start locations

Just got this from Septimius
Here are the start locations for the vet team, give them to whomever on your team is responsible for planning. Note that I am releasing these a bit early, however, they will not be changed. So don't ask!

Vets
Lingchih - [Niefelheim] 59
TheDemon - [Caelum] 145
atul - [Atlantis] 268
Ironhawk - [Helheim] 1
Quantum_Mechani - [Hinnom] 36

lingchih wrote:
atul - [Atlantis] 268

Seriously.

268?

WTF?!?!?

Has two water neighbours, is several provinces away from both of the big lakes, has way too many land neighbours.

Do I get the feeling that the game organizer is actively playing against us already?

:E

Would not surprise me. He is a devious sort.

From our positions it's fairly easy to see where the noob team will be. To my west.

It would seem it's Niefelheim and Helheim who are coming over my position to reach the newbs. Caelum has the northern position (speaking as standing in the middle of our group) and Hinnom's in the east. I guess my first order of business is to start grabbing that big farmland area around 259.

Hm, having so few water provinces really cripples my troop production. Should I start looking at production scale... .-/

Does sept know that water nations don't get production from land provinces? Someone should tell him.

I told him, he didn't know. Not that he'd be willing to change anything.

Atul, send sept a PM and ask for province 50. It has three neighbors and is near to neifelheim's start.

Ironhawk wrote:Atul, send sept a PM and ask for province 50. It has three neighbors and is near to neifelheim's start.

Already did yesterday. His reply:

> Would placing Atlantis on either mouth of the river, 50/61/219 be an option? They're still near the vet
> team, but positions that can be dealt with. Of course I don't know about noob team placement, but
> probably they aren't right next to all the water anyway?.

Your placement was quite intentional (that it might reduce the amount of resources available in your cap a bit was not).

I wanted the water nation, which is the wildcard in this game, to be several turns away from even theatening the coast (this was before I instituted the NAP).

The main purpose of your placment was to ensure you cannot attack the noobs too quickly. The NAP is just a failsafe, just in case you somehow get lucky.

I'll have to check again, but most of the water provinces with multiple neighbors were just too close to the noobs who are pretty much spread out throughout the map.

At this point, I'm loathe to clutter the server with another map file, and possibly delay the game more so than it already is. I'm sure it won't prove to be a major setback, especially with your amphibious units and your experience.

I hope you'll agree. And be a good sport.

Sorry. I've been a bit lax on this board. I did post a reply saying two connecting water provs is not enough. Hope I did not screw things up.

i start at 50. At least now I'm out of Hel's way.

Sweet! Glad he saw reason

As for being in my way - that was never really a problem because I can sneak. And truthfully, I would *rather* have someone in my way to the noobs. With no flanks to protect it leaves me free to do my job. Which, in a nutshell, is to crap all over noob lands as much as possible.

50 is close, I'm still between you and the enemy, just my capital is now out of the harm's way.

So with the other positions, I think we can divide our fronts into east, west, and north. Helheim and Niefel will border the noobs on the straits to the west, although Niefel is more central. Obviously priority is to securing the chokepoints there, as well as the route to the island at 251. Niefel can work along both coasts, because Caelum is placed so he has both an eastern and a northern (more northwestern) front. Hinnom and Caelum have the eastern front. The western/nothern fronts seems easier, because everyone but hinnom has a good route to part of it and we have Atlantis in the sea there. The eastern front will be more difficult as it's more open and we'll need some creative expansion to get more than 2 nations fighting there.

Remember one thing to note about the map is any provs on a river have a greatly increased income, so grab those first if they aren't too tough.

I believe I'll open with moving my Wyrm to 32 and going down from there to harvest on those farmlands around 260 and so. Depending on how fast Niefel expands those lands could be even held.

The other option would be to go to farmland area near 275 but those for sure are lost to noobs the moment NAP expires, so it would be just going in, taxing at 200 and coming out.

I don't think there are any as good or big farmlands in the north side of the lake.

As to the western front, I'll try hold the line at the river should Niefel/Helheim need to retreat. And depending on how much there is need to fight for the waters, can try to assist Hinnom too at some point. In the mean time, your tap is open in the forging department.

I border Niefel, on the south right? Maybe I should hand territory directly to him instead of funneling gold.

That said tho, I suppose I'll need to train a bit in how to actually fight with my nation instead of just indy expansion and raiding? *sigh*!!

I start right next to a huge chunk of farmland, but my goal within 10 turns will be the farmland in the 189/172 area. If Niefel can grab the 93/106 area we'll be in good shape. In the east, while it would be nice to be able to reach 150/134 I'm not sure how feasible it would be, although Hinnom should be able to get at 53/75 no problem.

I notice Helheim doesn't have very many accessible farmlands nearby, the closest being the two on the straits. Still, he has a good position for a support/raider role, with only 1 real front to concentrate on.

Yeah, that sounds good Demon. I should be able to get up into the 93/106 area by turn 10, and secure it. I'll beeline a couple of Jarls up north to there, keep one around the castle to secure my circle, and any others I have... we'll decide what to do with them when the time comes. It looks like I am initially very resource poor, although I should be pretty wealthy. Oh well, I only need enough resources to build a Jarl a turn or so. Hopefully I'll have 7-8 in the field when the cease-fire ends.