"A Song of Ice and Fire", veterans-only game, MA. In progress, midgame...

[Executor]

Ah, yeah, I know I should have continued onwards but in my defense I was scared of all the artifacts you kept throwing at me.
Seriously tho, I kinda expected Jotun to put a lot more pressure on you and overrun you with flying demons since the majority of your forces were involved with me atm and had been weakened.

I think this game went south for me when I chose to overlook BL and went against Ulm instead as I had a NAP 6 Lolomo made. Though It'd take too long to get canceled.
It went even more south when I chose to send a very limited amount of troops to take over Ulm veeery slowly, and BL putting up Sea of Ice didn't help later.
Also, I probably shouldn't have made peace with Vanheim but it made sense at the time, before TC attacked him too. At that point it became rather easy for you to take over Van with him focusing on TC more and going on a bloody vengeance murder rampage.

All in all, I think you're getting really close to winning this. I certainly can't beat you alone, and now with my central force crushed with very limited loses on your side it's probably just a matter of time. So far I managed to keep up gem vise, killing more SCs than I lost, but now that's changed.

As for the battle, unfortunately some Tartarians I wanted there went all crazy on me but I chose to chose to attack anyway.
I really thought I'd have you beat. I counted on flames from the sky to cripple your communions, hit some important buff mages etc, than the wolven winter to reduce the power of the Ember Lords if only for a fraction trough defense and encumbrance, and I kinda hoped the swamp penalty + cold would fatigue out at least some of your Ember Lords. But damn you with your weightles items and high reinvigoration!!!

As for scripting, I sent only 20ish theurgs to get the needed buffs online before they die out of fatigue from > MA, UM, WOTF, AM, fog warriors and all the other buffs I cast trough a communion.
The plan was to enslave your troops which would mess up your communions, scripting and kill mages hopefully, than have my own buffs cover your enslaved troops and keep your SCs busy.
Than while your SCs were busy killing chaff troops my SCs would slowly pound them into dust. I even equped as much as I could with elixirs and phoenix pyre for durability.
That never happened...
It went perfectly until turn 4-5 I think, I managed to completely crush your mage force, throw off your scripting and eliminate your troops, but...
Unfortunately it seems I never got trough my chaff, and just stood there while your SCs slowly showered me with elemental magic which ultimately killed me.

[Corwin]

Originally Posted by Executor

All in all, I think you're getting really close to winning this. I certainly can't beat you alone, and now with my central force crushed with very limited loses on your side it's probably just a matter of time.

I think you may be right, although I've learned not to underestimate you.

Unless Jotuns will regroup and rally after their recent defeats. They still only lost a single blood SC so far, and they have every unique blood summon in addition to other SC and strong troops. Why they haven't used many of them against me yet - I have no idea. They have split their main army in 4 parts about 4 turns ago to deal with my riding. Which has allowed me to ambush and destroy 2 of these smaller armies 2 turns ago.

If I would be in DrP's shoes I would keep my army together and send it all against my only southern army while it was still weak 4-6 turns ago. Instead they did attack in the beginning of the war but with the smaller force coming from the south, rather then with their main army.

To DrP's credit he did kill number of my SCs - at least 5 so far. Hmmm, I will have to start being less agressive with my SCs, now that my death gems vaults have shown the bottom...


Anyway, another big piece of good news for both Ermor and Jotun is that it looks like BL is joining the fray on your side soon. They have just informed me that they are going to attack me several turns from now, once our NAP treaty will expire. And they do have tons of SCs and other resources, since I don't think that have been suffereing any real losses for at least 15-20 turns, if not longer. We shall see how it will go...

Together three of your nations have more then 2/3 of my current gem income. And if Jotuns will get back their provinces I am currently raiding, then your combined gem income will be larger then mine. And I think you have roughly twice my number of SCs.

[Corwin]

New turn.

Newsflash:

Victory on the northern front vs Ermor!

After unsuccessfully chipping at the Ermorian's castle walls for more then 10 turns, the Army Group North of the Pythium Empire has finally breached the gate, thanks to the recent reinforcements. After furious storm the castle of Red River has been liberated from the undead yoke.

3 Ermorian SC have perished, together with many enemy mages. With northern ermorian castle in Pythium hand, the northern path toward core ermorian lands is now open.

On other two Ermorian fronts in the SE and underwater the ermorian castles are under heavy sieges with their walls either breached or crumbling.

It looks like impenetrable "Fortress Ermor" is finally cracking...

[Corwin]

In other news, from Jotuns/Pythium frontlines:

The Jotuns Unholy Horde has finally arrived. I have to say it is very impressive collection of blood uniques, mages and demonic troops...

This is going to be inresting...