Scout Bloodhunting Nerf - New Numbers?

Norfleet · #1 April 7th, 2004, 05:44 PM

Scout hunting was apparently nerfed in 2.11, according to the patch notes, as non-blood mages are now worse at hunting for blood slaves.

How much worse? Saber, could you maybe run the numbers again?

Gandalf Parker · #2 April 8th, 2004, 04:21 PM

(bump)
Anyone checked this out yet?

By the way, add --scoredump to your Illwinter icon. Thats a SWEET html it creates. I think I might like it as real numbers more than the moving line thing

Stormbinder · #3 April 8th, 2004, 05:36 PM

Yes, I would liek to know it as well. In both of my current games I am playing blood-capable races (Abyssia and Jotuns) but using scouts for bloodhunting since it is more economical. I would like to know if it is time to change my hunting habbits.

archaeolept · #4 April 8th, 2004, 06:03 PM

I'm guessing they're now half as effective..

so, yah, time to change over to real bloodhunters. Use those scouts for what they were intended - pack mules.

[ April 08, 2004, 17:06: Message edited by: archaeolept ]

#5 April 9th, 2004, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by archaeolept:
I'm guessing they're now half as effective..

After 400 tests : you're right, it is 10% now.
Fortunately the *base* chance for blood mages is still 20% (+20% for each level in blood, I've not tested the SDR).
After 200 hunts with scouts I've got 19 hits and 82 slaves.
After 200 hunts with Blood 1 mages I've got 82 hits and 455 slaves...
Cheers

Norfleet · #6 April 9th, 2004, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sunray_be:
Fortunately the *base* chance for blood mages is still 20% (+20% for each level in blood, I've not tested the SDR).

If the base chance for a blood mage finding blood slaves is 20% per level of blood, does this mean a blood-5 mage, or a blood 3 mage with an SDR, which is supposed to be +2 blood for hunting, will always find blood slaves? How does population of province affect this?

#7 April 9th, 2004, 08:39 PM

Quote:

If the base chance for a blood mage finding blood slaves is 20% per level of blood, does this mean a blood-5 mage, or a blood 3 mage with an SDR, which is supposed to be +2 blood for hunting, will always find blood slaves? How does population of province affect this?

I've not tested up to level 5, but this should be 100% indeed (maybe a small "fumble" chance even for high level mages ?). Do you use 270gp Warlocks to hunt slaves, anyway ?
My tests were based on provinces with 8,000 to 12,000 pop. Slave Hunt in larger provinces or in the capital seems too dangerous (possible unrest burst) and too expensive (gold loss).

In another previous test on a 5,000 pop province I've seen that my hunters were slightly less successful (about -20% slaves). But my test was limited on this point.
Unrest above 50 seems to make slave hunt harder, and much harder above 100.

Cheers

Graeme Dice · #8 April 9th, 2004, 08:57 PM

So, if we go by Saber Cherry's previous numbers, it now takes 8 scouts to be as effective as a single blood 1 mage with a SDR. Looks like that just about evens out the costs for most of the blood mages out there so that they are the most effective hunters.

#9 April 10th, 2004, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Graeme Dice:
So, if we go by Saber Cherry's previous numbers, it now takes 8 scouts to be as effective as a single blood 1 mage with a SDR. Looks like that just about evens out the costs for most of the blood mages out there so that they are the most effective hunters.

Dont forget the unrest effect. 8 scouts should make about 25 unrest points in the province. 1 mage with a rod should make about probably less than 10 points. A big difference if you take the gold loss (and the patrolers' price) into acount.
And the upkeep cost of most blood mages is halved since they are sacred (Warlock Apprentice, Pandemoniacs and Hags are an exception).
Cheers

Stormbinder · #10 April 10th, 2004, 12:01 PM

So let's say you are playing Abyssia and using warlock apprentice (blood2 mage) for bloodhunting. How many mages (with rods) you should have per one 8K-12K province? 1? 2?

Up until now I was using 7-8 scouts per province for bloodhunting (even with blood nations) - that would allow me to have zero tax and close to zero unrest without patrolling. I don'tlike patrolling my blodhunting sites, since it kills a lot of people and patrols cost money to maintain. Is it efficient tactic or do most people patrol their bloodhunting provinces? If so how heavely?