TA 1650 Game 17 Ends

General
#1

In a surprising turn of events Game 17 TA 1650 ends as the Free peoples concede the game as lost at the end of turn 3. This early conclusion of the game is attributed to the unfortunate bankruptcy of the Eothraim nation. This event appears to have been the final blow which destroyed the will of the Free to continue.

We the Dark Servants thank our opponents for what was a fun, if short lived game. It gave us an opportunity to show our first time players how nearly every aspect of the game works. The experience for them was a good one as evidenced by their eagerness to give the game another go.

The Dark Servant team consisted of a mix of new and veteran players. Brad Jenison played the Dragon Lord and was the team captain. David Hagerson played the Cloud Lord and had the encounter and correct answer for the Ring of Winds at game end.
Mike Grazebrook played the Blind Sorcerer and it was the arrival of his and the Cloud Lords armies at Barad Ungol on turn 3 that we feel caused the Free to lose heart.

The Free armies of the Eothraim, North Gondor and South Gondor totalling 9530 well equipped troops had just defeated 10.900 Fire King, Dog Lord, Ice King and Dark Lieutenant troops in a hard fought battle at Barad Ungol. Now after taking “huge” losses as they prepared to assault the fortified town they saw advancing onto the field 10,000 fresh Mordorian troops of the Cloud Lord and Blind Sorcerer. This spelled doom for their armies and probably many of their commanders as well as the forces arrayed against them held a very great numbers advantage. The Fire King played by Chad Gilbert had stopped the bottle and now would follow up the armies of the Cloud Lord and Blind Sorcerer with his cheap hordes of troops.

The Ice King played by newcomer Brian Sweeney had also destroyed another 1800 Southern Gondor troops outside Osgiliath and was poised to advance and cut off the retreat of the Free troops in Minas Ithil trapping them as well. The Dog Lord, played aggressively from the start was raiding western Rhovannion while the Dark Lieutenants played by veteran Rob Svenkerud raided the east and had penetrated to Kheled Nala in Rhun at game end. The Long Rider another new player struggled with navigation but Uvatha was finally ashore at the end of turn 3 and poised to ravage north of the River Running.

In the West the situation was mor serious with James Howl, the Witch King facing a wave of Free and Rhudaur armies. Rhudaur joined the Free just as the Eothraim nation was lost. It would be an uneven battle, but Ji Indur would arrive on turn 4 as would Din Ohtar and in turn 5 a curse squad would begin operations so the fight in the west would be a costly struggle for both sides.

Finally Duane Fleck the fourth of our first time players playing the Quiet Avenger had slipped ashore in western Anfalas and was quietly building the invasion base for Southern Gondor apparently unnoticed by the Free.

The Free were down in troops lost. Primarily due to the loss of Fulla’s entire army after he was assassinated by Din Ohtar on turn 1 at Nahald Kudan. On turn 1 Odagus was killed when his army was destroyed by Duran of the Dragon Lord. In turn 3 Ohtar of the Sinda was killed in a challenge combat by Celedhring of the Dragon Lord. In fairness Kaldurmeir was captured by the Free at Barad Ungol but we hoped Nazog of the Fire King would rescue him there this turn.

It has been a fun game though my shortest ever. I want to thank the members of my team for their trust and teamwork. To the Free of game 17 I and the rest of the Dark Servants wish you luck and better fortunes on your next try.

Brad Jenison

#2

Brad,

They surrendered on turn three? I’m astonished. Even if the Eothraim had bankrupted the various neutrals could easily have shifted the game one way or another towards balance. Or even if there were no neutrals and the game was now 10 verus 9, it’s hardly uneven. Congratulations on your victory.

Bradford Fisher

#3

It is more complicated than the Dark are perhaps aware. For one thing, the Dark were never winning in this game…

From my read (I was playing the Woodies & NM in this one) the Dark position was very conservatively played and we had them back on their heels from the get-go. They were putting zero pressure on the NM, almost zero pressure on the Woodies, and were doing a poor job of defending Mordor. I’ve been playing this game for years and have never seen a less aggressive military campaign from the Dark Ones. At least through Turn 3, anyway. I will concede they may have had a grander plan that had not yet been executed on.

Oh, to be sure they had a couple of kills, but duh, it’s what the Dark do. None of the kills were consequential and to be perfectly honest the Free never even exchanged a single e-mail bemoaning any of the kills. As expected we had Goblin Gate by Turn 3 and would have had Dol Guldur by Turn 6. The Witch King would have been gone by Turn 8. We were doing well.

So the Free didn’t drop because they were afraid of the Dark Ones. Quite the contrary.

The Bankruptcy of the EO – who had not been attacked at all by the Dark Ones – just stuned all of us and took the wind right out of our collective sails; he had been very active in setting strategy and tactics and when he bankrupted his own nation by over-buying resources it just tainted everything. Most of the Free are newbies and they qucikly decided to take a mulligan on this game and start over. The newbies also had some concerns about how the neutrals were being handled and whether 2 or more of the neuts had entered the game already committed to the Dark side – the newbies didn’t seem to appreciate early on how common that was and some naive decisions were made on what to communicate to the neuts (like telling the Easterlings where the ROW was located).

Anyway, it probably would have been a good game (I was certainly grooving on having 2 very healthy nations) but these things do happen…

Joseph

#4

I agree. Turn 3 is far to early to roll over and play dead.

They were WIMPS

But well done anyway

Cheers
John S

#5

As the Corsairs in this game, I can assure the FP I had made NO decision on which side to join. I was in constant communication with the Easterlings in this game, and am convinced he also had no pre-made deciaions as to which side to join.

The Harad seemed concerned with my initial talk of balance and challenging game. He did not seem inclined to go DS, just concerned with bloody war against the Corsairs.

No one was ever able to make contact with the Duns, so I don’t know how anyone can assume they were set to go DS.

The Rhudaur joined the FP on GT3.

How is this “Neutrals pre destined to be DS”?

I even backed off my initial stance of staying neutral until it was too late, or joining whichever side the Harad joined to play to max PRS score to help keep this game alive… That might be a hint to the Game 233 crowd. I’ll make a stand when it isn’t important, but when it comes down to saving a game, I’ll do what is needed.

Anyway, it is unfortuante that a grudge team took a player they didn’t know, just to help get the game started. It is unfortunate that that unknown player made some mistakes and bankrupted a key position. It is unfortunate that we couldn’t work something out to save this game.

Darrell Shimel

#6

Joseph;

I was trying to be as gracious as possible in the game end announcement. Our viewpoint was much different than yours obviously. We felt a step ahead of you guys from turn 1. While it is true that killing characters is what the DS do, it is not common they do it on turn 1 or that by turn 2 you were already down 3 characters. The over run possibilities at Barad Ungol this turn meant that several of Gondor’s characters were in danger of dying this turn as well.

Taking Goblin Gate by turn 3, now that was a feat for the Woodmen wasn’t it. Oh and don’t forget the Noldo had to chip in. You failed to mention it wasn’t even defended and that you had failed to besiege it on the prior turn. Dol Guldur by turn six, assumes that Bain survives turns 3, 4, and 5 which is not likely. Yes if everything you planned worked just perfectly things might have been different. That to me was the problem here. When faced by an opponent who does not allow things to go exactly as planned you need to have some contingencies.

No we weren’t doing a bad job of defending Mirkwood, we weren’t defending it at all. We were letting you waste time taking the heavily fortified Goblin Gate and Dol Guldur while the Dragon Lord (myself) relocated by placing new population centers and taking yours to the Northeast where I would be harder to get to. By turn 3 I had lost Nahald Kudan and the camp at 3104, and Goblin Gate all expected losses by any Dragon Lord player. However I had taken 2613, burned 2712, marched around you at 2711 while Bain and your Woodmen compliently waited on my attack and captured 2709. All my armies in Mirkwood had linked up at 2808 heading for the Iron Hills to meet with my Long Rider ally, the fall of the Eothraim and the death of Fulla and disbanding of his 1800 man Heavy Infantry army meant there was little that could interfere with our plan.

Pressure on the Northmen? Come on. The Single Long Rider army at his capital is going to pressure your entire nation. The real question for you to answer here is why didn’t YOU pressure him? He was a first time player. He didn’t get out of port on turn 1, sailed into a corner of the sea of Rhun on turn 2 and did not get ashore until turn 3. Two turns at sea, and neither you nor the Sinda intercepted him. What brilliant strategy did you have now that he can go unmolested to the Iron Hills with you in distant pursuit?

We had the RoW this turn. You lost 3 decent and one piddly army last turn. We intentionally sacrificed a lot of troops at Barad Ungol last turn to set you up for the knock out this turn. You know it took an entire game of force marching to bring the Cloud Lord and Blind Sorcerer in this position to crush the military force of Gondor, they did just do an oh my god better get over and help maneuver. We predicted you would attack there just as you did. We predicted you would attack Nahald Kudan just as you did and put Din Ohtar there to meet you. We shifted troops to meet your every attack but left shell armies in situ to mislead you as to where our troop strength was. It worked because you guys failed to scout to discern what was where and you failed to scout ahead into Mordor to learn what you faced. It would cost you the Gondor army at 4122 this turn, and all the North Gondor armies at Barad Ungol this turn.

It is true that the Witch King faced a stiff test. But with two 90+ agents and a curse squad in support the price you were about to pay would be very high indeed. Besides who out there really feels Angmar can be held so what was new or creative in your plan? Without Rhudaur’s joining you at the start of turn 3 it would have been even less likely that you would even have had success.

No Joseph; you are entitled to your opinion of course, but if you judge population center levels lost, you were getting beaten, If you judge character loss differential you were getting beaten, if you judge troops lost you were getting soundly beaten, and finally if you judge which team plan was working as planned you guys were most certainly being beaten. I simply was trying to announce the games ending and thanking you guys for the opposition and being as gracious about it as possible. I won’t even go into the spurrious accusations that flew around when the surprises of turn 3 came upon you as they don’t deserve any other attention.

Brad

#7

The Free thought they were winning? No wonder they wimped out and quit. If my team was winning, I would quit too. Thing is they knew they were done so they wimperd and quit. The D.Lts hit the Rhune sea area with little to stop em. The Free Failed to take out any pc’s. Their big chance to take the Fire King cap was a dismal failer. The Free need to face the reality of their game loss. Free you have been weighed and mesured and found to be lacking greatly. Perhaps next time you’ll have more back bone. But I’ll not hold my breath waiting for that.:stuck_out_tongue:

#8

Hi, Eothraim player here. For those of you that have played with me before you’ll know what happened just isn’t me. I guess I got distracted over the one weekend that mattered. As far as the game went, no-one can say wimps etc. as well as no-one being able to call who was or was not winning. I agree I was more than surprised that the game ended just because of one nation going down. Fighting the odds is what the game is about. True there was something new tried by the DS, or new in the fact that it hadn’t been done in so many years its hard to remember.

A pity I made a mistake. The Eothraim in view of their lack of molestation were becoming very powerful, ready to sacrifice any and all for that one lethal strike. Maybe would have levelled the advantages that the DS perceived they’d gained from the 1st turns.

Ah well, we live and learn. Playful banter is all well and good but players and teams makew choices. If theguys felt as gutted as I did about the Eothraim bankruptcy then I don’t blame them for chucking it in as a bad deal.

My only concern was that it has been hinted that I was either a ‘ringer’ or did this intentionally. Again ask those that know and have played with and/or against me.

Lionatus(former lord of the Mark, ME17)

#9

Didn’t mean to imply that the EO was a “ringer” or even that his nation was poorly played. In fact, he was a very important part of the team.

It was the bankruptcy of his nation that was the surprise and that led the Free to reassess the situation.

joseph

#10

You lose 1 nation and you drop? On t3? As a DS or a neutral I would be asking Clint to refund my startup and turnfees and take it from the FP’s accounts. That is just pathetic beyond belief. The Eothraim player should be banned from MEPBM until he has done remedial classes. The PRS needs a whole new category for the rest of you, especially the chap who reckons that the FP had the upper hand…

DS obviously you can only beat what gets put infront of you. I suggest that you chose your next opponents with some care.

#11

Hey Rox so he got it wrong and blew it, it happens but hey not his fault all the other guys dropped.

Vandal

#12

Well I’d say 50:50. It is a horrendous cockup - perhaps the biggest mistake since Clint bankrupted Rhudaur in a face to face (also around t3 I think). I just know I would be livid if I had been on the DS side or even worse a neutral. I mean whats the point of playing if that sort of thing can happen???

#13

Well I know bit of a waste of time but still cannot agree one nation going and you all drop.

Ok so he had a off day and did somethign crazy but as long as its a one off go easy on him I say

Vandal

#14

Oh alright then. As long as he has had a little sob into his beer :slight_smile:

#15

If he has not had that already then he deserves all he gets, but I imagine he has.

The stick alone is punishment enough me thinks

Vandal

#16

Guys;

We all know game 17’s early end was a fluke. The game was not a runaway and while we felt things were working out we could see trouble ahead and were looking at lots of hard fighting before it ended.

The Bankruptcy of the Eothraim is not indicative of the players abilities. I have invited him to join us for the next go and hope he will take up with us. So… if any of you guys think he’s easy pickings form up a team and play against us. We will be playing Free this time 12 on 12, no Easterlings and need DS opposition. We’re still a pretty inexperienced team but we will be willing to play anyone Clint matches us up with and we will request a 10 turn agreement, no matter what happens the game goes a minimum of 10 turns unless of course one side annihilates the other short of that.

Again we thank our opponents for the last game, and wish them well in their future games.

Brad

#17

Mike is right in a way. And yes I already knew about Clints mistake too. It was an oversight on my part. Too many rewrites of orders in too short a space of time and I didn’t double-check.

My abilities are not in question. It is a bitch to say the least but I’ll tell you what I told Brad.

From Friday to Sunday I was in Scotland for my birthday.
I got back and found out my dads car had blown its engine
Our car had been brocken into again
My Great Aunt had died the day I left
I had to go straight beack up for the funeral
Was playing catch up with over 2 days of emails along with the corrections to orders that the team wanted. Not a great deal but at that time my mind had strayed from the ME world to real-life concerns.

Indidentally I have NEVER bankrupted a nation before.

Your opinion and your call. Im not too bothered, you’re entitled to think what you think.

Alan J.

#18

On the forum there are the causes of my laxness if not a reason for the mistake made. I can send you a copy of the turn if you really wish to see what happened and to comment if you so wish. Write to lionatus@fourthco.fsnet.co.uk and I’ll reply with the PDF if you so request.

Alan J.

#19

And yes the stick is making it a little more painful but who cares. Clint’s dealt with it even going through the little bit of ribbing we gave him at the FTF. So its happened to me now. Big deal. It is only a game, one I love and will continue to try and excel at.

#20

Stuff happens let’s move on. No person is spot on all the time. That’s just a part of life as we all know it. Life will hit ya hard at lest a few times. Life is just letting ya know it’s their. :o)

D.Lts 17