[Spoilers] Biggus Decius and the Sucking Vampires (Bobchillingworth / Calabim)

[DaveV]

As far as I know hawks can still spot all the invisible units even with Nox Noctis

A quick worldbuilder test indicates that neither hawks, vicars, nor rathas can see units made invisible by Nox Noctis. Even when the vicars cast Revelation, the units didn't show up. Conclusion: Nox Noctis is well worth having in MP.

[The ShiningOne]

You guys thinking about some vampiric shadowriders to go with your council of esus plans down the road?

[Bobchillingworth]

Shadow riders require either guilds or warhorses, correct? It'll be a while until I have either of those techs, and I think that I'll have likely switched to the Veil before then for the Ring of Fire.

[The ShiningOne]

Yeah, warhorses, which requires ironworking and horseback riding I think. I was thinking of them because you mentioned the shadow sphere as an option. Since the riders have shadow affinity they could end up being pretty beastly, but yeah the veil is stronger overall.

[Bobchillingworth]

So, two of my opponents lost 100 gold, Selrahc got 200, and nothing happened to me.



Certainly could have been worse, I guess. Selrahc is the player I probably least wanted to have the funds, and it's a shame that Iskender will be set back, but no one should have participated if they couldn't back up the financial commitment.

[Bobchillingworth]

Haha, I just realized that if PB was planning on attacking Iskender, he'll now have to wait 10 turns due to the gold demand to pay Selrahc his winnings.



Sucks if he's going to attack me, though.

[Mardoc]

Haha, I just realized that if PB was planning on attacking Iskender, he'll now have to wait 10 turns due to the gold demand to pay Selrahc his winnings.



Sucks if he's going to attack me, though.

Could that be a reason to agree to this?

Bob, I think I mistakenly requested 100g from you also during the turn.
If so, feel free to donate to a good cause.

Might be expensive for peace, but on the other hand, that would get you practically to Vamps according to your last update

[Bobchillingworth]

Heh, it was right after I declined the gold request that I realized the implications for Iskender and made my post on RB, so no luck there :P



Probably would have been too cheap a tactic to use anyway, plus I think the most likely threat is from Selrahc.



On that note, only 7 turns to vampires! Of course it's not like I suddenly get an invulnerability shield once I have Feudalism- I still have to build an army, feed them (and get my cities larger), build a death node and support troops, etc. but it'll be a start!

[Mardoc]

Darn. I'd have considered it cheap except for PB inviting you to use it.

And yes, vampires ought to give you much more security (and then offensive possibilties) shortly. Along with a bullseye on your head, but arguably you've had that all game. So...have you decided what to do with your bloodsucking monsters of doom? Last I remember, you were thinking of trying to vassalize Cull but no particular plans otherwise.

Or are you going to shock us all and go for a Cultural Victory?

[Bobchillingworth]

I'm still entirely uncertain of exactly how I can score a win, but my basic plan is as follows (all of this assumes that I don't get attacked in the next 7 turns):



1a. On the turn that I discover Feudalism I'll send Cull a request for capitulation, with a polite email suggesting that I could provide him with military protection if only he'll abide by a few simple directives (mostly active military assistance when I require it).

1b. If he refuses (or just doesn't write back to me despite repeated attempts at contact), I'll build up a force of vampires and march them up to his borders, then make the same capitulation request with a substantially more aggressive pitch.

1c. If he still blows me off, then I'll try to make sure that Selrahc will leave me alone (probably by offering to share some of my spoils), and then I'll eliminate Cull. If Cull is surprisingly resilient, and destroying him will take more effort than I think is worth it, I'll just pillage every one of his tiles and call it a day.

2. Once Cull is dealt with, I'll see if Iskender is still interested in launching a raid on PB. If he is, I'll try to raze as many of PB's settlements as possible, pillage his enclaves, and if the war goes very well, offer him peace for capitulation.

3a. Once I have my ideal army of vamps, Ritualists, Svaltar / Khazad auxiliaries, a reasonably secure northern border, and a couple heroes, it's time to declare on Iskender. I'll fight him until he either capitulates or dies.

3b. If I didn't capitulate PB before, this is the point where I attempt to do so.

4. Now ideally controlling a massive army of ridiculously elite vampires, backed by a diverse horde of vassal thralls, I'll take on Selrahc to determine the winner of the game.



So there you have it, a simple 4-step plan (with assorted sub-steps) for victory!


I think it's pretty far-fetched, but honestly none of the FFH victory conditions are easy to achieve. Domination will be really difficult given how large the map is. Conquest obviously involves eliminating or capitulating everyone else, which includes at least two civs who have significant advantages over me. The Tower of Mastery is massively impractical since it requires several very expensive technologies, four expensive national wonders, many more mana nodes than I control, and a hideously overpriced final wonder. The Altar suffers from many of the same problems, plus I'm not going to get six prophets, and I'll probably be locked out of it due to evil alignment from the Veil anyway. Religion will be all but impossible since you have to use inquisitors on enemy cities and no one in their right mind would allow them passage. Culture is definitely the only other possible option, but PB will beat me first unless I raze a couple of his cities, and the techs necessary for a culture win aren't anywhere near the ones I want in the short, medium, or long-term futures. Oh yeah, and there's Historigraphic victory if this game somehow keeps running for the next two years or whatever without anyone pulling off a win.


Honestly I suspect this game will end either with everyone conceding to Selrahc, PB winning culture, or everyone conceeding to me. Iskender might have a shot at becoming a real contender if he can take either my land of PB's, but he can't attack me for like 46 more turns, at which point I really ought to be ready for him, and even if we do attack and destroy PB together I don't think that Iskender will be able to get capitalize on his new gains quickly enough.