New Player Tips

[Lord Diamond]

This thread is aimed at veteran Alamaze players. Please take the time to share some of the tips, tricks, and gotchas they might need to be successful Alamaze players. It's possible that some of your suggestions might make it into the rule book.

[Lord Diamond]

One foundation of Alamaze play is the system of character names. When you are asked to name a character you are being asked for the FIRST TWO LETTERS of the character's name. No two characters wll have the same first two letters. For example, 'THANATOS' would be identified by the letters 'TH'. Anything more or less will fail.

An order for THANATOS to relocate to a pc in the area of DN would read:

350 TH DN

[Lord Diamond]

Every player, new and old, should really READ the rules and the orders. It's a lot of reading, but it really will give you a solid foundation for this game.

I also suggest that you print out the charts in the back of each book. They are invaluable reference sheets and you wll find yourself looking at them almost every time you issue orders.

[Lucky Tiger]

When reading those rules, pay close attention to the order. This is critical. Here are some examples I lifted from Blake Eskridge's Article "Tricks of the Trade", Oracle VIII (infact read through all the available Oracle articles)

Now to some advantage of this order sequence. One, a player can take a pop center and then hire an agent, high priestess, or emissary. The agent and high priestess can still take a mission. Two, a player with a good navy--at least quality 13 to get any advantage--can scrap several fleets and then buy them back immediately and make a profit. For example, 4 fleets of 16 quality are scrapped for 32,000 gold (4 x 16 x 1000 x 1/2) and buys them back for 24,000 (4 x 6,000) for a profit of 8,000 gold. The only disadvantage of this is the number of orders used buying them back. The way I see it, a fleet is like a bank account; if you put money into it, then you can always take it out when you need it. And if your quality is high enough you make money by put-ting it into this "savings account." A related idea is to build up the quality then scrap the fleet (so it can't be sabotaged), buying them back on the turn you need to sea patrol or transport, then scrap them again. Three, other advantages can be gained from the way groups split, move, then combine. Four, wizards cast teleport in the 850's. This means that their groups can teleport then summon monsters (those being 860's), assuming you have 2 high level wizards. Groups can rest, then be teleported. Five, a pair of emissaries can be sent to a pc so that one can incite while the other usurps, and thus you take the place in one turn, not two, or instead of using your prince. Six, artifacts can be easily kept safe by moving them from group to group or to emissaries in far away places before an enemy agent tries to steal them.

And one that is always fun in team games, someone raises a vote on the High Council to remove your king from its ranks. Just sell your post to an ally before they kick you off and then buy it back later.

[Kalrex]

Too bad they didn't have Oracle 1-5 on that site.

[Kalrex]

I have various tips/tricks but it's a position by position thing. Not Universal-

Generally, the only universal strategic interests should be to occupy population centers and maintain your kingdoms economy.

That's all I can think of. I have tons of unique strategy ideas as far as different positions go-

[Lord Diamond]

When reading those rules, pay close attention to the order. This is critical. Here are some examples I lifted from Blake Eskridge's Article "Tricks of the Trade", Oracle VIII (infact read through all the available Oracle articles)

Now to some advantage of this order sequence. One, a player can take a pop center and then hire an agent, high priestess, or emissary. The agent and high priestess can still take a mission. Two, a player with a good navy--at least quality 13 to get any advantage--can scrap several fleets and then buy them back immediately and make a profit. For example, 4 fleets of 16 quality are scrapped for 32,000 gold (4 x 16 x 1000 x 1/2) and buys them back for 24,000 (4 x 6,000) for a profit of 8,000 gold. The only disadvantage of this is the number of orders used buying them back. The way I see it, a fleet is like a bank account; if you put money into it, then you can always take it out when you need it. And if your quality is high enough you make money by put-ting it into this "savings account." A related idea is to build up the quality then scrap the fleet (so it can't be sabotaged), buying them back on the turn you need to sea patrol or transport, then scrap them again. Three, other advantages can be gained from the way groups split, move, then combine. Four, wizards cast teleport in the 850's. This means that their groups can teleport then summon monsters (those being 860's), assuming you have 2 high level wizards. Groups can rest, then be teleported. Five, a pair of emissaries can be sent to a pc so that one can incite while the other usurps, and thus you take the place in one turn, not two, or instead of using your prince. Six, artifacts can be easily kept safe by moving them from group to group or to emissaries in far away places before an enemy agent tries to steal them.

And one that is always fun in team games, someone raises a vote on the High Council to remove your king from its ranks. Just sell your post to an ally before they kick you off and then buy it back later.

I have various tips/tricks but it's a position by position thing. Not Universal-

Generally, the only universal strategic interests should be to occupy population centers and maintain your kingdoms economy.

That's all I can think of. I have tons of unique strategy ideas as far as different positions go-

Then share them! We want as many people to be successful at Alamaze as possible. Nothing ruins a game like a bad start. Share your gotchas and ohcraps.

[Lucky Tiger]

One more general thing Double, Triple and, if the orders are critical to your kingdom's survival, quadrupal check your order entries before submission.

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Then share them! We want as many people to be successful at Alamaze as possible. Nothing ruins a game like a bad start. Share your gotchas and ohcraps.

Do we want information and hints only for the 2nd cycle of Magic or can we add our thoughts from lessons learned in 1st cycle, 2nd cycle of steel, and epic games. (which may not be 100% transferable)

[Lord Diamond]

IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS.

The game is processed in order. That means that 350 happens before 710.

[Sancus]

The lower the order number (350 < 710) drives the sequence of events?