Game 120 - Allies and Luck

[VballMichael]

Upon entering the land, the Dark Elves were dismayed at the number of kingdoms who sought control of a land that clearly belonged only to the Dark Elves. And then, world conditions required utterly surpassing the Elf and getting all of the denizens of Alamaze to love us. That seemed a daunting task. Allies would be needed, chaos would need to be called upon, distractions and subterfuges, and maybe a little luck.
We took our region quickly and without contest, and by turn 5 were ready to do something else. The Red Dragons contacted us and asked for help clearing the dwarven vermin from the mountains. So, we went north and took the city and some towns, trying to not quite take the region so that the citizens of Alamaze would not be alarmed. Throughout all of this, we continued to raise influence and wizards, and the Elf never seemed to do much so ESO appeared easy. We also worked with the Sorceror (a newbie) to plan his attack on the Ranger. He was wildly successful with some help from the Black Dragon, and the Eastern edge was without conflict for quite a while. We cut a deal with him to give him the Wizard artifact he needed for his ESO in exchange for a City at a turn of my choosing (never expected that to happen until much later). I had found 4 artifacts in the first few turns by randomly landing on sightings and through trades with a couple of players. Then I accidentally took Talking Mountains on Turn 9 and had to rush to victory. Turns out my ESO gave me the extra influence I would need and the Sorceror held good on his deal (my giving him an extra artifact to help him take second probably didn't hurt). I mostly feared the two-turn gap between my taking two regions and my victory claim would hurt me, but nobody ever showed up (not even on the final turn). It seems the Black Dragons went on a rampage into Torvale and Amberland (I hear he was at Giant capitol with 100,000 value on final turn), so all eyes turned to him, and on Turns 10 and 11 he was attacked by 3-4 different kingdoms. So, at the end of the day, it came down to good allies close by, a good attack plan to decimate the Dwarf quickly and completely, and some luck with the Elf's misfortunes. Thanks to the Red Dragon and the Sorceror for always following through on their deals and for great execution of plans. Oh yeah, and to the Troll, who hurt the Elf.

[Wynterbreeze]

I Wynter first consort to The Three have been ordered to pen a history of game 120 from our Ancient perspective.

Very early in the late summer of the year 1101, we reached out and contacted the Mighty Troll Kingdom. We offered peace and he offered compromise. Peace could be had, if we were to sacrifice hereditary lands. This Troll king was wise and understood a war from the start with The Three would result in his Kingdom suffering. We were gracious and agreed to honor him with 3 villages over what he started with in Torval. We also agreed to aid him against the fae of the Northern Forest. It was agreed that one of The Three would relocate to a Troll village in Oakendale and for two seasons enamor the Troll King to the citizens of Oakendale.

After an agreement was hammered out with the Troll King, we contacted the Underworld King, Giant King, Warlock, and Witchlord Kings and work out mutual NAP agreements until season 10. That was all the Kingdoms that might reach Avalon and cause problems for our conquest of Torval. All that was left to worry about was a new Gnome King, and our ancient enemy the Demon Lord.

In the darkness of a new moon, one warm summers night, I was instructed by The Three to meet with an envoy of the most vile Demon Lord. Under the black of night a pact was struck between The Three and the evil Demon Princess. Our two kingdoms would work together as trusted allies through out the contest thereby never weakening each other in direct conflict and hopefully securing an advantage no other Kingdoms would share.

The Gnome King was taken care of by the Underworld King, as we knew they were in communication, and as the UN king inquired very subtle about my plans or thoughts on the GN king, we planted a rumor to be shared back with his ally. I would make judgment on the GN king after the first season, if he moved into Torval with emissaries he would hunted to the end of the earth for his insolence. If he stayed his hand we would ignore him, and make peace. The GN stayed his hand.

The time for action was at hand as all diplomacy was finished. We ordered our trusted Duke to Meridon, Our vaunted 1AN to Avalon to be supported with a Baron from the court. The WHORE was asked to divine towns in Torval, what they ever saw in her is beyond me! Sea Power in the sea of Mystery was sold as was all extra food on hand. Agents were dispatch to recon the two cities, and our P3 wizard in Arcaina was ordered to to cast Hidden Ore on our town, knowing the Demons would never bother it. Hidden Ore was cast twice at our Capital which was located in the Sea of Forboding.
Consul Ming improved the lot of their people, as Consul Zoroastar enamored Torval.

EARLY 1101

Our Duke arrived at the beautiful port of Meridon and was informed that he alone was the only ranking Emmisary to relocate to city on the sea. The vile Humans controlled the city, so our Duke was ordered to incite rebellion, and in the next month swayed Meridon to our control. Our 1AN wizard Irikhan casted Diplomacy and the Human controlled city of Avalon was ours along with it's production to be used immediately. We sent the remainder of our Court, and our 1AN moved into the Towns divined, and in the next month the region of Torval was ours. We began the standing order of training our two highest covert teams

It was at this time we notice the Dark Elf Kingdom purchased a High Priestesses, at the time we thought nothing of it. But now it is obvious that from the first month on, the Dark Elf was moving toward his easy SVC. With two HP from the start he was all ready researching Artifacts. and the Influence stacking began immediately. By the 5th month the DA had already acquired the Standard of Valor, and his 1DA was in the Talking Mountains retrieving Artifacts at will. His groups did not happen to luckily land on Artifact locations, from the start he was actively divining and moving directly to Artifacts. Looking back at all the evidence, luck had absolutely nothing to do with his victory, carefully well executed planning from month one is the reason for his victory. The luck came in the form of the Troll Kingdom who invaded Oakendale.

As the next few months lingered by, we accumulated 11 Barons, a couple artifacts, had a very high influence, The Dark Elf then took control of the Talking Mountains and the call to action was heralded. We enamored region 6 to Friendly, found the portal to the East, Held the Key of the Slayer and even moved to the very sword itself. We had moved most emissaries into striking distance of the Eastern Steppes and divined all Dark elven PC's everywhere.

We had planned to move in force into the Eastern Steppes, then the Black Dragon happened. We passed the invasion of the Eastern Steppes off to the Giant Lord who was looking for a peace of some action. But then the Black Dragon happen to him as well. To all outward appearances it looked like the Black Dragon was driving his armies drunk. One landed no where in particular in Torval. We contacted him and asked his intentions. He replied with a just passing by, leaving this turn, going to play with the Giants next.. We replied, great then you have no issue with a NAP for a bit then. Then with his next reply we knew he was drunk. He said, and I Quote: “Nah. I am a free spirit just rocking around and taking what I want. Maybe WA or AN next. Really looking for UN since he keeps stealing”. Forgetting completely that he was talking to the AN.

Well we knew that Avalon was his next stop. So a Blitz of the Southern Sands was implemented. The Demon Princess organized a brilliant plan and several Kingdoms moved on region 10. After all there is no way the Dark elf can win on turn 11 with only two regions, so we have a turn or two to crush a Drunk Black Dragon, then back to the Dark elf.

The Black did land on Avalon as predicted, he was denigrated to hostile in Torval, Declared an enemy, and we moved onto two towns and two villages in the Sands. Every population center in the sands was invaded but two villages. We found out he landed an Army Group on the Giants City and all told was driving over 26 brigades in 3 groups drunk all over Alamaze.

Then the improbable happen, The Dark Elf declared victory with his SVC on turn 11, not even one full year. Do not listen to his story that he lucked into it He's just trying to be nice so we all don't get angry at the SVC he was given. He was brilliant in his planning and execution and deserves credit.

Be warned Alamaze, if you see that the ELF has not gotten his region, just jump on the DA because it could very well be game over before you can even get an agent to level 12.

Well except for game 122, I totally don't have that easy SVC., and if I did, on my word as a Player, I would not use it even if I achieved it. I like playing the game to much for that, and care nothing for podium wins.

I really hope this game does not become a race to the end ASAP with SVC. Playing the game is where the fun is. Having this end on turn 11 after building to really play the game, was frustrating and NOT fun. Not fun at all.

[Hamlet]

I would not normally post here, since I placed low low low on the final rankings. but I had a blast and I do have to respond to the drunken black dragon comments.
teamed up with the sorcerer early on and we eliminated the ranger by turn 5. had my region quickly, lots of dragons, lots of gold. so I decided to go exploring. sent a couple of groups off flying. heard the elf was basically out but had 8 emissaries at a village in torvale so I went there to get those (turns out all his guys were at his one other village at AI). Then the Ancient people got all up in my face, like hey what are you doing in torvale. so I was all like, hey I do what I want. but I was leaving torvale. but hey maybe I will like look for giants or underworld (I think he was stealing from me pretty hard) or like maybe the ancient ones (and yes, I did remember I was talking to the ancient ones). but after he was all up in my face, well I went and took Avalon just for fun, then landed at the giant capitol with combined forces of like 23 brigades (maybe more). but then all these people over-reacted to a random comment: got enemied, denigrated, high council punished, scouted and invaded by an alliance of AN, UN, DE, though I did capture more emissaries than they took pop centers on turn 11 and still held the region and the sorcerer was about to pop in to help me with like 4 awesome wizard groups. anyway, seems like everyone is complaining that the darkelf won, but then that whole group spends all that resource on some fun-loving black dragons based on a random comment while the darkelf continued toward victory. and it's not like the whole board didn't know the elf was out early. anyway, I had a blast just roaming around hitting things at random for a little while anyway.

[Lord Diamond]

I wonder if this early victory was one of the reasons Rick and Cipher changed the ESOs....

[VballMichael]

I wonder if this early victory was one of the reasons Rick and Cipher changed the ESOs....

Sorry

[The Usurper]

I remember reading some interesting player info on this game, and others. Hope that has been addressed or self corrected.

[Jumpingfist]

I wonder if this early victory was one of the reasons Rick and Cipher changed the ESOs....

I think ESO was a side effect. This game and others were for sure the reason behind the current no SVC and that system being reworked.

[Lord Diamond]

I wonder if this early victory was one of the reasons Rick and Cipher changed the ESOs....

I think ESO was a side effect. This game and others were for sure the reason behind the current no SVC and that system being reworked.

Yeah, I meant to type 'SVC'.

[Lord Diamond]

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