MP Game, Early Era, Random Nations, Victory Points

[Ighalli]

Seems like RamsHead has it more or less nailed down with the exception of Niefelhiem winning.

Seriously, high level evocation or not, I'm kinda doubting anyone can stand up to Helhiem. I haven't fought anything but their PD so far, but from what everyone says about them (in the main board about them being overpowered, not here), things are grim. I just have to find out how much 10 thunderstrikes can do to their forces.

[Agrajag]

Meglobob said:
And the eastern, indeed every front.

All peace and harmony in my part of the world. All the nations are roughly equal in power, so we all sit here carefully watching each another...

Perhaps building our strength up, for when the T'ien C'hi/Helheim unholy alliance arrives. It would not surprise me you know! Paranoid me...never!

Ha ha.
Though in all seriousness, eventually Helheim or Tien Chi will turn their attention to the east, at which time the eastern nations might have to form the Alliance of the East to protect ourselves.
Only time will tell.

[Baalz]

The war between Arcosephale and Mictlan simmers rather than rages. The scholars have amassed a mighty army and march to reclaim much of the land conquered by Jaguar Warrior raiders. As yet, we have not been able to field an army to challenge the might of this host, and have been fighting a staged pullback. A large mass of archers pepper our lightly armored troops, while the heavily armored ant men engage and occupy us long enough that the heavy chariots may molest our flank. Our raiders continue to harass the border, and Arcosephale fears either splitting their army or moving it far from their capital. The vile Oeneads continue to occasionally seduce a commander, but there are now many slave commanders, pressed into service from the scholar�s own lands which provide cover for our glorious priests. We fight a holding pattern as our high priests whisper of a top secret �plan B�. As neither the giants nor the man-hawks have shown aggression yet, we may pull our reserve troops forward to step up the raids.

[Maltrease]

Caelum marches deeper into our territory bringing a second raiding force, and a third appears ready to advance soon.

Tien Chi has suddenly appeared at our borders with an aerial force and our friend Ulm has lost one of his valuable fortresses. Our seers sadly explain the lines of land and show us Tien Chi's gem income... probably 80 gems a turn considering it is more then double ours. The mood is dark in our planning room.

Luckily our public relations advisor showed us the front page of Sky Che daily where it declares "Hellheim the worlds biggest threat and greatest power threatens all... including you!" in huge letters. This did brighten our spirits as it is nice to be #1 on the throne. We asked to read the rest of article hoping to further brighten our mood, but there was nothing more. Just a big flashy headline�

At least we managed to liberate our capital and tomorrow is another day. We wish our friend Ulm luck and apologize that we can not be of greater assistance to them in their time of need. The mighty and ancient eagle kings of Caelum are proving to be a potent and deadly force.

ps [It's awesome great seeing all the comments. And would love to hear more about what is happening in the land of East or underneath the great sea of the south. What are the mighty augurs of Emor up to, how is the druidic council and what events transpire beneath the southern sea?]

[Corwin]

Well, it is not really Tien Chi's or Caelum's fault that during the last 3 of our war neither Helheim not Ulm have fought a single real battle with either me or my ally, as far as I can tell. Instead both Ulm and Helheim have prefered to surrender their provinces without a fight.

In all 3 turns of war the only more or less serious battle I had was with Ulm which happened this turn, and even that was quite disappointing, since most of his troops apparently sneaked away.


Tien Chi generals think that all this is a clever and devious plan by Helheim Empire to appear less powerful than they really are. The main question that is being discussed by the nobles of Tien Chi in the evening saloons is how far Helheim is willing to go in their bid to appear as an underdog?


P.S. Seriously I am not sure why in 3 turns of this great war neither of our adversaries offered any resistance. I can't believe that small Vanheim could possibly tie down the great military of Helheim Empire. The fact that the above military conquered the capital of Vanheim last turn while losing only one heldroit is the further testament that something is not right there.

I am sure Helheim is up to something. I wish I knew for sure what they are planning. But I think I can make a good guess that... <censored>

[Agrajag]

Maltrease said:
What are the mighty augurs of Ermor up to

Not much. My huge research is more because of my playstyle than any misteryous plot, and is probably not spread very well.
Furthermore, looking at the graphs will show you my gem income is abysmal, which is why no matter how hard I reserach, I'm screwed.

Once Tien Chi or Helheim (:P) come to assimilate me, you'll hear of some of the struggles of the mighty empire of Ermor.

[Maltrease]

Times are bleak for our people. Our helherdings used to feel so tough and strong. Then these pegasus knights show up and show us what a true bless is made of.

Hounds bite at our feet. Eagle kings raze our lands.

At least we were scary once... that counts for something right?

[Corwin]

Hmm, indeed this has been a strange war so far. Neither Helheim not Ulm have not offered any resistance so far. Both just keep losing provinces without any fight. Ulm already hardly has any land left, but they have 390 troops stuffed in their castle, no doubt laminating the fate of their empire.


As for Helheim - I haven't seen a single heldrot yet, other than 2 riders that attacked me when Helheim have declared war on me. Where are all these sacred hordes Vanheim and Agartha have been speaking about?



Frankly we are genuinely puzzled by now.

I can think of only three possible explanations for this strange course of events.

1. Either Helheim spend last 5 turns carefully positioning dozens of small raiding squads with sacred heldrots and valkirias over most of the uncastled territory of my or Caelum's Empire, preparing massive operation "Market Garden", (and if it is true, the operation is about to begin any time now), hoping to take back all the land he has lost and much more in one turn, while paralyzing enemy's economy.

2. It is possible that whatever strategic plans Helheium may originally had for this war when they started it were thrown in disarray when Caelum has decided to enter this war. So Helheim had to spend a lot of time adjusting these plans, reshuffling troops and preparing his defenses against Caelum's advance. I've been watching steady movement of Caelum's Mammoths/Eagle Kings army for a while now. I can say that this army is tough like nails and is difficult even for the Helheim's troops to handle.


3. Or Helheim was awfully unprepared for the war when they have started it by attacking me 5 turns ago.

Naturally when I saw glamour raiders destroying my temples next to my capital, 9 or 10 provinces away from the Helheim's border(!), I assumed that there are many similar squads in the area between, preparing to attack my territory, or moving in position to do it. But if those 2 squads were indeed all forces that Helheim had available when they started this war, than I think it was big strategic blunder on their part.


Since I know for sure that Maltrease is a very strong player, I am inclined to believe in explanation number 1 or number 2, or some combination of those.


All of the above is just my guesswork of course.

[Ighalli]

I'm under the impression that the turn timer will be off during the Thanksgiving holiday. If it's not, then I might be screwed. Hopefully, I can find some unsecured wireless for my Dom3 machine so I can see what's going on!

[Maltrease]

As we have stated honestly throughout (although it has been sweetly fun when it was viewed as deception) our small raid on Tien Chi was only to distract and hope to buy Ulm some time.

We feared the power of and variety of magic available to Tien Chi (particularly in the hands of such a skill player). So we desired to aid ULM in his fight. We sent two small raiding parties to Tien Chi to distract and hopefully buy Ulm some time. We were planning to send more but Vanheims assualt had us redirect them.

We had previously had good relations with Caellium even so far as an unofficial friendship and peace and were utterly unprepared for their joining forces with Tien Chi. We have not committed our forces simply because our expensive and skilled troops would be slaughtered by mass thunder strikes from his powerful eagle kings.

Our generals made a grave miscalculation in assuming Caelium would remain neutral in our conflicts. We have been trying to come up with means to counter Caelium and had some ideas... but they would be annihilated by Tien Chi's blessed hounds and large forces of blessed Pegasus knights.


We are certainly not dead yet and have a large and powerful force of hidden glamoured troops but we simply do not have the ability to effectively confront our adversaries with them.

I know it easy to take an apathetic view of wars in distant lands. We were counting on this effect when we awoke Tien Chi's wrath and vastly underestimated the results he would achieve in his call to arms (mainly Caelum).

However, if any of you Eastern nations want a shot at winning this game we need your aid. Unless we can fight back the power of Sky Che will quickly consume us and rapidly consume us and move eastward. Despite our desire to "look less powerful" the graphs don't lie. Hordes of powerful sacred demons, pegasus knights and mages are coming... whats in your wallet?

We NEED access to counter measures that currently are not available to us. If you want to see this game continue we need your aid now. Please drop me a PM if you are willing to help.