Game 5684

[Maximus Dominus]

The Training of Agents by Kingdom for Turn #1
Ancient Ones = 1
Dark Elven = 3
Deathknights = 2
Elementalist = 1
Free Traders = 3
Giants - 2
Halfling = 4
Lizard Men = 1
Lycans = 6
Red Dragon = 1
TOTAL = 24


The Training of Agents by Kingdom for Turn #2
Ancient Ones = 1
Dark Elven = 2
Halfling = 5
Lycans = 4
Lizard Men = 3
Giants = 1
TOTAL = 16


The Training of Agents by Kingdom for Turn #3
Ancient Ones = 1
Dark Elven = 1
Halflings = 1
Lizard Men = 2
Lycans = 4
TOTAL = 9


The Training of Agents by Kingdom for Turn #4
Dark Elven = 2
Lycans = 6
Lizard Men = 2
Sorcerer = 1
TOTAL = 11


The Training of Agents by Kingdom for Turn #5
Dark Elven = 4
Deathknights = 2
Giants = 1
Halflings = 1
Lizard Men = 2
Lycans = 8
Red Dragon = 1
TOTAL = 19


Total Training of Agents (minus the Underworld) to date (as of the end of Turn #5):
Ancient Ones = 3
Dark Elven = 12
Deathknights = 4
Elementalist = 1
Free Traders = 3
Giants - 4
Halfling = 11
Lizard Men = 10
Lycans = 28
Red Dragon = 2
Sorcerer = 1
TOTAL = 79

[Maximus Dominus]

The number of postings in this discussion thread for Game 5685, thus far:

Brekk = 3
Jon Deaux = 4
Maximus Dominus = 23
PTRILEY = 8
Rellgar = 2
Ruingurth = 1
Strylian = 3
uncledarkseid = 3
Wookie Panz = 3
PAGE ONE TOTAL = 50

Brekk = 2
Glowamane1 = 1
Jon Deaux = 5
Maximus Dominus = 30
PTRILEY = 3
Rellgar = 3
Strylian = 1
uncledarkseid = 3
Wookie Panz = 2
PAGE TWO TOTAL = 50

Jon Deaux = 5
Maximus Dominus = 17
PTRILEY = 4
Strylian = 3
uncledarkseid = 2
PAGE THREE TOTAL = 31

TOTAL POSTINGS SO FAR PRIOR TO THIS POSTING = 131

TOTAL POSTINGS BY USERNAME SO FAR
Brekk = 5
Glowamane1 = 1
Jon Deaux = 14
Maximus Dominus = 70
PTRILEY = 15
Rellgar = 5
Ruingurth = 1
Strylian = 7
uncledarkseid = 8
Wookie Panz = 5

PLAYERS IN THIS GAME WHO HAVE NOT YET POSTED IN THIS DISCUSSION THREAD:
Strongwill
Windstar
Zarashand

[Maximus Dominus]

On my end, the experience of issuing the array of turn orders for the Underworld for Turn #6 yielded a sense of anticipation that was palpable. By this point into this game, even though I lug a lot of inexperience with me, I'm issuing a LOT more orders per turn, than I was when I first started this game. And that even takes into account an imperfect understanding of Standing Orders when I first started this game, as well as just somehow missing or forgetting a few things along the way.

Doing this Turn #6 set of turn orders saw interesting, and difficult choices as to what to do. Do I improve this, or do I construct that, or do I hire new characters to join my kingdom's Royal Court? All this without even having experienced combat with troops and groups and leaders, yet. The combat portion of the game involves math, and I'm really not enthused, even as this stage of things, to have to subject myself to trying to match numerical wits and trying to figure out how to get the most military bang and effectiveness for the buck.

Oddly enough, I went to try and issue some orders to my wizards, late in the filling out of my turn orders for Turn #6, but I didn't have all of the options that I and earlier in the day. Now, I checked again, just now, I have more options for wizards under the Magic screen. Go figure! For a bit, there, I only had one option for any of my wizards.

One area where I have been dropping the ball, oblivious (or nearly so) the whole time, is in the area of Extra Orders. There's not enough clarity, there. On Turn #1's orders, should I have used an Extra Order to rename my king? I wanted to do that, but I just didn't quite grasp how to do it. I know that renaming your king is allowed but only on Turn #1. I remember clicking on the Extra Order option, but I think that I was looking for it on a couple of the other screens, just sort of at random in a hit and miss approach. It wasn't important enough to me at the time to dwell on it. And because I missed it while looking for it, I think that other newcomers might miss it, also. It wasn't intuitive, when I first started this game of Alamaze.

[Jon Deaux]

Extra orders are for unusual circumstances.  For instance, if you have a wizard in group 1, and use a 701 order to move him to a group 2, but also want to cast a 799 spell to raise a level, you will find the order checker gives you an error.  Thats because the wizard can no longer be found in his original group.  You have to use the extra order to switch the wizards group from 1 to 2.

It's not technically and "extra order" it's more like an alternate order.

The same is true for emissaries that have been captured.  They do not show up on the dropdown menu anymore, but they still might be out there somewhere (I usually just execute hostages), you have to use the extra order option to issue that captured emissary an escape order.

You used to be able to change your kings name without using up an order but I've never done it.

[Maximus Dominus]

Extra orders are for unusual circumstances.

My gut instinct tells me that's not entirely true. Sure, as you outlined in your posting, there may be cases where Extra Orders are for unusual circumstances, such as you then proceeded to outline.

Nothing that I've used the Extra Orders for is unusual, though. Hiring Figures (characters), Improving Popcenters, and Constructing Buildings aren't things that I would consider to be unusual circumstances.

Over the span of a half dozen turns, I have come to grasp and realize that the Extra Order button is a tool that newcomers to Alamaze should not be dismissive of. It increases one's range of options, considerably. When I first started playing, though, it was more like something that was sort of "just there." At first, some things that I wanted to do, I couldn't - because I didn't have enough order slots in particular areas. Something about the layout of Alamaze Online Order System interface just didn't click in my brain. The Extra Order button is far, far more than just a mere afterthought, though. It's a real game changer, in my considered opinion, as far as how a player perceives their kingdom's true possibilities.

The Extra Order button may, in fact, be the single most important part of the game interface.

On Page #214 of the 4th Cycle rulebook, there's a chart that says that the Influence Cost to hire an Agent is 0.1 - and if you're playing the Underworld kingdom, like I am in this game, that's a very relevant consideration. So, at some point in the past half dozen turns of this game, it dawned on me that for just one point of my king's influence, I could hire as many as 10 new agents.

Not that one may want to hire that many new agents in a single turn, mind you, but having just this past turn used the #994 - Set Global Agent Training Cost order to lower the price of training new agents to 2,000 gold, and with only the Underworld kingdom being able to use that order and set the price of training agents, and with the Underworld receiving a discount on how much it costs for this kingdom to hire its own agents (as a kingdom-specific advantage), that Extra Order button is eye-opening, when one finally realizes what all is possible by using it. It is so valuable an option that I would even go so far as to describe it as, arguably, the single most important button on the entire game interface. In conjunction with the #501 – Rapid Agent Training order (which only the Underworld kingdom can issue, as it is a kingdom-specific order), the Extra Order button is a real eye-opener. Together, they transform the Underworld player into Neo from the Matrix, sort of, kind of (where agents are concerned).

So when you say that Extra Orders are for unusual circumstances, I really have my doubts about that, Jon Deaux.

[Maximus Dominus]

Math isn't my favorite things to expend time, energy, and effort on, but feel free to tag along as I try to do undertake a little basic math, Alamaze-style.

Now, let's see, I'm the Underworld kingdom player, and as of Turn #5, my king's influence is currently 18.00

But the Per Turn Command Limit actually means that I can issue more than 18 orders.

Per Turn Command Limit. The limit on the number of orders that a kingdom may issue per turn is determined by the kingdom’s influence plus two (2) in most cases. So, a ruler with a 12 influence may issue up to 14 commands per turn. This may vary with certain kingdoms or game variants. Unused commands do not carry over to the next turn.

SOURCE: Page #21 of the 4th Cycle Rulebook.


Which, for the Underworld kingdom, that's +3, which means that I can actually issue 21 orders per turn, at present.

So, if I really wanted to, I could hire as many as 21 new agents or fanatics per turn, now - and we're just now heading into Turn #6. Nice! And then there's the message that appeared on my turn results for Turn #5.

Training Cost    The Underworld has announced a change in the cost of training agents.
                            Until further notice, the cost of training an agent is now 2,000 gold.
                            Based upon our kingdom traits which may affect the price, our agent
                            training cost is 1,000 gold.


Thus, if I were to spend 21,000 gold in one turn, my kingdom could gain 21 new agents (or fanatics, depending upon my personal preference) on the following turn. And even at this early stage of the game, 21,000 gold isn't a real deal breaker, is it? Of course, it would make more sense to hire 20, rather than 21, and use that other order to raise my king's influence, once again. Right?

Or am I not seeing the big picture, here?

Granted, there's lots of choices all vying for my attention, but all things considered, you scatter the order slots around, doing a bit of this and a bit of that, yet all the while playing to your particular kingdom's inherent advantages. Right?

Again, let's head back to the rulebook, though.

#501 – Rapid Agent Training (Underworld only)

Underworld agents may undergo an intensive training regimen and immediately advance to level 4 (from levels 1-3). This specialized training will advance any lower-leveled agent
to level 4.

SOURCE: Page #214 of the 4th Cycle Rulebook.


Rapid Agent Training (Order #501, 6,000 gold).
Underworld agents may undergo an intensive training regimen and immediately advance to level 4 (from levels 1-3). This specialized training will advance any lower-leveled agent to level 4.

SOURCE: Page #176 of the 4th Cycle Rulebook.


It's not about hiring or having a particular, set number of agents or fanatics at my command. Rather, it's about playing to your kingdom's advantages. Right? For a total cost of 35,000 gold spread across two turns, my Underworld kingdom can gain five new agents weighing in at Level 4, each. 6,000 x 5 = 30,000 gold, and 1,000 x 5 = 5,000 gold. Rinse, cycle, repeat. Feel free to correct me, if my math is wrong.

But here's the monkey wrench tossed into the whole ball of wax. It requires high level agents for the Underworld's agents (or any kingdom's agents, really) to become transformed into real terrors fit to be feared. Right?

That concludes this math class.

[Maximus Dominus]

QUESTION: A snippet of text appeared in my last set of turn results. Is this standard fare stuff, or does it indicate that another player is seeking to prevent my emissary from carrying out their mission successfully? Here's the line of text in question.

I am ashamed to report that my plans were leaked by a conservative infiltrator, resulting in failure to move the people to join our kingdom.

[Jon Deaux]

The "Extra Orders" button does not grant you extra orders, like I said they are technically not extra.  In the case you mention, if you went the kingdoms tab and issued five 600 orders you would have used all the space provided.  Pressing the "Extra Orders" button simply gives you more space to create a 6th, 7th, etc... 600 order, it's not a free order.  Still counts towards your limit for the turn.

[Maximus Dominus]

The "Extra Orders" button does not grant you extra orders, like I said they are technically not extra.  In the case you mention, if you went the kingdoms tab and issued five 600 orders you would have used all the space provided.  Pressing the "Extra Orders" button simply gives you more space to create a 6th, 7th, etc... 600 order, it's not a free order.  Still counts towards your limit for the turn.

I never implied, otherwise.

How people perceive a game interface and its various offerings makes a big difference in how they perceive a game and its possibilities.

[Jon Deaux]

Also, the rate limiting factor on how many Agents will be useful is the order limit.  I think you will find if you hire 20 agents, most of them will never be used.  It is always good to have maybe half a dozen more than you think you might need on standing order to train, to fill in for loses.  In fact, you should probably have every possible standing order used on training agents.  20 might be OK, more than that is probably pushing the useful limit.

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AN - HA  well, I one of us is having trouble with directions, my Baron got lost.  Can you just relay the location?

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AN - DK  You might play host to one of my Emissaries next turn, pay him no mind he is passing through.