Warlock Wars: Ardania in Turmoil - A Warlock: Master of the Arcane MP AAR

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Mar 14, 2003
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Updating Now...
 
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Introduction


Hello & welcome to Warlock Wars: Ardania in Turmoil.

This is the first and official multi-player AAR for the immense and intense hex & turn-based fantasy wargame by Ino Co. & Paradox Interactive; Warlock - Master of the Arcane.

Players for this game include some fine familiar fellows in the guise of forumites for whom those of you frequenting the AAR forums elsewhere on these boards, will need no introduction. Step forth and be recognised Qorten, Loki100 & Malurous.

After clicking on the MULTIPLAYER BETA button on the game's intro screen, the game configuration was set to the agreed parameters as seen below.

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Given the players difference in experience with playing Warlock, a difficulty of NORMAL is assigned. Bear in mind that there will be only one A.I. player as well.

The Unity Spell victory condition is also removed from play. As we do not want the thread to decend into civil war as soon as one of us decides to cast it. Turn times are set at 15 minutes, to allow us to complete turns for large empires at game's end.

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The world is configured so that there is enough space for initial expansion but not so that contact and combat will be many, many turns away. Super-continent was chosen as one of the players (who will remain nameless) aborted our first attempt as they started on a very small island. That setting was for Continents. Additional worlds is set to three, one below the number of players so that there will be conflict over at least one portal world. Well as soon as the A.I. faction is dealt with.

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Here are the players and their chosen Great Mage portraits. More information on starting perks, races and starting positions will be posted shortly.

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So without further ado.... let the Warlock Wars begin. I have a feeling that turmoil is an understatement....

DISCLAIMER: Not *ALL* the information contained in the following posts will be accurate. ;)
 
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"Gah.. Mmmrrhhh!! Pleuw. Pleuw. Pleuw.... PLEUW!! Ah.... hello. It's one of those days. You know the type. Misty. Overcast. With shades of rain predicted! The sun only seems to shine on those confounded human and monster types!"

"Gah!"

"What is it with you humans and monsters anyways? Everytime you meet one of our kind you're always screwing up your faces. So much so that your beedy little eyes look like they are about to pop out of their sockets from the strain!"

"You'd think you'd never seen a rotting corpse before. What do you think we are monsters? Villans? Evil doers?"

"Look."

"Look closer."

"That's right."

"See anything familiar?"

"Sure!?"

"No. Not that!"

"Gah! Look again."

"..."

"That's right. We're you, after YOU die. Just because you think you'll end up going to Heaven or the Great Feasting Hall in the Sky - doesn't mean it'll happen! You're more likely to be brought back to life by a vampire, necromancer or some spiteful god, for some misdemenor or sumat you long gone forgot about!"

"Gah!"

"Oh well. I guess I may as well introduce myself. I... I am... King Lich. The fifth. Lord and master of the Undead Horde here in the realm of Ardania."


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King Lich (the Fifth)​

* Traits = Lord of the Koatls, Conjurer, Archmage.





"Do you know that the gods have gone on vacation?"

"Yes... yes indeed!"

"Me thinks all kinds of shenanigans and malarkey are afoot with these monster and human types! Time for war and conquest."

"Gah!"

"Whatever the case I can't stand by and let these warmongers and opportunist types bring harm about my kingdom." We have to prepare and rally against the incoming enemy."

"What makes me think they will attack us!? Well WHY do you think. Stereotypes! Archetypes!! The same old story. We are sooooo misunderstood!!!"

"We're undead. And living types always attack us undead. Even if we mean no harm. There we go, taking an innocent stroll through some woods or a graveyard and all of a sudden, a woman (or goblin) screams, causing some clod-fisted warrior or orc type to wet their britches and attack us....."

"Gah! Why does everyone seem to always have a bone to pick with us?!!"



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The realm of King Lich V.

 
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Hello dear readers of this very first and quite official Warlock MP AAR. You may know me if you visit the AARs and Fanfiction part of the Paradox Forums occasionally. I've written AARs before, but the last one that got further then two updates is about four years ago. I kind of hope this will get me back into writing. So let's get on with it!


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This is the Great Mage Customisation screen. I've chosen the Monster race and the Sol de Torvega-image and most if not all of his attributes for this game. I'm playing a single player game with him at the moment which goes quite well. Given that playing against actual humans should be much more difficult then against the AI I decided to stick to something I know already. It should lower the amount of mistakes I'm bound to make. Let's just hope my adversaries make more, hehe!


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Here's my starting positions and immediate surroundings. As you can see I've got silver and pumpkins ready to come within my city limits in the near to very near future. Not bad at all, eh? You can also see there's a neutral city east of me, hidden under the clouds. Time for Helia's champion and his monster underlings to go a-conquering!
 
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Hello everyone, Malurous here. If you've been into other Paradox AARs recently, especially ones about EU III, you might know me from AARland where I'm writing (and generally hanging around) more or less actively. I'd imagine I'm the resident noob on this player roster, but I'm happy to take on the challenge and will do my best to survive out there!


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I'm playing with the monsters here and as far as perks go I've chosen extra production on mana and cash as well as some mana to start with. Hopefully that will give me a bit of a boost in the very early stage. I went with the troll portrait here - both Qorten and I initially chose the jackal dude and since he's sort of my boss in AARland you know how it goes I was all too happy to change in order to not confuse you guys.


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Here's the start. Some pigs are the only resource I'm going to get in the first border expansion. Not ideal maybe, but it's better than nothing and at least there aren't any mountains etc. next to the capital.
 
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Hi everyone I'm loki100, also a moderator on the AAR forum and current writing AARs for Pride of Nations by AGEOD, Rome and EU3 by Paradox. I've taken the humans. So on with the business:

A warlock (Loki) and his cat (Tiddles) approach a ramshackle town.



The name plate swings ominously in the spectral wind. Our hero starts to rub at the obscured sign with his robe ... realises he will get dirty and uses Tiddles instead.

Slowly (as in Alien) the letters emerge ... F---O---R---T---W---I---C---H

"what do you reckon"?

[miao]

"so thats all you have to say"?

Tiddles starts to clean himself.

"Oh well, lets see if we can get some food for tonight"

The Warlock enters the town and ascends the steps of the central building.

"Friends, Fortwichans, Countrymen ... lend me your ears"

[urrghh, I'm not that hungry]

"Greetings oh humans, I am here to save you in this era of turmoil"

[we're all doomed then]

"Shut up tiddles, this is meant to set the scene and convince them to trust us ... you do want to be fed tonight"?

[miaow]

"Anyway, to help you out I've brought some nice lizardy chaps along, don't panic they really will be on your side soon enough. Thats them, just to the south".



[miserable bunch of fly eaters]

"Tiddles, shut it".
 
we're having problems with the save between patch 1.2 and 1.2.1, so only have 5 turns to report. The idea is probably to restart once we understand why and can avoid it happening again.

I reckon MP with Warlock has the potential to be great fun, the game is simple enough that you are not wrestling with the game system that much, so once you get past the opening phases its all about inter-player interaction. And the VPs don't really allow for long term collaborative play ;)
 
we're having problems with the save between patch 1.2 and 1.2.1, so only have 5 turns to report. The idea is probably to restart once we understand why and can avoid it happening again.

I reckon MP with Warlock has the potential to be great fun, the game is simple enough that you are not wrestling with the game system that much, so once you get past the opening phases its all about inter-player interaction. And the VPs don't really allow for long term collaborative play ;)

Ok I understand. Hope to see you guys up and running again soon. And I agree with you about MP. But Warlock also cries out for a modern variant of PBEM, it's made for that.
 
Ok I understand. Hope to see you guys up and running again soon. And I agree with you about MP. But Warlock also cries out for a modern variant of PBEM, it's made for that.

No worries we aren't giving up, just gotta make sure we're able to play a full game. ;) Agreed about PBEM, perfect game for that.
 
PBEM is horrible. When there are long turns, I can't remember my aims from trun before. With PBEM, I am completly lost.

BTW. I am realy interested in this AAR.
Couldn't you just... restart now and search for problem later?:)

The "updating" status is horrible... I always hope, that there will be update... 3 days or even more!
 
PBEM is horrible. When there are long turns, I can't remember my aims from trun before. With PBEM, I am completly lost.

BTW. I am realy interested in this AAR.
Couldn't you just... restart now and search for problem later?:)

Dont worry we will be back.... we are looking at the problem and will continue when we can. Its just on hold for now.
 
After a short holiday the undead, monsters and humans are back for some shock and awe.

Here we go again...



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Turn 1

"Greetings Ardanians and other-worlders... A strange event occurred. At least it felt strange to these old bones. One moment 'One' and our kin were blessed with the joy's of life.... er death. (The Skeleton king refers to himself as One. At one with the gods. At one with the domain. The Special One. The only One... well you get the idea!) Then next moment all time seemed to stop. My advisor Deadun informs me, it was a Beta event.... something to do with the mystical forces of the Save-Game. Whatever that is. Whatever it was, by the intervention of the gods by blasting a patch onto this mystical event seems to have saved our bacon."

"And now it is time to commence our story of the Warlock Wars."

"It began only a few tur... ahem, weeks ago. While the other races were busy drinking, feasting, fornicating, we civilized undead began our march of dominion over this world."

"Our necromancers began the study of a new spell. We the choice of: Frost Weapons, Ranged Resistance, Elemental Resistance, Wind Walking and Shadow Bolt. Since part of our strategy will involve a strong element of magic, they were ordered to learn the Shadow Bolt spell."

"A Bat-fort was started in order to produce Green bats for reconnaissance purposes and for defence of the capitol - Webshire. While an additional band of armed skeleton warriors was recruited."

"A unit of skeleton archers was sent to the south-east but, they only discovered open lands and area of pigs and some minotaur caves. What need of pigs does One have!? The caves on the other hand......"

*Evil cackle*

"A group of skeleton warriors heads west but their progress is stalled by the hilly snowy terrain."


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Turn 2

"The archers are recalled back to the capitol and the skeleton warrior guards are sent westwards, discovering a group of unaffiliated human vermin, not far from the city walls."


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Turn 3

"The capitol grows an extra level, encompassing the Koatl village on the edge One's kingdom's borders."

"Settlers can now be commissioned to expand our domain. While the first addition to our army is now ready."

"To the west our skeleton warriors move to the hills beside the human riff-raff and though unable to first-strike, await their attempt to strike them down. Which they do causing minimal damage, but only after moving away from our strong warriors."


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Turn 4


"The Bat-fort is ready and as allows, a new group of roving Green Bats is recruited. Though first One orders another group of skeleton archers to be recruited, which will be ready 2 turns after next, when our group of warriors have finally been prepared."

"With the fort completed, a Koatl house is commission. These lizard creatures will make fine slave warriors and will form the bluk of our combat forces."

"Meanwhile to the south-west our warriors catch-up to those hunters and inflict a mighty wound to their numbers."

"Our other warriors and unit of archers are sent in their direction to."


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Turn 5


"The humans withdrawn again and let fly another volley of arrows causing minimal damage. Our forces close the gap, discovering some treasure in the process and another melee ensues. Depleting the enemies numbers by more."

"One's archers go west discovering an neutrally held cities and liberating a spider hole of yet more treasure."

"To the east, our settlers head south-east."

"One has a change of mind and decides to build a unit of Green bats before another band of archers. So the build priority is changed to reflect this."


And now comes the turn of my esteemed adversaries....


 
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Turns 1 to 5


Now, what took you so long, you filthy rats!? Didn't I order you to get out and scout ages ago?

I did not? Hmm, must have been dreamin' it then. I have it! A dream sent by Helia, to guide us to power and mayhem and glory for Monsterdom!

What are you all lookin' at me like I'm goin' insane? Do as I said and scout out the area!


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What happened to you rats? Where's the rest of the circus?

Eh? You got cought? You're scouts, you ain't supposed to get cought, dolts!


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Well, lucky for you that Helia told me to get another group of you rats ready for battle.

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Finally some results! I was starting to think I'd have to do everything myself. Now that you've got some experience followin' orders this will all go much easier...

 
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Whee, we're back! No reason to delay any longer, so let's cut right to the action.


Turn 1

There's nothing breathtaking in the initial research options, but a bunch of useful basic spells nonetheless. I go for Lesser Shadow Bolt so I can help my units in any emergency situation.

The neighborhood seems a bit busy: a couple of wild ratmen, some wolves and some cockroaches are found during the first turn alone. One of the ratmen units gets weakened by our archers.

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A Ratmen Guild feels like the obvious first building, both for the units and for the cash.


Turn 2

The needless hostility continues as two neutral Goblin Spearmen show up west of us, one next to the capital.

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That one is slightly weakened by the city missile attack, while the archers finish off the ratmen in the east. My ratmen abandon the west for now and head into the capital.


Turn 3

Between the city firing and an attack by my ratmen, the neutral spearman group is eliminated.

The city starts producing my first unit of Gnome Settlers (I like to build the second city first for the extra food whenever I can and only expand the army afterwards) while my archers loot the Ratmen Hole in the east and find something very interesting in the process - Qorten's territory.

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Whoa that's close, our capitals are like eight or nine hexes apart.

Between turns, the monster faction ratmen attack mine next to the city. They almost die in the process, but my unit suffers heavily as well.


Turn 4

I learn Lesser Shadow Bolt and go for Healing next.

The city eliminates the monster ratmen and I decide to risk it with mine, heading for the Ratmen Hole instead of healing. It seems to be worth it as no enemies show up and that monster spawn is now out of the picture. More interestingly, I spot two neutral cities to the northwest.

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Wyverndell can construct a new building now. If this was a single player game I'd go for Tax Offices and use additional cities for food, then wing it in case of war, but against humans and with Qorten right next to me I decide to build the Pig Farm now to give my food production a solid boost. I'll have to build a strong early game army ASAP to be secure and food is more of an issue currently than money.

My archers explore to the southeast and find some nice resources near a neutral city: gems and ancient ruins.

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Hopefully the neutrals will leave me alone soon so I can beat Qorten to that place.


Turn 5

The archers do some insignificant exploration, the ratmen rest to regain their health and I start recruiting some Goblin Spearmen - I need a melee unit with some more staying power than what the ratmen can provide. Meanwhile, my first settlers begin their journey.