Sorry this is so late. I am the Mythwood player and here’s my perspective on the game that ended about a month ago t38.
Having played ME for quite a number of years, a most fascinating game overall- many twists and turns, quite unconventional, etc, etc.
strategic setup:
FP
one w of NK, relatively safe
one in gap of rohan, relatively safe- near some neutrals
one in corsair area (me) vs 3 closeby DS
one in mid misty mts, relatively safe
one in far north mts- near single DS
one in mid mirkwood- near 1 DS and several neutrals
one in far NE- near DS and neutral
one sea of Rhun, almost on top of a neutral and near two other neutrals.
DS. one in far north, other in north mts, two in n/s harad, four spaced out in far SE along eastside of mordor
N: two in white mts, one old sinda area, one in mordor, three in northmen/rhun area.
FP are in trouble- isolated and poor economies mostly. alot will depend on gaining favor w/neutrals.
early game t1-5.
FP in south (me, Feydakim) holds off 3 DS while asking for aid from N FP and any neutrals. Good success in stalling, little aid from FP, offer of aid from NK
NE FP go after two DS with mixed success- poor econs and nation designs hamper play.
Neutrals build and play nice. NK especially attempts to aid in south. NE neutrals all of a sudden jump on FP (t3) near sea of rhun (who is on team w/three other FP to west. FP knocked out. Neutrals then combine w/DS and go after other FP in NE, weakening them
t6-10.
FP in NE barely surviving, frantic efforts to stay alive, with draw support of S. FP
FP in south frantically trying to stay alive, cultivating NK like crazy. NK lends substantial support, says NE neutrals acting alone.
FP in gap decides to attack the NK, freaking out rest of FP, who realize all is lost unless convince NK he’s acting alone.
So FP goes bankrupt t8, FP in gap of rohan knocked out by NK soon after
DS building and doing well. 2 NE DS weakened but alive
t11-15
NW FP decides to quit suddenly. I take over his position, link up w/NK (who could crush me quickly)
NE FP goes under as two other northern FP, only one left in misty mts. I take
over this positon also (mythwood)
NK talks like his allies w/go FP, we go on offense vs DS in south (agent wise)
Neutrals in NE start attacking NE DS.
t12- all neutrals stay neutral- contrary to what they had said to both FP and DS
DS contact myself as remaining FP, convince me to join their side
so it’s 8DS (two very weakened) and two weak FP vs 9 strong neutrals, including two building kingdoms- a challenge to say the least.
t16-20
Mythwood fights a holding action vs nearby neutrals, barely staying alive, while recruiting FP char. NW FP (Kuro KO) relocates capital. NK appears to assume I dropped, takes his time taking over KK pc’s, allowing relocation and rebuilding of nation.
DS in Harad strongly invaded by SK and other neutrals. Eastern DS push north into Rhun but are pushed back.
NE DS are being ground down slowly
t21-25.
SK is pushed back barely, neut armies assassinated off every turn to stem tide
Agent assault starts on mordor Neut to clear him out, he successfully thwarts m ost agent actions, frustrating us to no end. armies have standoffs in mordor
Ne DS are relocated in very weakened condition
eastern DS are slowly pushed back by NE neutrals, huge army battles, several capitals are lost, many mt’s are lost
Myth holds off neut assault and begins offense vs mirkwood neutrals
KK loses all original pc’s to NK
t26-30
SK is knocked out and DS push into his area and W. Mordor
battle wages back and forth in mordor vs neut there
neuts in east slowly push south, agent battle is brutal
Myth aggressively expands in misty mts, putting neuts in area on defensive
KK reestablishes in NW at old capital, takes fight to the NK
t31-35
Huge agent and emis battles break forth, w/edge to DS. DS eliminate one of the neut agent companies, giving advantage to DS agents
Neut armies penetrate into deep SW, threatening remaining capitals
Critical agent battle at DS capital results in remaining neut agent company taking massive losses. NE neutrals drop the game realizing this.
t36-38 decide to go after strategic site victory (around t33) to quickly end the game. NK and another neut knocked out, leaving two neut active at end of game.
all in all an excellent game. Neutrals nearly fooled both sides long enough to win the game. FP and DS united t12. One FP knocked totally out of homelands and came back (KK). Two DS lost capitals twice and one DS lost it once. Neuts fought all the way to deep SW and had very good chance of winnning, except for some lucky breaks, they lost the agent war and the game. There were many turns where we almost gave up but persistence made the difference.
Richard Mehl