Decline 2, We Require More Rains of Stones

[Grimwulf]

Those are some mad skillz indeed. You can't really call me the winner, unless all other victims agree with that.

But I'll keep this trophy anyway.

 

[Dayyālu]

But I'll keep this trophy anyway.

To the winner his laurel. In this case, Entropy won.

Or Grimwulf, the closest thing we had here to the end of the world.

Yet, as this signals the fact that we got (or will have shortly) Dom4 avatars, I can freely say that it's great! Thanks, Joined.


A pity I like too much my Geneforge one to swap for a LA Atlantean, a true pity - maybe

the temptation, though

 

[sqeecoo]

Well, I guess a short AAR for my Ermor would be appropriate here. This was my fist Dom4 MP experience, coming in to replace coldcrow at around turn 30. Nice of you to take me! I didn't do much, but learned a bunch.

I came in with my Gorgon pretender newly resurrected after the priests (I assume) calling her back over several stalled turns. I was in a stalemated war with Ulm, had shitty expansion, mediocre research I didn't know how to use, and mediocre scales (Prod 0 is poor for EA Ermor).

KoolNoodles, Dayyalu, and Grimwulf were all very nice to me as a subbing newb, offering general information about the state of the game and my nation's previous actions. Since I was already a fan of Grimwulf's Dom4 LP which basically made me get the game and Grimwulf was so forthcoming and friendly, I immediately started working towards becoming his ally - or vassal really, considering the difference in power that only got bigger as the game progressed. In normal circumstances, I feel every player is duty-bound to try to take down an imminent winner regardless of alliances, but my skill and power in this game was so low and Grimwulf so helpful and open about teaching me the ropes I decided that sticking to the alliance to the end was an ok move, and a betrayal would be unsuccessful and ungrateful.
Dayyalu was also a bro during the whole game, so peace was maintained.

I talked to Ulm in a very open and honest fashion, and we both agreed to amicably continue our war. His E9N9 steel warriors shrugged off the Flaming Arrows army my predecessor had set up with some indy archers and chopped up my skeletons and legionnaires, but I killed enough he couldn't make any progress either. We congratulated each other for every victory, and had a honorable and friendly relationship despite being at war the whole time. Eventually, the very strong Mictlan attacked him, although Ulm put up a stiff and brave resistance, and later against Xibalba as well. No quitting for him, which I greatly admire.

I was allied with Mictlan as well, but it happened after I'd decided to firmly ally with Xibalba, so I joined the Xibalba-Atlantis attack on Mictlan, backstabbing him with minor success. I won a medium-size battle due to my Magic Duels screwing up his script, and then failed horribly attacking his capital, with Jags proving pretty much immortal against me when buffed and my guys routing from mass blood spells. Fucking Bifrons also killed my Pretender who was outfitted to be a moderately effective SC. I underestimated hp loss from enemy dominion, mostly.

My only prior experience with a similar MP game was in Diplomacy Online, a very old boardgame with identical diplomacy and turn mechanics (timer, simultaneity) as Dom4, and functional but very simple tactics. Basically, there you have to leverage your diplo skills very heavily, and any war that you start without a backstab is a war started suboptimally. I mean, you can be honorable, but with diplo as your main tool, outright betrayals are a powerful weapon and pretty common. This is not really the norm in Dom4 here, as I learned after a while. So in retrospect, I probably wouldn't have betrayed Mictlan so blatantly. KoolNoodles, my apologies. I definitely prefer being honorable

After my fail against Mictlan, I didn't really do much. Forged, summoned, had my scouts watch battles that were happening elsewhere around the world. I didn't have any viable targets I could attack with any hope of even minor success, and I didn't want to become a liability for Xibalba. So I watched the world-shattering wars with gusto, while trying to manage my tiny empire as best I could.

Lizzurd's entry into the game was as impressive as it was hilarious. His blatant lies (saying one thing to me, one to Grimwulf, and a third claim in the game topic) were hugely entertaining and most impressively - successful. Before even the turn he started subbing ended, the whole world was in a state of diplomatic confusion. And despite his seemingly suicidal boar-attacks, his alliance with Malakal came a hair's breadth from winning the game, as we know. A great showing, and apologies to Lizzurd for not being able to join his underdog alliance due to the alliance decision I made previously. It would have been fun, win or lose.
Even more painfully, Machaka sent me his remaining gems and items as he was about to die, instructing me to attack Xibalba before it was too late. I think that's the only thing he said to me the whole game :D

Finally, the last thing I did was an attack on TNN, which provided Malakal the opportunity to give me excellent and extensive lessons on how to successfully defend against overpriced thugs and my shitty human army. I am grateful for that.

That's pretty much it from my point of view. Everyone I talked to was a bro, and the game was an amazing introduction to Dom4, perfect for a noob - wiser players giving advice and fighting complex (and horribly taxing) wars I could observe in detail, while not worrying too much about my own success but still contributing in a minor way.

I will always remember this game fondly. Thanks everyone.