks to raid Zenthra this month. The result is precisely the same as Last month.

Two earth gems are discovered in a ravine in Barra.

An independent force attacks Pangaea in Gaieta. 2 knights (leaders), 7 knights, and 13 fanatics engage 1 pan. The pan is easily defeated and Pangaea loses another province to a mysterious attack. I suspect a hidden pretender is playing with Pangaea's realm.

Vanheim attacks Mictlan in the province of Ragdan (due west of the Oak of Ages). The Vans muster 1 vanjarl, 4 einhere, 9 hirdmen, 4 huskarls, 10 barbarians, 3 heavy infantry, 4 light infantry, 5 fanatics, 8 woodsmen, 5 woodsmen blowpipe, and 7 archers. The Mictlani have a mere 1 tribal king, 2 warriors, and 2 slaves. Mictlan routs after just a single slave is killed by arrow fire.

A sidhe lord, a bard, two sidhe champions, two daoine sidhe, four horned serpents, and forty-nine fanatics sally forth from the fortress of Man to engage my force of Jorgun, Bove, Rod the Firbolg, four priests, twenty-one Jotun spearmen, and nine vine ogres. My priests kill several of the fanatics with Flame Bolts, but their sheer numbers manage to inflict enough harm to slay three of Rod's Jotuns. But by the time Man's army routs, they have lost all but their four commanders, a daoine sidhe, and 3 fanatics. A crushing and expensive defeat for Man, and dealt with just the vanguard of my army, not my full might. Nor did my wyrm contribute to the slaughter, as Jorgun was unable to maneuver around the wall of Jotuns in time after his preparatory spellcasting was completed. With my Jotuns now present, I expect that the fortress gates will quickly be breached.

Vanheim also attacks my province of the Rim Mountains, with a non-summoned force of 1 commander, 2 trolls, 4 heavy infantry, 5 vaetti, and 8 archers. My provincial defenders slaughters the entire Van force except for two insignificant, puny vaetti.

Observing from the Rim Mountains, I see the Atlantian force in Nifel conquer the independents of Fucan.

My main army in Melma numbers twice what the province can support. Consequently, half of the Jotuns are starving, as I had expected. The Gift of Health limits the impact to an increase by three of Jotuns diseased and/or afflicted in that army.

The "red" wizard that was recruited at the Academy of High Magics in the Black Alps possesses skill in fire (2F) and blood magics (1B).

My researchers achieve mastery of the sixth level of Enchantment.

My realm has:

• ___9 Dominion max.
• __21 Temples
• __39 Provinces converted
• 1001 Treasury.
• 1594 Income. (+30)
• _564 Upkeep. (+30)

• 23 Provinces controlled
• Jotunheim: Dom=9, PD=25, Unr=0
• Zenthra: Dom=6, PD=17, Unr=0
• Eribon: Dom=4, PD=10, Unr=0
• Gwyrth: Dom=8, PD=17, Unr=0
• Iron Range: Dom=6, PD=10, Unr=0
• Saetica: Dom=3, PD=10, Unr=0
• Black Alps: Dom=8, PD=10, Unr=0
• Rim Mountains: Dom=2, PD=20, Unr=0
• Ancyrna: Dom=4, PD=17, Unr=0
• The Promised Land: Dom=3, PD=20, Unr=0
• Bel: Dom=3, PD=10, Unr=0
• Ashikaga: Dom=3, PD=0, Unr=0
• Pythium: Dom=7, PD=10, Unr=0
• Barra: Dom=3, PD=20, Unr=0
• Robber Home: Dom=4, PD=20, Unr=0
• Hoburgdorf: Dom=6, PD=20, Unr=0
• Man: Dom=0, PD=0, Unr=12 (under siege)
• Feral Woods: Dom=7, PD=10, Unr=0
• Ultima Typhia: Dom=7, PD=10, Unr=0
• Well of All Waters: Dom=7, PD=10, Unr=0
• Kepess: Dom=3, PD=15, Unr=0
• Melma: Dom=4, PD=20, Unr=0
• Herghendorf: Dom=3, PD=20, Unr=0

Gem income is:

• +_4 Fire (20)
• +_2 Air (04)
• +10 Water (18)
• +_4 Earth (06)
• +20 Astral (35) (includes 13 Clams)
• +_3 Death (03)
• +_9 Nature (12)

Magical knowledge (stars denote schools being researched):

• 7-Conjuration
• 3-Alteration
• 6-Evocation*
• 6-Construction
• 6-Enchantment
• 5-Thaumaturgy
• 0-Blood Magic
• 265 RPs (of 327 available at labs)

To be continued in Part 2 ...

[ March 03, 2004, 11:55: Message edited by: Arryn ]