Losing is Fun: Kandros Fir Dwarf Fortress [Khazad Spoiler Thread]

[Ichabod]

Turn 103:


Turn started with a gift from beyond:

Even though Mardoc was already dead, he managed to gift me his World Map with his last dying breath. He also sent me pictures of the tech trade screen (since he had already teched trade) and allowed me to capture 3 of his workers. All in all, he helped me a lot (the workers are currently roading some very important places near Mardoc's ex-territory, the current Hyborem front). It was justified, in my mind, though, since I've sent him copper to help against Hyborem and did what I could to help him.

Here's a SS, also sent by Mardoc:

Hyborem got pretty badly wounded after attacking Mardoc's last city. If my troops weren't so, so, so freaking slow, I could have made a lot of damage. But, unfortunately, they are, so I couldn't take any advantage of the situation.


In the last turns I teched Bronze Working (upgraded my best promoted warriors to axemen, spending the dwarven vault gold - more on that later) -> Construction (Trebuchets!) -> Sanitation (+1 food for farms, a blessing in this map) -> Currently teching Drama.

My idea is to use the drama GArt for a Golden Age. I'll tech Warfare quickly while in the GA and I'll adopt Nationhood, Military State and Conquest (instead of religion, apprenticeship and the initial civic). I'll also adopt RoK. The reason why I think teching drama is worth it, even though I'm in a war, is because it would only take 6 turns to do it and I'd have lost 2 turns of anarchy without it. So, it seemed like a good idea.

After warfare, I could go for Arete (Bambur), priesthood (stonewardens) or both of them. Then, it's gearing for war going full gold for a lot of turns. Try to boost the vaults while building axemen, priests and trebuchets.

My diplo idea is to try and make a NAP with Hyborem on the condition that I attack Sciz and kill units/raze cities. I'll try to make Hyborem see that I can't kill his current army with my trebs + troops, so that attacking me won't be a good option. About that, here's my main stack:

I'm confident that I can tackle Sciz because of these:

His capital is very poorly defended (my hawk couldn't make a fly through his lands, because I needed to take it out of there - I have open borders with Sciz due to the missionary agreement, but we haven't discussed scouting) and he lacks military techs. He has construction, but his catapults are probably attacking the Lanun AI right now (he already conquered a city, maybe 2 - I'm not sure if his 5th city was captured or settled - which is annoying, since letting an AI play the game imbalances it for the players near it). He lacks BW, HR and Archery. I was afraid of Horse Archers, but he's very far away from them.


Screenshot of the cities:

Titanic will pop its borders next turn, giving me a nice buffer against Hyborem potential attacks, and getting dyes for improved happy cap. You can see that only Titanic lacks a dancing bear, but I'll settle one in 2 turns.


Currently researched techs:

Demos:

The very good MFG is Selrahc, thankfully (well, only if I manage the NAP and attack Sciz this is a good thing ).


And the military at the end of the turn (2 trebuchets, yay!):

Let's hope the game can keep the good pace, even though Selrahc is kind of missing. Hopefully I can make the deal with them and then we can see a nice war !

[Ichabod]

As long as you eventually kill the Infernals for me .

That's the plan. I don't know how well Hyborem will go into the late game here, but I think I can handle him after some time.

Selrahc really made a mad beeline. He doesn't even have Mining, Exploration and Agriculture so far. I'm thinking he will make a lot of diseased corpses with Iron weapons to win the game (and get a nice tech with the Infernal Grimoire). I'm not sure if I can counter this without having more time. I thought about going medicine and building Atherdain (yes, even though everyone says he sucks), because he has destroy undead. It's an option, but I'm not sure about what to do right now.

[Ichabod]

Sent this to bob and Selrahc (it's a pain to do diplomacy while Selrahc is away, since bob is just a ded-lurker):

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Bob and Selrahc (I understand you are just a ded-lurker, bob, but I think it's best to send this message to you too),

First, I kindly ask you that this message would be under a non-disclosure agreement, so if you don't agree with it, don't keep on reading :P.

My proposal to you is the following. We sign a NAP for a number of turns. In exchange, I attack Sciz and raze some (but not all - we should discuss this) of his cities, giving you manes.

I have a pretty decent army right now (including trebuchets and highly promoted axes with bronze) and I will be soon adopting conquest + military state. I'll also build Bambur in a few turns. While I won't deny that you are in a position to attack me and cause a lot of damage, I think I can do you a lot of damage too.

If you agree with this, we need to discuss some things further. I'd like us to pretend like we are attacking each other and I want to try and negotiate a Iron loan.

Sorry for the bluntness, but I see no point waste time with deception-like comments, especially because of the issue of Selrahc absence from the game. Better to keep things simple.

Kind Regards,

Ichabod[/COLOR]

[Ichabod]

Turn 104:


Boatmurdered finished a trebuchet (the second) and started on another. Capital currently has +40% hammer production while building military (+50% God King - 10% Apprenticeship). I can't wait for Military state and Nationhood. With the capital growing into a plains hill mine +75% hammers when building military, I hope that I'll be able to make 2t trebs (maybe even 2 trebs each 2 turns).

My hawk kept exploring Sciz's land. It's really weakly defended. My current stack could make quite a bit of damage, I think. I really need the response from Selrahc about the NAP... More on that later.

Hindenburg ans Civ V grew on EoT. I want both this cities to be production focused from now on. Hindenburg has food to grow to size 10 and work both the plains hill mines. I just need the hapiness. Dyes will be online in a few turns and I have a half built hunting lodge (+1 happy for furs) which will take care of the rest.

Finally, just a funny remark. Look at the symbol used for the toad resource in FfH:

EDIT:

Diplo response from bob. Damn, Selrahc's absance is really being bad for me...

Hey Itchyblunt,


Don't worry, I won't share your email with anyone. I'll tell you right now that I'm not going to make any sort of deal with anyone until I get instructions from Selrahc. I see him online daily, probably browsing RB via phone, and as far as I'm concerned I'm just keeping the game on life support by acting as a caretaker until he can take back over. Not that your proposal doesn't interest me, personally. Well, don't let me stop you if you want to kill Sciz, anyway I don't even know where anybody is- if you want to point me in the direction of someone you want dead, feel free :D I'm working off of some pretty sparse material here.


One note- since IIRC Sciz isn't and Evil leader anyway and doesn't have any Evil faiths, I'm not sure that you fighting him will give me much of anything.


-Bobchillingworth

[Ilios]

Is that mini-map up to date? Do the Amurites have only one city?

[Mardoc]

Do the Amurites have only one city?

Bear in mind that Jkaen had a mistform in his lands for a long long time.

[Ichabod]

Is that mini-map up to date? Do the Amurites have only one city?

I think he has 2 cities right now, according to the trade screen (last time I checked).

Bear in mind that Jkaen had a mistform in his lands for a long long time.

Yup, that's it. Can't wait to read the lurker threads and find out if I'm indeed the responsible for the whole Mistform affair.


And it's official now: I'm going to attack Sciz. Bob withdrew the Infernal troops from Mardoc ex-land. I'll use Selrahc's absance to my advantage. The troops already started moving. I'll have 3 trebs, 5/6 axemen and warriors (maybe I'll upgrade some more warriors too) + 1 hunter. Time to spice this game a bit!

[Ichabod]

Turn 105:


I flew a hawk over Mardoc ex-lands, revealing that Hyborem troops retreated. That was the last signal I needed to finally decide to attack Sciz. If bob won't attack me while Selrahc is gone, I have to use this time for something. It's a risky move, but better then just wait and lose interest.

So, my troops started moving to the randezvous point in the city of Hindenburg. I'm still not decide if I should declare soon or wait some more. I think I'll declare as soon as possible, though. The reason is that I can get Sciz city near my border rather easily, I think. This way, he'll lose a lot of his economy (double incense city) and one of his 3 good cities. While in the golden age, I'll build some reinforcements and maybe a second stack to take the city further west of my land, near Civ V. I have troop advantage and scouting advantage (hawks), which is probably enough to avoid very bad outcomes.

This is the battle plan. I intend to keep my stack away from Sciz's vision until I'm right at his borders (at that turn I will fly a hawk over his lands to get good data). He won't notice my power increase due to Infernal's crazy power graphic (and if he notices, he probably think it's to defend against Hybo). The hill tile near Arkhrast has a ancient tower, further boosting the defense bonus.

Sciz 5th city is weirdly placed (I'm using pocketbeetle's neat "find cities in the fog with hawks" trick ):

He probably placed it to get furs and work deer. His latest tech screen didn't show him having hunting, so i really hope he's teching it (and building Hunter Lodges) -> Less troops and no bronze would be definetely good news!


Overview of the empire at EoT. One more turn until drama! Golden Age will be fired in 2 turns. Then is warfare and revolts!

[Square Leg]

Hey Ichabod,

Glad to hear that this game is going again as I always enjoy your updates!

[mackoti]

I like updates alot too.