Titanic Mandate vs. Elder Gods

[BLANDCorporatio]

Note: I am okay with commanders and chieftains having their own initiative to accomplish general goals. However, they cannot report what they are seeing or react to events that occur in a different location if you do not have some means of communication between the ruler and the various commanders and chieftains.

I've ranted at great length about this in a PM, so I'll try to be briefer here for the benefit of the public.

1) That rule is unenforceable. Suppose I, the player, want to make two of my Warlords meet next turn. They start far from each other, I don't have any Thinkamancy, and no way of communicating between them is used. What's to stop both of these warlords deciding, each on their own, to move to the same hex on the map?

Think that's too blatant? Well, presented with a specific situation, I could cook up an excuse as to why both warlords happened to want to go there at once.

2) That rule, for a TBS, is bonkers. The fact is that behind the actions of the troops there is one coordinated, human mind, which cannot be expected to also keep track of who knows what, nor do roleplay in a game that is about strategic advantage, and not roleplay!

3) That rule adds a layer of complication that is unnecessary in a TBS setting.

4) I do not propose to change the rule, as changing rules midgame is rubbish. I'd like to point out that whenever said rule will inconvenience me, I'll look for loopholes around it. And I guarantee you, it is swiss cheese.

[BLANDCorporatio]

On a less grumpy note, I'd like to mention that there was at least one game (the one that I'm aware of) where communications between ruler and minions was not perfect worldwide telepathy. Not at first, anyway.

Dune 1. It was a role-play (you are Paul Atreides) with some strategic elements (allying with Fremen sietches; fight Harkonnen, then eventually the Emperor; various things about spice mining and Dune terraforming etc).

It was a fun game. But, what made it very different from ours here is

a) being intensely story-driven. There was a tree of events that were bound to happen, very neatly established from the start. It was very much a single player experience.
b) only one player character had any initiative. Unless the story required otherwise, everyone else who was on your side stood around and waited to be ordered around by you. Compare and contrast this with our case, where every warlord has (and needs to have, because of the next point) initiative.
c) you could get around the planet very quickly. Ornitopthers and later worms allowed quick travel if you needed to order someone from your side to do stuff. Contrast this with our case, where even moving from one to the other of our starting cities may take 3 turns! (Granted, it's a bad area but still).
d) eventually, you do gain worldwide perfect telepathy. Dune 1 had you starting as a regular ol' Joe, then your power would increase by exposure to spice, coincidentally while your empire was also increasing. As it would be difficult to manage it all just by face to face interaction, your improved telepathy powers allowed you to keep pace with your dominion.

[Twoy]

One of your Otto Motors can make it from your capital to the Elder Gods capital in three turns.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Is that a thr- oh. Oh I see what you did there

This reminds me of the above quoted Dune 1, where you could in fact take an Ornitopther and over the course of roughly one day or so, you could get to the Harkonnen capital. Which would not have been a smart move, as it resulted in death.

Yeah, fun game, good story and lovely artwork.

Any news from the Isoceleans so that we can get to turn 5?

[Twoy]

We will continue with the game and LTDave can send in turns 4 and 5 for the Isoceleans when he has time.

Highlights of Turn 4 (not counting Isoceleans) include:
Most Shmuckers found at a ruins: 5,000
Best Magic Item found at a ruins: +5 Necklace of Attack.
A Scout discovered a friendly city.
A Scout inside a city spotted a friendly scout.
2 Casters reached level 3.

The Elder Gods have completed Turn 5.

Please send in your Turn 5 now.

[Twoy]

Evil Imagination Land has completed Turn 5, and it was an interesting turn with the longest battle in the game thus far.
Steam Gentlemen have completed Turn 5.

More tomorrow.

[HerbieRai]

Of course thats what happens when we go with the capture/torture instead of cwoak strategy. Killing them off would be to lenient for the atrocities they would have commited against our great nation.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Lemme guess, you'll find someone with AIDS to pee in their eye-sockets?

[marshalkowski]

Sorry I've been MIA. Moved this weekend and started a new job Monday. Will submit my turn 5 tonight.

[Twoy]

Evil Imagination Land has completed Turn 5, and it was an interesting turn with the longest battle in the game thus far.
Steam Gentlemen have completed Turn 5.
MiniTitans have completed Turn 5.
Koopa Kingdom has completed Turn 5.
LTDave is having some problems. I have promised him that the elder gods will not attack him before Turn 7, so he should send me turns 4, 5 and 6 when he can.

QUESTION: With these Scouts in this formation, can they relay information through each other?
ANSWER: Scouts can only relay information to Commanders.

Highlights of Turn 5: The game is picking up speed.
7 Schlemiel Elves croaked, chieftain captured.
Archer promoted to Warlord.
Warlord and 4-Special C units all reached level 2 in the same battle.
Popped first caster.
First city upgraded to level 5.
First and second wild units turned (A Firebird and a Gwiffon).
First portal to MK constructed.

I will do the Elder Gods Turn 6 on Saturday.
Everyone else feel free to send in Turn 6.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Highlights of Turn 5: The game is picking up speed.
7 Schlemiel Elves croaked, chieftain captured.
...
Warlord and 4-Special C units all reached level 2 in the same battle.

Wow. One side is particularly busy.

4 Spec Cs? And they can level? Interesting.

LTDave is having some problems. I have promised him that the elder gods will not attack him before Turn 7, so he should send me turns 4, 5 and 6 when he can.

Dun. Dun. Dunnnn. So Turn 7 or thereabouts, we may expect the Elder Ones to show up. Mmkay ...

[HerbieRai]

The second one was me too. I'm trying to figure out how someone popped a warlord and/ or got a level 5 city. I'm still 2 turns away from the first and who knows how far away from the second (although I'm spamming level 3's).

[BLANDCorporatio]

Spamming level 3s eh? I seem to have some catching up to do.

[Nihila]

I rush built a Warlord, though got a caster. That starting Moneymancer is very useful!

(Although, as BLAND pointed out a while ago in a PM, I should have called him Moist von Lipwig )

[BLANDCorporatio]

I rush built a Warlord, though got a caster.

I'll do that as well, soon.

(Although, as BLAND pointed out a while ago in a PM, I should have called him Moist von Lipwig )

It's not too late

[Twoy]

Elder Gods have completed Turn 6. Will try and get to some of your messages and Turn 6 tonight and tomorrow.

Dun. Dun. Dunnnn. So Turn 7 or thereabouts, we may expect the Elder Ones to show up. Mmkay ...

I would not get too excited about Turn 7. I was just reassuring LTDave that he would not log on to find the Isoceleans completely wiped out while he was having Forum issues.

Also, the win condition is for the sides that have a Titanic Mandate to destroy the Elder Gods' side. That means that the Elder Gods do not need to attack to win, all they have to do is stay alive.

[Twoy]

4 Spec Cs? And they can level? Interesting.

The only units that do not normally level are Stabbers, Pikers, Archers, Scouts, Naval Units and Courtiers (See page 8 in the rules)

[Twoy]

Question: Can a Moneymancer, casting 'Invest,' move into the Magic Kingdom at the end of the turn and still have the spell take effect for the next turn?
Answer: Definitely not. The Invest spell is a “full turn action.” The caster can move, cast spells, engage enemies and then cast the Invest spell. The caster then must wait in the city until after the city's "pop" action on the next turn. After the city pop, the caster is free to take additional actions.

Each of the Allied Rulers receives a private thinkagram from Jon-Tom.

"Each of you has a mandate from the Titans to rule this world, but first you must destroy the Elder God menace. To help you in your endeavor, I am providing you these maps of the western kingdoms."

Map of the 5 Kingdoms. A couple of farms and mines may be missing from the map. Also, the towers in the southwest corner will not pop until turn 7.
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CKjN ... BiODMxN2M1

Here are the locations of the wild units that have popped on turns 1 and 4. The dragon symbol is for units that popped on turn 1 and the LFN (Elephant) symbol is for units that popped on turn 4. I leave it to you to scout the units and decide what you should do with them. Just to the dragon symbol does not mean there is a dragon at that location. It means that a wild unit popped there on turn 1. Same for the LFN, but popped on turn 4.
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B6CKjN ... w&hl=en_US

Edit: The maps seem to be working today. The blue line around the two southern kingdoms represent how far the tower and cities can "see."
Edit2: Spoke too soon. The 5 kingdoms map is working. The Wild Units map is not showing up, but you should be able to download it if you want to see where the wild units in your area are located.

Evil Imagination Land, the Mini-Titans and the Steam Gentlemen have completed Turn 6.

Still need input from Koopa Kingdom and the Isoceleans.

[BLANDCorporatio]

"Hehe, looks like the Titans have imperfect knowledge of the map. That cannot possibly be right, those are merely the starting towns, surely".

(Somebody thought to themselves)

[Twoy]

There are a few errors on the map. For example, as I was upgrading a level 2 city to level 3, I noticed that the nearby level 5 capital still showed as level 4.

Question: Is the chieftain a warlord? If so I'll pay the amount, if not he's going to go through the conversion process.
Answer: A chieftain is not a warlord, but has some of the capabilties of a warlord. A chieftain can/has 1) communicate with a scout using the scout's natural thinkamancy, 2) Leadership, but only affecting his own tribe of natural allies and 3) capability to take his own initiative to accomplish his allies' or his own goals. Chieftains do not have any of the other capabilities of a warlord or a commander.

Question: On page 9 when you are describing cities, it says only siege can attack walls, but ranged units can attack units stationed on the hex. Do you mean ranged units can attack units on the walls?
Answer: Yes. Ranged units outside the city, but in the same hex as the city, can attack units on the walls.

Jon-Tom sends a message to rulers of the 5 Kingdoms, I wanted to identify the location of all of the Natural Allies on the western side of the map, but they did not appear on the map. Apparently some sort of natural foolamancy. I will share with you their locations, but I cannot confirm at the moments the exact contents of their stacks.

Gobwins: 03.45, 26.03, 28.44.
Witches: 18.03, 39.07, 37.37.
Daemons: 32.40, 31.01.
Western giants: 09.28, 41.46.
Marbits: 03.19.
Altruist Elves: 40.32.

Highlights of Turn 6 include:
2 casters raise to level 4.
Southern kingdoms fill up with Watch Towers. (Name changed in yet unpublished rules from Lookout to Watch)
The largest treasure found in a ruins is 4,000 Shmuckers.
The first caster visits the Magic Kingdom.
A +2 item is created from scratch.

All turn 6 except the Isoceleans are complete. I will work on turn 7 for the Elder gods over the next day or two. Feel free to send in turn 7 whenever you want, if you have not done so already.