OB07 - The First Shall Be Last

[Conroe]

I've only played a couple of turns. I don't really have a comfortable feeling about our plan. I've never played Hyborem before, but it seems that a map with only 1 evil civ isn't the best scenario.

I left research on Optics (31 turns remaining) and left Dis on the Ritualist loop. I'm not sure how effective these Ritualist will be given the "unholy taint" promotion that they start with (ie -25% strength). Or is the divine spells the reason we want them? Not sure about that either, since the ring of flames spell caps out at 40% damage. I can see having several Ritualists on hand, but wouldn't we be better served by disease corpses (once cured)?

I gated our troops to the chokepoint city in preparation for declaring on Thessa. But on the eve of war, an interesting turn of events ... as the war horns would sound ...

Time for a team decision! With Cardith declaring on Einon, do we still want to take on Thessa? Or wait for Einon to move his troops around and open up a second front instead?

I'm kind of inclined to go ahead and attack Thessa, but raze any cities that we come across for the Manes. Once we're a bit stronger would be the time to open up a second front on Einon. I'd think his cites would be keepers ...

 

[Jet]

Thanks, Cardith. I think that's all the more reason to attack Thessa. She's still in WHEOOHRN, still fighting Rhoanna I hope.

I think Ritualists will be useful mainly for Ring of Flames and Medic II, but also for mop-up with Command. After we have several, we'll see what we need overall.

I suggest we keep cities of some minimum size, maybe 5, and those that are placed to hold land and block AIs.

 

[Ozbenno]

How odd. Hopefully someone gets a big beat down over that.

I agree, keep on Thessa, larger cities will be good for keeping. We can come back to Einon later.

 

[Conroe]

Thanks for the input! I continue the set by declaring on Thessa ...

Our troops march up to the city gates of Oriel, a city we once knew well. Our Ritualists bring down a Ring of Flames in anticipation of a counter-attack. And it comes in the form of lightning. Thessa's Mage calls forth a Maelstrom on our brave soldiers. As the lightning lit up the night sky, another force is spied marching on the city of Oriel.

We meet Rhoanna, who remains at war with Thessa. Given that Hippus troops are this far behind Thessa's lines does not bode well for the Ljosalfar civilization. But on this day, that is not our concern. Our Ritualists reign down another Ring of Flames. Our CRIII Champions then charge the city gates to lay down the red carpet for our hero Hyborem to enter the city. And enter he does ...

Our troops then turn south and head towards the coast. Sadly, we would soon discover that Rhoanna has beaten us to that city.

At this point, our forces will split up. Hyborem, accompanied by a couple of arcane units, will head south in search of Manes and Workers. Meanwhile, the bulk of our forces will march northwards in the hopes that the city of Eodd is still in Ljosalfar hands.

Hyborem would arrive at the gates of Achill slightly ahead of the Hippus stack. Unfortunately, the Hippus troops were close enough such that a Ring of Flames would cause war. The city would be set ablaze anyway. We would capture another Worker, but sadly ... no Manes.

Meanwhile, an emissary of Sandalphon comes calling asking us to join him and Einon in their battle with Cardith. A rather odd request, considering that Sandy is a vassal of Einon. I don't think I've ever seen a request like this from a vassal ...

On the northern front, our troops would arrive at the elven city of Eodd. Our Ritualist would lay down a Ring of Flames as Thessa would attempt to send reinforcements to the city. One of our newly trained Ritualists would fall victim to a Fawn ... the first casualty of the campaign. Interestingly ... no Mane. I was under the impression that the deaths of evil troops would generate Manes. I guess our own don't count (to prevent abuse). Oh well ... Thessa's attempts would be in vane, as our Axemen charged the city gates. Our Command promoted Ritualists would then enter the city and claim it in the name of Hyborem!

The city of Spilan, having earlier completed its Hunting Lodge, completes training of a Hawk. The bird is immediately dispatched to Eodd to survey the Ljosalfar lands. And from the looks of things, the Hippus war does not go well for Thessa. It appears she has lost both her capital and her HE city to the hordes of Hippus Champions.

With this knowledge, our forces pause for some healing whilst Hyborem and company would rejoin our main force. Then everyone would resume a march north. It would become a race between us and the Hippus Champions to see who would get to own the remaining Ljosalfar cities.

Hyborem would take a Ritualist and go after the fishing village of Idul. At size 7 and being in possession of a fire node, the city was probably a keeper.

But, no ... I wanted some Manes. I just don't see how we're going to win with a size 7 capital. So I razed Idul and we picked up 4 Manes for Dis.

Einon would finally come calling, asking us to join him in his crusade. Like his vassal before, he was turned away. Next to show up would be Cardith. This would be a tempting one to accept. But considering the race with Rhoanna to claim land, Cardith would also be declined.

Eventually, our forces would arrive at the gates of Myrean. A cottage filled city that served our former selves well. Our Ritualists would light a Ring of Flames around the city. The battle would begin in earnest at dawn ... before the arrival of Hyborem, but also before the arrival of the Hippus forces.

At the next light, our Imps would rust the elven weapons as our Ritualists laid down another Ring of Flames. Hyborem would arrive, but alas not in time to participate in the attack (ie no movement). Our Champions would charge the city gates, followed by our CR Axemen, and lastly the Diseased Corpses. Thessa's Champions would fall ... one after the other ... But as each of her Champions fell, it was quickly replaced by another. As dusk approached, one of our Ritualists would charge. And we would have our second casualty. The next day would be a new chance to fight ...

With the Hippus forces closing in on Myrean, we could no longer use our Ring of Fire abilities without declaring on Rhoanna. This was especially troublesome, given that Thessa had sent reinforcements during the IBT. Our Imps would rust the defender's weapons ... Our CRIII promoted units would be able to take on the city's healthy reinforcements, followed by the Diseased Corpses. Eventually the city would be defended only by Tigers. Our Ritualists were then called upon to battle the Tigers. And finally, the city was down to its last Tiger ...

That would happen on the last turn of the set. Our empire has expanded quite a bit in the last few turns. And we now have four size 11 cities. I used the war loot to fuel our research at 100%. We are showing 4 turns remaining on Optics. But that is an illusion, as we don't have 4 turns of funds without taking another city. We are cash flow positive at 0%. Maybe a civics swap is in order? Completing Optics in about 10 turns would probably be more realistic.

The save is attached ...

 

[Ozbenno]

Very nice progress Conroe.

Any trades available with Rhoanna? Do we continue the beat down on our previous selves or start looking towards Einon.

Once we get Optics, we should look towards Mal Designs (Priesthood and Righeousness). If we get peace, maybe we can pick one up as a freebie.

Imhotep is UP

 

[Conroe]

A couple of points that I forgot to mention in my report ...

It seems that our evil ally may finally be getting ready for battle! We should start receiving Manes should he start losing troops in battle, correct?

Also, early on in our war, I was able to promote Hyborem to blitz ...

Any trades available with Rhoanna?

IIRC she, like everyone else, doesn't like us well enough to trade. Which really doesn't matter all that much as we are so technologically backwards that we have nothing to trade with!

Do we continue the beat down on our previous selves or start looking towards Einon.

If we don't finish off Thessa, I think Rhoanna surely will ...

 

[Ozbenno]

Blitz is good. If we can get a mobility promotion, Hyborem can get up to 3 attacks per turn. We can go razing the last of Thessa's cities.

If we can get the AC counter up the horsemen and blight will appear, which will not affect us at all, just the AI.

 

[Jet]

Consider researching Currency next. We can abuse Consumption with Spiritual. I have a feeling we won't win Mardero. That leaves the world spell, Eidolons, and Beasts built from non-regrowable pop.

About Manes, with City States and without Guilds, 6 pop in a captured city is better than +2-3 pop in the capital.

 

[Jet]

More comments.
* Much of the rise in the AC so far has, I think, been due to units built with the Prophecy of Ragnarok, in Fjirgard.
* An idea to consider is spreading AV to Rhoanna's cities for a conversion. It would surely take a concerted effort, no buildings. But we shouldn't really be building buildings anyway, except maybe some temples.

 

[Ozbenno]

Thinking a bit more about the AC counter, one problem is that the horsemen will probably land on Barb island. Still would be good to raise it though.

 

[·Imhotep·]

I see it. I'm going to play today (which is Friday) .

 

[Ozbenno]

Excellent. I'll have time over the weekend to continue.

 

[Conroe]

We can abuse Consumption with Spiritual.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but ... How do you abuse Consumption?

 

[Jet]

Switch to 0% and Consumption, switch to 100% and something else, switch back to 0% and Consumption, etc.

 

[Ozbenno]

Just remember that you have to wait a longer time between civics changes in FfH (10 possibly 15 turns). So we have to make sure we have enough cash to run at 100% for those turns before switching.

 

[Diamondeye]

Lurker: Civics changes have a wait of 10 turns on normal speed in FfH II.

 

[Jet]

To be fair, it's not that much better than just running Consumption, since you only get the benefit of the other civic half the time, and right now the other civic for us would be Nationhood, which ideally we'd be running full time. It works better if you can swap into Scholarship at 100%.

 

[·Imhotep·]

Okay, I played 3 turns. We need another team decision.

We meet the Khazad...

...and the Calabim...

The Horsemen appear...

I swap Deception for Math with the Khazad...

Stephanos spawns right next to Rhoanna's newly aquired cities...

Bradeline's Well is in the game...

Stupid Thessa has enough of war and vassalizes to Rhoanna. We have a golden opportunity: Rhoanna's main army is right next to our city with all our offensive forces in it, meaning we can cast Ring of Fire and destroy it easily if we declare.

The question is, shall we declare?

Imhotep

 

[Ozbenno]

I not sure to be honest. We have to deal with her eventually and getting rid of those CR3 champions seems a good bet but war on two fronts (Thessa and Rhoanna) might be tricky. Slightly siding towards yes I suppose but if Einon is still at war we could head back there.

Are we at peace with Stephanos (we have the barbarian trait)? If so, then Thessa becomes a better bet as she will be busy with him as well.

 

[·Imhotep·]

Yes, we are at peace with the Barbs, including the Horsemen.