Just signed up on this mepbmlist Yahoo group, finally, and have also been
reviewing the ideas for the variant -- lots of stuff to look over and especially
to try to figure out how it all fits together. I like some of the changes,
other changes look like they might have gone too far or in a kinda weird
direction. Anyway, did you want the feedback here or sent elsewhere? I have a
little bit already, lots more to follow I am sure...
I had one question -- assuming you have bought (or will buy) the program
code, would you confirm the impact of both pop center loyalty and the presence and
size of fortifications on agent orders? I know we have different ideas as to
whether the loyalty really matters that much in terms of stealing gold etc.,
but even more important, one of the things you are thinking of doing is adding
free fortifications for starting towns and up (stuff I would normally pay for
and would be happy to get free instead), but the stated reason for doing so
is to make agent actions more difficult. Sadly, I have not noticed a great
deal of difficulty amongst agents in performing a variety of nasty tasks at, say,
Kingdom capitals, even with their Keeps still intact, compared to say some
other nations' capitals of similar size and loyalty but with only a Tower of
Fort.
Meanwhile, the existence of Forts or better on all starting capitals --
indeed a free Castle if you pay to have your capital as a City instead of a Major
Town -- will mean an even greater difficulty for military nations unless they
counter by taking that many more war machines (which may well be possible with
the new costing schemes), and may instead further increase the reliance of
many nations on agents (to sabotage those fortifications) and emissaries (to
influence away fortified locations rather than have to assault them) rather than
military action...
SO that's the first question and comment, plenty more where that came from.
Should I babble on for pages here, or send a detailed summary to you directly,
or what?
-- Ernie Hakey III / ME-PBM Gamer from waaaaaaaay back....
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Good point. Higher fortification levels means more
difficult military conquest, means more reliance on
the "pick on a nation with assassins until it drops"
strategy.
I also noticed the "higher fortification level to make
agent orders harder" comment....
AND, I'd add, if I were to join a 1000 game, and knew
others that may be joining, I'd make sure we all
picked the same regions, and the most popular ones at
that.... Fill those coffers with gold earned by being
bounced.
I like the idea of upping the cost of the most popular
SNAs and decreasing the cost of the less frequently
taken SNAs. Still, I think these rules changes will
not significantly reduce the power of agents.
With tiny economies that won't support large armies,
random artifacts with no lost list access, and ability
to name agnets at 40 (even in LAS), agents will still
be the way to pound the enemy into dropping.
Meanwhile, the existence of Forts or better on all
starting capitals --
indeed a free Castle if you pay to have your capital
as a City instead of a Major
Town -- will mean an even greater difficulty for
military nations unless they
counter by taking that many more war machines (which
may well be possible with
the new costing schemes), and may instead further
increase the reliance of
many nations on agents (to sabotage those
fortifications) and emissaries (to
influence away fortified locations rather than have
to assault them) rather than
military action...
Best place is the Yahoogroup so that I can sign you up there (not the
Middle Earth list - ie this one). Then you can chat to others so that I
can get a wide range of opinions and feedback. Shall I sign you up for that?
Clint
···
At 23:38 03/08/04, you wrote:
Hey Clint --
Just signed up on this mepbmlist Yahoo group, finally, and have also been
reviewing the ideas for the variant -- lots of stuff to look over and
especially
to try to figure out how it all fits together. I like some of the changes,
other changes look like they might have gone too far or in a kinda weird
direction. Anyway, did you want the feedback here or sent elsewhere? I
have a
little bit already, lots more to follow I am sure...
I had one question -- assuming you have bought (or will buy) the program
code, would you confirm the impact of both pop center loyalty and the
presence and
size of fortifications on agent orders? I know we have different ideas as to
whether the loyalty really matters that much in terms of stealing gold etc.,
but even more important, one of the things you are thinking of doing is
adding
free fortifications for starting towns and up (stuff I would normally pay for
and would be happy to get free instead), but the stated reason for doing so
is to make agent actions more difficult. Sadly, I have not noticed a great
deal of difficulty amongst agents in performing a variety of nasty tasks
at, say,
Kingdom capitals, even with their Keeps still intact, compared to say some
other nations' capitals of similar size and loyalty but with only a Tower of
Fort.
Meanwhile, the existence of Forts or better on all starting capitals --
indeed a free Castle if you pay to have your capital as a City instead of
a Major
Town -- will mean an even greater difficulty for military nations unless they
counter by taking that many more war machines (which may well be possible
with
the new costing schemes), and may instead further increase the reliance of
many nations on agents (to sabotage those fortifications) and emissaries (to
influence away fortified locations rather than have to assault them)
rather than
military action...
SO that's the first question and comment, plenty more where that came from.
Should I babble on for pages here, or send a detailed summary to you
directly,
or what?
-- Ernie Hakey III / ME-PBM Gamer from waaaaaaaay back....
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Best place is the Yahoogroup so that I can sign you up there (not the
Middle Earth list - ie this one). Then you can chat to others so that I
can get a wide range of opinions and feedback. Shall I sign you up for
that? (Same email as Ernie). If you then see a flaw suggestions on how to
fix that flaw would be good.
Clint
···
At 00:04 04/08/04, you wrote:
--- DrakaraGM@aol.com wrote:
> Meanwhile, the existence of Forts or better on all
> starting capitals --
> indeed a free Castle if you pay to have your capital
> as a City instead of a Major
> Town -- will mean an even greater difficulty for
> military nations unless they
> counter by taking that many more war machines (which
> may well be possible with
> the new costing schemes), and may instead further
> increase the reliance of
> many nations on agents (to sabotage those
> fortifications) and emissaries (to
> influence away fortified locations rather than have
> to assault them) rather than
> military action...
Good point. Higher fortification levels means more
difficult military conquest, means more reliance on
the "pick on a nation with assassins until it drops"
strategy.
I also noticed the "higher fortification level to make
agent orders harder" comment....
AND, I'd add, if I were to join a 1000 game, and knew
others that may be joining, I'd make sure we all
picked the same regions, and the most popular ones at
that.... Fill those coffers with gold earned by being
bounced.
I like the idea of upping the cost of the most popular
SNAs and decreasing the cost of the less frequently
taken SNAs. Still, I think these rules changes will
not significantly reduce the power of agents.
With tiny economies that won't support large armies,
random artifacts with no lost list access, and ability
to name agnets at 40 (even in LAS), agents will still
be the way to pound the enemy into dropping.
Best place is the Yahoogroup so that I can sign you
up there (not the
Middle Earth list - ie this one). Then you can chat
to others so that I
can get a wide range of opinions and feedback.
Shall I sign you up for that?
Clint
At 23:38 03/08/04, you wrote:
>Hey Clint --
>
>Just signed up on this mepbmlist Yahoo group,
finally, and have also been
>reviewing the ideas for the variant -- lots of
stuff to look over and
>especially
>to try to figure out how it all fits together. I
like some of the changes,
>other changes look like they might have gone too
far or in a kinda weird
>direction. Anyway, did you want the feedback here
or sent elsewhere? I
>have a
>little bit already, lots more to follow I am
sure...
>
>I had one question -- assuming you have bought (or
will buy) the program
>code, would you confirm the impact of both pop
center loyalty and the
>presence and
>size of fortifications on agent orders? I know we
have different ideas as to
>whether the loyalty really matters that much in
terms of stealing gold etc.,
>but even more important, one of the things you are
thinking of doing is
>adding
>free fortifications for starting towns and up
(stuff I would normally pay for
>and would be happy to get free instead), but the
stated reason for doing so
>is to make agent actions more difficult. Sadly, I
have not noticed a great
>deal of difficulty amongst agents in performing a
variety of nasty tasks
>at, say,
>Kingdom capitals, even with their Keeps still
intact, compared to say some
>other nations' capitals of similar size and loyalty
but with only a Tower of
>Fort.
>
>Meanwhile, the existence of Forts or better on all
starting capitals --
>indeed a free Castle if you pay to have your
capital as a City instead of
>a Major
>Town -- will mean an even greater difficulty for
military nations unless they
>counter by taking that many more war machines
(which may well be possible
>with
>the new costing schemes), and may instead further
increase the reliance of
>many nations on agents (to sabotage those
fortifications) and emissaries (to
>influence away fortified locations rather than have
to assault them)
>rather than
>military action...
>
>SO that's the first question and comment, plenty
more where that came from.
>Should I babble on for pages here, or send a
detailed summary to you
>directly,
>or what?
>
>-- Ernie Hakey III / ME-PBM Gamer from waaaaaaaay
back....
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been
removed]
>
>
>
>
>Middle Earth PBM - hit reply to send to everyone
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