Observations For Possible Improvements

[Lord Garth]

While I'm sure software constraints of the '80s had a lot to do with it, the truth is 10 brigade types was plenty in the 1st and 2nd Cycle. There really wasn't that many brig types back then and nor were they needed as there weren't any Legondaries to overcome.

Today we have companions and so many more recruitable/summonable types and training levels and a higher need for larger armies that many groups are busting. The cap needs to be lifted. Or at the very least put all 4 training levels into 1 brig slot.

[Strongwill]

I agree.. lifted is best though

[Maximus Dominus]

Using things like your finger to move troops etc. 

John

For phone gamers, that's probably a good thing.

For desktop PC gamers, ugh.

[Maximus Dominus]

What an enlightening conversation this has become.  Thank you all for the wonderful input.  I had never heard about Robert and his work as a programmer of Alamaze.  Robert your work has certainly passed the test of time!

I don't think that Robert was an Alamaze programmer. He programmed other PBM game(s), as far as I know. Luty can correct me on this, if I am wrong about it.

[luty]

What an enlightening conversation this has become.  Thank you all for the wonderful input.  I had never heard about Robert and his work as a programmer of Alamaze.  Robert your work has certainly passed the test of time!

I don't think that Robert was an Alamaze programmer. He programmed other PBM game(s), as far as I know. Luty can correct me on this, if I am wrong about it.

I was the developer of "Cluster". I was only theorizing (albeit knowledgeably so) on Alamaze per se.

[uncledarkseid]

Ok, I'll bite. I've been playing Alamaze off and on for 35 years. Was the Westmen in game #33 back in 1988. Whenever there is a request for possible improvements I ask for two things that seem like no brainers:

1) The ability to station leaders and wizards at popcenters, where naturally their bonuses and spells will be used in battles against groups.

and

2) A spell that allows you to teleport emissaries or agents anywhere on the map. If a wizard can teleport an army group than surely they can teleport a single figure.

No brainers.

Agreed

[Frostking]

I am wondering if the combat can be changed a bit. I find battles usually are very one sided. 3 percent damage to 85 percent, this kind of thing. even with an army twice the size (say 100000 vs 50000) its not only not realistic, but counter productive to have one side totally smash the other side. the smaller army should still do 30 percent in damage to the larger army (just to say something).

[Olorin]

The typical losses in pre-gunpowder are 20% for the victors and 40% for the losers, for fairly even combats.

[Strongwill]

Individual troop brigade type strength has a lot to do w it. An army of skeletons against red dragons will be completely destroyed. Even if it’s two to one.. somewhere in the rules it shows many of the brigades strengths in each phase of battle.

Even in the old D&D games the ole lvl 10 warrior could stand all day killing the goblin horde. Just saying.

[Olorin]

Probably not even then. My thought is based on total fighting strength, not numbers per se. That includes training, leadership, terrain, and a number of other factors.

And it depends on how far back in D&D games you are talking about. A couple of good head shots using the Blackmoor hit location tables and the 10th level is in trouble (Yes, I go all the way back to 1974 when I bought my first set of the rules).