Newbie Questions

[Vulkar]

It's been a long time since I've played Alamaze and I have a few newbie questions, with more to follow probably.

1. Is there way to detach only a wizard/adept to an inactive group? The send detachment orders indicate I must send a leader, but I was wondering if there is some way to do this. Also, can all the leaders be detached from one group to the inactive one?

2. I thought I read somewhere that orders 170 and 171 require a general or higher now but can't find that to confirm, is this the case?

3. Does anyone have a graphical map, as opposed to PPT? (E.g, something that can be manipulated in Gimp.)

4. For some reason I thought the highlighted orders in the command document were kingdom-specific. However, this isn't the case, it it? I guess that just means they've been modified or are new, otherwise how else would I train recruits?

5. In games in which there are less than 15 kingdoms, do the inactive kingdoms still start on the map with PCs and inactive groups?

6. When patrols move, do they also detect PCs that they pass through?

[Jumpingfist]

It's been a long time since I've played Alamaze and I have a few newbie questions, with more to follow probably.

1. Is there way to detach only a wizard/adept to an inactive group? The send detachment orders indicate I must send a leader, but I was wondering if there is some way to do this. Also, can all the leaders be detached from one group to the inactive one?

you can detach just a wizard if any part of a group and it will make a new group.  when detaching you can only send 1 leader, 1 wizard and 1 brigade type to do more you would need to use orders like 700 or 701.  remember order go in order so you can use 699 then 700 or 701 if needed.  or the other way around 700/701 then 702

2. I thought I read somewhere that orders 170 and 171 require a general or higher now but can't find that to confirm, is this the case?

it is on the spreadsheet to calculate success.  170 does require a general but 171 can be done without at a 25% penalty.

3. Does anyone have a graphical map, as opposed to PPT? (E.g, something that can be manipulated in Gimp.)

there is also an excel map now.  but no gimpy one that I know of. 

4. For some reason I thought the highlighted orders in the command document were kingdom-specific. However, this isn't the case, it it? I guess that just means they've been modified or are new, otherwise how else would I train recruits?

they are just new or modified as you noted.  the recruit order used to not have recruit all as an option

5. In games in which there are less than 15 kingdoms, do the inactive kingdoms still start on the map with PCs and inactive groups?

Not anymore.  this was the case for a few games but it has become standard to remove them.

6. When patrols move, do they also detect PCs that they pass through?

groups of any size will detect PCs they pass over.   they will not detect unusual sightings unless they finish their move on them

I went ahead and answered after each question rather than all at the bottom

[Vulkar]

Thanks JumpingFist!

The send detachment order states "with at least a leader, and potentially with troops and a wizard", that's why I thought I might need a leader for the order to work.

If I can send a detachment with just a wizard, can I do the same with just a brigade?

Also, you mentioned that:

...when detaching you can only send 1 leader, 1 wizard and 1 brigade type

The order implies I may send any number of brigade types (Column D - # of brigades of the troop type to be transferred), has this changed?

[Lord Thanatos]

Thanks JumpingFist!

The send detachment order states "with at least a leader, and potentially with troops and a wizard", that's why I thought I might need a leader for the order to work.

If I can send a detachment with just a wizard, can I do the same with just a brigade?

Also, you mentioned that:

...when detaching you can only send 1 leader, 1 wizard and 1 brigade type

The order implies I may send any number of brigade types (Column D - # of brigades of the troop type to be transferred), has this changed?

You can send multiple numbers of a single brigade type into a detachment.  For subsequent brigade types you would then issue order 700, with which you can send two types of brigades and any number of each type for the cost of a single order.

While the grammar could be better in the rules, the computer program will allow you to transfer a lone wizard, a lone leader and/or a single brigade into the new detachment.

Remember that Recruits are a single brigade type and so are Veterans.  If a player (before the order was changed) had kingdom-named brigades, summoned troops, and Recruits he was unable to train those Recruits to Veterans because each brigade was trained individually.  Now, order 550 enables a player to train ALL Recruits to Veterans simultaneously to avoid that problem.  Of course, once they are Veterans you cannot now recruit with that group at all (assuming, as above, one kingdom named brigade, one summoned troop type and then one Veteran troop).

Group management can be order intensive.  But, it is a small price to pay for those mighty groups plundering the Alamaze world.

[Lord Diamond]

I meant one brigade type. Sorry. JF's answer about the general is correct. You need a general for a 170 and he gives a bonus (or avoids a penalty) with a 171.

[Lord Thanatos]

I meant one brigade type. Sorry. JF's answer about the general is correct. You need a general for a 170 and he gives a bobus (or avoids a penalty) with a 171.

Why must one have a general in order to get a bobus?

[Lord Diamond]

Why must you mock the cripple on heavy painkillers? 'Bobus' made perfect sense when I typed that.

[Jumpingfist]

Why must you mock the cripple on heavy painkillers? 'Bobus' made perfect sense when I typed that.

if it helps I only saw bonus.   general does not give bonus.  general only makes it possible.  and for 171 no general gives a penalty but you can still try.
 
some basics to remember is you need 1.5x for friendly neutral and 2.5x for Tolerant neutral.   if controlled x2.  so if controlled in a region where the people really like you you could take the PC by force much easier than talking with them.

[Lord Thanatos]

Why must you mock the cripple on heavy painkillers? 'Bobus' made perfect sense when I typed that.

Bobus = "avoids a penalty"

I get it, my friend!

No mockery intended; a perfectly reasonable question concerning the power of my generals.

I think you are enjoying the company of your personal, around-the-clock, live-in nurse a bit too much to concentrate on your writings.  You are certainly envied my "cripple" friend "on heavy painkillers." 

[Vulkar]

Here are a few more questions I have.

1. Does a 971 order (trail group) locate inactive groups as well? (If so, this would make it rather easier to find capitals, no?)

2. How do you modify the calculation of incite/usurp orders when there is an opposing emissary maintaining status quo?