Game 5644 Maximumus Dominus begins…

[Calidor]

Unless I am mistaken.. Steel is simply the cycle of steel game type which is a 12 player game with only a single winner at the end. As opposed to a cycle of Magic game which is a team game (4 teams of 3)

Whether there are NAPs or forum communication or trades is separate from that. Those are more of those "House Rules" kind of things that creates some confusion for newer players.

[admin]

Question: Do I want to use #970 (Recon Area) or #976 (Search For Popcenters) with a Level 4 agent early in the game?

Question: Is the success rate the same for both orders for a Level 4 agent?

#970 – Recon Area
This is the primary intelligence gathering function of an agent. This mission is among the
safest with a 90% success rate if there is no counter-espionage including from kingdom
traits, and a base -5% for a Level 1 agent being captured (so less than 0% unless counter-
espionage in effect) for agents, therefore no improvement to the agent's proficiency will
result from this mission. An agent will report any groups, population centers, emissaries,
artifacts, or unusual sightings in the area of reconnaissance.
An agent/fanatic of level 4 or higher will penetrate a masked group to learn information.
An agent/fanatic of level 7 or higher will discover a group whose status is ambush.
An agent/fanatic of level 10 or higher will detect some indication of an invisible group in
the area of his recon.

#976 – Search For Popcenters
This order allows an agent/fanatic of level 4 or higher, to search four connecting areas for
population centers. All areas must be within the agent’s range. The report will be
abbreviated, as in a High Priestess' report.

[admin]

Question: When I use an agent to scout for pop centers, and with a Level 4 Agent I can have it scout four provinces that are connected. However, do I have to scout a hex square right next to his location, first? Or can I just pick any four squares that are within a certain range of his current location?

[admin]

Impression
When starting out as a new player playing in a multiplayer game of Alamaze, it is a time-consuming process to go back and forth between the game interface and the rulebook, to try and discern what one's most viable options are.

Note: My aim is to go back in due time, and gather the Impressions that I post, and consolidate them into a single document. This is an attempt by myself to reduce the instances of me forgetting something, when I come back to it later. Using big, bold text in red letters will make it easier for me to go back and gather them, when the time comes. Feel free to ignore these Impression postings, when you come across them.

[admin]

From the rulebook:

There is a player’s aid on our Help Guides page which estimates the chances of success in
a political mission to Incite Rebellion (Order #320), or Usurp Control (Order #330) that
considers a number of factors. Use this tool as a guide if needed.

Help Guides. Alamaze has several useful documents to assist players located on our Help
Guides page: http://fallofromegame.com/alamazeorders/helpguides.html.

The Forgotten
Our political emissaries are at a disadvantage from the lack of engaging with others
and have a -15% penalty when rebelling/usurping pop centers

Question: Is there a player aid/help guide to assist the player in determining an emissary's chance of success at rebelling and usurping population centers? Or is there a way of even knowing ahead of time?

[admin]

Question: When you have an artifact, how do you equip the character with it? How do you even tell it's with a character, and not just located at a pop center?

[uncledarkside2]

Question: When I use an agent to scout for pop centers, and with a Level 4 Agent I can have it scout four provinces that are connected. However, do I have to scout a hex square right next to his location, first? Or can I just pick any four squares that are within a certain range of his current location?

All four spaces must be within the seven area range of the agent. (Unless he has a red elk mount, which allows a range of ten areas).

[uncledarkside2]

Question: When you have an artifact, how do you equip the character with it? How do you even tell it's with a character, and not just located at a pop center?

The listing of artifacts will tell you who owns it.  Groups can transfer them, as can agents

[uncledarkside2]

From the rulebook:

There is a player’s aid on our Help Guides page which estimates the chances of success in
a political mission to Incite Rebellion (Order #320), or Usurp Control (Order #330) that
considers a number of factors. Use this tool as a guide if needed.

Help Guides. Alamaze has several useful documents to assist players located on our Help
Guides page: http://fallofromegame.com/alamazeorders/helpguides.html.

The Forgotten
Our political emissaries are at a disadvantage from the lack of engaging with others
and have a -15% penalty when rebelling/usurping pop centers

Question: Is there a player aid/help guide to assist the player in determining an emissary's chance of success at rebelling and usurping population centers? Or is there a way of even knowing ahead of time?

There is somewhere under frost lord, but it is not good.  Part of the game design is to allow for intrigue and surprise. You dont learn everything from tables, but from experience.  I am in a new situation myself this turn, so it is not just new players learning.  You will see a player that has played fifty games declare on the forum occasionally that he “never noticed that before”

General rule, in the beginning of the game, emmissaries are weak.  Ambassadors cannot do anything at all, except stir.
You want to be friendly in Zanthia. Most guys will move three top powerful emissaries into your city on turn one, turn two use them to take it.  Later on in the game, as your kings influence rises, your emmy power increases accordingly with it.

Ways to combat the weaknesses from the onset are:
Kingdom customization ( you can pick an influence point )
Raise your influence a point or two with a kings order (the dwarf is one of the wealthiest kingdoms)
         By the way, we are all broke at this point except the Underworld, it is part of the game design. Cant get to the top of the mountain without climbing first. 
Bid for the high council (gain one point automatically if successful)
Wizards can cast spells later on at higher levels. 
Mail $100 USD to my house and I will use it to lobby Rick on your behalf. (No guarantee on investment return. Sender acknowledges that the investment will be used as a lobbying effort only, and probably a weak one at that. No refunds will be issued if lobbying efforts fail miserably. By lobbying, I mean going to the bar with your money.)

[admin]

Well, it sucks, but I seem to have missed the turn.

Knowing the date that the turn is due is not the same thing as knowing the actual time that the turn is due.

Bummer!