Game 5129 Comes to an End

[Mad Hatter]

Well, this game ended last week. I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to blow my own horn, but I guess I will since this is my first win and first time playing two kingdoms in the same game. It was definitely challenging, the entire coordinating of resources and trying to understand who was doing what and where. (This game didn't have the advantage of having snapshot, so many of my moves were based on what I perceived as happening.) Here is how it ended:

1 DU Mad Hatter 15,940 24,989
2 BL Mad Hatter 13,420 20,765
3 DA DuPont 10,800 18,774
4 SO Windstar 7,960 15,230
5 PI Ohman the Heartless 8,315 13,990
6 DE DuPont 4,800 11,573
7 RD Ohman the Heartless 3,780 8,968
8 GN Windstar 3,560 5,943

Some random thoughts:

I kept a turn by turn journal which I will condense later and post, but I would be interested to know what some of you were doing. I couldn't figure out the SO/GN game plan, seemed as though they were just playing a guerilla style tactic. And I'd like to know who the heck was stealing gold from Evanon? If I had counter on the city, nothing happened, as soon as I stopped....gold would vanish.

For me, once I took my 4th region (R3) I became paranoid about attacks from other kingdoms. I have to say that in all of the years I've been playing off-and-on, it amazes me how games rarely go the full distance. You would think that every game should be determined by points in the end. The entire time I was moving across the map taking regions I really expected the SO/GN to come north into R1 or the RD/PI to come into R5. I was so wide open to being hit by everyone.

My hats off to DuPont at the end, I couldn't steal the Staff of Disdain or kill anymore of his Princes, although I made several attempts at each. Trying to outmaneuver you in R9 to get the win was mind-boggling....how do you outwit a master of the game? The answer is....You Don't....you rely on luck. But, I'm glad it ended when it did...the resources you were bringing to bare on the final turn would have killed my momentum.

I hope there are no hard feelings in this one. There were times when I was face-to-face with other kingdoms, militarily, and I flew off and didn't attack (and didn't get attacked). I'm not sure if some might view this as a sign of peace between kingdoms or simply not being ready to get into a battle yet.

I learned a ton of things in this game though, especially paying attention to opposing kingdoms strengths (tried to sleep a DE emmy on one occasion).

Anyway, I would like to hear other players comments on this game.

[Draugr]

Congrats on your win Mad. DU/BL is not a normal pairing for sure.

[DuPont]

LOL, that was me stealing gold from Evanon. I like to keep my agents busy and gaining levels but one should not hit the same place all the time! Congrats on your win. This game was rather frustrating because we had an early drop down in the Southeast corner leaving #8 and #10 open. Well, that meant I had to go fill that void but then that made me the #1 target and from then on, I was facing more than one team constantly - quite often three and at one point four. Very much a game of whack-a-mole! And then of course we lost another player up in the north and this gave the DU/BL space to grow. I hoped at that point, some of the other players would then turn their focus on him but it never seemed to happen so I was left trying to fight off a very talented player with one hand while using the other to protect my flank.
It was an absolute blast of a game, though! I loved it because the turns were so action packed with so many fronts. Having to chose where to defend, where to go on the attack and which kingdom to target each turn made it very interesting. I probably should have put more effort into fighting off the DU/BL than dealing with that last minute Pirate attack on #8 but I really did think the GN/SO would take advantage of things and move north - #1 and #2 must have been wide open at that point. But he seemed to be mostly tussling with the RD, so that was that.
I really do love these types of games and I hope to be in another one soon. But contrats to Mad Hatter for a fantastic game!

[Mad Hatter]

Here's my write-up (and I actually trimmed this down from my play-by-play record of events):

Turn 0: Having to reset really sucked. The 2 artifacts (Ring of Spells and Prot.) I had on the first setup were in a direct line from my main BL unit. With the reset the new ones are in R3 and R7. DU will teleport to them (Standard of Valor/Sword of the Sky)

Turn 1: BL covered 32 squares and only found 1 Neutral Town and a PI village; DU Found 1 town and 2 villages. My usual start to a game.

Turn 3/4: Early moves by others, PI took a village in R5, RD/GN took and retook my village in R7. Built Dragons Liar/Druids Cove.

Turn 5/6/7: Finally got both the regions. Am not happy to find the RD Army and Division in the region. PI took my village in R4. Declared them enemies. Took the PI village in Foreboding, plan on giving it to the DU to do Merchant Vessel, that will be 3 Seas doing it. Finding a lot of US’s

Turn 8/9: Good results, got Demon Dagger and Great Bats, setting on an Ex and Fine now. Was surprised that the NE denigrated me in R2, after we spent the 9 turns leaving each other’s pc’s alone. Hopefully he doesn’t have plans.

Turn 10: My mistake as the BL, selecting A1 as an ESO. I thought I just had to HAVE 4 artifacts and not have to GET them myself. Wasted an order trading with the DU to have 4 and the BL is terrible at getting into sites.

Turn 11/12: Got my ESO, took Marshalls. Can’t believe the AN/RA dropped. I’m not sure how that will work out for me. Do I send my BL groups into R8? I could use the towns and villages there….hmmm. 2PI took the DU village I just took in Foreboding and captured my Baron. BL group gained the Stone of All Minds. Facing a DE Army Group in R8. Will try to pull back BL groups to utilize the artifact. Meantime, found another superior site.

Turn 13: Yes, DE/BL fought. DA took R10. It just drives me nuts how the DA/DE have been raising their influence and no one on the HC stops them. I can see the writing on the wall on this one. Thinking about backing out of R8 and just concentrating on keeping my regions.

Turn 14: Looks like I’m fighting the DE/DA alone, but we’ll see. I’d be willing to lay off the PI, but I’m not sure he would reciprocate and I’m not sure how to indicate this to him. Got to wrap my mind around how best to use my DU assets to help the BL.

Turn 15: Wiped out the 3DE, was surprised, as I’ve never played the BL before. Setting against the 1DA and 2PI, will try to escape. Going back to my region with tail between my legs, those regional effect spells are kicking the crap out my morale. The PI and RD are in the region, let them fight it out.

Turn 16: Retreated back to R5 with the BL. Some tactical considerations: I can hit the DE/DA in the regions they already control, but if I weaken the DE or take R6 that will box in the NE/WA, which means a war with someone who’s been setting out all of the events so far. Maybe the DA in R9? Learned a lesson, unless you’re ready to go on the offensive, don’t recruit like crazy. Going to spend the winter using wizards to create food.

Turn 17: DE took R8 again, I fear I’m next. I wish the NE/WA would move into R6. Will try to get away with a Famine or two in R6, R9 and R10. Have to start hurting them (DE/DA).

Turn 18: Made the mistake of stepping out of my region as the BL. Looking at a WA group and DE group. I’m pretty sure I can wipe out the DE group, I could take out the WA group too, but underneath is a RD town and DE town respectively. I could take those too I believe. I don’t want to weaken the DE too much either as I would prefer the DE/DA to tangle with the NE/WA for a bit. The RD….attack his town? I fear he is getting too strong. Will attempt to kill the DE Prince this turn.

Turn 19: Took on the 1DE, we both walked away with scratches. He lost a P2, but gained a ton of Elites. I was able to assassinate one of his DE Princes’ and a Duke. I think I’ll pull back and regroup. I don’t want the DE/DA to get crushed just yet.

Turn 20: Orders, no real time to work on these, will throw something together. Was considering refocusing and hitting the SO, but now that they are denigrating the RD in R7, will the SO finally move on them (RD/PI)? Will have to reconsider R8. The RD takes R10 and WA takes R6.

Turn 21: Finding myself twisting in the wind here. The DE declared me neutral. I know that they are getting hammered by everyone else and I don’t want the DE/DA to go away any time soon. I need them to put a hurting on the NE/WA/RD kingdoms. I wish I could figure out who is stealing from the city, seems to know when I stop counter espionage. MAN!!! I can’t believe I screwed up on this. Kept thinking the whole time that I need to have an elite group to get phoenix’s…but I don’t. Kind of late in the game to realize this.

Turn 22: Wow, what a turn, NE/WA both kicked off HC and NE takes R9. I found the SO cap. What to do? It is so tempting to try to attack it. Want to get the Orb from the town.

Turn 23: Got the Orb. The NE/WA have 4 regions now and I found the NE cap. NE is enamoring the Sands and has 1 town in Arcania now. I’m going to have to consider hitting him in R2. Can’t just hand the game over can I?

Turn 24: R10 just went neutral, can only suspect it was them (NE/WA)….dang will have to move on R2. They’re getting far too powerful (dang wizard kingdoms). That would give them 5 regions. Moving everything I can spare.

Turn 25: Was able to capture L10/L13 agents of the NE/WA. Imagine my surprise when the DE took R3 and DA took R10 and I’m setting on most of everything in R2. I can’t back off now…sorry NE/WA.

Turn 26: Took R2 with the DU. 1NE is at Avalon. Not sure if he’s big enough to take it (61K adj defense), perhaps he’s baiting me. Will continue to press.

Turn 27: Seems as thou the NE/WA dropped. Nothing that I’m looking at of theirs has made an action. Perhaps they just missed the cutoff for order turn it….hmmm

Turn 28: My mistake, thought NE/WA might have dropped since there was no movement last turn. Certainly was this turn….BL cap took 10k of damage. Made the mistake of splitting BL into R6 instead of going with the DU into R3. Will correct that. Did capture the WA king.

Turn 29: Was able to steal Elan and kidnap WA Barron and NE Count. Made WA loose R3. Would love to hit that cap and grab those prisoners. Will probably try to grab the Crown from the town. RD/PI are alive again (took R7/R8). Need to be careful with them, they could hit me from behind. Not sure if my low number of emmies will be a setback for me.

Turn 30: Was surprised I took R3 with the DU. Was sure I might be a village or 2 away. I’m waiting for the DA to come roaring up out the Sands. Winter was rough. Pushing into R6/R9 simultaneously. I have to keep the DE on his heels.

Turn 31: I lucked out and found 2 DE Princes, the third being at his cap at OV with the King. Hopefully he’ll fall for a suspected attack and not do anything with him. In the meantime my agents will try to kill the other 2 and steal the Staff of Disdain. Meanwhile, I’ll dome Gundibar and fly a group there.

Turn 32: Have to stop screwing around chasing every little thing that the DE throws at me (bad habit on my part not wanting to leave anything behind). Took out a DE Prince, missed another one, should have kidnapped his king. I hope I have the problem solved with this next move. Everything into R9.

Turn 33: Those Demon Prince’s…can’t seem to kill them, even with Demon Dagger and Bane. Got his king though.

Turn 34: Was totally shocked to have surprised a DE group and obliterate it. I made a bone head mistake, being in a rush, attacked a DA pc when I should have threatened it….it was domed. I can’t believe my top 3 agents all died. I should have won this game by now, but I miss calculated DU vs BL pc control.

Turn 35: Took a gamble that I’d have enough pc’s in R9 as the BL and declared.