Faerun - started

Boron · #1 May 11th, 2005, 12:02 PM

Quote:

shmonk said:
I have a question about the preferences that will be used - VH Research and 9 indie strength. It seems with those settings, the expansion at the beginning will be very slow, correct? Like what, maybe every 3 turns a new province is taken, or even longer?

I guess I'm still having a hard time getting used to indie strength of 9, at least in my SP. Makes for a slow start. But maybe that's what this game will be about. Slow start, more national armies maybe (because of VH research), and it will be a while before summons can happen.

A SC-Pretender e.g. can probably still take 1 province a turn from turn 2-5 on depending on the chassis.
This SC-Pretender will be expensive though and with the new scales etc. it is not as an easy choice as in vanilla anymore

But the initial Expansion will be a bit slower of course.
The various Mods and settings shall exactly do what you describe: Give more incentives to build national armies

thejeff · #2 May 11th, 2005, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Boron said:
A SC-Pretender e.g. can probably still take 1 province a turn from turn 2-5 on depending on the chassis.
This SC-Pretender will be expensive though and with the new scales etc. it is not as an easy choice as in vanilla anymore

I haven't mastered SC design yet, obviously. Can you give an example of a SC-Pretender design that can reliably take Strength 9 indies with little to no gear or buffs? Or how you'd get enough gear and/or buffs in the first few turns with VH research?

It's not that I don't believe you. I just want to know how to pull it off. My best attempts at SC-pretenders have waited for Alteration-3 and were still only semi-successful. (Immortals took more risks, but weren't really any more successful)

YellowCactus · #3 May 11th, 2005, 01:07 PM

There are no SC's before turn 10 with VH Research that 'Reliably' take ANY Indi province alone.

However....be very carful about your scales on this one. A VQ with good dominions and 5 paths to 3-4 levels each could fly around picking off 'weak' indies in her dominion. Dragons are good with these mods too. (Red dragon F9 for example) I'd recommend a flying pretender if your going SC.

Best of luck fellows. 17 factions will be BRUTAL!

-yc

Alneyan · #4 May 11th, 2005, 01:49 PM

I would say a rainbow Pretender (of sorts) with Alteration 3 can take any province with independents before turn 10. Alteration 2 may be used to do it earlier, and some nations might have trouble reaching Alteration 3 before turn 10.

I know my Pretender in Song of the Blade (VH research, independents 9) had no trouble clearing up heavy infantry provinces with Alteration 2, and the knights fell easily with Alteration 3 (I did not risk attacking the knights with Alteration 2, but intelligence reports it would have worked quite well). My Pretender would have suffered against anything flying however, like most Pretenders relying on buffs.

The big problem is the feasibility of getting a nice Pretender: Song of the Blade did not use the Scales mod, making it easier to get more points (without crippling your nation in the process). With the Scales mod, I don't think you can get an SC, a Rainbow mage, high-end magic *and* decent scales.

Boron · #5 May 11th, 2005, 10:24 PM

Quote:

thejeff said:

Quote:

Boron said:
A SC-Pretender e.g. can probably still take 1 province a turn from turn 2-5 on depending on the chassis.
This SC-Pretender will be expensive though and with the new scales etc. it is not as an easy choice as in vanilla anymore

I haven't mastered SC design yet, obviously. Can you give an example of a SC-Pretender design that can reliably take Strength 9 indies with little to no gear or buffs? Or how you'd get enough gear and/or buffs in the first few turns with VH research?

It's not that I don't believe you. I just want to know how to pull it off. My best attempts at SC-pretenders have waited for Alteration-3 and were still only semi-successful. (Immortals took more risks, but weren't really any more successful)

VQ works always, it is just expensive.
But with alteration 2 you can send her out quite save and with alteration 3 she beats almost any indies.
Alteration 2 should be able to reach even with vh research on turn 4-6,depending on nation.
Jurri's Dracolich is probably the best SC-Pretender-type with Zens mod and should work even better.
With all the other pretenders it is more dangerous since they are not immortal but there is always a not small risk that the pretender dies or at least gets crappy afflictions when fighting.

Huzurdaddi · #6 May 11th, 2005, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Jurri's Dracolich is probably the best SC-Pretender-type with Zens mod and should work even better.

Crazy powerful. I have to say.

As for your hoarding limitations I have to say that I ( personally ) think that the limits you are specifying are insufficient, but I'll leave it up to your judgement. Although from the numbers you are throwing around I think I may want to go back to Marignon

I wanted to go with Caelum since:
1) Archers, which I think are the backbone of their early game have been improved
2) I *had* to play a nation which could hoard since hoarding was allowed.

I'll go back to the more tame Marignon if you are nerfing clams and such.

Huzurdaddi · #7 May 11th, 2005, 10:32 PM

Oh and what about graphs?

I liked having to actually scout in the last Faerun game. I think I had a good 60 scouts at one point ( not hoarding but actually scouting! ).

PashaDawg · #8 May 11th, 2005, 11:17 PM

I am fine with Boron's suggestions with anti-hording.

PashaDawg · #9 May 11th, 2005, 11:18 PM

I know that there were various changes to the Faerun map a while back (e.g., making the colors darker). Where is the best place to get the right version of the map?