Newbie Questions

[Wookie Panz]

Stone of all minds found in the early game is a game changer

But my favorite anytime artifact is like crystal of seeing.   I generally scout 3 PCs a turn until I find three capitals then I create a standing order to watch those capitals.  See what a king is doing without the potential enemy knowing can be very useful.

I prefer staff of distain over staff of the orator.

For starting foreknowledge items,   In maelstrom the Plow the AN starts with may actually be to OP for any kingdom let alone to start the game.  In the last game I played the AN it ended on t25 I had 5 legendary castles and could have had 6 but the RD took one.   I believe only 1 or2 others even existed among all the other kingdoms.

I have already had a Maselsrtom game where I had 2 Crystals.  It's pretty cool what you can see for 2 FREE orders!

[Valuthor]

When using an artifact that effects others negatively, will the game show who did it?

Say for example the staff of disdane.

[DuPont]

Yes, it will tell them who denigrated them.

[Valuthor]

So Sea Power...
I have never been good at seapower in any game. But am now determined to learn.
1) What does and Elite Ship do? I can not find a description in the Rules or Commands.
2) What do I need to do to move an Army Group across the sea, what sea power do I need?
3) Our Seapower Is Currently At The Following Levels:
Max. # Of Fleets Per Sea: 12
Naval Quality Ranges From 4.0 To A Maximum Rating Of 16.0

So a game that I dont care so much this is what I have:

4 fleets and a 11.0 quality.

If I buy 3 x Fleets at 16,000 gold - what does this do to the Naval Quality and Rating I see above? How many more times, in theory, do I need to do this ( 3x 16,000)to have a Maximum in all areas?

4) I assume if I set a patrol it will intercept non-allied troops? Is their a way to increase this chance?

Thanks

[Wookie Panz]

So Sea Power...
I have never been good at seapower in any game.  But am now determined to learn.
1) What does and Elite Ship do?  I can not find a description in the Rules or Commands.
2) What do I need to do to move an Army Group across the sea, what sea power do I need?
3)  Our Seapower Is Currently At The Following Levels:
                                Max. # Of Fleets Per Sea: 12
                 Naval Quality Ranges From 4.0 To A Maximum Rating Of 16.0

So a game that I dont care so much this is what I have:

4 fleets and a 11.0 quality.

If I buy 3 x Fleets at 16,000 gold - what does this do to the Naval Quality and Rating I see above?  How many more times, in theory, do I need to do this ( 3x 16,000)to have a Maximum in all areas?

4) I assume if I set a patrol it will intercept non-allied troops? Is their a way to increase this chance?

Thanks

I'll give you at least a partial answer and other players can jump in with more information as needed.
If you had started with no fleets, on your first build you would have to spend at least 8k and you could build 1-3 ships.  After that you can spend as little as 4k per ship, and build from 1-3 until you reach the limit of 12 ships.  Each ship can transport 1 brigade so the most you can ever transport with all 12 ships is 12 brigades.   If you have combat and lose loaded ships every one you lose will lose it's brigade too and if you lose them all the leaders are gone too.
An elite ship can transport a patrol, not troops, and they avoid any sea patrols.  This is a safe way to go after encounters in the water.   An agent can sabotage sea power, both elite and regular ships.
Sea patrol does try to intercept unallied ships and it is limited by range (I think 7) and then it is a percentage chance.  Certain positions, PI, AT, and I think CI, have advantages and a better chance of interception and they are much stronger on the water. 
Whenever you add higher quality ships to the ones you already have you will raise the quality of the fleet.  If you had a fleet of 12 and they were not the best quality you could scrap some and replace them with better ones and raise the overall quality. 
If you are at war and try moving armies across water it is a risky business and occasionally  whole forces are lost in a sea battle so beware!

[PTRILEY]

To raise any higher than 13 quality you need a port in town/city pop, in Maelstrom. Sea patrol/ merchant and transport are single actions for fleets. An agent that is successful on sabotage attempt on elite ship, destroys the ship.

[Valuthor]

thank you - it kind of helps -- I would usually use duels to experiment but no water tiles in the duel map. Seems for larger army groups I need a teleport spell or to move over a few turns. OR to just go around.

[Wookie Panz]

thank you - it kind of helps -- I would usually use duels to experiment but no water tiles in the duel map.    Seems for larger army groups I need a teleport spell or to move over a few turns.   OR to just go around.

Or play ice age, or find the gem of the plains artifact.

[VballMichael]

thank you - it kind of helps -- I would usually use duels to experiment but no water tiles in the duel map.    Seems for larger army groups I need a teleport spell or to move over a few turns.   OR to just go around.

Actually, the best way to transport an army group is to take it across in two groups. If you have 24 troops in Group 1 and an available inactive group, you can do it easily by starting with an activate group order. A fleet of 12 ships can carry your first group with 12, your second group with 12 and so on. You could in theory move 48 or 60 troops in one turn depending on how many groups you have. Then they combine when they land and boom.

One point about sea quality is averaging. If I have 3 ships at level 11 and I want to improve the quality, the first thing I do is sell 2 of the fleets. Then I build 3 at max level for the best averaging. I might then sell 2 more and do it again, but across 12 ships, that second sell doesn't change the final average too much. Keep buying 3 ships at max. The calculator will actually tell you the new quality to expect, I think.

And intercept works as you thought, as a percentage chance, not automatic intercept. I don't know of any way to increase your chance of intercept other than to pick the right squares to patrol.

[Strylian]

It is fun looking for artifacts, I've been separating into a small team just to hunt with Valerian steel.  
I probably spend way to much time going after artifacts then is good for me...

I spend alotof time doing that too Valuthor