Maelstrom Test Game

[Wookie Panz]

I just found something regarding the Wizards tower.  I built one, order 611, and leveled up a wizard using 799. As advertised, it cut the cost by 1K gold (not per level, total).  I also did an 800 for the adept and had to pay the full price - no reduction for the wizards tower.

[Wookie Panz]

I just found something regarding the Wizards tower.  I built one, order 611,  and leveled up a wizard using 799. As advertised, it cut the cost by 1K gold (not per level, total).  I also did an 800 for the adept and had to pay the full price - no reduction for the wizards tower.

Added clarification on wizards tower.  Here is the text from the program notes:
o   Wizard Tower [20,000 gold, 40,000 food] required for wizard research beyond 5th level, -10% research cost up through 5th level

So it is supposed to save 10% of research cost. I saved 1K gold on something that should have cost 14K.  I paid 13K so not 10% reduction and no reduction on the 800 order.

[RELLGAR]

I'm attacking a town this turn. Just did a fine gaurdian, everything appeared to work correctly, I lost my general, lol
I will be looking to battle another army group soon.

[Calidor]

I just found something regarding the Wizards tower.  I built one, order 611,  and leveled up a wizard using 799. As advertised, it cut the cost by 1K gold (not per level, total).  I also did an 800 for the adept and had to pay the full price - no reduction for the wizards tower.

Added clarification on wizards tower.  Here is the text from the program notes:
o   Wizard Tower [20,000 gold, 40,000 food] required for wizard research beyond 5th level, -10% research cost up through 5th level

So it is supposed to save 10% of research cost. I saved 1K gold on something that should have cost 14K.  I paid 13K so not 10% reduction and no reduction on the 800 order.

Is there some reason why a Wizards Tower would cost twice as much food as gold? I know it gives food a purpose but when I think Wizards Tower I'm not really thinking enough food to feed 20+ brigades...

[VballMichael]

Seems like we will be hoping a secondary town starts in our region just for some extra production.  Also with this limited PC count region 3 is looking really good

Did you and VBM gain the region without locating / controlling the hidden minor city?  With lower overall pc's in the non capital regions, gaining the city should be more important as it would be a higher percentage of overall region population.  What was the population of the minor city?

I am playing the DA in Zamora and that was the only region conquered this turn. I took the major city with 3 emissaries and the DA bonuses and high starting influence and that alone game me the region. No minor city in my region. The population of the city is approximately twice the pop of my towns and four times the pop of my villages so our rule of thumb of 1 pt for a village, 2 for a town, and 4 for a city still works for estimating region control.

Still wondering if you are going to give Zamora any bonus like the other 3 coastal territories have.

[gkmetty]

Rick and Mike, you have outdone yourselves with Maelstrom. Being able to put any kingdom in any region is game breaking. Since I saw the release notes I have been analyzing the kingdom/region combinations and its exciting. I cant wait to try many of them out. This will generate renewed interest and new interest. I only hope my wallet will handle all the games I want to enter.

[gkmetty]

I am playing the DA in Zamora and that was the only region conquered this turn. I took the major city with 3 emissaries and the DA bonuses and high starting influence and that alone game me the region. No minor city in my region. The population of the city is approximately twice the pop of my towns and four times the pop of my villages so our rule of thumb of 1 pt for a village, 2 for a town, and 4 for a city still works for estimating region control.

Still wondering if you are going to give Zamora any bonus like the other 3 coastal territories have.

Yes but for every other player, not for you.  Its in the program, any region you select gets no bonus.  You need to be nicer to UM.

[Ry Vor]

I just found something regarding the Wizards tower.  I built one, order 611,  and leveled up a wizard using 799. As advertised, it cut the cost by 1K gold (not per level, total).  I also did an 800 for the adept and had to pay the full price - no reduction for the wizards tower.

Added clarification on wizards tower.  Here is the text from the program notes:
o   Wizard Tower [20,000 gold, 40,000 food] required for wizard research beyond 5th level, -10% research cost up through 5th level

So it is supposed to save 10% of research cost. I saved 1K gold on something that should have cost 14K.  I paid 13K so not 10% reduction and no reduction on the 800 order.

Is there some reason why a Wizards Tower would cost twice as much food as gold?  I know it gives food a purpose but when I think Wizards Tower I'm not really thinking enough food to feed 20+ brigades...

We want a universal replace, if not in Rules and code yet, then in our players' minds, of "supplies" in place of "food".  Fall of Rome had it, and lots of things costing supplies as well as food.  In general, the PC Improvements cost twice as much supply as gold.  We want supply to gain in relative value over what it was in The Choosing and before.  Actually, in Fall of Rome, we had a dynamic market pricing mechanism in place, using statistical trend analysis so variations were not extreme, but essentially if the market was flooded with supllies, the market would change to 35 supplies for 10 gold, then 40 supplies for 10 gold, with maybe an upper limit of 60 su[[liesfood for 10 gold.  Because other orders consumed supplies, sometimes in winter (and with no create food or gold spells) the ratio would be close to 1 to 1.

[unclemike]

Answers to several questions:

1) Seasons are normal and apply on the appropriate turns. Winter occurs in regions 1,2,3,5,6,7 and Summer in regions 4,8,9,10,11,12,13.

2) Wookie about the Wizard Tower, I don't see one created by your kingdom so no bonus or discount. Your pc listing will display any buildings that you have at the pc. BTW, with a lot of these new buildings, your group has to be located at the pc with the building to get the bonus. It is not widespread throughout your kingdom, just a single pc. You can build at all of your pc's though so have a tower or forge at every pc if you like.

3) About testing requests, I want to see a Great Mage Tower battle. Group vs group with the bonus to the tower wizard's spells including kill leader/wizard spells before battle for both groups. I tested this already, works fine, but I want to see it in action. Also, the battle report should show Great Mage Tower under the Combat Factors section (where leaders, wizards, brigades are displayed). You should also see indication for forged armor/weapons for either group. BTW, someone build a forge for those special items. That shield bonus alone is a pretty good value just by itself. Also, agents that recon your group (even your own agents/palantirs/etc) will show a miniature shield/sword if the group has forged items. Check it out.

4) Customization. Did anyone select Smoke Mojo? That's one of my favorites. After looking over some choices in the test game, most players took customization to speed up their regional control (like new barons, governors, influence increase). You missed out on having something cool like the Smoke Mojo. Sure a new gov can speed up things in the early going but will that gov do anything to protect your king later in the game against high level agents? I don't think so. That Smoke Mojo is pretty awesome in allowing figures to escape kidnap/assassination attempts. I also like Glyph of Protection, especially with these large groups with extra brigades moving around in the early part of the game, a decent increase to your capital's defense would help.

5) Someone build a fortification, all the way up to a Legendary Castle.

[Dominion]

I am gettimg the forge this turn as the TY