Out of character thread XVIII

[Privateerkev]

That was an awesome battle report. Almost makes me want to start up an SP game and fight some battles...

[Ferret]

whaddaya mean almost? I would if I didn't have to revise for more blasted exams :(

[Privateerkev]

whaddaya mean almost?

Playing hotseats makes playing SP games seem dull and boring. Having real humans running all of the factions in a game is absolutely awesome. The AI just sits there and waits for me to pound on it...

I have gotten spoiled by "real" competition...

[Ferret]

What about in the Crusades hotseat, all you've done there is backstabbing rather than fighting :P

[Privateerkev]

What about in the Crusades hotseat, all you've done there is backstabbing rather than fighting :P

Actually, I have fought "rebels" quite a bit. As for the backstabbing, I never had an alliance with the PoA. I promised to get the Turks out of the Anatolian Peninsula and I did just that. I never said how I would do it.

To be fair, I had no idea Zim would whomp you so easily. I completely underestimated the power of the Jihad. Ideally, Emperor Manuel wanted to play the Catholics and Muslims off of each other. He does have the "Byzantine Politics" skill... But, my aid accidentally led to the inevitable death of one side relatively early in the game.

Oops...

[TinCow]

The most annoying part about that battle is that I am almost almost 100% certain that I could have won if the army had entered at any spot other than that directly behind the Byzantines. I simply had no way of getting into the city from that spot and a straight up field battle was hopeless since I was heavily outnumbered and had no cavalry worth speaking of other than my bodyguard.

[Privateerkev]

The most annoying part about that battle is that I am almost almost 100% certain that I could have won if the army had entered at any spot other than that one. I simply had no way of getting into the city from that spot and a straight up field battle was hopeless since I was heavily outnumbered and had no cavalry worth speaking of other than my bodyguard.

Looking at that report, it looks like you did the best anyone could do with that very difficult situation. It is definitely one of my favorite reports on here to date.

[OverKnight]

After I have some coffee, Bob and Joe will be avenged!

[AussieGiant]

I guess that was my fault TC. Placing you where I did lead to that situation. I thought you would enter from the side...I was certainly wrong.

[Stuperman]

Nice try TC, but yeah given the battlefield you'd lost before you had even started. Although that does some serious damage to the southern front, and the finances, no one can say you played favorites during the cataclysm. was the cite exterminated?

[OverKnight]

Posted the save and results in the order thread, gibson is up.

[Zim]

OK, I figured you were a good player, as most of the players here are, but I am in awe of that last victory. My hope for the future of Outremer has just vastly increased.

[OverKnight]

In a battle like the last one, terrain is destiny. Most players could have pulled it off.

TC is a better general than I am, but placement determined the last two battles. Plus I only had to defend, he had to relieve.

It also helped that I wiped out their Bombards a turn ago.

[Zim]

Well, nonetheless it's great news for the...Viceroyalty of Outremer?

[AussieGiant]

I'm surprised at OK's result however I have fought around there and terrain is everything around those mountains.

Now we have some tough one's to go. Gibbo you're up mate...

discretion is the better part of valour...

and that goes for Cecil and PK too.

[OverKnight]

Outremer is still a Kingdom, the Viceroyalty of Outremer doesn't quite roll of the tongue as gracefully. I wanted to keep Kingdom in the name, because it has historical connotations and sounds cool, but acknowledge with the Viceroy title that it was not an independent territory or an inherited position.

If you want to get technical, Matthias rules Outremer, but in the name of the Kaiser and at his discretion, since he is the titular King. Or at least that's how I see it.

[Zim]

Kingdom does sound a bit better.

To the Kingdom of Outremer, then! ~:cheers;

[TinCow]

Nice try TC, but yeah given the battlefield you'd lost before you had even started. Although that does some serious damage to the southern front, and the finances, no one can say you played favorites during the cataclysm. was the cite exterminated?

Yep. I think they've done that to every city they've captured in Italy. I know for sure they've exterminated Rome, Bologna, Venice and Milan now. I'm not positive about Florence, since I wasn't paying attention when they took it, but I'm pretty sure it got the sword as well. Probably has to do with high populations that are not the same religion.

Another factor in battle difficulty in KOTR is keeping your avatar alive. I am far less reckless with my generals in KOTR than I am in a single player game. It may not look like it because Lothar ended up with just 1 other surviving bodyguard, but I was actually wary about him getting stuck into a bad spot. Once his unit was at half strength, I wanted to keep him out of combat, but had to toss him back into the line in a last ditch attempt to break the Byzantines. I was not happy about doing so.

[Zim]

Just as a warning, Gibson couldn't play his Frozen Crusade battle today (Family visit of some sort) so he may not be able to get to this one.

[econ21]

Gibson is listed as being on reserve duty, so if I were AussieGiant, I would just have him retreat to safety.

The trickier one is Cecil's battle. I think AG should autoresolve it to get the avatars to safety (albeit defeated) but it would be good if Cecil would give an opinion on this.

[Cecil XIX]

I would retreat, then autoresolve. Should be fine.

[Ramses II CP]

You know you could take the save and do the run around to avoid any possible negative traits. It wouldn't be hard to keep the guys alive and bring home a tie, possibly with some pretty good losses for the enemy.

Of course there are risks in that, obvious risks.

I haven't always been as careful as I should with Fritz. Maybe it's partly because I don't like who he is, but it's the SP thing too. I use up generals in the SP game, they're just so friggin powerful it's hard to avoid.

[OverKnight]

New battle report is up.

I included a prelude with the Byz emperor to explain the very aggressive moves made by the Greeks this turn, and why they would scale a mountain to get at Matt.

If this goes against the grain of those who have "spoken" for the royal family before, let me know and I'll edit. I figured whatever shades of gray that originially played out between the Empires have burned away.

[AussieGiant]

So guy's what's the deal?

Is Gibson around or should I retreat him?

As for the Cecil and PK, then I would prefer it if Cecil did the honours.

Cheers
AG

[Zim]

I guess Gibson put himself on reserve in the Active Duty thread.

Here's what he said regarding not being able to play a battle in our other MP game.

Uhh, my grandparents are over so I won't be able to play. Autoresolve it, please. Sorry for the delay.

So guy's what's the deal?

Is Gibson around or should I retreat him?

As for the Cecil and PK, then I would prefer it if Cecil did the honours.

Cheers
AG

[Warmaster Horus]

I put it on the Active Duty thread, but I'll say it here too: I'll be absent from this afternoon ('round 5PM GMT+1) until the afternoon of the 27th.

As for battles... Autoresolve'll do.

[econ21]

So guy's what's the deal?

Is Gibson around or should I retreat him?

Gibson is apparently not around and anyway is formally on reserve duty. Reserve duty means he does not fight his battles and ideally should be kept out of danger because of that. I would just retreat him.

As for the Cecil and PK, then I would prefer it if Cecil did the honours.

Cecil has given his instructions, so you can just move on to 1342.

I would retreat, then autoresolve. Should be fine.

Let's get this (turn of) war over by Christmas!

[AussieGiant]

Ok then I'm taking 1340-10 and finishing. The report will be up this evening.

[FactionHeir]

Plague certainly is bad. Especially at Staufen.

[AussieGiant]

It's suddenly very tense for me.

You guy's are not affected yet...I can get you out now but it's a plague army we are recruiting now :-(

We have too many troops and not enough cash...but we need all the troops we have in my view.

IC options have to be discussed...