Decline 33 1/3, The Rule of Thirds

[Dayyālu]

So who won the Arena, a Machaka indie commander?

He impacted against the Stone Sword, so I doubt he's alive to claim the title.

 

[mondblut]

The sword did, then. Talk about sentient artifacts. The thing played you like a fiddle!

 

[mondblut]

Thus, it has come to pass that the fate of Declinethreethreethirdia was to be decided not on the field of battle, but on the football pitch. In absentia of most D333IFA participants, the finals were to be played between the teams of Mictlan and Sauromatia.

The first leg was played on the Mictlan homeground at Elkland. The manager has chosen an innovative 3-4-3 formation, with ozelotls in both attack and defense, and tzitzimitls in the midfield. The captain and star of the team (surrounded by adoring fans who just wouldn't leave the pitch) was Sigh the Vampire Lord Prophet.

The captain was fully kitted to cast one useless spell then pass out till the end of the game, leaving the goal to groupies to defend:

Away team went for the rather basic and unimaginative "everyone, Holdthedoor!" formation, fielding 10 ghost defenders:

The leader of the team was the renowned striker Jinnud the Wraith Lord:

You may notice he's got 4 hands and has traces of nature gems in his urine. Russian physicians hired by Sauromatia to prep him for the match claim it's all photo manipulation and banderofascist CIA black ops and "look, a crucified infant behind you!". D333IFA officials are yet to make an official statement.

Mictlan makes a strong start, with ozelotls rushing forward backed up with a barrage of long shots from tzitzimitls (real heroes of this game if I may get ahead of myself). Jinnud removes some of the threats:

The ozelotl strikers keep masterfully playing a false nine, while the midfield wrecks sauromatian defenses time and again. Meanwhile, the Mictlan captain decides to use an ace up his sleeve and uses all his strength to shut down the stadium lights. Passing out, he releases everyone on the pitch is perfectly capable of seeing in the dark. Hmm, poor idea.

Mictlani defenders join the onslaught at the flank. Jinnud desperately tries to save the day, alternating between very effective attacks and not so effective spellcasting, but he is but one player in a team that simply refuses to play:

In the end, the ghosts just failed to keep up with creative passing and flank runs by the Mictlan side, and Jinnud leaves the field red-faced.

The final score is 10:2 in Mictlan favor, and Sauromatia has a mountain to climb in the second leg.

 

[Dayyālu]

You may notice he's got 4 hands and has traces of nature gems in his urine. Russian physicians hired by Sauromatia to prep him for the match claim it's all photo manipulation and banderofascist CIA black ops and "look, a crucified infant behind you!". D333IFA officials are yet to make an official statement.

Yep, it was kinda shitty tbh. Killing 50HP Blood Vengeange Regen Mictlan summons is kinda difficult.

 

[Grimwulf]

That Darkness spell, tho

Spoiler

You brought ghosts, Day? Really?

 

[Dayyālu]

Spoiler

What the fuck should I have summoned? Trolls? And the other option wasn't an option 'cause Drain 2. And also how the fuck do I kill 50 HP Regen Blood vengeance Mictlan damage sponges? And Air spam? I can't simply compete.

The option would have been going in without people, but ehrrr rules.

 

[mondblut]

What the fuck should I have summoned? Trolls?

Wights? At least they can hit back.

And the other option wasn't an option 'cause Drain 2.

Do tell more

The option would have been going in without people, but ehrrr rules.

Eh, sprites to game these rules?

 

[Joined on the 4th of July]

While the fate of the world is decided by football, Ulm-Berytos front wakes up from its long slumber and one long-standing siege is finally lifted. (Sages of Berytos realized its their final chance to play with their abundant toys.)

 

[KoolNoodles]

While the fate of the world is decided by football, Ulm-Berytos front wakes up from its long slumber and one long-standing siege is finally lifted. (Sages of Berytos realized its their final chance to play with their abundant toys.)

Ulm is still alive? Now that most things are moved, do I bother?

 

[Joined on the 4th of July]

While the fate of the world is decided by football, Ulm-Berytos front wakes up from its long slumber and one long-standing siege is finally lifted. (Sages of Berytos realized its their final chance to play with their abundant toys.)

Ulm is still alive? Now that most things are moved, do I bother?

Things are moving cautiously in this world. I came back from a 20 turn stale streak and had lost one fort to Sauro and another fort was experiencing some probing attacks.

 

[mondblut]

We could turn it into 4-team league championship...

 

[Dayyālu]

While the fate of the world is decided by football, Ulm-Berytos front wakes up from its long slumber and one long-standing siege is finally lifted. (Sages of Berytos realized its their final chance to play with their abundant toys.)

Ulm is still alive? Now that most things are moved, do I bother?

Things are moving cautiously in this world. I came back from a 20 turn stale streak and had lost one fort to Sauro and another fort was experiencing some probing attacks.

It's pretty much pointless, I'm going to shut down the game after I end up the duels with Mictlan.

If you want to join with the duels, good, but consider the only reason I don't have wasted you is because it wasn't worth the effort scripting. When I tried to script my main army we ended up crashing llamaserver (too many mages in a single battle).

 

[Joined on the 4th of July]

Should I script my mages for battle or should I just let them sit in forts researching some more. I know that feel.

and yeah, I don't mind the game shutting down after the decisive football matches.

 

[KoolNoodles]

Alright, thanks for the heads up, no point then.


Was a good game for a while, and at times. Still not sure about the "let's keep Atlantis alive" movement, and the "let's gang up on Ulm" movement......both mistakes.

I assume Dayyālu wins? Best position ten turns ago, at any rate.

 

[Dayyālu]

Alright, thanks for the heads up, no point then.


Was a good game for a while, and at times. Still not sure about the "let's keep Atlantis alive" movement, and the "let's gang up on Ulm" movement......both mistakes.

I assume Dayyālu wins? Best position ten turns ago, at any rate.

Mictlan is leading the race for the win 11-3.

 

[Dayyālu]

I give up.

mondblut and Mictlan stand victorious: let no one doubt of the skills of Those Who Wait.

 

[Joined on the 4th of July]

But what abut me and KoolNoodles? We were just waiting for the right moment before releasing our invasions on the unsuspecting world. Calm before the storm so to speak.

This is an outrage!

 

[Dayyālu]

This is an outrage!

I already had a terrible day in Dominions terms. Pliz no bully

 

[Joined on the 4th of July]

This is an outrage!

I already had a terrible day in Dominions terms. Pliz no bully

I couldn't resist!

 

[mondblut]

Why did you kill it?

You could just go AI and let me handle it at my leisure against the AIs and dead players. I've got like thousands of devils and vampires who never saw battle. In fact I just started an invasion of unprotected Ulm waters. Who knows, maybe the AIs would win in the end.

It's good to know my patience and persistence in the face of everyone else's boredom still wins games, but I wasn't done with it