Silent Seas AAR

[Ygorl]

The AI seems a lot better to me than in Dom2. I think st.patrik is playing on normal difficulty level?
edit: "difficult" difficulty level.

I've played two quick games, and the first one I lost because the guys I was fighting against dominion-killed me!
I had a 6 dominion, a living prophet (though an imprisoned pretender), and a couple extra temples, too, so I was quite impressed. As for Kailasa being overpowered, I don't know... I'm stomping them as Marverni in my second game.
High morale troops are good for not being awed.

[st.patrik]

Any nation is overpowered if you know how to use them effectively. In this game I opted for a heavy bless strategy, which meant that I got a late start (imprisoned god) relatively speaking. Everything has a trade-off: if I had been attacked early on by a thug pretender I may not have made it, but now I have the troops and power to dominate Vanheim.

The AI is not bad, but is never to be compared to the challenge of a human opponent. There are a lot of things I would have done differently if this would have been a MP game. I probably could have given myself a harder time by setting the AIs to mighty or impossible.

I've said this before, but I think that the AI opponents are tough in the early game, because (if you set them to above normal) they have more resources than you, so can expand faster. If you make it to the middle game you can be on even footing - matching their numbers with your strategy. Once you get to the end game (ifyou get to the end game) they are easier, because you have (as an intelligent human being) figured out how to defeat their strategies.

[NTJedi]

TheBigBlueBox said:
This doesn't say much about the AI considering how easy a time you're having...

It also seems like the Kailasa are overpowered...

We all know most computer opponents have serious problems expanding into water provinces. The map he was playing was tipped in his favor since he expanded into these nearby water provinces.

Thus if you want to play a super easy map then setup a map with islands surrounded by water and start each nation on its own island. And to make the game even easier have yourself start as one of the water nations.
Ermor and Jotun are the only land computer opponents I've seen somewhat effective with expanding into the water yet even they are no match for how quickly a human can expand into the water.

[Agrajag]

I don't think making dead nation disappear from the graph is a good idea. You can identify which nation is dead by seeing which one flat-line

[Endoperez]

Agrajag said:
I don't think making dead nation disappear from the graph is a good idea. You can identify which nation is dead by seeing which one flat-line

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. ..
Flat god, no prophet! Someone bring the priest! We need emergency dominion, NOW!



Also, St. Patrik, I think this is one of the few complete Dominions AARs. Most stop at one point or another. Very few are this detailed. I can't think of any that last this many turns. Good work!

[NTJedi]

Agrajag said:
I don't think making dead nation disappear from the graph is a good idea. You can identify which nation is dead by seeing which one flat-line

I completely agree... I will eventually report this as a bug since it's a loss of data which was previously available.

[st.patrik]

Turn 80
Apparently Ratheldun has been in contact with some of his shadowy brethren in the hidden kingdom of Elludia - Another individual from that land appeared, asking for asylum. He calls himself Sedestar, although I have no doubt that that is an assumed name. But, as with Ratheldun, I offered him a place in my land, with the understanding that he will put his unique talents to work in my service. A taciturn fellow, he nodded his agreement and went to the armoury to outfit himself with appropriate equipment.

With regard to the war with Vanheim, it would seem that I am right: the people's will to fight is diminished - resistance has been mild at best. It will not be long now before the end comes. Here is a view of the last of Vanheim's domain:



Just for fun I am casting 'Imprint Souls' on Vanheim's last castle.

[st.patrik]

Turn 81
Imprint Souls is a fun spell! Looks like the effects were that it converted (i.e. made fanatics of) 12 people, killed 44 people, and made 52 people mad. The result was that the madmen and fanatics attacked the province. Here's some shots:







Here's the main screen, which shows Elohar (the mad priest) sieging the castle, which is good. However, also notice that his button has a special colour, which means that I can't get him to do something else if I want to. Because he's mad.



In other news, I took another Vanheim province, and he counter-attacked in a different one - but not with enough force to break my grip. Same old story. Am moving in this turn to wear down his walls.

[Ballbarian]

Here's the main screen, which shows Elohar (the mad priest) sieging the castle, which is good. However, also notice that his button has a special colour, which means that I can't get him to do something else if I want to. Because he's mad.

That is very cool!

[Caduceus]

Do the little icons above Ratheldun signify weapons/artifacts he has? I hadn't seen that before. How great is that?!?