TRUE full diplomacy game

[Jon Deaux]

Oh my Giants and Red Dragons right next to each-other in Mythgar and Untamed lands.  That should be interesting.

[Maximus Dominus]

For this game of Alamaze, I decided to take on the role of the Demon Princes player. I started to go with the Dwarves, as it seemed to me to be a kingdom designed with a bit more simplicity to it, but the colorful flair of the text narrative associated with the Demon Princes teased me until I picked that kingdom.

Feel free, one and all, to provide me some tips on how best to play the Demon Princes.

[Strongwill]

For this game of Alamaze, I decided to take on the role of the Demon Princes player. I started to go with the Dwarves, as it seemed to me to be a kingdom designed with a bit more simplicity to it, but the colorful flair of the text narrative associated with the Demon Princes teased me until I picked that kingdom.

Feel free, one and all, to provide me some tips on how best to play the Demon Princes.

That’s a fun kingdom.

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I’ll pick later, let others get in game 1st

[Jon Deaux]

For this game of Alamaze, I decided to take on the role of the Demon Princes player. I started to go with the Dwarves, as it seemed to me to be a kingdom designed with a bit more simplicity to it, but the colorful flair of the text narrative associated with the Demon Princes teased me until I picked that kingdom.

Feel free, one and all, to provide me some tips on how best to play the Demon Princes.

The Demon Princes are pretty versatile.  And they are one of those kingdoms where you can immediately be a nuisance to your neighbor.  The demonic denegration can be used to help ensure your neighbor doesn't politically gain control of his region (you must control 1 PC, so the neighboring region of your starting town is ideal).  Good wizard cost, so you can go that route, and the Princes can also summon skeletons, so if you want an early bunch of armies that, while not overly impressive, can still capture PCs, there is that.

But, if you are like me, you'll not bother your neighbors right away with the Princes.  I usually focus on wizards (take an extra one with kingdom customization and raise all six wizards to level three for hidden ore and fertile fields, then take 3 more wizards with ESO rewards), to get some early production going rather than taking someone else's PCs for extra income.  Since your capitol is hidden, I just go ahead and build there.  Fort, castle etc, and if its on or near the water, a port does wonders to cap off your income.

I've never been super into politicals, but since yours are invulnerable to sleep, its wise to invest in a few.  An army of barons is pretty cheap and effective for fast takeovers.

I don't remember how their companions are, but when it's time to build a strong army there are always knights of styx, vikings and Mythians.  I assume they can do trolls now that they are Evil.  Can't depend entirely on politicals towards endgame, too many big castles and armies.  Actually, DE might get orcs, which are excellent due to quantity and moral bonus.

I usually like to have four armies with most kingdoms, but the Princes themselves are powerful (and now immortal), you can probably get away with going with one big army.  You can always have a bunch of skeleton armies to help the princes clean up towns and villages.

With three princes at the start of the game, gaining control of your own region is obviously a cake walk.  You can select a large region and spend a lot of early income and orders locating PCs, because you'll be able to grab everything you find easily. 

The DE has decent options to make an early play for Stormgate.  Two enamors (while most kingdoms will require 3), grab the village, and have 2x princes cast demonic submission to get up to friendly so your third Prince can grab the city. (if you also use a duke and governor, you can probably do it in one turn). If you don't want Stormgate but fancy grabbing Cornicopia early, your Prince can take it without enamoring (Demon Princes never act at less than halfway between suspicious and tolerant).  And now is at no risk if someone shows up with an army, you're immortal.

Your starting influence is a problem, if I remember correctly.  No trait bonuses so you start at 10.  Raise it turn one (assuming hidden city and no stormgate aspirations) and use your kingdom customization to pump it up one more.  Couldn't hurt to put in a HC bid for a third and fourth point.

Since the Princes have no relocation distance restrictions, you could play with someone on the opposite side of the map who is more poorly equip to retaliate against someone far away.  I've done that in team games.

People generally recommend new players not try the DE right away, but you can ignore a lot of the special orders and just play them like any other kingdom, in my opinion.

Hope this helps!

[Jon Deaux]

I have joined this game, if you were waiting (Paul) to join go ahead and join up, the more filled slots people see the more likely they will be to jump in.

[Strongwill]

I’m in

[Zar@shand]

Zarashand100@gmail.com

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Just 3 more needed to get this game started

[Maximus Dominus]

The DE has decent options to make an early play for Stormgate.  Two enamors (while most kingdoms will require 3), grab the village, and have 2x princes cast demonic submission to get up to friendly so your third Prince can grab the city. (if you also use a duke and governor, you can probably do it in one turn). If you don't want Stormgate but fancy grabbing Cornicopia early, your Prince can take it without enamoring (Demon Princes never act at less than halfway between suspicious and tolerant).  And now is at no risk if someone shows up with an army, you're immortal.

So, what exactly is Stormgate? Both a city and a region, simultaneously?

The Maelstrom map is divided into 13 regions:
Region 1 – The Crown Islands
Region 2 – Darkover
Region 3 – The Diamond Coast
Region 4 – Krynn
Region 5 – Triumvia
Region 6 – Zanthia
Region 7 – Nyvaria
Region 8 – The Sword Coast
Region 9 – Pellinor
Region 10 – Zamora
Region 11 – Mythgar
Region 12 – The Untamed Lands
Region 13 – Stormgate

SOURCE: Page #48 of the 4th Cycle rulebook.


Stormgate (13) may recruit (from popcenter): Stormgate Guard

SOURCE: Page #50 of the 4th Cycle rulebook.


Before looking Stormgate up in the 4th Cycle rulebook, as I was making a game map based upon the set-up information provided, I counted the red colored region names on the Maelstrom map. Which made me think that there were just 12 regions, not 13.

QUESTION(S): So, just curious, but why isn't Stormgate listed in red, if it's a region? It's in white, because it's a Major City at game start, right? That still doesn't alert the map viewer that Stormgate is also a region, though rolling the mouse over the top of that major city informs the map viewer that Stormgate is a region, as well as a city. The experienced player knows the deal about Stormgate being both a major city and a region - only the red lettering that accompanies the other 12 regions is conspicuously absent from Stormgate. It's a lack of uniformity, and some newcomers will miss it. I certainly did.

[Wookie Panz]

The DE has decent options to make an early play for Stormgate.  Two enamors (while most kingdoms will require 3), grab the village, and have 2x princes cast demonic submission to get up to friendly so your third Prince can grab the city. (if you also use a duke and governor, you can probably do it in one turn). If you don't want Stormgate but fancy grabbing Cornicopia early, your Prince can take it without enamoring (Demon Princes never act at less than halfway between suspicious and tolerant).  And now is at no risk if someone shows up with an army, you're immortal.

So, what exactly is Stormgate? Both a city and a region, simultaneously?

The Maelstrom map is divided into 13 regions:
Region 1 – The Crown Islands
Region 2 – Darkover
Region 3 – The Diamond Coast
Region 4 – Krynn
Region 5 – Triumvia
Region 6 – Zanthia
Region 7 – Nyvaria
Region 8 – The Sword Coast
Region 9 – Pellinor
Region 10 – Zamora
Region 11 – Mythgar
Region 12 – The Untamed Lands
Region 13 – Stormgate

SOURCE: Page #48 of the 4th Cycle rulebook.


Stormgate (13) may recruit (from popcenter): Stormgate Guard

SOURCE: Page #50 of the 4th Cycle rulebook.


Before looking Stormgate up in the 4th Cycle rulebook, as I was making a game map based upon the set-up information provided, I counted the red colored region names on the Maelstrom map. Which made me think that there were just 12 regions, not 13.

QUESTION(S): So, just curious, but why isn't Stormgate listed in red, if it's a region? It's in white, because it's a Major City at game start, right? That still doesn't alert the map viewer that Stormgate is also a region, though rolling the mouse over the top of that major city informs the map viewer that Stormgate is a region, as well as a city. The experienced player knows the deal about Stormgate being both a major city and a region - only the red lettering that accompanies the other 12 regions is conspicuously absent from Stormgate. It's a lack of uniformity, and some newcomers will miss it. I certainly did.

In fairness to new players, Stormgate, the region, also has the village of Cornucopia and it is always in the same location.  It does not start visible and it's the most productive of the villages in terms of food.

[Strongwill]

I have to back out of this one, and team. I have a personal issue I’m going to need to be working on, and I won’t have time to properly play these. I am sorry, be back soon