FfH2-05 : Warriors for Hire

Game info:

FfH2 version 0.13
Monarch difficulty
Balanced, Standard map with 7 civs (definitely including Luchuirp and Kuriotates)
Aggressive AI, quick speed

FfH team members playing:
Chalid
wilboman
loki
myself
???
???

A lovely day in the open plains to found a new city in a new land where people can always use a strong arm for hire. As scribe to the lovely Rhoanna, ruler of the Hippus, I count myself blessed to be in her presence daily. Scouts ventured ahead and relayed this map to milady



Here Rhoanna directed our settler to found Artheriol-ta-Mealthiel and immediately began construction of a Training Yard to enhance our troops later on. Milady started our sages on the path to Ancient Chants in hope to acquire Education later so that we could construct cottages to fill our coffers with precious gold.

Incredible news within 2 years of settling that our scout unearthed the secrets of Ancient Chants from a tribal village. Our sages scoured over the tombs and started upon Education.

News of our magnificent lady soon spread around the land and an emissary was sent from the Ljosalfar representing Arendel Phaedra.



She will require our services later on I am sure. More joyous news as our warrior recovered the knowledge of Mysticism from another tribal village. We sent him further from our city so switched construction to another warrior from the training yard for defense, not that anyone would dare attack milady.

Another potential client paid her respects, the lady Ethne the White.



Our first warrior from Altheriol-ta-Mealthiel was completed and we switched to a settler as we have found fertile grounds to the south rice with wine. Milady loves a drink or two...Over a glass of imported wine we learn the great news that our sages have completed Education and with it learned the secrets of Writing as well!



We begin researching Animal Husbandry in the hopes of teaching our scouts how to capture and train wild animals. And speaking of scouts we learned fearsome news that our scout discovered a hideous Giant Spider while exploring the lands.



Through his great training and superior use of terrain he was barely victorious and needed much rest to recover. While in celebration of the news of this victory another caller came upon milady, Cardith Lorda of the Kuriotates.



As I begin to feel my age I realize it's time for someone else to scribe for Rhoanna. She is on the path to greatness and I hope my successor can capture that journey well.

(edit - Image Shack not working at the moment for screenie 7)

Our lands in year 25.

Meh, I was about to suggest I take a round now, but I still only have the in internal 0.13, I just remembered. Will download public version now. Hope the patched version doesn't mess up the savegame.

Right, will take my 20-odd rounds now. Let's see how this goes.

I take up my pen as the Hippus are on the cusp of great things. Finally healed, the scouts set out to explore more of the land for the glory of our Lady and the Kingdom, braving the animals of the wild.

Although wounded in a skirmish with lions, the brave scouting party have succeeded in bringing back important news of a neighbour to the north: the Orc.

They seem rather rude, but at the moment they are satisfied to leave our scouts alone to heal.

While the scouts heal, the sages are making a great breakthrough in the art of animal handling - a breakthrough which makes the southern site even more valuable.

It also means our scouts can soon go lion-hunting in earnest. Her Majesty is most pleased, and in her wisdom decides that we should next concentrate on Exploration, to be followed, perhaps, by Horseback Riding.

A joyous day, as the fine city of Conrond Mor is founded. Surely, its glory will outshine all cities but our capital itself! We immediately set to work on a warrior, to further secure our domination of the region.


A few years later, news reaches us of the discovery of the Wheel through exploration. The queen pauses for a moment, uncertain. Then she makes a brave decision: "Research Horseback Riding," declares. "The whole world shall tremble before our Raiders!"

In the north, our scouts have captured their first animal, but a Giant lurks nearby, and the men are afraid they will never get their trophy home.


In the 20th year of my tenure, things look well. The scouts are once again up to their full strength, the Lion, after playing a dangerous game of Hide-and-Seek with an angry Mountain Giant, is safely within our borders, and the Hippus have built their first worker, who immediately starts connecting a resource of pig to our capital.


Only one problem: in our race to learn the secrets of the horse, we are running a nasty deficit. Unless someone will trade gold for our services soon, we will have to go out and take what is rightfully ours!

Alas, in the year 50, my tenure is at an end. The queen, it seems, is somewhat tired of me. These truly have been eventful years, and the future still looks bright, with Reagents within our borders, food in abundance, and a capital working on an elder council. To whoever takes up my mantle: Good Luck!

So the patched version worked alright?

I'm not sure I ran the patched version, Kael may not have bundled them.

Summer 51
Today the Commander of the Hippus Exploration Corps had a deadly accident. I've no idear how it came that he fell down that cliff into the spiders cave. No i am in control of the Exploration forces.

We located an uprising of orc Clans in the East. Obviosly they work together with some unnatural beasts.


We nearly were not able to retreat.

Winter 58
While we continues scouting the Eastern Borders a new race of horses was bread in the capital. Immediatly the construction of big stables was begun.

Spring 64
Unfortunateley one corps under my command was caputured and killed by an Orc raiding party after hunting down some wolves.


A road to our southern outpost was constructed and the Horses and Cows that lived neaby were tamed.

Spring 70
The construction of the Stables is finished. I ordered my men to be equpped with the new horses.

Fall 70
Meanwhile a scouting party as trapped between to especially bloodthirsty groups of animals.


Spring 71
The Scouting party killed both animal groups agains all losses. I am quite surprised. I think they should get some new horses, too.

Summer 72
An Orc Raiding party cam closeto Corond Mor. Its time to test my new troops.


The battle was glorious. We butchert them like children smashing eggs.

Spring 75
I'll ask Ethenne the White if she is willing to pay for the proctection our Raiders can provide but she turned me down. I feel our troops schould get ready for some action. Two regiments of our raiders are experts at caging animals the third regiment is rather unexperienced. Im sending two off toward an barbarian encampment but my eyes wander to the west where i see the borders of the Elhoim country. A land rich with gold and women....

Summer 75
This seems to be the diary of my predecessor that fool. Did not even hear me come in.

Mmmmm... Wimmin...

Keeping a diary was a good idea. I think I'll do that. That way, future can fully appreciate the full glory of a great cavalry general!

Year 76
The "convincing" of Ethne will have to wait. A problem has just appeared on our borders. A large problem with a big, scary axe. All eyes, look to the east!

On the lighter side of life, my brave horsemen have just captured a Bear. Dancing bears will entertain our warlike people!

Year 78
After racing across the empire, two regiments of raiders finally hunt the barbarian king down.

After a vicious battle, in which a whole regiment went to their forefathers, Orthus' Axe changed hands to a new, more worthy owner. Victory is ours!

Year 79
MERDE! Is there no peace to lay plans? No sooner have we slain the evil Barbarian King, before a dragon settles on our very marches!

What are we to do? Leave him be or destroy him fortwith? Ah, we also made contact with a dwarven people that call themselves the Luichurp, but that is hardly an interesting issue right now.

Year 81
This year, our empire expanded further.

The grand city of Radonnor will secure our eastern marches, providing us with both rice, reagents and more silk.

Year 82
Camping on a small hill near the dragon's city, a couple of raiders prepare to watch the show as some overoptimistic Elohim warriors go head to head with an ancient, scaly menace.

Otherwise, we have located the borders of Lorda's Kuriotates. I wonder how much they love their precious inner cities? Hmm... Particularly now that he has founded the runes of Kilmorph, he will become a rich and dangerous enemy or lucrative and useful "friend" in short order.

Year 84
While Ethne's "Warriors" prance about the dragon like the cowards they are, my Kingslayer has gathered even more animals for the Carnivals. He will surely be richly rewarded one day.

He even just killed a spider that attacked him! Three wild beasts in a year is incredible! If this man becomes more of a hero soon, he will be a threat to me...

Year 87
One of the Bears has been trained to dance, for the entertainment of the brave border city of Radonnor, and the secrets of the Calendar have finally been revealed. Now our lady can USE those lovely regents. Our sages have been ordered to research Hunting more closely.

Year 92
Her ladyship has, in her infinite wisdom, determined that the Kuriotates must be utterly destroyed. I do her bidding gladly.

The first year of the Kuriotates campaign is a huge success! One city has already fallen, and Kuriotates workers will swell the ranks of the Hippus!

Year 94
The raiders are on the outskirts of Kwythellar, with the brave Kingslayer having caught a group of warriors unwisely running about on the plains. Needless to say, they were quickly dispatched.

Prepare to watch your capital BURN, Lorda!

Year 99
We have discovered the secret of wine making. These drops of joy will make a fitting reward for returning conquerors!
After several years of harassing attacks and pillaging the countryside, the stage is set for the fall of Kwythellar. The plan calls for the noble sacrifice of a regiment of horses, currently camped in the forests, in order to weaken a particularly sneaky hunter hiding among the city ruins. But such are the fortunes of war. When this is over, they will be remembered as heroes!


Success! Cardith Lorda's capital has fallen, and it is our Lady's will that it should be levelled to the ground as punishment for its foolish resistance and the senseless slaughter of our brave, brave Raiders.

So let it be written, so let it be done. Kwythellar has ceased to exist.

And so, with the smell of smoke in my nostrils and the thrill in my body of a well-fought campaign, I have no qualms about leaving the reins of the army to a new, younger man, and retiring to the endless plains of my estate... These have been most eventful years indeed, and I can rest assured that I have increased the glory of my Queen and my people greatly!

I followed Wilbomans lead and pressed the attack ont he Kuriotates and took the Runes of Kilmorph holy city. Seeing little value in the rest of their empire I offered them peace.



I went ahead and adopted the Runes as our state religion since we now hold the holy city. Besides, what better religion for a mercenary nation than one based on gold. Even Ethne converted to the rightful worship of the Earthmother and I decided to use this time of peace to do a little internal rebuilding.

First some housekeeping and we razed a barbarian city that had formed along our border.



Then on to adjust our civics to take advantage of our new state religion. While I was in there I also switched us to Agriculture for the health benifit.



Then I noticed Ethne converted away from our shared belief to a religion which is, as far as I can tell, based on dandelions. She had slipped from her first rank position and our tech was lagging so I decided it was a good time to help both of us out with a little trading.



I gathered our nicely promoted Raider army and made a run for Acheron. But once arriving there the troops refused to attack (they shall be locked in our deepest dungeon and forced to listen to Celine Dion music for their disobedience!).

Vowing to one day kill that dragon and take the hoard I started us on a path towards that end. I began researching Knowledge of the Ether intending to produce an adept trained in spirit magic that could cast Courage on our raiders and gain us the city.

Close to the end of my term our researchers finished their work and we got the technology and even revealed a mana node in our lands.



On my final turn I set our main three cities on 3 different branches, one created a mages guild to hopefully make the adept that will allow us to kill the dragon, another towards making a temple so that we can start producing disciples, and the last to making an archery range so we can defend our lands in case on of our neighbors gets to ambicious.

It will be up to my successor to decide where to move our country next.