Out of character thread II

[GeneralHankerchief]

Good morning guys, I'll get a lot more done today.

No worries, take your time.

Anyway, the battle report of the Assault on Genoa is finally up.

[Verdizzy]

Hi everyone,

I'm still taking reading through everything to get caught up. I took a look at the most recent save game (at least I think it's the most recent) and I just wanted to make sure if I have the current situation right.

So we're at war with Venice and Milan? Seems as though there are only 2 settlements for Venice at the top border of Italy, just under the mountains. We are neutral with Hungary and allies with Poland. Since the previous session, has the war with Milan gone from defensive to offensive? Is it also a defensive battle against Venice?

I'd also like to ask when the next session is.

Thanks for helping me get caught up to speed.

[GeneralHankerchief]

The war on Milan is offensive, as a matter of fact I believe it's just been concluded as their last city has been taken.

The war on Venice is still defensive - Ituralde has a tough fight ahead of him to save Vienna.

The next session of the Diet is 1130, game time. You'll have to ask Ignoramus what year it is now, but I think it's sometime around 1126.

[AussieGiant]

Evening Ignoramus,

Don't mind me. I was just sitting at home getting a bit impatient.

OPC in the States just called...I'm getting my PC this Thursday!!!

FINALLY I'll be able to get more involved.

I`m excited!!! :)

[OverKnight]

Hi folks,

I'm writing from tacky, but warm, Las Vegas. Due to usual Vegas skullduggery I got an upgraded room, but not one with internet access for those of us who do not have a laptop. Given I don't have access to the game or a cheap connection at the moment, Otto's going be to be mostly mute untill Sat, if he lives that long .

I really wouldn't be able to speak accurately anyway since I can't look at saves, now I know how AG feels.

It looks like I'm missing a fun time and I'd like to welcome all the new players.

I might check in later on in the week.

[econ21]

Dijon battle report is up - no good pictures, but it was a tactically interesting assault. I really wasn't sure how I could pull it off, but the AI obliged by its woeful deployment and manoeuvring.

[AussieGiant]

Well written Econ. Without pictures you did a good job and I understood what happened very well.

Does this mean Milan is reduced to just a few islands in the Med?

[econ21]

Does this mean Milan is reduced to just a few islands in the Med?

I assume so - I haven't removed the fog of war to check. Milan does still have a couple of significant armies on the mainland.

[Ignoramus]

In case anyone's wondering, Ituralde is defending against a Venetian assault on Vienna.

Good write-ups GH and econ!

[AussieGiant]

Thanks for the information Econ.

Without save game views this is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up :)

Ahh well my machine is nearly hear.

In case anyone's wondering, Ituralde is defending against a Venetian assault on Vienna.

Good write-ups GH and econ!

Well this should be interesting Ignoramus :)

we'l see if Duke Leopold is good or not :)

[Ituralde]

Just a short note, that I fought the battle and uploaded the save game!

Cheers!

Ituralde

[AussieGiant]

Just a short note, that I fought the battle and uploaded the save game!

Cheers!

Ituralde

And!!!.....

Holy Hell Ituralde did you win lose or draw??

You're killing me with the suspense. If we have lost Vienna then my characters going to have to go bonkers in the Diet!!

[Ituralde]

Well the battle went as expected.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

But another thing has me worrying.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[AussieGiant]

Good job Ituralde,

You gave them a good thrashing.

As the Milan threat diminishes the Poles come to the party.

I'm not complaining about the situation, but if we are invincible this game is not going to be very interesting.

[econ21]

... if we are invincible this game is not going to be very interesting.

One way to deal with this would be for a "peace party" to emerge to try to limit further conquests for a while - to give the AI time to build up. This happened in the Will of the Senate PBM, although typically it requires putting shackles on the Chancellor, as it is hard even for the most peace-loving player to avoid resisting the urge to stomp the AI.

Perhaps we should form a society for the preservation of Venice?

EDIT: Ignoramus, your PM box is full again - I can't reply to your message until you empty it.

[Ignoramus]

Sorry about that, it has space now.

[Jalf]

We're playing on hard/very hard, right? Any particular reason we didn't go with vh/vh?

Oh, and AussieGiant: Afternoon tea in the Diet? What was that all about? :p
Do germans even know what tea is? ;)

[econ21]

We're playing on hard/very hard, right? Any particular reason we didn't go with vh/vh?

Yes, I think it is H/VH - we did not go for VH campaigns because it makes the AI diplomacy more pyschotic. On VH, your relations with each faction are programmed to worsen over time. The same will happen with even H campaigns - so if we want real allies, we have to do things to raise our reputation and standing (e.g. avoid sacking cities; pay gifts) - but it happens faster with VH.

BTW: An important note for Governors and Chancellors - the Citadel testers have discovered that armour upgrades (and hence buildings that give them) are much more important than people might have thought. I think the discovery makes a leather tanner the highest priority build for most settlements (after maybe townguard buildings in cities for free upkeep). Gory details in the spoiler.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The +1 armour effect of each upgrade appears to be misreporting by the game. Testing by SMZ, Carl, Lusted and Foz implies that armour upgrades work as expected, in that each upgrade provides the reported type of armour (padded, light mail etc). The upgraded armour stat does not appear to be correctly reported, but the unit is still as resistant to missile fire as you would expect from a unit with that type of armour. Here is Lusted's summary of what armour stat corresponds (roughly) to each armour type:

Level 0: Flesh - 0
Level 1: Padded/leather - 3/4
Level 2: Light Mail - 5
Level 3: Heavy Mail - 7
Level 4: Partial Plate - 8/9
Level 5: Full Plate -9/10
Level 6: Advanced Plate - 10/11

The implication is that the lowest type of armoury is a great bargain - raising the armour stat of your initially unarmoured troops by around 3-4 points.

Discussion and original research here:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=79784

[AussieGiant]

Hi Econ,

Yes that is about the only mechanism I can think of.

Still the game has a very robust process so it is definately possible. Especially if local or House based issues start disrupting our momentum.

We're expanding too fast IMO. It's going to be over in a flash.

Hi Jalf,

My guy's a little off the wall. Well travelled Vienna merchant classes I assume have a lot of worldly knowledge.

That's my story anyway

[Ignoramus]

Nonsense, you wait, I think we'll sustain some defeats. If we go carefully, then the AI has no chance. But if we overstretch ourselves then it makes the game more interesting.

[AussieGiant]

Nonsense, you wait, I think we'll sustain some defeats. If we go carefully, then the AI has no chance. But if we overstretch ourselves then it makes the game more interesting.

Well I don't know about nonsense. But I see you point Ignoramus. If we stretch ourselves too far then we are ripe for implosion.

On the other hand if we don't give the AI time to get it self together it will be equally boring. Plus we get no units other than basic ones.

I think a balance has to be struck.

[Ignoramus]

Well, half my reign has finished. It's now time for the mid-session Diet.

I'll post my mid-term report soon.

[econ21]

I'll post my mid-term report soon.

Please upload the latest savegame too.

[Ignoramus]

Certainly. I'll do it right away. Oh and I'll pm you about something, econ.

[Ituralde]

Another mid-term already. This one will be interesting.

I have a question that is not without personal involvement. I have been wondering if it was possible to appoint a stand-in general for battlest that could be fought with your own avatar?
The reason I'm asking is the fact that I'll probably go skiing next week, so I wont be there for like 5-6 days and I would hate to have all battles involving Leopold autocalced. Especially those, where he has to defend Vienna, which would surely loose us the city. So I'd be more happy if I could appoint another player from the House of Austria to fight those battles in my absence.

Just let me know what you think about it.

[econ21]

I have been wondering if it was possible to appoint a stand-in general for battlest that could be fought with your own avatar?

Generally, we avoided doing this during Wots. However, given that there is a queue of Austrian Electors without avatars, I'd be happy for one of them to substitute for you. AussieGiant - has your PC arrived?

[Kagemusha]

Can someone link me with the latest savegame?

[TinCow]

Apologies, but I am very busy today and tomorrow and will not have time to update the Library until Saturday at the earliest.

[AussieGiant]

Generally, we avoided doing this during Wots. However, given that there is a queue of Austrian Electors without avatars, I'd be happy for one of them to substitute for you. AussieGiant - has your PC arrived?

You bet your sweat fanny adams Econ!!!

It's sitting right at my feet in the office. I'm taking it home tonight for the first boot up festival.

Actually the timing could be more perfect. I'm at a largish LAN weekend from Friday to Sunday. I'll be at home with a fully operational Death Star starting next week when Ituralde looks like going for a ski.

I'll be rusty having not played since December but I can sit behind some walls and crack a few Venitian skulls.

By the way, maps of the current situation would still be very helpful. When people are not at home they allow you to still look at things and stay involved.

Can someone please put some up?

[Bizzair]

Gah!

I'm still puzzeled as to what I am suppose to be doing, if someone could greatly help me out. I understand where we the Riech stand right now, but Im not sure on Edicts, I have read I second Edit etc etc. How do I know what all these Edicts are, and...

I dont mean to whine, but it is really confusing to know what sections in the forum I am to be reading, There all mixed up with the MTW2 and RTW boards etc etc.

Please someone add me on xfire or msn!