Serena -- Elves – Day1

The Elves are on the move!

Turn sent

Arachna Day 1.

Dark Elves too.

Serena -- Elves – Day2

I was saddened by the necessary deaths of two frogs, but the mana will be useful. My troops regroup and see a goblin outpost in the distance. I cannot allow that to stay.

Turn sent

Arachna Day 2.

Again we follow our lighter cousins. They killed two frogs and we killed two fire hounds.

P.S. Restart message due to computer upgrade.

[This message has been edited by Evil Roc (edited 07-02-2003 @ 04:34 AM).]

Serena -- Elves – Day3

I see that our dark brethern have been busy. The view from my new waterwheel shows Arachna's aura and a windmill flying her banner. I wonder what she is doing so far from her capital?

Turn sent

Arachna Day 3.

I'm checking mill's production: owner is trying to pay no taxes ('bad year' he says). No servant can be trusted with such important mission.

Serena -- Elves – Day4

It looks like Arachna means business when she collects taxes. Her Possee doesn't look very friendly . . .

Turn sent, restart message as I opened the game? No battles or anything else of interest -- just moving forces around.

Arachna Day 4.

Inspection of mill finished (owner was executed), now heading for southern mine. Empire needs gold...

Serena -- Elves – Day5

My Elves continue to race My dwarves continue to trudge

Turn sent.

Arachna Day 5.

Elven hero and Iron Maiden retreated, leaving slow dwarves behind. Hunt for dwarves - that can be interesting.

Meanwhile human town was captured without losses. Now it will provide us with support troops.

Serena -- Elves – Day6

A dwarven warrior has joined my cause. He wanted too much money, but a Nymph talked him into joining anyway.

The Iron Maiden only retreated to trick Arachna into a trap -- my mighty warrior stayed within range of the Bayou, but out of the Dark Elf Queen's sight radius. With the help of a Unicorn (which unfortunately died) they slew Arachna and her defenders. Arachna goes back to her capital, and my Iron Maiden defends against further assults to the city.

Turn sent.

This is some kind of madness. In our first game my Iron Maiden was killed by a pig and two orc cavalry of yours (it was traveling with unicorn too). Now your one kills TEN quite powerful units, including wizard, hero, spider queen and shade, not speaking about bladedancer, executioneers and boars. Four of them had stone skin.

I know that walls were giving advantage to your troops, not mine (AC + all attackers have phase + defenders without range attack). But ten units!.. Iron maidens never were so mighty under my command.

Game is nearly done now... What can I do? In previous game none of my soldiers could kill a boar. Now a huge army is killed by a single unit

P.S. I was aware about position of your hero and iron maiden. I myself was going to descend into caves and kill them. They could not evade me there.

I have tested this situation in editor.

Defenders: (in town with wall)
1 x Wizard (all casting points used)
1 x Hero (lev1, same as in game but without Casting)
1 x Spider Queen
1 x Shade
2 x Executioneer
2 x Boar
1 x Bladedancer
1 x Archer

Attackers:
1 x Iron Maiden (bless, enchant weapon)
1 x Unicorn (bless, enchant weapon)

I have placed no stone skins on defenders to balance lack of medal on Iron Maiden.

Number of tests: 10
Defenders win: 9 (losing from 5 to 7 warriors avg.)
Attackers win: 1

Coclusion: I'm VERY unlucky.........

My sims came out different than yours (7-3 for attacker w/o Unicorn, 9-1 for attacker w/ Unicorn). Without revealing all of my secrets to you (which I did with the Incarnate attack) I will simply say this: Gold medal status is worth MUCH more than 4 stone skins, and especially so in this particular situation.

A Gold medal, Enchanted weapon Iron Maiden has first attack stats of ATT=19, DAM=15 against Evil units. Stone skin isn't going to help the defenders much, whereas a Gold medal gives the IM +1 in all stats plus 2HPs. When Blessed, the DEF=13, RES=15 and HPs=20 serve her well in defending counter-strikes. This is better than any level 4 unit.

So already your sims are set up different than mine and the actual battle. Plus from your results, I can guess a few other specifics that you are setting up different from my sims and the actual battle.

When you say "In our first game my Iron Maiden was killed by a pig and two orc cavalry of yours (it was traveling with unicorn too). Now your one kills TEN quite powerful units" I'm not sure what your point is?

Three Shredders can kill one Air Galley; but one Air Galley can kill 16 Knights. Two Cavs and a Boar can kill one Iron Maiden; but one Iron Maiden can slay an entire army. Three peasants can kill one Incarnate; but one Incarnate can obliterate 3 eight-stacks of Warlords.

Most units are both strong and weak, depending on how you use them. As you just found out, an Iron Maiden in the right situations can be one of the most devastating units in the game. And as in our last game, an ambushed IM can prove to be quite vulnerable.

Serena -- Elves – Day7

In the South, my Iron Maiden continues her slaughter by taking out a straggling monk. A Windmill and Mine have also been added to my realm.

In the North, all is quite on the Ice.

Turn sent.

Yeah, may be my tests were wrong. So different results... More to learn from you But it was a real shock to see battle report "you've lost 10 units and enemy 1 unit"

Arachna Day 7

Making everything possible to organize some defences near the capital.

Yes, I know all about shocks! Like our last game, when one city and two concealed Druids defeated my entire empire

If someone had bet me a million dollars that I was one turn away from losing, I'd've taken the bet and lost every penny . . .

Serena -- Elves – Day8

My Iron Madien and her hero escort charge into Arachna's territory seking more enemies to slay. Instead they find a village of Hobbits in need of rescure. That will do, if they are not too late.

In the North, my Dwarven hero caught an implaer lurking in the underground.

Turn sent.

Arachna Day 8.

Watching foul elves of light stealing our gold and slaves...

Serena -- Elves – Day9

The Hobbitts have been rescued, and reinforcements for Pokt are a day away. Elme retreats back to the Bayou to recieve a special artifact via teleport, and I have just enough mana to get it to her.

The North is quiet again, and I finally have troops in the area to begin an advance there as well.

Turn sent.

Arachna Day 9.

No positive news.

Serena -- Elves – Day10

The Northern troops begin the march to Arachna's capital. Tengar and the mounted scouts will sweep the area as the slower troops advance on a bee-line.

Capture of a watch Tower reveals that Arachna has already formed a new army of heavily enchanted level 2 troops, with some level 1 support. The Iron Maiden and her supporters hang back a bit to wait for reinforcements from the South and the second army from the North.

I decide to open a third front, sending Nymphs and Druids across the lake to form a three way attack. Already an Abombination lurking by the lakeshore has been killed as our reward in this central assult. Soon Pokt Island shall add troops to this center attack route as well. There will be no last minute mistakes as in the last campaign.

Turn sent.

Arachna Day 10.

Enemy is coming closer and closer...

Serena -- Elves – Day11

The Northern troops close in on High Pass and the Northern mine. Pokt island is a village now, and is producing respectable units. Dwarves and Humans continue thier march from the South to support my Iron Maiden.

Turn sent.

Arachna Day 11.

My warriors will figth to the end!

Serena -- Elves – Day12

A Nymph and Druid are diverted to assist in the siege of High Pass. They are to rendezvous with Tengar and his army less than a day out. Tengar took a slight detour to liberate a magic node a gain an experience level, while an Elven scout captured Arachna’s last mine in the frozen North.

Troops from the South continue to advance to the Iron Maiden’s position. If the timing is correct then both armies shall meet at Arachna’s capital a few days hence. There will be no slipups this time.

Turn sent.

Serena -- Elves – Day13

High Pass is a burning ruin; the defenders were lured out with the bait of a lone scout. The Druid that was diverted last turn walked into the empty town and razed it -- Tengar and the rest of the Northern army can spend no time migrating. They are racing to the capital, slipping in behind both of Arachna's armies. The Orc avenger will hopefully join his troops -- the Druid and Nymph should see to that.

The Iron Maidens reinforcements have arrived as well, and the Southern (well, now Western) army advances next turn to meet up with Tengar at the Capital.

Turn sent.

Arachna Days 12 & 13.

Garrison of orc village was not lured out, but left town to avoid slaughter. But as gold supplies started to go low, they were forced to attack invaders in hopeless battle. Still two of Serena's minions were killed as well (including foul Nymph).

Other troops are preparing to defend our last stronghold.

Serena -- Elves – Day14

Ugh! I thought that I set a trap for the Orcs of High Pass, but instead they set a trap for me

A Scout, and my last Archer and Nymph were all cut down by the defenders. My Northern attacking force is serious depleted; Tengar and his remaining crew head into the forest for shelter.

The Dwarves and Humans finally arrive in the West. Now that Elme and the Iron Maiden have a proper escort, they can attempt advancing again.

Turn sent.

Arachna Day 14.

A suicide attack was commited on incoming elven/human army. Now remaining defenders are waiting for coup de grace...

Serena -- Elves – Epilouge

In the end it was Tengar and his Northern troops that finished the war. Arachna defended bravely and well against long odds, taking many of my troops with her to the void. Though Tengar himself fell in the battle, victory has been achieved for the Elves.

Well fought Evil Roc -- I appriciate the rematch from my earlier loss.

Yes, it was an interesting game. Thanks!