[Dom4] NotYetBegunAgain - Accepting Pretenders

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angelfromanotherpin
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[Dom4] NotYetBegunAgain - Accepting Pretenders

Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Well, my most recent loss has only left me hungrier for more Dominions (especially since I haven't MP'd the new Pretender setup yet), so I'm looking for players for a Late game. If you're down, sound off your top three preferences, and let me know if there's any particular parameters you'd prefer.

K: Patala.
maglag: Marignon
Red_Rob: Midgard
angelfromanotherpin: Tien Chi
name_here: Ragha
Last edited by angelfromanotherpin on Sun Apr 26, 2015 11:20 am, edited 6 times in total.
Ikeren
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Post by Ikeren »

I haven't fiddled around with LA much, and am pretty noobish (as noticeable from previous game), though I am learning.

What's a nation I can dedicate 3-4 hours to experimenting with and have a decent shot? Gath and Bogarus are the only ones I've played, and not recently, and I think I've looked at Man and Ulm.
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Post by Red_Rob »

As the Late Age is characterised by the diversification of magic paths and an emphasis on line troops over powerful monsters there aren't as many straight forward nations as in earlier eras. I'd probably say Midgard should be pretty forgiving, with Skinshifters for easy expansion, recruitable thugs, access to Astral for communions and Blood, and Sacred Van cavalry if you want to go the Bless route. Utgard are kind of similar, but with Skrattir in place of Vanjarls. Atlantis are also interesting, being able to expand underwater easily if there is no Rl'yeh.

I'm already in another Dom4 game, not sure yet if I'll jump into another.
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Avoraciopoctules
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Post by Avoraciopoctules »

I want to play with lightning or falling frost, so I guess I'd be down to try Caelum, Midgard, or Atlantis. Since Red_Rob might be interested in Norse factions, what else stands out in the list...

1. Ragha - some interesting summons, the chance to kill off my own pop trying to fix the air-conditioning so warlocks deign to join the army.
2. Xibalba - Haven't even tried playing them yet, should be a nice chance to try some ideas out.
3. Caelum - Might as well make flight a theme and round things out a bit. Iron Crafters have a resource bonus now, maybe that'd let me spew out ever-increasing swarms of lancers with good scales.
K
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Post by K »

After playing the BadNations game, I think I'm into playing underdogs now.

In that vein...

Lemuria
Ulm
Ctis
Last edited by K on Mon Apr 20, 2015 3:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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maglag
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Post by maglag »

Do you play by Llammaserver? Would love to try my Dom4 skillz against theTGD community (I managed to win 1 whooping game in the desura forums. Fear me!).

If yes, here are my preferences:
-Marignon. Because fiery angels thirsty for blood.
-MAN. Because I have a soft spot for "low-magic" nations.
-Xibalba. Wouldn't mind trying the relatively new bat people.
Last edited by maglag on Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:15 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

maglag wrote:Do you play by Llammaserver?
Yes.

Ikeren, has Red_Rob's advice been helpful enough?
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Post by Ikeren »

Yes, thank you. As long as nobody is offended by poorly thought out strategems, I'm in for LA Gath.
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Post by Red_Rob »

I think I'll choose the following:

Midgard
Mictlan
Abysia
K wrote:After playing the BadNations game, I think I'm into playing underdogs now.

In that vein...

Lemuria
Ulm
Ctis
Actually, LA Ulm have been voted by players as the strongest nation in LA and possibly the game due to the recruit-everywhere Illuminati S mage allowing turbo research and 50 man communions in year 3. I'd probably suggest we ban them unless someone is really desperate to give them a go.
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Post by maglag »

I say LA Ulm are somewhat overrateed. They're just OP if you let them develop their open-air mage farms with no disruption for 2 years. However no longer an underdog, as they also get stuff like Unlimited Blades Works Iron Blizzard spam.

Which reminds me, we using any mods?
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Post by K »

Red_Rob wrote:
K wrote:After playing the BadNations game, I think I'm into playing underdogs now.

In that vein...

Lemuria
Ulm
Ctis
Actually, LA Ulm have been voted by players as the strongest nation in LA and possibly the game due to the recruit-everywhere Illuminati S mage allowing turbo research and 50 man communions in year 3. I'd probably suggest we ban them unless someone is really desperate to give them a go.
I can't take a poll seriously if it rates Bogarus as above average and LA Agartha as average.

People get far too excited about recruit anywheres. At best, it's basically 1000 gold and a few hundred RP advantage over the course of a game compared to other nations because you still need to build castles for troops and labs for research and temples for dominion.
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Post by K »

Mmmm, let's replace the Lemuria slot with Patala. Lemuria is just too bad.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

maglag wrote:Which reminds me, we using any mods?
Not unless one is demanded by a majority. I wouldn't object to Worthy Heroes, but otherwise I strongly prefer vanilla.

We've got six and that's looking like it. Anyone want to suggest a map?
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Post by Red_Rob »

I'd be down for Worthy Heroes.

Map-wise we want about 15 provinces per player, so something with around 90 provinces? Anyone have any objections to using Biddyn?
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Post by Ikeren »

Does it actually look soft and blurry in game? If so, not a fan.
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Post by Red_Rob »

Yeah, it was hand painted which gives that effect. It's the same mapper that did Atha Avin and Peliwyr in the same style.

I'm away from Dominions at the moment, anyone else got any suggestions?
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Post by K »

I'm not a fan of wrap-around maps.
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Post by maglag »

I am a fan of wrap-around maps, since otherwise it means some players are surrounded by multiple possible enemies and others are safely tucked in a corner.
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Post by K »

maglag wrote:I am a fan of wrap-around maps, since otherwise it means some players are surrounded by multiple possible enemies and others are safely tucked in a corner.
If you aren't using a random map, that doesn't happen. This is why I like maps like Valanis where the starting points ensure that there can't be more than two neighbors.

Wrap-around maps are just endless gangbangs where everyone jumps one nation at a time and those nations have no chance of defeating them. It's not even worth playing on a wrap-around map.
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Post by Avoraciopoctules »

Wraparound maps make me feel kind of dizzy when I scroll around, I'd rather not play on one.
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Post by maglag »

I actually managed to win out of a gang-bang centered on me in a wrap-around map, and although that game isn't finished yet, I'm currently in a top position, having captured three of the capitals of the five nations that ganked me along most of their lands. Setting up ambushes for overconfident enemies is one of the greatest funs of dominions 4! :biggrin:

But I'm fine playing in a non-wrap around map as long as it's one that's not random.

On another note, how many thrones and what levels? Standard magic sites/research and other rules?
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Post by name_here »

I'd be up for it.

Ragdha
Atlantis
R'leyh
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Post by Red_Rob »

maglag wrote:On another note, how many thrones and what levels? Standard magic sites/research and other rules?
For smaller games (6-10 players) I've had the best experiences with 2 Throne points per player, 51% needed for victory, all level 1 and 2 Thrones. So with 7 players it would be 14 Throne points, 8 for the win, 8 level 1 Thrones and 3 level 2 Thrones?

As regards magic sites and research I'd be fine with default site ratio and normal research, but I wouldn't complain if people wanted them slightly higher.

Graphs: I'm easy. I prefer graphs on in a no-diplo game so you can see how things are going, but we can report in the forum so that's not such a worry.
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Post by maglag »

Hmm, I never understood how can you even enforce no-diplomacy. What's stopping people from just talking and scheming and manipulating with other players through PMs or other online talking methods?

Not a great fan of graphs on either. It rewards people for metagaming and long slow analyzis of each other player's graphs, while lowering the utility of certain magic sites, units (spies) and spells. If you want to know how the rest of the world is doing you should invest resources on it, not get handed all the info free in a silver plate.

I'm fine with those throne settings though.
Last edited by maglag on Wed Apr 22, 2015 8:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Red_Rob »

The main argument for graphs is so people can see if someone is building a lead. MP games often have no catch-up mechanic and rely on a consortium of weaker players taking down the leader, which can be hard to organise if people don't realise someone is pulling ahead.
maglag wrote:But I'm fine playing in a non-wrap around map as long as it's one that's not random.
Any reason that a random map would be a no-go, assuming a few were generated and vetted first to ensure they look pretty fair?
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