Artifact Retrieval Question

General
#1

Another newbie question – this time about artifact retrieval. Actually, I have two questions. I just got my turnsheet back yesterday and don’t know how best to approach two artifact retrieval opportunities presented in my turnsheet.

The first: my mage was able to locate an artifact that I am confident is not possessed by anyone, but the artifact is located in coastal waters. Does that mean I have to build some ships (I don’t have any) and sail to that location to try to get the artifact? Will a navy commander be able to get the encounter he needs to obtain the artifact?

The second question: I moved a character last turn to another artifact location determined by my mage. Again, I am quite confident that the artifact at that location is not owned by anyone else. The character I moved there got an encounter and this turn she will issue the correct response. Will she then automatically get the artifact? Or must she stay there for another turn to issue the pick up artifact order (796)?

Once again, I thank anyone who can help me out with answeres to these questions.

#2

When you locate an artifact (true or otherwise) it tells you who’s carrying it. No name, nobody’s carrying it, never seen an exception. Now you should be more “confident”.

You need a character in coastal waters to get the artifact in coastal waters. Some advice: If it’s worth building a ship to get a stupid stinking artifact, then I guarantee you someone else will have gotten that awesome artifact long before you get there…Locate another artifact…

If you issue the correct response to an encounter/riddle you will get the prize behind Door 1…there is only 1 door.

Question of my own: you’re playing Gunboat, right?

#3

Thanks for the answers. That’s helpful to know about the casting on an artifact location. I was not aware that you automatically got the name of the character carrying it.

As for your question, the game I’m playing is a regular old 2950 game.

I still would like to make a try at the coastal artifact. It’s not one of the “biggies” – I’m pretty sure they’re all long gone. But I still would like to know if I build a navy and move there, will that gain me the encounter I need? Otherwise, how do I get a character into coastal waters?

#4

Yes you will need at least one transport ship and 100MA and an army commander to pick up the ship.

You then sail to where the artifact is however this is where it is different from land based arti’s

You don’t get an encounter. You don’t get any riddle. You just issue the 900 order with the correct artifact number and you should get it. You may not (if the arti is high level) but most times you do. For the best chance attach a mage to the army commander and have them find it.

Cheers
John S

#5

John, thanks for your answer. That gives me a clear understanding of what I need to do.

The naval orders and rules seem to me to be quite confusing and difficult. I wonder if that’s deliberate on the part of the game designers: that they wanted players to struggle with navy orders and rules so that only the most experienced players could perform them correctly.

#6

The ‘fog of war’ is an important element of this game. But, you should seek out a vet to mentor you in rule minutia. Carpenter or Marine, it always helps if someone can show you the ropes. Isn’t there someone who can help you in the game you are in?

#7

In a game I’m playing the DS located the Ring of Wind early on, in coastal waters. Three or four turns we had mages 900 the damn thing and failed everytime. Then we had a mage issue two 900 orders and we finally succeeded, it helped that the coastal waters in question where just outside the Blind Sorcerer back up.

#8

Arthedain, I put these “newbie” questions on the forum for several reasons.

  1. I reach a much broader pool of people who can answer my questions.
  2. The forum is the least intrusive way of asking questions. Those who like helping out less experienced players and answering their sometimes tedious questions can do so. Those who prefer not to can simply skip them.
  3. I strongly suspect that I am not the only one benefitting from the answers posted.

I admit, you have a good point about finding a ‘mentor.’ But I still feel that the forum is the best place for discussion of game mechanics type questions.

I’m not trying to bother or annoy anyone – and I sincerely hope I’m not. I really am enjoying the game and look forward to many more (hopefully with greater experience, knowledge and effectiveness).

Many, many thanks to those who have given me such good and helpful answers.

#9

Keep posting, Dursereg! For all the reasons you describe.

I didn’t read Arthedain73’s comments as critical anyway – he’s pointing out that it helps to have a mentor, for all the questions you don’t even know to ask.

#10

Nanook, thanks for the encouragement.

I, too, did not take Arthedain’s as critical (or at least I didn’t take them as hostile). But I felt I should clarify a bit why I like to post questions on the forum, as opposed to circulating them among 11 or so other players.

In fact, I wish more players would post such questions here. It would really help us less experienced players.

#11

Originally posted by Dursereg
… I like to post questions on the forum, as opposed to circulating them among 11 or so other players.

Lots of questions get posted here. The concern is that it’s a team game. If you’re on a team you’re coordinating your artifact hunt. You’re reporting your findings, reporting your actions and results, expanding on your plans, hopes and goals. Inbetween all of this are a whole host of related questions. Such as this one.

I can assure you that amongst the “11 or so other players” most would be more than happy to help. Some might even feel slighted that you’ve gone outside the team. That’s what Arthedain is referring to.

Before Dursereg or anyone else jumps down my throat for being a cold and heartless ass, allow me to put myself in the shoes of any of these regular 2950 Allies: My ally is locating artifacts, not sharing or discussing the information, and actually considering building a harbour, then a port, then ships, in order to go pick it up…think of the time and resources that would take…without telling me or our other ally who already has ships ? (and a mage most likely?)…??

I’m sorry, but I simply can’t understand these types of things happening in a regular team game. I simply can’t imagine such a hostile attitude towards sharing information within the team, at least not since the “bad old days”.

I’m not being mean, you see, based on all the information I see, if this is the situation, then the best help any of us with experience can offer is “Report Fully and Ask Your Team.” The vast majority most certainly won’t mind, and a number of us are quite eager to help someone who appears to enjoy the game and is eager to learn. Which is why we answer the questions here too. If you actually find yourself on a team where the players don’t want to hear it, give you crap for being new, or there is reason to not trust them with a complete report and pdf, then don’t dispair! This team will most likely lose, and lose quickly, and you’ll get to sign up for a new game, where the odds are most excellent you’ll have a much better experience!

All the best,

Brad

#12

Well spoken Player.

  • Jeppe
#13

If you’re on a team you’re coordinating your artifact hunt.

Actually, my artifact hunt is not part of any overall team strategy. Maybe this is newbie nonsense; but I thought I could devote a couple of characters to collecting the lesser artifacts. Mostly just for the fun of it, though some of them may prove useful in personal combat or could be traded, etc. Also, (and here I guess is where I get scorn heaped upon me) I was trying to fulfill a personal victory condition.

Before Dursereg or anyone else jumps down my throat for being a cold and heartless ass

I never have accused Player or Arthedain or anyone else of being “heartless,” much less an “ass.” I’ve greatly appreciated the help provided by both of you. I just felt I should explain why I choose to post game mechanics questions on the forum. In fact, I think a thread devoted to such questions would be a great idea.

My ally is locating artifacts, not sharing or discussing the information, and actually considering building a harbour, then a port, then ships, in order to go pick it up…think of the time and resources that would take…without telling me or our other ally who already has ships ? (and a mage most likely?)…??

Good point. I hadn’t really considered all that. I forgot (or really wasn’t fully cognizant of the fact) that I would have to jump through all those hoops to get a rather minor prize at the end. It’s unlikely I will do all that; but now I at least understand the process of retrieving artifacts from coastal waters if I should ever wish to do so in the future – and I value that information highly.

I simply can’t imagine such a hostile attitude towards sharing information within the team

I have no hostility whatsoever toward sharing information with the team. Indeed, I withold no information. I do get some help with game mechanics from the team; but since I discovered this forum, I’ve asked most of my mechanics questions here. No hostility toward the team was intended and I’m rather sure none was taken.

I will continue to post questions about game mechanics on the forum. And I will welcome any help that other more experienced (or simply more skillful) players care to offer, including advice along the lines of “you really should think twice before doing such and such because you’ll first have to collect timber, then build a harbor, then . . . .” That type of advice is just as valuable, in my view, as the more direct answers to my questions.

So if my postings are annoying to any of you, please ignore them. I repeat what I said in an earlier post: I do not wish to annoy or aggravate anyone. But I do wish to continue posting questions for any who care to answer them. And if the more experienced among you think that a thread devoted to game mechanics questions would be useful, I would be happy to restrict my postings to such a thread.

#14

Originally posted by Dursereg
I have no hostility whatsoever toward sharing information with the team

Note I wasn’t directing everything at “you” personally. It was muchly general. Either yourself or others or the team in general is “anti” communication. I’m not the one to judge which.

Yes, you’re going to get hammered for trying to fulfill a frivolous “personal” victory condition. Tell me: which is more efficient? 1 Allegiance with 80 Starting Characters or 10 Nations loosely affiliated with 8 Starting Characters each? Don’t give me chaos theory or some small-business capitalist chant here please :wink: Obviously, all else being equal, the team that best acts as 1 Allegiance will defeat the other team acting as 10 Individuals.

Of course, nobody is an automaton, so we’re all playing in Loose Affiliations… where discussion, debate, and disagreement reign supreme quite often. Now we add leadership and diplomacy to the mix and we’ve gone way to far off topic…

But consider the concept of efficiency again. Everything that you “do” in Middle Earth is via the Orders you give your characters. Are your orders directed at defeating your enemy, or are they directed towards frivolous personal victory conditions? A +750 or so trinket is nothing compared to useful orders and spells turn in and turn out. Decisions of value have to be made at every turn, but some are easier than others!

Brad

#15

I like the dumb questions. Mainly because I don’t ask them hehe.

I do appreciate and read the answers though!

#16

Player is right that it makes sense to share plans with teammates, especially when they take significant resources.

Dursereg, do keep posting on the Forum, though. You’ll get answers from different sources to help.

One of my games includes many vets who grasp game mechanics far less well than they believe. We have one newbie, and he’s flooded with inaccurate views on army movement, pc limit application, bankruptcy calculation, tax rate loyalty impacts, and the like.

False beliefs abound (despite the fact that most of this - say, camping at ruins or setting taxes at 59% vs. 60% – can be settled with careful reading of pdf’s). Information on the Forum can be wrong, too, but it provides another source. I learn here all the time, and so can newcomers.

#17

Oops! Forgot to add:

Dursereg, personal Victory Conditions are among the most misleading part of the game for newcomers.

Most good players ignore them – it’s better to focus on victory for your side and VP’s fluctuate easily anyway – but even those who are personally ambitious can often gain more points by, say, having a fat treasury than by trying to amass “an aditional 10 artifacts,” etc.

There are lots of styles of play, so if you want arties, go for it. But don’t let the Victory Conditions – in big type and on their own page – fool you into believing they matter more than the small print on the following pages.

#18

The purpose of the Individual Victory Conditions are to tempt the selfish and shortsighted amongst us into destructive behavior. This game is also a morality play.

#19

If your just dieing to get artifact deep in the ocean. But do not have ship’s. Ask a team member to get it for you. You may have to offer payment for risking his character. Victory conditions are not importaint. IMO But, if it’s easy and doable… Go for it.

#20

Buy an artifact from an ally? Well, each to there own, but if this type of thing were happening in a game of mine, I’d simply drop immediately.