Thats where u're mistaken. First, nothing dictates that u have to
catalog ALL the artifacts. Second, RA is an EASY spell, mind u. That means
30 mages can accomplish this with some ease. What means u can have Tonn
Varthkur recruit and research artifact every turn. Same goes to Lanthir,
Miruimor, Leardinoth, Uirdiks, Finduilas, Amroth, Glorfindel, Angulion,
krusnak, shoglic, AR GULAR, abdhakil, gaurhir, herumor, malezar, Rozilan,
Voisiol, Morlammen, Jirfelien, Beawyn, shamara katub, ejena, hos harf....
Got the gist of it ? So u see, the 2 USELESS HN mages could identify 6
artefacts per turn, while they prentice
That would also expand tactics. Currently, in grudge games at least,
its a race for RoW, Tinculin, RoC, curse and agent/stealth artefacts. This
change would dictate how much importance an alliance gives to these
artefacts. After discovering a curse artefact and a couple of agent ones,
ehy might stop and use their mages for other affairs. And another thing : If
u play a team game, U KNOW THE NUMBER OF ALL THE ARTEFACTS OF YOUR
TEAMMATES, therefore only the dumbest orc would try to identify the
pectoral, because he knows its ID from the RB turnsheet. This decreases
significantly ur statistics, I believe.
This change will encourage the "versatilization" ( is this even a word
? =P ) of mages. If coupled with some other changes, like more powerful
combat spells, this would make nations like AR and GS take more advantage of
their mage abilities. As of now, mages scry or locate artefatcs/characters,
until mid-game when all of them learn sickness/curses, and those with lower
ranks prentice so that they can eventually learn curses too....
RD: Please NO more combat spells, more powerful or not! Show me ONE example
if you can of magic being employed in any of Tolkien's battles (with the
possible exception of the 'Devilry of Orthanc' employed at Helm's Deep).
There is NO basis for fire bolts, chill bolts, word bolts and similar
unimaginative crap which all do the same thing and nobody uses anyway.
Magic should be INDIRECT. The Dark Summons sequence does this very well.
Fearful Hearts affects the morale of the enemy, exactly as described at the
siege of Minas Tirith. Fanaticism increases the morale of your own troops,
as described in the battles of Gladden Fields and Helm's Deep. Summon
Storms is a weather spell like that which stopped the Fellowship crossing
the Redhorn Pass, and would have stopped an army too.
Personally I would rip out most of the other combat spells and substitute
more subtle ones, which would still affect combat but indirectly. What
about the 'Mist of Galadriel' which hid Eorl the Young's army? That would
allow an army concealed movement at full speed until it actually hit
opposition.
And please, could there be a spell "HIDE POPULATION CENTER" ?? I mean,
this is ridiculous. There are over 10 hidden PCs in the 1650 scenario at
game start, and only one of them is accounted for. All the others are
Concealed just because they are. This spell would take some of the curses
mages, because if either alliance fails to have some "Revealers", the other
could stall them with "concealers", and vice-versa. Imagine a teleporting
Maben hiding Morannon from harm, or Ringlin hiding Minas Ithil on turn two
.... Sometimes its even pathetic for a PL to learn Reveal PC, because he
eill only have 2 targets EVER, since Mantle o Doriath is good aligned....
And one of these is Tol- Buruth, which is pretty hard to take in the first
20 turns.
RD: Aargh, nooo! We don't want hidden pops all over the place. In any
case, 'hidden' is a misnomer. Everybody knows where they are. Prior to the
Last Alliance, Sauron besieged both Imadris and Mithlond and saw the gates
of Khazad-dum slammed in his face, so he certainly knew where they were.
'Magically Warded' would be a better description, and they should be VERY
difficult for an enemy character to infilitrate unseen, unlike now, where
Khamul and/or Celedhring can walk unseen into Khazad-dum or Lorien and
surprise-challenge a couple of unsuspecting freeps. However there is a good
argument for making the Mordor capitals 'Magically Warded' too, remembering
how Sam 'rang the front doorbell' when he tried to enter one unseen.
Richard.
···
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rodrigo Maia" <g0th@bol.com.br>
To: <mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 11:07 PM
Subject: Re: [mepbmlist] Re: randomization of artifact numbers
Rodrigo Maia
----- Original Message -----
From: Darrell Shimel
To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 8:16 PM
Subject: Re: [mepbmlist] Re: randomization of artifact numbers
--- Rodrigo Maia <g0th@bol.com.br> wrote:
> he meant 412 as the spell, researsh artifact. Thats
> something i've also considered, like the spell being
> able to target three artifacts. I think secondary
> powers should be scrambled, as the original numbers
> of the artifact, and theis numbers hould not appear
> in any VC. It should appear only the name of the
> artifact. The only artifact that should remain with
> a fixed number is the One Ring....
Rendering mages as useless as they are in FA1000.
Even in RA allowed you to check 3 artifacts at a time,
it would take 5 mages 15 turns to identify the
artifacts. By that time, the game is a done deal.
If artifacts are randomized, then my philosophy will
be the same as FA. No mages!
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