DMI IX - The Vampire Lord and the Tower of Mastery (FfH2)

[rumbold]

Well played in a tight situation. If we lose this one, I'll try to setup a revenge SG - after all our starting spot was subprime. If there is not enough interest, DMI X will sport a very interesting Vanilla BtS variant...

I'm pretty sure there'll be plenty of interest. Never played an SG before, but love lurking in them and know I would love to pop my SG cherry on a FFH game (esp since I haven't played vanilla since Shadow came out). And I don't even want to try to get in on Perp/Chaos SG. Seems too crazy for me.

 

[Monkeyfinger]

Middle of the round strategy question.

I can talk peace with Perpentach.

Should I do it? Freeing up our army for a certain uber-barbarian unit bearing down on our holy shrine city might be a good move.

 

[Monkeyfinger]

Meh, went ahead and did it.

Don't have it in me to do my usual picture filled breakdowns, this one will be quicker and dirtier.

On the eastern war front, Duin, Losha, and Gibbon, backed by vampires, took 3 Balseraph cities. I gave back one of them (Corel) in return for peace. Shortly afterwards, I re-opened borders with Perpentach. Remember, since we are following council of esus, we can declare war on Perpentach without getting our guys kicked out of his territory. Position our troops wisely when we re-declare.

During this fighting Losha died. Twice. But that's the fun part. She's immortal and hence doesn't have to be babied like most heroes.

On the southern front, I was expecting a rider attack, so I sent a vampire down there and had him spam summon skeleton every turn. None of the existing riders ever moved out like I thought they would. Ars, the fourth rider, however, spawned, and made a run at the city I fortified with skeletons. And hot damn, I beat him. What I did was keep summoning skeleton reinforcements and let him attack over and over until the RNG gave him a bad time of things, and he actually got hurt bad. Then I mobbed him with all the skeletons till he died. Come back when you have blitz, Ars.

While that was going on, someone I've never seen before showed up.

\

He was a kitten compared to Ars Moriendi. Less strength, and the vampires could actually attack him.

Also the AC caused some sects of flies to spawn in our lands but that was after I made peace with Perpentach so they were jokes and Einherjar summons ate them alive.

We still don't have Stephanos's captured city back, but the riders are pinned in it.

I also wrangled a peace accord out of Hyborem after killing a stack he sent. We are still at war with Mahala, however.

---------------------------------------------

Economically, I used slave rushing to build gambling houses in many of our cities to combat unhappiness. They worked great. Tech path was malevolent designs, taxation, sanitation. Revolted to republic. The best vampires were upgraded to Eidolons. Another was upgraded to Brujah. We have one Brujah, and the limit of 3 Eidolons. All are on the Balseraph border. Prespur has a bear totem, so either build more Brujahs there or send vampires to be upgraded.

I farmed over a couple towns and chain irrigated to Prespur. The place is actually growing again, hooray.

We have a new life node from conquered balseraph territory, and 3 new adepts, all of whom know sanctify. They are keeping hell terrain under wraps.

That should about cover things.

 

[Ralph_Jackson]

Truly excellent work Monkeyfinger!!

Ralph

 

[·Imhotep·]

@Monkeyfinger:

I bow my head in awe to acknowledge one of the greatest turnsets I've seen in one of my SGs. I seldom had an SG where the team was in such a tight spot, but from what I can gather in your report you really made it look easy. Kudos to you, excellent work ! Now a save would be handy .

The Roster

Imhotep >> ON DECK and eager to get the game back
Ozbenno -- on business trip
reverend_oats -- ran into the herolds of armaggedon
Ralph Jackson -- vampire adept
Monkeyfinger >> JUST PLAYED a truly vampiric and therefore excellent turnset
pholkhero >> UP NOW for more blood sucking

 

[Monkeyfinger]

One last thing

 

[reverend oats]

Wow, great job dealing with the riders and the big ape. Poor Hyborem, 38 pop and only coast to work...

 

[Ozbenno]

Good to see we are still afloat. I think we just have to worry about Perp winning a religious victory, otherwise things aren't so hot but no AI is going to win.

 

[pholkhero]

got it and can play/report tomorrow.

 

[pholkhero]

posting a full report soon.

it wasn't a pretty set.

 

[pholkhero]

Turn 00/368: just summoned a skeleton.

This game sure has changed since I had it last, and I think I find myself hopelessly lost. Well, hopefully, I won’t screw up too badly (ed. note: YOU decide if I did )

Turn 01/369: Undercouncil vote:

I like that idea: set-up smuggling ring ~ I said yes. I also had our few acolytes (? I think?) casting Sanctify on that hell land. I’m guessing that’s a result of the Armageddon Counter, no? There’s so much I don’t understand.

Anyway, I also summoned a fire elemental just to see what would happen. I noticed he disappeared a few turns later. That’s still a neat little feature.

Turn 02/370: The vote passed

Turn 03/371: More Sanctifying: I’m trying to keep each unit in it’s own little radius just in case it comes back. (Note: at the time, I didn’t know it keeps coming back.)

Turn 04/372: Sheelba came by with this trade:

I got her to this one instead:

Midgar: Gov’s Mansion > Lighthouse for the food

Turn 05/373:

Engineering > Blasting Powder. I chose this mainly for the +1 hammer to our mines. The tech tree paralyzes me w/its vastness. This seemed practical, so . .

Turn 06/374: More and more hell territory!!

Turn 07/375: Belarchus, a GM is born

He’ll bulb part of Mercantilism or maybe we should merge him??

Also, what about our special power: Power of Blood?? If we’re losing, why not use it??

And it seems we need an army if we’re going to be attacking anyone, but maybe I’m wrong.

Turn 08/376: And disaster strikes.

Stephanos and Buboes moved out, grabbing a worker. I whipped a bloodpet, but the situation there is NOT GOOD. I’m moving all units west.

Turn 09/377: Brujah in Prugar > Vampire next.
Acaia: Bloodpet > Vampire
Krinera: Bloodpet > BP
Pavunar: BP, too, had to whip at Kentucty, but it seems like the demons are just worker stealing!?!

Turn 10/378: No new deaths on the IT.

Random Event.

Send in the nightwatch was my response.

Turn 11/379: nothing.

Turn 12/380: Gah!

Now what? Even if I had units nearby, the won’t attack. No one I can find has the “rage” spell! Ah crap! Our units are still moving westward.

Sandalphon came by with a trade:

I said yes to this ~

Pavunar: Bloodpet > BP

Do we want OB with everyone? I said why not ~

Our workers are also now trapped west of the demons with no way past them. Oh, and a couple more units went over to serve the Infernal.

Turn 13/381:
Hyborem leans on us:

Was going to strike a tough pose, but figured we couldn’t afford it

Nubia: BP > Alcolyte; Krinera: BP > BP.

And the vote succeeds.

Turn 14/382:

Blasting Powder > Sorcery (??) This, I fear, was weed, but as I said, I’m at a loss on the tech path. We’ve got Gunpowder near Straatus.

Pavunar: BP > BP

Turn 15/383: More Infernal serving (just as we killed the Baron who was converted!!).

Okay, that’s it. I’m not sure *what* exactly there is to do at this point. I just hope I didn’t screw up too badly.

 

[Monkeyfinger]

I was about to rage, but then it hit hit me what a good thing you did: You split the horsemen up.

Yersinia is alone in the city Stephanos originally took. Our Eidolons can rape him like a midget inmate. (Fear doesn't work on them, I just didn't attack with them earlier because you know, 3 of them vs. 3 horsemen) The other ones might be harder to crack, but we can probably do it. At least it's possible now, because instead of having 3 fresh horsemen to fight, it's 2 injured ones.

We do need to replace those workers though.

Wait, what's this about Baron converting?

 

[Ozbenno]

The plot thickens...

Can I swap with the reverend? I'm tied up with RL tonight and tomorrow but would be able to play over the weekend.

 

[pholkhero]

yes, the Baron was turned to serve the Infernal. He is now dead.

They ARE injured, for sure, and our army is on the way west.

 

[reverend oats]

Sure, Ozbenno.

 

[reverend oats]

Immy, are you out there?

 

[·Imhotep·]

Err...didn't realize I was up. Got it...

 

[·Imhotep·]

Hello fellow Vampires,

this is Jim Hughson and you are watching Feasting Extreme Live 2008. Today we have an interesting match setup. It's our local heroes, the Vampires, vs. the Badass Barbarian Uber-Units. The BBUU have their three stars Buboes, Stephanos and Yersinia on the field and they have scored well so far. But now the Vampire Coach is sending his best player against them: It's an Eidolon who is nick-named "King of Slaughter" by the fans. All love him, and now we have standing ovations as he enters the field.

Buboes is standing right at the mark where he has scored before, an impressive image and a hell of a player (in the true meaing of the word). But that doesn't bother the King of Slaughter - he tackles and...

...SCOOOORES !!!

The King of Slaughter takes some healing, but next turn he is ready again. Now Stephanos is in his way, but there comes another proof of fresh fury...

SCOOORE !!!

The fans are raging and chanting frantically. This is all to their taste !

The Vampires 2 - Badass Barbarian Uner-Units 0

Now Perpentach wants to get an exclusive view at the show and asks for Sandalphon to be thrown out of the stadium. And so it happens...

Meanwhile the King of Slaughter is an absolute bloodlust and sends the crowd into a frenzy. Fully healed Yersinia is all that is now between him and the goal. He charges...and...

...SCOOOORES !!!

Now Sheelba wants to sell some peanuts, but the fans are not interested. It's 3 nothing now !

And the Smuggler's have their fun too...

Commercial break:

Tired of walking on fields of perdition ? You reach the battlefield absolutely worn out and powerless ? Ever wanted shiny new wheels like your neighbor ? We have the solution ! Vampire Warhorses, and you'll enjoy a whole new battle feeling !

Please stay on this channel, we're back to the 2nd half soon...

 

[·Imhotep·]

Welcome back all ! With greetings from Mary Morbus we're heading into the 2nd half.

Now the king of Slaughter has killed all 3 of his powerful opponents - but he is searching for more helpless prey. And he found one !

This guy may be big, but the bigger they are - the harder they fall...

SCOOOOOOORE !!!

The Vampires 4 - Badass Barbarian Uber-Units 0

Alas one of the fellows of the King of Slaughter is heading to the grave room and not returning. Poor guy.

Yet still we see a miraculous perfomance of the Vampires today...

The team is in great shape.

The game is over with a blowout victory for the Vampires. 'Till next game, take care !

 

[·Imhotep·]

OOC stuff:

We killed all Riders and Acheron using our uber-Eidolon (currently at 93 XP). Losha needs a living unit again so he can regain his Immortal promotion. We picked up the Dragon's hoard, a unit is on the way to Straatus to it. Deliver it there using the "Drop Dragon's Hoard" spell.

Tech-wise I went for Warhorses after Sorcery and now we're researching Arcane Lore. Our capital is building a Hippodrome for those shiny War Chariots. We should head for Strength of Will and Archmages ASAP.

After all the situation gets better and better. I'm optimistic. Once we get an army going we might still kick a$$.

A note on Hell Terrain: Hell Terrain will come back after sanctifying only if there are burning sand tiles (which are deserts) left. Cast spring on them, and the problem is solved. We may want another city near the Pool of Tears.

Imhotep

The Roster

Imhotep >> JUST PLAYED and whacked the BBUU
Ozbenno >> UP NOW for builder turns
reverend_oats >> ON DECK for some fun (Maybe)
Ralph Jackson -- vampire adept
Monkeyfinger -- showed a truly vampiric and therefore excellent turnset
pholkhero -- didn't screw things