Many Leaders Game 8 - Fall From Heaven

Starts off with a history of the wealthiest nations. As accrued wealth is not that great a goal for my people, we aren't that miffed by the account and let the historian live.


My people are demanding that I destroy the Pyre of the Seraphic. I'll be dusting off some old Tomes to try and find out what the heck that is.


It seems that philosophy is really taking off in Cevedes. I've decided not to take any sides.


Ahh, third opponent, and the Elohim none the less. Remind me to ask them if they know where the Pyre of the Seraphic lies.


A wasting disease has struck the Capital! Luckily disaster was averted as the court adept was proficient in Body magic.


Thessolonica has been born in Cevedes! He has constructed an academy so that his tradition can be passed on to future generations.


We have since learned Knowledge of Ether (forgot to save the screen shot), and have now learned the art of Agriculture.

Here is a clean look at my lands. I am planning a second city two tiles directly below the 2cd gems, as I want it to be a production city and there are a lot of hills. I have most of my troops fog busting as the last thing I want is serious barbarian trouble.


Here is a view of my Capital. The settler will come out in the next 50 turns, as will a worker and an Adept, so Cevedes will really hit it's stride in a bit. So far so good.


Besides churning out beakers my lands aren't good for much.

Another Greatest Work to start off a turn set! Amurite holdings are the smallest in the world.


Lucian has been killed! Who is he again?

Udanarat has been founded. Big things are in store for this city.


The Barbarian King, Orthus, has been sighted. Luckily no where near my lands.


Education is in the bag, now it's on to a religion to get that level 3 tiered fighter and all the other good perks that go with being religious. Overlords is the religion of choice, since we need fishing anyway and walking on water could prove advantageous in a war.


Suffered through two turns of anarchy to switch to apprenticeship and agriculture.


Exploration has been discovered, and fishing will be next.


A local Duke has given his wealth to the government, and a shrine has been constructed in his honor.


My court adept is staying busy.


Some industrious land has constructed the first world wonder, the Pact of Nilhorn. Here is a look at the top 5 cities. Cevedes is doing well for herself.


With fishing learned it is on to Message from the Deep.


Here is a clean overview of my lands and turn 150.

Here is a look at Cevedes. An adept is on the way, and he will be busy. The worker has already done all he could to improve the country side, and so it Will be up to our adept to burn through the jungle. He will also act as a scout with his great summon, the Eye. The build order here will most likely be a boat, and warrior, and another settler.


Here is a look at Udenarat. I'm unsure of what building plans this city will have as of yet. Probably some defensive builds.


Here is a look at the Info Screen. We are making some slight progress.

This is much better. Here we see a great work done on the most cultured civilizations, and my Amurites proudly rank 3rd.


Yummy, Fruit of the Yggdrasil has been added to the Amurite diet.


We have commissioned our first Adept. May the great Burn begin!


We spied out the lands east across the impassable mountain range. Un-settled as of yet, with lots of Orc and Goblin hordes.


So we meet the Lanun. As cautious as she is towards myself, I'm that 10 fold. These guys creep me out.


Here is what we could see of her lands to the west. Not as much Orcish activity, nor does it appear to be very rich in resources. There is the all important mana node to consider though.


Decided to take a peak at the Illian holdings. He has a pretty good sized fighting force both in and around Garduk, but no settler to note. At this point I will need to tread lightly with him until I get my military on line.


Received word of an eccentric agricultural advisor wanting to grow crops on the roof tops and paint live stock. That kind of thing does not have any place in Amurite society.


Fires are burning nicely and Udenarat has completed work on its palisade. Time to get another worker. Things are looking on the up and up.


Decided to spy out the Luchirp. They are certainly not a threat, with a mere 2 warriors in their city. Luckily for them their workers can put up some semblance of a fight.


The Elohim aren't much better off. It seems that these good guys don't value a military like the Illians do. Interestingly enough they have a settler heading into the eastern valley. I hope they brought their Orc repellent.


I have founded Octopus Overlords in Udenarat! My mystics have already prepared me for its rituals and benefits, of which I must say I am impressed. A little creeped out, sure, but impressed none the less. Now it is time to learn Bronze Working.


Just learned Crafting, continuing to wards Bronze working. I want Bronze Working so that I get a cheaper tier 3 unit, and so that my workers can upgrade the land.


As I still do not feel an urge to build up a military I have opted to build a Temple of the Overlords in Uddenarat. It would be nice to have a priesthood to help grow the religion.

We have learned the secrets of Mining.


Hmm, it appears that Loki has joined us in the land of the living.

An overview of the kingdom at turn 200. Cevedes is entering Military Production mode, with an assault on the Illians in mind. After Bronze Working is discovered I am going to start shooting up the Magic tree looking to get Mages and both Unique Units on line. Edit: I may go after the Great Library first. Also, I am planning another two cities in the southern valley, with one ready to pop in a turn or two as there is a settler already down there.


Have a look at Cevedes.

And now Udenarat.


Here is a peak at the Info Screen. I think we are doing very well for ourselves.


And one last peak at he Illians and the southern valley.

I've never played the orcs before and I'm not sure how to approach playing them. They start with no technologies, which is a bummer but have an early hero, Rantine, available with Bronze Working and a world spell that turns barb units to our cause. I think an early rush on everything moving is called for no after beeling for BW? Magic may mot be called for in this game.

I move he goblin onto the tower and don't really see anything useable (except for the Yggdrasil) down south so move the settler across and found Braduk the Burning.



Rsearch is for Agriculture for the corn and building a warrior. I take advantage of my spiritulality to switch civics to Nationhood.

Interstingly, I can't destroy the ruins as I'm at peace with the barbs, hope this doesn't spawn endless bears.



Very early on, it appears we are in a box canyon with only the sea and the south as exits.

Meet the first of the contenders, a peaceful dwarf. I'll have me some of that later.



I pop a map that shows the Illians just to the south. More fodder for the orcs.



My goblin is killed by a griffon, I hate them

Ethne the White pops around for a cuppa.



She is quite far ahead in score, must have popped a tech or two. Nevermind, it all means more slaughter to come.

The east appears to be blocked off completely by Ethe and Garrim and the west by Auric until open borders are allowed. So I withdraw my orc to a blocking position on our valley.

I research Agriculture and swap civics again. Crafting is selected as our new tech.

I build a worker and start another warrior back at the Burning.

At the end of 50 we look like this...



The plan remains to tech staright to Bronze Working, build Rantine and go on the rampage. Hopefully I can squeeze out a settle next 50.

Strategy

Well in this game my strategy is driven by my desire to have a go at using Hyborem having missed out on playing with him in a fun SG due to my holidays.
Basically I need to

1. Found Ashen Veil
2. Build Infernal Pact
3. Abandon my Empire re-appearing as Hyborem for some fun and games. I will aim for conquest
4. with a sub-aim if possible of AC = 100 at Victory.

What does this mean? Well the key thing is being first to Ashen Veil and not worrying about the size of my empire but simply ensuring I get there first.

So with the creation map script I will

• See if I can block off limited territory and avoid wars
• Focus efforts on research and take it from there.

Priority techs
Phase 1

1. Mysticism (God King)
2. Agriculture
3. Education

Phase 2

1. Mining
2. Sanitation
3. Beeline Ashen Veil

First 50 turns
Well Hyborems Nest was founded in the obvious place.

Farm + Cottages will be the early destiny for this city and once sanitation and mining come in it will be my research power house...
Initial research was set to Mysticism as it would still let me research Agriculture for when it was needed and I really like the extra hammers from God King in this sort of a start where we are quite hammer limited.
Mysticism came in on turn 38 (I am still adjusting to FFH’s slow research pace!)
And we start on Education
Build order was the obvious warrior to size 3 then worker
Once the worker had popped Mysticism let su immediately start on an Elder council (Turn 42) as I am happy with a small Empire and want to concentrate on research.
Now got lucky with my scout picking up:-


Neighbours met
Auric turn 10
Our scout found a 2nd route out of the valley and meets


Garrim Turn 19
Ethne Turn 21

The end position as I only have 1 city. Hopefully the Elder Council will help me push forward in research and I can start expanding soon once I hit size 5.

It looks pretty much the same. Everyone settled in the same spot except for Rex, as Cardith has 3 ring cities and he wanted to grab Yggrasdil with the 3rd ring. Everyone excpet the orcs have chased Mysticism and an Elder Council. We have no need of such refinements.

Wow, this was a pretty boring 50 turns.

I continued farming my land while Education slowly ticked down. A pop up report said I was the 7th most technologically advanced (ouch).

Turn 57: I finished a Warrior and began on a Settler.

Turn 72:
Cottages begin construction and a 2 turn revolt to Apprenticeship and Agriculture civics. I next research Exploration for roads. Afterward, I interrupt my Settler build for another Warrior, because I felt like growing in size again.

The Warrior is built...and thanks to Apprenticeship, starts with Shock I, the promotion that gives +40& Strength vs. Melee units. After Settler, I'm just gonna start cranking these guys out.


I hate these constellation events. What a waste!

Turn 94:

Lets road up this food resource. Begin on Mining, the prerequisite for Bronze Working.

Turn 99:



The current plan is Bronze Working to make my foresty cities Cottagey cities. How many Warriors does it take to take Auric's capitol? We'll find out.

I'm gambling that since Garrim Gyr is in the game, he will beeline Runes of Kilmorph, as Dwarves commonly do. This will be perfect, as he is my intended 2nd war and I will be able to grab the Holy city that I desire. I can't wait to start rolling heads, just to explore more of the map!

Basically still following our initial strategy of max research. Aims this set
Finish Education and cottage the capital
Settle 2nd City
Start work on Knowledge of the Ether as this is a more efficient way for me to clear jungle than Sanitation, particularly when I am beelining Ashen veil.

Report
Start off being rated as OK in advancement terms which feels right as we are eschewing expansion and military for research

No going early for an Elder Council really show its benefits in that with s Scientist and the 2 extra the research time for Education drops dramatically. Additionally with no anarchy and low military I can afford to go Pacifism to accelerate the GS.

This all bring in Education on Turn 75 and its time to cottage the Capital. This will even involve cottaging the hill as I don’t have mining and not enough spare riverside tiles to leave it for a mine.

The next tech was exploration as with a settler being built after the Elder Council the extra happiness from the “Lemons” will be handy.

Rosiers retreat was duly founded 1E of the Lemons as my 2nd city towards the end of my set. This let me pump out a warrior and get to size 6 ready for the settler for the next turnset.
The other advantage of an early Elder Council is this combined with pacifism gives me my Academy at the end of my set, research is now turbocharging.

And here is the state of play on Turn 101

One thing that I have felt in FFH and this game has brought into clear focus for me is the greater efficiency of cottages. Basically
1. Lots of things are slower in the early game
2. Early techs take a long time to research
3. Units and buildings take longer as well – amplified by Slavery coming much later
BUT
If you get cottages up early they don’t take longer to mature, so that by turn 150 in FFH (when the opening finishes) your cottages can be producing a shed load of research if you have beelined them. I will try and show that in the turn 150 report..

Well this set would be where we finish basic infrastructure and research and start the Beeline for Ashen Veil and Infernal Pact.
So we need one more blocking city to claim Tomb of Sucellus.
Rosiers retreat will concentrate on Mage Guild once unlocked and an Adept for Jungle Clearing.
Capital will produce the Settler for our 3rd City + Warriors / workers whilst busily growing its cottages for the Beeline Phase.

On Turn 114 Orthus appears in our domain but luckily is injured fighting a spider and with 2 warriors nearby I am able to take him down. Otherwise he could have caused me grief.. Now I wonder if Hyborem can carry his axe?? At least I know where he is when the time comes...

With Knowledge of the Ether in a key Phase is complete
Rosier’s Retreat goes Mage Guild Adept and research is set for our last 2 filler techs before the Beeline being Mining and Bronze Working. The early cottages are paying off as our research arte is very healthy.

We meet another AI on turn 118


And on turn 137 we start the beeline as Bronze Working comes in (no copper about)


So EOT the end of the quiet pre Hybroem phase is in sight and we should be close to loosing him in the next 50.
Or last Blocker is up. Although it loses the pigs it is in a nice spot and the wooded hil is a gret blocking defender site if the AI gets frisky

As promised here you can see the power of early Elder Council + Cottages as they are now mature and the Academy has turned our capital into a very good early research base.

Economically we are way ahead which means I am guaranteed Ashen Veil which is key to my strategy


My adept will be out fairly soon which will unlock my gems further adding to research.
Looking good.