FA Agent Nation Design (opinions?)

mepbmlist
#1

Comments Welcomed:

Allegiance Evil, Non-Human

SNAs:

#11 New Agents at 40
#31 KNP/ASS at +20
Individual Victory Condition #6 (IDs an ART)

Saves 2,000 gold

ARMY:

200 MAA

Saves 10,000 gold

POPs:

opt for 2 extra camps and do not put Towers on any pops IF you are in
the back of the action (ie not on the front lines of military action,
what agent nation would be???)

Saves 2,000 gold

CHARs:

60 A x3, 50 E, 40 E x2, 30 E, 30 C

Saves 0

Total gold at game start = 39,000
Starting loyalty of non-CAP pops = 50

Turn 1 hires = 40 A x3, 30 C

I really wanted to start with 4 60 Agents but could not sacrifice the
50 EMI especially considering as a DS I do not tend to bring new EMIs
into the game.

While it may take longer to get taxes where they need to be as well
as upgrades/downgrades once the T1 hire gets into the army as a
backup s/he usually trains up quick.

Gary

#2

Curious. What does DS have to do with emissaries? A nation is a
nation is a nation, no? Pick your SNA's and run with it, why does
the colour of your bandana affect that?

Brad

···

--- GearonSkywalker <garyaswegan@yahoo.com> wrote:

I really wanted to start with 4 60 Agents but could not sacrifice the

50 EMI especially considering as a DS I do not tend to bring new EMIs

into the game.

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#3

Gary,

I personally think you should spend the MAXIMUM in each section except
for armies. You get stuff during setup that you can't ever get again
during the game, or that is much cheaper during setup.

SNAs:
#11 New Agents at 40
#31 KNP/ASS at +20
Individual Victory Condition #6 (IDs an ART)
Saves 2,000 gold

This section is the most important one, in my opinion, and I'd spend it
ALL on something. SNA's 4, 6, 7, & 13 would do you well. If you don't
want the SNAs, then transports if you're by a body of water, or war
machines if you're not.

ARMY:
200 MAA
Saves 10,000 gold

If you don't want 'real' troops, (which I personally agree with), then
you should start with 100 MA. The reason for this is that, not only do
you get an extra 1000 gold to start with, but your army will start with
twice as much food. (3000 food with 200 troops compared to 6000 food
with 100 troops.) You can then dump most of it into the PC and have more
to sell.

POPs:

opt for 2 extra camps and do not put Towers on any pops IF you are in
the back of the action (ie not on the front lines of military action,
what agent nation would be???)
Saves 2,000 gold

I would opt for the capital insurance, and go with the towers. With an
agent nation that will not have a strong military, it's more important
that you get your first choice than having the extra camp. The towers
for 1000 gold and no timber are a bargain, and will help your defense if
someone ends up next to you.

CHARs:

60 A x3, 50 E, 40 E x2, 30 E, 30 C
Saves 0
Turn 1 hires = 40 A x3, 30 C

BE CAREFUL! Starting with only one commander and only hiring one more is
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. It would be easy for the enemy to take these two
out, which leaves you with NO commanders. That would mean no capital
army, (which leaves enemy emmys free to take you out), no company
commanders, and no way to hire more.

Commanders will be needed to downgrade, raise taxes, form companies,
etc. I would drop the 30 emmy, start with 2 commanders, and hire two
more right off.

Just my 2 cents.
Mike Mulka

#4

When I play DS I sacrifice having lots of camps IF I get to play this
type of agent nation SO I make due with only 3 EMIs AND I don't hire
any new ones. (I am too busy hiring 40 Agents)

When I play FP I usually have 4 starting EMIs (at 60)and sometimes
hire one (usually a multiclass guy)even when playing a FP agent
nation.

Taking advantage of an alignment-race CHAR bonus is very important no?

Gary

--- GearonSkywalker <garyaswegan@y...> wrote:
> I really wanted to start with 4 60 Agents but could not sacrifice

the

>
> 50 EMI especially considering as a DS I do not tend to bring new

EMIs

···

--- In mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com, bgb <pbmnoot@y...> wrote:

>
> into the game.

Curious. What does DS have to do with emissaries? A nation is a
nation is a nation, no? Pick your SNA's and run with it, why does
the colour of your bandana affect that?

Brad

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#5

Mike,

Thanks for the review, it was a good one.

Here are some things I would point out.

Taking one more SNA is a good thing, but not #4. An army SNA would
come in handy later in the game but all SNA #4 will do is give me one
starting CHAR with +15 challenge INSTEAD of possibly +10 skill
points. And then there are the new CHARs that come into the game...I
would much rather get new agents at 40 with a skill plus over
challenge rank.

Only bad thing about 100 MAA troops over 200 troops is that a 100
troop army goes POOF if you lose one troop to an encounter. Believe
me it happens...this would toss your war machines to the fire as well
and cost you the 5K to bring in a new army. Better to start with 200
MAA than to hire 100 more later or lose the army and start over.
(damn Lossoth)

CAP insurance...does this really come into play in a FA grudge game?
IMO...nothing is as important as having extra camps, and saving the
2000 every turn is like having 2 extra camps making 1000 gold every
turn.

Good feedback on the Commanders...

Gary

#6

Taking one more SNA is a good thing, but not #4. An army SNA would
come in handy later in the game but all SNA #4 will do is give me one
starting CHAR with +15 challenge INSTEAD of possibly +10 skill
points. And then there are the new CHARs that come into the game...I
would much rather get new agents at 40 with a skill plus over
challenge rank.

First, I don't believe that your one starting character bonus is
necessarily tied to any of your SNAs.

Also, the +challenge isn't as bad as many think. It does give you an
increased chance of +15 challenge, (the equivalent of a 1500 weapon),
which isn't a bad thing for high level agents that would rather not
refuse challenge. (Espcecially when you couple that with an actual
weapon.)

However, whatever the nation designer wants is best. Whichever SNA's you
most want is what you should take.

Only bad thing about 100 MAA troops over 200 troops is that a 100
troop army goes POOF if you lose one troop to an encounter. Believe
me it happens...this would toss your war machines to the fire as well
and cost you the 5K to bring in a new army. Better to start with 200
MAA than to hire 100 more later or lose the army and start over.
(damn Lossoth)

Except that you won't get encounters on the Turn-0 PDF, and you can
always hire another 100 MA on turn 1, before any possible encounter. The
extra 4000+ gold (from 100MA less and 3000 food more) is more than worth
it, in my opinion.

CAP insurance...does this really come into play in a FA grudge game?
IMO...nothing is as important as having extra camps, and saving the
2000 every turn is like having 2 extra camps making 1000 gold every
turn.

It absolutely DOES come into play in a grudge game. The only time it
doesn't is if ALL players from all allegiances agree to pre-arranged
start locations.

Grudge game or not, you can get kicked from your 1st (or 2nd) starting
locations, and unexpectedly find your weak-military agent nation on the
frontlines. Then you've got to waste time hiring commanders and troops
just to survive. (I've seen this happen.)

However, as I stated above, these are just my opinions from observing
previous games. It is ultimately up to the player how to design their
nation, and no choices are techincally 'wrong'.

Have fun,
Mike

#7

In my experience if you take Stealth or Challenge as a SNA bonus you
typically (not 100% but VERY high)get this as your starting bonus and
new CHAR bonus (again not 100% as I just saw a stealth SNA nation get
a Skill rank bonus of 5 on a new CHAR)

Also, the +challenge isn't as bad as many think. It does give you an
increased chance of +15 challenge, (the equivalent of a 1500

weapon),

Don't weapons add to challenge rank by dividing by 50 so a 1500
weapon adds 30? Page 52 TA rule book.

Except that you won't get encounters on the Turn-0 PDF, and you can
always hire another 100 MA on turn 1, before any possible

encounter. The extra 4000+ gold (from 100MA less and 3000 food more)
is more than worth it, in my opinion.

This is great insight, thanks. Bad thing now is if I have 2 starting
commanders I have to hire 100 troops and raise taxes. This blows the
idea of having only one starting commander out of the water.

It absolutely DOES come into play in a grudge game. The only time it
doesn't is if ALL players from all allegiances agree to pre-arranged
start locations.

Never played a game using CAP insurance I guess this adds to the
strategy of picking a well balanced nation, over specialists that can
hide in the back rows.

Thanks Mike,
Gary