Game 79 DS

General
#1

Any free out there who care enough to pass comment on the game so far? Looks like we won the neutral recruiting phase of the game. But you have just made it so much easier for us by concentrating so many targets in the South. Corsairs and Harad are not to enjoy themselves for long.
Out in the East the Northmen must be looking for a place to relocate. Long Rider and Easterling armies patrol his capital and the Sinda weakly try to patrol the sea capturing just one town back from the Long Rider who I see has taken Dilgul, Scari and Lest, and I’m sure he will be back for Elgaer in the near future. I’d also advise against putting fortifications up at Rhubar. The Long Rider does not like to have to pay for needless towers. Besides it only slightly slows armored cavalry with hosts of warmachines.
Fire King is sitting pretty, from the city of Barad Ungol he looks down at a pass relatively devoid of armies. Oh we know that the Corsairs and Harad are on their way, but they don’t know what we have in wait for them.
Up on the North West Rhudaur comments on just how easy is this game? It does help of course when you can recruit from two cities.
The Dragon Lord is secure, out of Mirkwood but that is to be expected. He retired troops last turn as the possibilty of anything coming around the back of Mordor are somewhere between zero and sod all.
The QA has been smacked by the combined forces of Corsairs and Harad but selfless play by a couple of nations saw him back on his feet extremely quickly building a nation for himself in two separate parts of the map. I think he made the comment that if he had two of every thing he would feel secure. In most games either the Corsairs or the Harad could pick off the QA so he’s quite chuffed that you felt you had to co-ordinate your attack from two nations. Feels is must be a good comment on his play so far.
Ice King just seems to churn out agents and a new Cloud Lord player is invigorating that nation. Only 8 kills from Ji and his compatriots so far but that was someone who had never played the game before.
BS is worried that the game will be over before he can put a proper curse squad in place. A sickness squad is OK but so vulnerable to assassins travelling with armies. Our BS player wont be happy until he can sit his mages just outside of Minas Anor and ruin NG’s day by taking down commander after commander. I think he made comment that it would be so much easier if he had a camp at 2824 so he could visit it occaisionally and look down on the petrified inhabitants.

Or is there an alternative view from the freeps?

#2

Me and my Freep allies are gonna tear your arms off OooooohVatha!

I told you chumps I was goin Free on turn 6 and I meant it. Now… lookout! All those dwarves I’ve been cursing with you was just a ruse. Just like those thousands of woodmen marching on Angmar.

IT’S ALL A RUSE I TELL YA! I’ve got a heart of Gold!

Haaa haa haaaaa haaaa! hO. uRF. hrm.

Murazor
The Good-Witch King

#3

No seriously. I think you freeps are in trouble. The only guy with any fire left is this darn dwarf who keeps running circles around me on his ponies.

Props to Cardolan though for keeping playing after losing both his MTs. That’s rare. His last offensive came as a big surprise but didn’t get too far. 1614. A bad place to go if you’re a freep I’d say.

Arthedain is an armored car now, but we’re moving into the character phase of the game. It’s turn 15 and I’m still in tact, with two strong allies south of me, and curses/agents in support. T-r-o-u-b-l-e…

Looks like Rhudaur has turned the tables on you also at 2209. And with the Easterlings, Long Rider, and Dog Lord pressing into Mirkwood from the East while the Woodmen have his 5000 HI west of the Misties you’ve got to be worried. You might take a chunk out of us western DS, but the cavalry is coming, and you’ll never take us down before help arrives. Certainly the Sinda won’t stop them.

As for Ithil, that will be nothing but a grave for the Corsairs and SG. Props to Harad and the Corsairs for going FP, but big as you are it’s too little too late. Already we’ve blunted your initial assault I’m afraid, and your follow-up punches we can handle.

With nearly all the curse and agent artifacts under our control, and a military stalemate you’re going to need a new strategy to pull this one out of the fire my friends.

Currently you’re losing about 5 characters a turn. Soon it will be 10. Struggling five more turns to eventually take out Carn Dum and Cargash won’t make a difference to the ultimate outcome of this game.

Murazor

#4

Most Esteemed Dark Servants:

Dragon Lord:
Thank you so much for your analysis of the game. We have learned a great deal about tactics and strategy from you. In fact we now have a a tactic we call the “Lizard Lord Gambit.” This is were you leave a fortified pop center…hide in a swamp…run into the woods…and then bravely retreat to the same pop center you vacated on turn one. It was masterful.

( Okay…I am sorry…I just do not get into mud slinging and name calling. It seems sort of juvenile and I don’t see the point of it. The WK’s are clever. I enjoy reading them. The only thing you can accomplish here is to glean some information from the opposing team. I find it best not to enter the arena. However, for this one time…and one time only… I will respond and give some information as well.)

Well, Mr. Witch King…everything you said could be correct…on the other hand if you keep you characters to max levels…a sickness squad and agents are only annoying. Agents and curse squads do not win games…armies do. As for agents…no doubt yours are awesome and will become more so. Bad for us. On the other hand, have you noticed that suddenly, more and more of your agents are being captured? Even when you scout, they do not show up until is to late. Please be bold with those agents carrying artifacts. Is Tormog still at 3124. Gee…I hope so!!! ( In that regard…we had some awful luck with LATs…not a one at game start…and then mages that learned them were so inept, we had them flogged.)

As for the beginning game we were blessed with four new players, two of which had no communication skills as well. Cardy was one as you may have guessed. he dropped when the Dun showed up in his capitol We still have two new players with us and they are coming along nicely.

Oh… BTW…I hold no ill feelings for Rhudaur or the Dun. It was a good move and
interesting. Goofy should have blown the bridge, but I didn’t see the Dun coming that early.

The Sinda dropped on turn 2 or three. I picked them up. ( Oh…Dragon Lord…sometimes when you show the strength of your army…open your guard…it is because you want to be attacked. My plan did not work in all aspects that I hoped for, but it was partially successful. You can loose a battle and have it serve a purpose.)

As for players with fire…on the DS side…my vote goes to the Dog Lord. He is aggressive and clever.

As for your view on the game, you will forgive us if we don’t lay down and give up. Agent and sickness squad advantage is yours. I say the army advantage is ours. The Easterlings will loose four towns this turn. I don’t think they will be bank rolling nations in the near future…and winter is coming.

Most likely, this will be my last response.

                                                      Jim  Dwarves/Sinda
#5

After thinking about it for a while, I can’t believe you think your winning. Agents…artifacts…no question. Militarily you are loosing in a substantial way and it will get worse. I really thought some of you would have considered throwing in the towel.

In the West, what should have been a steam roller from turn three on and quick victory failed. Ask yourself why. Now the attack has faltered and you are on the defense. Rhudaur taking a pop center that is sitting next to him or an emmie attack on a camp is NOT a turn in the tide. From this point on, with a turn or two going to the DS, the West will fall.

In the East you mention the Easterlings, Long Rider and Dog Lord slamming into Mirkwood.( Which I assume means the target is the Iron Hills. ) True they have so far done a number on the Northmen, but exactly what are they going to do this with? I don’t see much of an Easterling army left. The Long Rider’s best forces died on the assault against the Northmen capitol. And except for one Dog Lord army heading for the Iron Hills the rest seem to be bottled up or destroyed. He is building troops in two of the pop centers you mentioned, but as soon as they move out…or most of them move out…they will be destroyed and eventually they will have no place to recruit.

Mirkwood hasn’t lost a pop center sense turn one, though they have gained quite a few.

If you are telling the truth about the QA ands I find it unlikely that any of the info is correct, I don’t see that nation being much of a character based nation.

Armies are at both the gates of Mordor and sooner or later they will break in…agents or no agents.

The Gondors are strong and building ships and bridges and war machines really helps the Mirkwood economy.

The Harad and Corsair are juggernauts and they will just keep coming.

#6

Although I sign in as Khamul it does not reflect the nation I play in this game, just the nation I like most. Perhaps that is why I keep sending him gold and gifting him artifacts, that +50 mage was so useful to help his mage reveal Aradhrynd and Imladris. I never like hidden capitals, it’s too easy to send in a big character and challenge some low life. Why, isn’t that what the Dwarves did to the Long Rider back on turn 4 or so? If I had a hidden capital I’d be refusing challenge as often as I could, after all I wouldn’t want a vital NatSell order not go off.

Khamul not the Dragon Lord or Dog Lord in #79