Parthian Kings - the game so foggy you don't even know what you are fighting!
This is the Parthian Kings banter thread for Argyraspide, Dayyalu and Porkbelly...
... we are still trying to reach an agreement on the map, but I am sure it will happen soon!
And we start!
The match will be 15 turns long, with magicians allowed, but growth spells can only be used once every other turn.
Welcome to my court, travelers. Don't worry, the guards may look skinny but they are fine men. That said, I presume you're here for the succession war, right? I mean, the Emperor of the Parthian Kingdom is dead and we're all here to fight for the Throne. Yes, I did ask myself why we're in 1250 AD and why there are no Persians around, but the Rat God that sent me here told me not to worry.
Look at this map! Well, South-East we have the fair and strong King Porkbelly and his Orcs. They're a proud and noble race, well known for their love of fine dining and extensive etiquette for charming ladies. And of course the red corduroy trousers. Don't ask.
North-East, the sketchy Great Scribe and his menagerie of Mediterranean Monsters. Satyrs, Minotaurs, Giants.... at least we don't get Telkhines or Sirens. He's a crafty one though, and his powers great if he can bend to his will such monsters.
North-West, Basileus Argyraspide leads his men from the Kingdom of Makedon. Hey, at least he's normal and borderline historically-kind-of-accurate. Good sources tell me that phalanxes work against everything.
Ah, yes, then there's me. I mean, the city here is called Graveyard and all the guards are skeletons, do you really need a primer on me? I can guarantee the retirement plan here is to die for. Or you can join the Cult, we have options for the still living! Here, come closer....
OK that's hilarious. I may use it as an intro for my article.
Turn 1:
All players seem to be going big on their closest neutral castle. It looks like there will be too very unhappy players next turn.
Porkbelly forgoes 2 points and Argyraspide 1 point. Will that be enough?
That's right, I'm using convoys!
Also, Dayyalu is contemplating 5 points from across the forest, and Argyraspide is wondering whether the turn order is the same every turn resolution...
... I have the same question, too.
Quote from Argyraspide on 2 December 2023, 20h43That's right, I'm using convoys!
I almost used one, and I now I regret not doing it.
For some reason I was worried about Porkbelly trying to overrun my territory.
Quote from The Wargaming Scribe on 2 December 2023, 20h44Also, Dayyalu is contemplating 5 points from across the forest, and Argyraspide is wondering whether the turn order is the same every turn resolution...
... I have the same question, too.
We get to deploy first, so everything will be fine. Juuuuust fine.
Turn 2:
Porkbelly gets to take the Southern castle. Then Dayyalu gets to take the Southern castle too. I fend off two smallish attacks on the Northern castle. Honestly, being the last player has been a great help so far - I did not expect it.
I get to take the Northern castle first and fend off two average-sized attacks, but what can mere mortals do against the Executors of Fate themselves?
Here is the final situation for the turn. Argyraspide plays a lot with convoys, and Porkbelly is going straight for my jugular, while Dayyalu does it safe & steady with a 3rd lake.
Battle results so you don't have to squint your eyes:
Now now, you're curious about the troops going to the front. The Forgotten, they're called. I swear once they were called Myrmidons or something, but then Bungie let the franchise go to third-party developers and I felt that Greek names were already overused here and....
No, I can guarantee you it makes perfect sense. Look at them!
Magnificent shock troops, fast and brutal. Kinda flimsy tho. I've heard the enemy porcine units have been... properly cut during our assaults. Ah yes, the jaw, they would complain about that a lot.... but they don't speak. Or better, they can't.
1252 - Avoidance in the East
I open my turn with one of my units removed by ranged attack. Snap.
After that, massive skeleton push by Dayyalu in the West - once again the mortals are being pushed back. Orcs and satyrs miss one another in the East, with only a lame skirmish between Tier 1 units.
Current score:
Dayyalu: 8
Scribe: 6
Porkbelly: 2
Argyraspide: 2
So far faithful to the tradition of Argyraspide losing early on (a strong indicator that we will actually finish this game) and Dayyalu leading.
Quick question folks. Let's suppose I cast the "economic development" spell, and it fizzled. Am I allowed to retry to cast it the following turn?
IMO yes, but if it succeeds I can't cast it the following turn.
Also, I never realized Myth was by Bungie ^^. Did those guys release any bad game since 1993?
Sure. It has to be successful to count.
Quote from The Wargaming Scribe on 5 December 2023, 16h57Quick question folks. Let's suppose I cast the "economic development" spell, and it fizzled. Am I allowed to retry to cast it the following turn?
IMO yes, but if it succeeds I can't cast it the following turn.
I'd agree with your interpretation. Also I just realized that for some reason I'm the furthest from the Scribe, for sure a casual instance and not to avoid my documented murderous rage against the kind host. No sir.
Quote from The Wargaming Scribe on 5 December 2023, 16h57Also, I never realized Myth was by Bungie ^^. Did those guys release any bad game since 1993?
"Bad" games, no. Mediocre games, yes. Marathon is a decent shooter, but the level design leaves much to be desired (personal opinion, but I've a good number of 90ies shooters under my belt). Still a fascinating game for the pseudo-narrative and ambience.
Oni is famously mediocre, marrying a decent combat system with insanely subpar level design and the very best in 90ies weebery (not as much as SHOGO, but it was a thing in the era).
Halo:Reach is quite clearly them running on fumes on the franchise, "good enough" if I was charitable.
Destiny and Destiny 2, who's going to even play a "live service" game or whatever they call it nowadays? /rant end
1253: Skirmishes in the East, Assaults in the West
In the West, Argyraspide is being overrun by Forgottens, though total losses remain manageable
In the East, Tier 1 units continue to square off here and there. My amazons shoot at Porkbelly's elite.
Lots of battles this turn. Attackers almost always win:
Current score:
Dayyalu: 10
Scribe: 8
Porkbelly: 4
Argyraspide: 4
I would already have changed some details in my army composition by now. My premiere defensive unit (for now unseen) is methinks badly designed, should have considered it more.
It warms my hear to see Satyrs, Squealers and Cultists all being trash units mauling each other. Also that mid push, brutal.
Quote from Dayyalu on 6 December 2023, 19h17I would already have changed some details in my army composition by now. My premiere defensive unit (for now unseen) is methinks badly designed, should have considered it more.
It warms my hear to see Satyrs, Squealers and Cultists all being trash units mauling each other. Also that mid push, brutal.
Yes, there is at least one unit, possibly two, I wish I had done differently.
Also, it is tempting to have the cheapest thrash units for lake capture, but then, it is even better to have the fourth-cheapest thrash units of the game so YOUR thrash units beat the other thrash units and keep the lakes.
Quote from The Wargaming Scribe on 6 December 2023, 22h46Yes, there is at least one unit, possibly two, I wish I had done differently.
Also, it is tempting to have the cheapest thrash units for lake capture, but then, it is even better to have the fourth-cheapest thrash units of the game so so YOUR thrash units beat the other thrash units!
Discussing freely, it is possible to give zero movement to an unit. However, the savings aren't that great honestly, so the improvements would have been minimal.
Regarding trash units, I find amusing the design differences. I haven't seen the Makedonian units so I can't judge them, but it's interesting to note how the same concept of "trash unit" was embraced differently: all units have move 3, but
1) Satyrs are clearly the most combat-effective, probably given low but decent combat strength that with their move 3 can give them an effective role in hunting other trash and of course capping;
2) Squealers are weak but ranged, and in trash unit combat that could probably be more effective considering the limited HP pool we're working with.
3) Cultists exist only for capping and it's quite noticeable in the combat results.
One would think that with the limits of army creation basic units would be essentially identical, but it's not the case. Just random musings.