MP: MA Newbie game - Faltering_Steps - Running

[Lokean]

Well, I've officially gotten bored with sending my armies of doubly-wish-empowered-gorgon/tartarian-SCs or massive-squads-of-arcane-doom or unending-tides-of-sacred-murderers out to obliterate the Impossible AIs, so I'm hoping to start losing horribly in MP for a while instead. I haven't played a single MP game yet, so I'm looking for similar players that want to get a feel for MP and don't mind screwing up royally to do it.

A word on players: I'm sort of champing at the bit to get things going, so for the moment, players that have expressed an interest but not chosen a nation are still just provsionally accepted, but if somebody else with a firm decision comes along I'll accept them in place of an undecided player.

Game details:
Era: Middle Ages
Map: Glory of the Gods Multiplayer (the 227 land version)
Host: LlamaServer, 24h quickhost
Players: 10
Mods: I'll take the CBM under advisement, depending on player opinions, but probably none.
Settings: Completely default

A word on Diplomacy:
I strongly favour diplomacy being 'flexible'. Half the fun of diplomacy is roleplaying and conniving, regardless of the game you play. However, if people are happier with diplomacy being inviolable then I'll go along with that.

Nations:

Aristander - Ermor
Denisius - Pangea
Fakeymcfake - Shinuyama
Heinrich - Ulm
Lokean - R'lyeh
Natit - Agartha
Shikome - Marignon
SteelyDan - Arcosephales
Zapmeister - Vanaheim

[Loren]

I've played a few MP games, the only time I've not been one of the first to die was when I was in the water. Do I qualify?

[Lokean]

I suppose so, since you claim to die horribly...

What nation?

[Shikome]

I'll take Marignon if you'll have me, I'm definitely a newbie, Not played a single MP game yet. (Though I have signed up to one that's starting soon so I'll have a few rounds experience by the time we start probably, I'm sure that isn't enough to stop me sucking though )

[Zapmeister]

I've never played MP in Dom3, but I did play a fair bit of Dom2. Do I qualify? (Oh yeah - I've never followed the "how to play X" guides and therefore rarely win).

[Carpetbagger]

Atlantis for me please!

[Heinrich]

Please count me in as Ulm.

[Juffos]

I would like to join. I will choose the nation a bit later.

[Denisius]

I'll take up Pangea.

[Lokean]

You're all provisionally accepted, but I'll want nations from those who haven't chosen; if I get other requests from people with a firm decision I'll take them first.

I fear two water nations in one big ocean is going to lead to either an alliance and subjugation of the mouth-breathers on land, or a hellsih war of attrition under the seas. Either way, it'll be interesting.

Carpetbagger, how do your giant rebellious sea-toads feel about brain-raping sociopaths from beyond space and time?