The Dark Sun, Issue 19 (game 21 discussion)

[Winn_Keathley]

Erennis was cruelly kidnapped last week due to an error by her

retinue. Things should have turned out so differently if she could only
spell�Erennis was "executed" at the Dark Lieutenants camp at 3323 by the
swineherd Kynoden.

That was sad, but very accidental. She fell down a flight of stairs, onto Kynoden's dagger. These things happen.

Indeed it was a bloody week at that little known hamlet

with Bolvag slaying Gildor in a duel and later being stabbed in the back as
he made his way from the field of Honour. I guess Honour is a word the
Freeps know nothing of!

Personally, I'm just itching for a chance at an honorable combat with one of you skulking shadows. I mean, the rangers slaughtered Murazor and Khamul, and the Gondormen killed Ren. Dendra's in a bad way, I just hope there are some wraiths left to fight me.

We have to admit that the dwarves are doing a good job of protecting their
assets, or are they just skint? On each of our visits to their lands their
treasuries have been found empty!

Ha ha! The dwarven economy is the envy of the world. Do not mistake the empty vaults which I left for your bumbling thieves to be a sign of weakness. Or don't you see the resource shipments flowing to my allies???

Good news for all concerned [well perhaps NOT the Freep companies
currently swanning around Mordor without a care in the world] is that the
Darks CURSE SQUAD is now fully operational

What? You mean you finally got that sickness squad from turn 8 or so operational? It certainly took you long enough.

In a piece of good luck for the Freeps, our Dog Lord nation has gone
bankrupt thanks to a foul and pervasive Virus called NIMDA rampaging
through his lands, making it impossible for him to direct operations. His
resources will be a sad loss, but I`m sure We Shall Overcome!

Lets see, Dragon Lord killed the Woodmen and the Sindar in the first 7 turns, and then the Dark servants started to fall. Maybe when we killed Khamul we removed the one DS with the skill to defeat us... I bet it makes you wonder which DS will die next?

At 2717 there was a momentous battle between the Dwarves under GLOIN and
the forces of the Witch-King under FURY URYK, with the latter army running
out winners only to be defeated by the defending forces [and battlements]
at the village there.

You need to find some less rabid commanders. Gloin tells me we didn't even need to kill Fury, he just kept running into the gate until his skull split open. Next time, try a battering ram which doesn't double as your commanding officer.

And still more armies issue out of Moria, they spew into

Arnor seeking camps to burn and armies to defeat before winter comes to the
North.

Do you have another one to die at 2717??? Please? If it's out of the way we have several MTs with great fortifications which you can hurl yourselves against, conveniently located in mordor.

Speaking of which�I Would you swap the

deaths of GILDOR & ARAGORN for those of ERENNIS & BOLVAG. Personally I
doubt it, but it is obvious that all are grevious losses for their nations.

True, and you lost Fury, and we lost Dwalin.

Wait. Let me think. You lost 3 characters, we lost 3 characters. You lost 2 MTs. We lost 3 characters. You lost a nation. We lost 3 characters. I'm crying in my ale here. Don't worry, I think I'll recover. I'm not even counting the dead dog lord emissary Pink Lady, as it would just be too embarassing for you.

PS; My new Tome, "My Friend, Sauron" is available from all reputable
caravan merchants.

Really? Great! That slob Dendra didn't leave any toilet paper when he vacated Morannon. My people have been complaining. I'm sure your book will serve admirably.

Thoren Oakenshield
Wondering if there are any orcs or wraiths in Mordor who haven't already fled in fear.

···

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[murmur]

Oh, i do love a bit of banter!

There were times early on when the DS thought they were gonna runaway
with the game,in fact some of the Nazgul were hoping the undecided
neutrals would go Freep for a bit of a challenge! But i`m glad to say
that things have become more interesting and exciting of late.

MY RECAP;
Our combined efforts [but mostly dragon lord and witch-king] took out
the Sinda/Woodmen early on.
We had a sickness squad of 4 Nazgul operating on t2 which hung
around Minas Tirith for a while annoying the somewhat flaky NG player
no-end i`m sure.
Our Drag/WK player then decides to call it a day in mid-campaign
against the Silvans [why? we still don`t know, but our belief is that
it came after his first setback.] Also it seemed that he had been
canabalising the Drag position for the benefit of the WK, but his
efforts and results had been extraordinary, so why complain? His
departure left key characters stranded. We played the Drag for a turn
to move assets as best as we could.
The Khand turned DS and promptly dropped. We brought in a good
experienced player to play both KE & WK [top job so far, Kevin!]
North Gondor had been decimated by assassinations, but they and Sout
Gondor mounted something of an offensive on Minas Morgul. We took the
bridge down, cutting them off. They didn`t have enough to deal with
the fortifications so their armies were effectively killed by
assassination.
In the North the Noldo, Silvans, Dunadan and Dwarves recovered much
of the territory they`d lost to the Witch King and emmies picked on
our other possessions.
Still things were going so well that there was little discontent when
first Rhun then the Duns and White Wizard went Freep.
After long discussions and many diplos the Corsairs came over to our
side, and he`s proving to be a real asset.
The North Gondor/Rohan player dropped [we think he played both?] in
the face of mass assassination rather than military defeat?
Our rookie Fire King did the same when his best characters were
killed at his capital. And [again surprisingly] our Dog Lord/Long
Rider dropped despite doing some good work. All these positions were
refilled, but the damage had been done to the poor doggie who never
really recovered.
And now?
North Gondor has been colonised, Minas Tirith is ours.
South Gondor has been pushed further back from the Anduin, and now
have 7000 Corsair troops at Dol Amroth, with thousands more in
central Gondor.
Rhun and Rhovanion are up for grabs with both sides mounting raids in
that region.
The Freeps are concentrating their best characters in companies and
bouncing around Mordor, whilst they have been lucky to avoid our
agents and cursers there, it will take more than a little luck to
avoid them indefinitely...
Best players? For us, i`ve been most impressed by Kevin Bond`s
steadying influence and Herman Brauch`s incredible Corsairs efforts.
Whilst Chris Soar doesn`t seem like the rookie he claimed to be and
the enigmatic John Mason`s efforts with the WK/Drag were amazing
before he disappeared...
For the Freeps?
Best play seems to have been from the Noldo [surprise], Silvan`s,
Dwarves and [for shear cheek] White Wizard! I guess you`ll know who
you are!
Noteworthy characters?
Din Ohtar and Dendra. Zaken of the Cloud Lord for having killed two
and injured another in one turn. Gothmog for the obvious ongoing
campaign. ALL the Corsairs commanders. Adunaphel.
Ones we want to meet soon?
Kynoden [damn that spelling mistake, he`d have been doubled and no
trouble by now!], Lindal. Elrond`s crew. Even bloody Bill Ferny! I
guess the twins deserve a mention...

Thorin, keep up your good humour, you`ll be needing it! Your reply
did so give the staff at The Dark Sun a timely lift in a somewhat
gloomy week in which they lost their editor...