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I think, as he demonstrated from the stone giant killings, units have an XP value attached to them. That said none of my guys got bronze from working as a butcher in camp (they never lived that long anyway). So maybe I've never gotten it to matter.
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May 23, 2014 18:42
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I think you can use the corpses to raise ghouls as Taros. Not that they're any good.
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May 23, 2014 18:50
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Glazius posted:Do you get veterancy from killing cows or other wildlife, or is it just for the amusing sound they make when they die? I don't think neutral units like cows and villagers grant veterancy, but the hostile neutral units (they show up as bright orange on the map instead of brown) definitely do, though the amounts are miniscule. nimby posted:I think you can use the corpses to raise ghouls as Taros. You can, and they're not, but the nice thing about Ghouls is they wander around on their own so if you can get a bunch and leave them somewhere they actually serve as a really good early warning system and general border patrol.
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May 24, 2014 00:45
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I dug out my copy and have been replaying skirmishes here and there. One sad loss has been all the manuals and documentation; I had no idea the Acolytes even had combat spells! There are a lot of little subtle abilities that I have no idea at all how to access. So I went looking, originally for manual PDFs. Instead I found fan-written strategy guides An entertaining side-effect of the game's history is that a lot of the original TA's fans bought Kingdoms heedless of the warnings; those players tended to be rather hardcore RTS people, and they produced a number of intensely detailed guides. Not only do these compare tile-by-tile DPS rates and such, they also cover a lot of undocumented abilities and little nuances. You can follow the rationale behind certain units a lot better when you see that (e.g.) they differ in shot angles, ricochets, or really useful synergies. A shame none of these long-forgotten hardcore dudes ever touched the expansion pack. But that's another kettle of (insanely overpowered) fish.
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May 30, 2014 21:11
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That's the thing though: the game is incredibly nuanced, it just doesn't bother to tell you... About anything, really.
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May 30, 2014 21:14
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Loxbourne posted:So I went looking, originally for manual PDFs. Instead I found fan-written strategy guides Sorry about that. I was young and the money was good.
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May 30, 2014 23:17
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Sorry about the big gap; I've been having felidae medical issues while on holiday and havn't been able to wind up the ole TA playing gears. The next vidjeo should come soon.
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Jun 1, 2014 11:47
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Throwing this up here before I snooze, will lorepost when consciousness returns. Let's Play Total Annihilation: Kingdoms Episode 26 - Youtubular Should be about an hour or so for the video to upload and process.
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Jun 5, 2014 03:10
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YouTube posted:This video is private.
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Jun 5, 2014 04:48
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Do ranks have any effects on builder units aside from the normal higher HP and attack?
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Jun 5, 2014 06:56
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As I recall, the guard towers on the coast were for flavor/decoration ("a real base would have them so why not") - it may also have been there to prevent an air rush from the south.
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Jun 5, 2014 07:30
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Hey, at least you got to see a vetted mage builder that mission as well as the gold vetted dark priest.
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Jun 5, 2014 11:49
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Armadillo Tank posted:Do ranks have any effects on builder units aside from the normal higher HP and attack? Veterency increases HP, HP regeneration, damage, accuracy, attack speed, maximum mana and mana regeneration. Later on when Aramon brings out the big guns we'll get to see just what a massive difference Gold vet has on casters.
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Jun 5, 2014 18:01
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I laughed a little at the deer just running through the streets of town as well as through the wilderness. I realize it's just an artifact of the random walk, but still amusing.
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Jun 16, 2014 16:07
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Double lorepost today! Also a video where I do some things, probably not important. It may take awhile to process anyway. Let's Play Total Annihilation: Kingdoms Episode 27 - Youtubular  !!! LOREPOST WARNING !!! THE GREAT CIVIL WAR OF DARIEN It all started in the land of Taros, the land Garacaius had left so many years earlier to seek his fortunes at sea. The clans of Leimar and Balistan had one of their periodical skirmishes, only this time the House of Ontinor felt obliged to put in its two coppers’ worth. The Ontinor was linked to the House of Aidenfel in the land of Aramon, and in the scuffle Aramon’s House of Buriash took the opportunity to seize some disputed land. And so it went. Within the year, every single clan and noble house of Darien was engaged in hostilities of some sort against one or more enemies. The web of communication Garacaius had woven with his ships spread the disease of war to every shore. Garacaius tried to remain uninvolved, but it was hardly possible. Within a month of his return, his trading post on the island of Caora was raided by sea brigands, and the islanders were put to the sword. Garacaius led a small army of volunteers out to punish them, and before he knew it he was involved in half a dozen squabbles with various armed factions. The Great Civil War of Darien lasted eight years. For the first five, it wasn’t so much a full-fledged war as a series of ongoing skirmishes — short intervals of peace were interrupted by bloody flare-ups that lost their fire after a couple of furious battles. THE BIRTH OF VERUNA However, by the fifth year of the war, things changed. The numerous independent factions, most of them grouped around the noble houses, clans and tribes of Darien, finally merged into four distinct sides. Three of these contestants wanted to pursue the conflict to its bitter end. The fourth — a federation of island city-states sought immediate peace and the settling of differences through negotiation. This pacifistic attitude was not surprising, for the island cities were constantly fighting hostile forces, having found themselves caught in the middle of the global battlefield. It was no surprise that the city representatives elected Garacaius the leader of the island federation. After all, the islands had been his base of operations for many years, and he was widely respected. What was significant was that the federation adopted the name of Veruna, an ancient Kandran word signifying deep regard for the truth. THE TRIUMPHS OF GARACAIUS It soon became apparent that the Kandran link went beyond the name. Veruna’s forces, led by Garacaius, repulsed all attackers with astonishing ease. In the sixth year of the war, one of the noble houses of Aramon, the Dernhest, suddenly declared itself an ally of Veruna, and by the end of the year the entire continent of Veruna was in Garacaius’ hands. In the seventh year of the war, Garacaius took the southern land of Zhon. But there were also growing rumors that the leader of the forces of Truth had used magic to subdue his opponents. In the eighth year of the war, Garacaius invaded Taros. His army came ashore not a mile from the fishing village that had been his home. But the village was lifeless — its inhabitants had fled, expecting to be massacred. That evening, the great leader was thoughtful and sad as he stood at the edge of his army’s camp, watching the sun set over the lifeless houses. THE REAPPEARANCE OF MAGIC It was an appropriate portent for what was to follow. The Tarosian campaign turned out to be the most savage of the entire war. The noble houses of Taros ceased all infighting and presented a united front to the invading army. Hopelessly outnumbered, the Taros nobles turned in desperation to that old, secret weapon of the Kandrans: magic. Taros had always had an unfair share of Darien’s magic potential. There is a theory that attributes this to the active volcanoes in the Kaf range, which forms the continent’s rocky spine. The cells of the Judicial Palace in Elam had always contained at least one unfortunate soul put away for showing an unhealthy interest in the magical arts. Now, with the armies of Garacaius quickly advancing inland, these wretched aspiring magicians were hurriedly pulled out of the dungeons and ordered to save the forces of Taros from a certain defeat. As luck would have it, with their very first effort, the newly appointed Wizards managed to blind a cavalry detachment scouting the approach route to Taros’ capital, Elam. Historians agree that Garacaius was beside himself with fury upon hearing the news. He immediately ordered a forced march on Elam, and demanded an instant, unconditional surrender from the city’s defenders. When it was apparent that a surrender was not coming, Garacaius retreated to his tent and emerged wearing a ring no one had seen before. Stepping out in front of the line of his troops, he raised his arms and cried out words in a strange language, then quickly knelt down and bowed his head. To a man, his entire army, fifty thousand strong,did the same. Witnesses said a strange, dark mist then descended on Elam, silencing the jeers and insults of the soldiers lining the fortified walls. A long and terrifying silence fell, and at long last the mist began to dissolve. A moment later, Garacaius rose from his knees and led his army into a deserted city. The entire population had vanished into thin air; it was a very quiet occupying army that marched in. Each throat was gripped by realization that Garacaius was a Mage, a Mage whose powers equaled those of the infamous Wizards of Kandra. THE NEW MAGE EMPEROR OF DARIEN After this final victory, there was no question as to who should rule the newly united world of Darien. There was only one possible candidate: Garacaius. He moved swiftly, establishing the new Darien capital in the city that had been his home for some time: Estoril, on the island of Irgiron. He was probably at least partly motivated by sentiment for Irgiron, for that was where he had made his fortune. More coldheartedly, the central location of the island conferred various strategic advantages. Garacaius’ already magnificent house was rebuilt and expanded into a true palace. On the day he assumed power, Garacaius made a famous speech to the Darien nobles assembled in the new parliament. He revealed that he had been actively pursuing magical knowledge for many years, and that in the course of his expeditions he had recovered all Five Legacies, the heirloom of the Kandrans. In a famous speech known later as the Oath to Darien, Garacaius swore never to abuse the magical knowledge he had acquired, and to use it only in the direst necessity and in accordance with the wishes of his people. Moreover, Garacaius swore never to use magic for personal advantage, no matter the circumstances. THE REIGN OF GARACAIUS In the years that followed, Garacaius kept his oath. His new empire suffered many growing pains. Civil war flared occasionally, as participants of the Great Civil War settled scores now long overdue. Never, not in a single instance, did Garacaius reach for the awesome weapon at his disposal. All conflicts ran their course, all disputes were settled by very earthly means. There were even those who grumbled that a timely spell was preferable to having one’s insides pierced by cold steel. The first years of the rule of Garacaius were also marked by a personal note. The First Mage Emperor (a title he was said to detest, but which had been conferred upon him by a fearful, but grateful populace) became officially betrothed to the dark-haired Lasha, whom he had met on his last expedition in the land of Zhon. Four children resulted from this union, and their appearance was held to be a miracle of harmony. There were two boys and two girls, and one of each was fair; the others, dark. By the time his children were of age, Garacaius had quelled all remaining unrest; Darien was in a state of total peace. He began devoting more and more time to his children, and it seemed to suit him. Garacaius had always been a somewhat restless man, with a face that reflected the tensions running through his soul. Now he appeared relaxed, at ease… almost happy. THE TRAGIC DEATH OF EMPRESS LASHA (oh poo poo!) Tragedy struck as it always does: out of the blue. One day, Garacaius took his family sailing in the first boat he had ever built, the vessel that revolutionized ship design in Darien. It seemed safe enough; he didn’t intend to venture beyond the Estoril harbor. The weather seemed perfect — sunny and windless. But at sea, weather can change in the blink of an eye, and, after all, Estoril and the island of Irgiron lay in the middle of a vast ocean. The squall hit the harbor like a striking snake. One moment, the water was as placid as a pond. The next, foam-flecked waves reared up as savage blasts of wind whipped and slashed at the sea. The children panicked, and the boat capsized. Garacaius was an excellent swimmer and managed to save the four children, but his beloved wife, Lasha, drowned. The squall passed as swiftly as it came, but things had changed forever. Garacaius could have saved everyone by using magic. Possibly he wanted to, but hesitated to break his solemn promise. By the time he made up his mind, it was much too late. That morning, as the family clambered onto the boat, Garacaius was a man in the prime of life — and thanks to the Legacies in his possession, he could look forward to many years of perfect health. That evening, Garacaius was a crushed old man. And in the days that followed, he sank deeper and deeper into grief, tortured by his conscience. Neruz fucked around with this message at 17:29 on Jun 19, 2014 |
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Jun 19, 2014 17:14
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Having played the expansion, I'm finding it really hard to find symphathy for Garacaius. In any way.
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Jun 19, 2014 17:22
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Note that Garacaius apparently considered his vow to not use magic so important that saving the life of his drowning wife was not a good enough reason to use magic.  The characters in Kingdoms almost never think poo poo through, in fact I think the only major named character that shows any signs of intelligence is Lokken, who is a crafy sonuvabitch as we will see.
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Jun 19, 2014 17:31
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Neruz posted:Note that Garacaius apparently considered his vow to not use magic so important that saving the life of his drowning wife was not a good enough reason to use magic. Even if it had been a good enough reason, saving her with magic would have violated his second promise to never use magic for personal gain.
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Jun 19, 2014 18:51
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It just seems like if there is ever a time to break your promise not to use magic it's to save someone who is in the process of drowning in the middle of a freak storm, that person being your wife only makes the choice more of a no brainer. In fact as we will eventually be able to see once all the pieces are together Garacaius' decision to not break his promise and save his wife was literally the worst mistake he ever made.
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Jun 19, 2014 18:58
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Were they taking out your Titan with a similarly-tiered unit?
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Jun 22, 2014 14:43
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Titan got murdered by a bunch of Executioners; they're the standard Tarosian Tier 1 melee dude and I'm pretty sure they have the highest damage per hit of any Tier 1 unit in the game and they attack quite quickly so even Titans go down pretty quick when surrounded. Most higher Tier units are actually less cost efficient than their lower tier counterparts, but they make up for it with special abilities or by focusing the power in a single unit. Barring a few corner cases like Liches every unit in the game is vulnerable to being swarmed and murdered by Tier 1 dudes if not properly supported. Of course the downside to Tier 1 dudes is they are made of paper.
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Jun 22, 2014 14:52
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Neruz posted:Titan got murdered by a bunch of Executioners; they're the standard Tarosian Tier 1 melee dude and I'm pretty sure they have the highest damage per hit of any Tier 1 unit in the game and they attack quite quickly so even Titans go down pretty quick when surrounded. I imagine the tracking arrows of the mage archers help make them better than tier 1 ranged units greatly? After all, being almost guaranteed to hit your target has got to worth a lot.
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Jun 22, 2014 15:35
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Stephen9001 posted:I imagine the tracking arrows of the mage archers help make them better than tier 1 ranged units greatly? Mage Archers are just super great; they have very long range, high damage, fast attack speed, decent move speed (by Kingdoms standards), very powerful paralysis arrows which are excellent if rarely neccessary because the AI is idiotic, low veterency requirements and all for a very reasonable price. I don't think Mage Archers are categorically the best in any one area, but they're solidly 2nd or 3rd in all categories which makes them the best ranged unit in the game overall. Ranged is really king in Kingdoms, but Cavedog did mitigate that a lot by making most melee things kill poo poo super hard if it manages to survive to get into melee in the first place, which is why having a meat shield and good scouting is so absolutely essential. Fortuantely the AI is dumb and we havn't gotten to the missions where it starts off with eight fully operational bases and a dozen smaller fortified posts scattered around the map so I don't need to be super optimal. This will change. In Iron Plague especially poo poo gets super serious. Neruz fucked around with this message at 15:50 on Jun 22, 2014 |
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Jun 22, 2014 15:48
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Iron Plague is an entirely rational depiction of Dark Ages-era feudal cultures (and one Renaissance) encountering an Outside Context Problem. This causes a bit of a balance issue. I know the thread goes on about IP when we're still a ways off from it, but you'll see why when we get there. Oh yes. Aramon as a faction is very much point-and-whack. They're the Attack-Move civilisation, although oddly enough not the best at defences. They can throw up some impressive fortifications though. Any plans for some multiplayer? My Kingdoms-fu is rusty, but the game really shines when humans can put it through its paces.
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Jun 22, 2014 17:29
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The first 'here is a limited bunch of dudes now go do something with them' mission that I couldn't find a way to cheese! Let's Play Total Annihilation: Kingdoms Episode 28 - Youtubular Next time we definitely don't walk into an ovbious trap nope not us. In a mostly unrelated note it is worth noting that when Garacaius revealed himself to be on the same level as the ancient Kandrans most of Darien was just like "Yep okay you get to be the king." After centuries of rule under the Kandran Wizards ended in a massive catastrophe that left weeping scars on the land that are still yet to heal and the people of Darien finally get to be free and then another Kandran Wizard comes along and takes over and here's the new king same as the old king and most of Darien is actually okay with this. House Buriash is really the only mentioned faction that isn't a-okay with the new wizard king. Now Garacaius' kids on the other hand, two of them are kind of unpopular at first, you'll never guess which ones, or how they solve their unpopularity. !!! LOREPOST WARNING !!! THE WEAKENING OF THE MAGE EMPEROR Time passed, but did not heal the wound. The Great Mage Emperor seemed to lose all interest in the well-being of his empire. Trouble followed trouble — across Darien, old wounds were reopened and new ones were made. Garacaius acted ignorant; he dismissed agitated couriers with a weary wave of hand and returned to his private hell. Eventually a deputation from all of Darien’s tribes and noble houses assembled in Estoril. After a day of debate, the gathered nobles decided to present Garacaius with a demand: Rule, or step down in favor of one of your children. In this way, the nobles hoped to avoid the possibility of infuriating Garacaius — one does not pick a fight with a mighty Wizard. And if Garacaius’ successor would turn out to be wise, all the better. If stupid, he or she could be manipulated. Garacaius instead chose a compromise. He did not resign, but he put practical control of Darien into the hands of his children. To each, he gave part of the empire that he thought most appropriate. To his daughters, he gave what best agreed with their temperaments; to his sons, what best fit their abilities. As he made the appointments, Garacaius also gave each child one of the Five Legacies. Possessing them would ensure that the new rulers would command more power than any scheming nobleman could ever hope to achieve. THE FOUR CORONATIONS His first-born son, Elsin, called Elsin the Fair, was renowned for his open and just nature. Practical, down to earth and honorable, Elsin was nevertheless somewhat less than brilliant — his desire for justice outweighed all other considerations. The one area where he shone was the science of engineering, with its straightforward, unbendable laws and rules. Elsin received dominion over the land of Aramon, perhaps the finest of them all. Aramon was the most developed of Darien’s continents, and Elsin quickly proceeded to develop it even more, founding new cities, building roads and bridges, and establishing the famous Aramon Academy of Engineering and Design in the newly built provincial capital, Kaluen. To cement his grip on power, Elsin received the Legacy with the mogrite Stone of Darien mounted into a pendant. Garacaius’ second-eldest child was a daughter named Thirsha. Strikingly similar to her black-haired mother, Thirsha loved the land of her mother’s birth, the land of Zhon. She was happiest when hunting deep in the bowels of an untamed forest, and spent whole weeks out in the country with just a single groom for company. Thirsha received dominion over her beloved Zhon, the wildest and least explored of Darien’s continents. With it, she received the bracelet containing the stone known as the Soul of Kandra. It was particularly appropriate, for the forests of Zhon contained many mysterious ruins dating from before the Great Cataclysm. As with Elsin and Aramon, sending Thirsha to Zhon was an inspired choice. Before long, the stubborn, half-wild tribes of the continent were firmly under her control, and the tribesmen reverently referred to her as the Huntress. Garacaius’ younger son and third-born child, Lokken, had shown great promise. But after Lasha’s death, much of his early brilliance seemed to be replaced with many undesirable traits. Garacaius dearly loved the dark-headed Lokken, perhaps even more so than Elsin, and he believed a hungry mind, when not fed properly, turns to feed on itself. So he decided to give Lokken plenty to think about. Lokken received dominion over Taros. This ancient continent, some of whose tribes proudly claimed to predate the Kandrans, was almost constantly troubled by distur-bances of one sort or another. The four noble houses of Taros all harbored grievances against one another, and much of the land lay wasted by years of fighting. Together with Taros, Lokken received the scepter with the stone called Angvir’s Flame. Once again, it seemed to be a wise appointment — within a year, Lokken had quelled all unrest with a brilliant mix of diplomacy, brutality and magic. Garacaius’ daughter Kirenna was his youngest child, and the one that most resembled her father. The resemblance included a love of the sea that survived her mother’s drown-ing. As soon as she was old enough, Kirenna left Estoril for long trips onboard trading ships visiting the farthest corners of Darien. Her co-sailors quickly dubbed her the Sea Mage, for Kirenna had an uncanny knack for anticipating changes of weather and piloting a ship safely through the thickest fog. Kirenna received the dominion of Veruna and the ring with the mogrite stone known as Macha’s Tear. Among her first decrees were the abolition of all internal taxes and the doubling of wages paid to experienced seamen. The inhabi-tants of the islands that formed the federation of Veruna had a ruler who instinctively knew what her people did best; within a short time, Veruna came to command a virtual monopoly on sea trade. Garacaius remained to oversee the first years of his children’s rule. He was a forlorn figure in the Estoril palace, a sad old man seated on the fifth Legacy, the blackstone Throne of Ludd. Although the mogrite Eye of Modron topping the throne assured health and vitality, each new day aged Garacaius by a week. He seldom spoke, and most of those who tried to talk to him received no more than a sad stare in answer. THE END OF AN ERA Ten years passed. All of Estoril prepared to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Four Coronations. Among the scheduled attractions were a sea parade featuring the finest ships from Veruna’s fleet; the inauguration of the Darien Exhibition, featuring awe-inspiring machines and other examples of fine engineering from Aramon; and the opening of a gallery called The Wonders of Zhon, exhibiting unique handicrafts and works of art from that exotic land. After night had fallen, the assembled public was to be treated to a performance of the Fire Eaters of Taros, a group of artists skilled in manipulating fire in all its shapes and forms. The day of the great celebration began with a rosy dawn. The white stone floors of the Estoril palace seemed to be lit pastel peach and orange as Gudnor, personal groom to Garacaius for the last forty years, walked from chamber to chamber in search of his master. He was determined to restore at least some dignity to the man he had loved and served twoscore years, for on this day Garacaius would have to make several public appearances. It seemed Garacaius had not slept in his bed, and now, as Gudnor approached the Throne Room, his brow was furrowed with concern. It would be unfortunate if his master had chosen to spend yet another night alone on the throne, staring at the night’s shadows with unseeing eyes. Such night-long vigils left him looking even more frail and finished. Gudnor’s hand tightened on the box of pomade given to him by Kirenna, and he entered the Thone Room. A moment later, his agonized cry shattered the morning peace. For Garacaius was not in the Throne Room. The Throne of Ludd was empty. And where the stone known as Modron’s Eye had been, a cavity yawned mockingly. [Cue Dramatic Music] Neruz fucked around with this message at 20:32 on Jun 22, 2014 |
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Jun 22, 2014 20:07
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I actually really enjoyed that video. It seemed a bit more bloody than usual for your forces, which was nice to see. I'm excited to see how the edit: I'd also like to thank you for doing this lp. I'm actually kind of surprised it's not more popular than it is, but I hope the limited post count doesn't discourage you. You certainly provide entertainment for some of us, and it's seriously appreciated. Sure, it may not be super flashy and might involve a bit of nostalgia on my part, but beyond that you're doing a good job of showing off the game. So really, thank you! Vagon fucked around with this message at 21:37 on Jun 22, 2014 |
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Jun 22, 2014 21:34
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And now it is time to show you all just how good I am at this game, behold my micromanagement mastery! Let's Play Total Annihilation: Kingdoms Episodes 29 - 30 - Youtubular Let's Play Total Annihilation: Kingdoms Episode 31 - Youtubular No wait stop don't go I swear I'm good at this game. This be the last lorepost too, after this the next thing in the manual is a list of all the nations and their units. The various units and structures do have tooltips the tooltips are just not available anywhere in the actual game! Design. So each of the next 4 loreposts will instead cover each of the nations, though I will skip over any units we havn't seen yet and add them when we do. After that the loreposts are done until we hit Iron Plague! !!! LOREPOST WARNING !!! The Four Realms IT HAS BEEN 1527 YEARS SINCE GARACAIUS DISAPPEARED. HIS CHILDREN, ALL OF THEM GRANTED IMMORTALITY BY THE LEGACIES IN THEIR POSSESSION, CONTINUE TO RULE THEIR RESPECTIVE DOMAINS. However, all this is about to change. For the last couple of centuries, the differences between the four monarchs have become more and more pronounced. The emergence of four different “state” religions is another sign that the former unity of Darien has been shattered beyond repair. Previously, all Darien worshipped the same gods. Now, most citizens of Aramon wear rings bearing the silver Hand of Anu, Lord of Light, while the people of Taros worship a terrible dark deity called Belial. All religious inhab-itants of Zhon worship Tammuz, the Goddess of the Hunt, and the patron saint of Veruna is Lihr, a mighty sea god. All four kingdoms have previously fought one another, but now a great divide is opening between West and East. Ever since Garacaius disappeared, the kingdoms of Aramon and Veruna have been loyal to Garacaius’ great oath renouncing the use of magic in any but the most extreme circumstances. They have concentrated on building their power through economical means — where Aramon excels in industry and internal development, Veruna is a trade power-house. Both Elsin, ruler of Aramon, and Kirenna, the Sea Mage of Veruna, insist that their father’s law be obeyed — or else. In the East, Taros is in open rebellion against the constraints imposed by the long-absent Garacaius. Lokken initiated his reign by using magic to subdue and terrorize the rebellious noble houses of Taros. Emboldened by his success, he has been practicing magic with growing intensity, going so far as to reshape the land to his pleasing. This has resulted in unexpected consequences. The Kandran Laws of Life stated he who manipulates Mana is like a swimmer borne along by a swift, powerful current. While one may use it to one’s advan-tage, trying to control or alter its course leads to tragedy. Lokken insists everything is going according to plan, but that’s not how it looks. South of Taros, deep within the woods of Zhon, Thirsha the Huntress is also a regular practitioner of magic. Proudly independent, the Huntress has responded to the demands of Elsin and Kirenna with haughty scorn. She will not be told by anyone when it is appropriate for her to practice magic, and she supports Lokken in his right to do whatever he pleases in his domain. The preceding centuries have already seen several bloody conflicts between the sibling Monarchs. Aramon has fought Veruna over the barren land of Kuvera in the northwest, and over several islands in the Sea of Mannan. The pirates of Zhon prey on Verunan ships and slaughter their crews. Zhon tribes repeatedly raid the rich coast of Aramon, whose Monarch retaliates by launching punitive expeditions deep into Zhon territory. A seemingly implacable hatred exists between Taros and Aramon, who have fought several full-scale wars on ideological grounds. Each side has many valid grievances against the others, and tempers have reached a boiling point. The Four Monarchs are assembling armies and readying for imminent war.
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Jun 28, 2014 13:00
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Man, Aramon just can't win for anything.
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Jun 28, 2014 13:40
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Aramon suffers from the usual fantasy problem of being the uninspired D&D swords-and-archery faction. Their primary function is for the snazzier factions to look cool by slaughtering them.
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Jun 28, 2014 14:10
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A mandatory stealth mission in an rts where you only have three units, two of which have horrible vision, and the third dies in one hit. I think that's the low point for this game. At least the swarm of dragon knights in the next mission made up for it.
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Jun 28, 2014 21:03
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ponzicar posted:A mandatory stealth mission in an rts where you only have three units, two of which have horrible vision, and the third dies in one hit. I think that's the low point for this game. At least the swarm of dragon knights in the next mission made up for it. Ahahahahahahahahaha. No. Trust me it gets worse. We will be seeing more mandatory stealth missions before the game is out but even those aren't the worst. No the worst missions are the last few missions for the expansion where you start off with one (or more  ) monarchs and a handful of units and have to destroy an enemy with literally a dozen seperate bases. The very last mission of Iron Plague is a total, utter, absolute bastard that I have never beaten, ever. I have played that mission like thirty times and I have never won it legitimately. That's how bullshit it is. You get hit by loving dragons like 5 seconds into the mission to give you an idea.The expansion also features a number of extremely bullshit limited unit missions, but that last mission just takes the cake.
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Jun 29, 2014 16:15
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The power of multiple monarchs is not to be overstated. Trivia: these were made for Cavedog's E3 booth and were life-size.
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Jun 29, 2014 17:43
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Man even Elsin's statue looks like an nonthreatening ponce.
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Jun 29, 2014 17:47
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monster on a stick posted:The power of multiple monarchs is not to be overstated. Haha wow the only one of those that doesn't look terrible is Lokken, Lokken actually looks pretty good, that Kirenna and Elsin though  Elsin's sword isn't even touching the ground
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Jun 29, 2014 18:10
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Neruz posted:Haha wow the only one of those that doesn't look terrible is Lokken, Lokken actually looks pretty good, that Kirenna and Elsin though Yeah, Lokken ended up looking the best. Cavedog put these statues in the lobby of their offices for whatever reason. I think someone replaced Elsin's crown with one of the paper ones you get at Burger King.
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Jun 29, 2014 18:16
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I mean really my first thought upon seeing your badass armored knight wizard king dude shouldn't be "I could take him". Elsin looks like he could be defeated by team of schoolyard bullies.
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Jun 29, 2014 18:18
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Neruz posted:The very last mission of Iron Plague is a total, utter, absolute bastard that I have never beaten, ever. I have played that mission like thirty times and I have never won it legitimately. That's how bullshit it is. You get hit by loving dragons like 5 seconds into the mission to give you an idea. I loving loved that mission and if you need help with it, send me a PM. I also enjoyed the 1 monarch starts, really hard but so satisfying to beat!
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Jun 29, 2014 18:35
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The expansion is a bastard in general. I don't think I've said how much I hate Garacaius quite enough times.
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Jun 29, 2014 19:24
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Heh yeah, if I had been in charge of that display I would have just used the Lokken statue and given him some zombie friends; Lokken basically single-handedly drives the entire Kingdoms storyline anyway so it's not like he doesn't deserve a big statue. In related news oh poo poo the LP bug has infected me and it's time we checked out Zhon because that is definitely where all the interesting parts of the story are happening Let's Play Total Annihilation: Kingdoms Episode 32 - Youtubular Let's Play Total Annihilation: Kingdoms Episode 33 - Youtubular Let's Play Total Annihilation: Kingdoms Episode 34 - Youtubular Next time we go back to Aramon to find out what the traitorous Lord Buriash is up to! Also Emen the Messenger shows up again so I guess that stupid guy who got himself killed in an ovbious Tarosian trap wasn't Emen after all! drat  anilEhilated posted:The expansion is a bastard in general. I don't think I've said how much I hate Garacaius quite enough times. While I can see where Garacaius was coming from, he did kind of gently caress up big with Creon. Then again the intro for Iron Plague suggests that it was in fact entirely according to plan so it's possible Garacaius is just an rear end. And now for the first Nationpost! We begin with Aramon because duhhh ARAMON You stand on the steps of your palace in Kaluen, the city you designed and helped build with your own hands. You reach out and touch one of the two columns flanking the entrance. You remember the stonemason showing you how to hold the chisel, how to strip the stone away in thin, even flakes. You always believed in leading by example. All of Darien knows that Elsin is a king whose deeds follow his words. It wasn’t so in the beginning. Do you remember the day you started building your city, Kaluen? It had been a long march to the building site, and you led the column of workers on foot, sharing their hardship. Yet on the first night after your arrival, when you walked among the tents and listened to the voices coming from inside, you heard scorn, not praise. What fool would walk when he could ride? Why would anyone build a new city for a capital? That first morning you saw three men struggling with a small boulder. You pushed them aside, lifted the pick you held in your hand and with one mighty blow split the stone in two. Then you picked up both halves in turn and threw them onto a waiting cart. You didn’t say anything, merely throwing the three workmen a look of quiet contempt. That evening, whispers of the feat of strength replaced the grumbling from the tents. It had been a lucky blow that had split the stone, in more ways than one. It took many years of hard work, but you have succeeded. All of Aramon came to enjoy prosperity. Kaluen has become one of the most admired cities in Darien. No army can be considered equal to Aramon’s steel-clad warriors, and even the unruly noble houses of Aramon have finally accepted you as their unquestioned ruler. But now, things have changed. Your brother Lokken, as always, disobeyed the rules laid down by your father. He has been using magic with wild abandon and terrifying results. You’ve heard he’s raising an army of undead to invade Aramon. Lokken and the army of Taros aren’t the only threat. Your sister Thirsha, the ruler of the wild continent of Zhon, has grown increasingly hostile in the preceding years. She has hidden herself in the mysterious city of Ulasem, deep within Zhon’s wilderness; all contact has been lost. It seems you’ll have to fight Zhon as well as Taros. Fortunately, Kirenna and the mighty navy of Veruna are likely to be on your side. Victory in the approaching war won’t be easy. The eastern coast of Aramon is horribly exposed — both Zhon and Taros lie just across the water. And there’s always the possibility of treachery. It took a long time to reconcile the noble houses of Aramon to the fact that they all must bow to Elsin, the Mage King. The House of Buriash was especially bitter — its lords had ruled Aramon in the past. Take the time to review your forces. You need to know them well, if you want to win against the Tarosian undead and the wild beasts of Zhon. THE ARMED FORCES OF ARAMON Aramon’s strengths are readily apparent: the Mage King Elsin commands infantry and cavalry that are unmatched in the world of Darien. Aramon’s fighters are unmatched with the sword and battle axe. Elsin’s armies can also boast of heavy artillery and strong defensive structures, making Elsin’s land might the most potent in the world. A conspicuously less formidable aspect of Elsin’s armed forces are the magicians. Save for holy men — the Acolytes of Anu, who specialize in the healing arts — Elsin avails himself of very little magic, holding, more so than his siblings, to his father’s precepts. His long-standing relationship with his sister Kirenna, the Sea Mage of Veruna, has brought with it sound precepts in ship building, making for a respectable Aramon navy. ELSIN OF ARAMON (THE MAGE KING) The Mage King Elsin is the benevolent monarch of Aramon. Elsin wields a mighty mogrite long sword — which he uses to direct immense magical energy. He possesses a Legacy that gives him regenerative powers. Elsin is the founder of Aramon — he can build Tier 1 structures. His spells are Lightning, Meteor and Earthen Wave Tier 1 WALL Built by: Elsin and Mage Builder Most often used for protecting vulnerable sides of Aramon encampments, Walls are made tough — stone construction with a spiked barbican on top. While good at keeping infantry and cavalry at a distance, Walls can be fired over by catapult weapons and crossed by flying units. GATE Built by: Mage Builder A necessity when building Walls, a Gate allows access into and out of defended position LODESTONE Built by: Every Builder Lodestone is a dark luminous material available to all Aramon’s Builders. It allows for the extraction and purification of Mana. Lodestones are vital for the raising of armies. Like any structure, it can be destroyed by the wily to impoverish their enemies. WATCH TOWER Built by: Elsin and Mage Builder Watch Towers are a first line of defense for Aramon’s armies in the early stages of the war. Manned by capable archers, they can keep small armies at bay and are quite capable in support of defensive garrisons. BARRACKS Built by: Elsin and Mage Builder Training of Elsin’s Tier 1 army units takes place within the Barracks. The highest standards of medieval warfare are taught here to future Swordsmen, Horsemen, SpyHawk, Catapults, Mage Builders and Archers. SWORDSMAN Built by: Barracks The Swordsman is the valiant mainstay of Elsin’s ground forces. Well trained, the Swordsman is the strongest of the Tier 1 hand-to-hand combatants in the game. His expertise, however, comes at the cost of longer training, and as a result, more resources are used in the process HORSEMAN Built by : Barracks The Horseman rides a mighty horse and carries a sinister flail. His glistening iron armor sets him far apart from his weaker counterpart, the Tarosian Black Knight. The Horseman is a good quick-strike unit but has no long-range weapons. ARCHER Built by: Barracks The Archer is the only Tier 1 soldier at Elsin’s disposal that sports a ranged weapon. Very skilled with their bows, Archers are lethal both as destroyers and defenders. CATAPULT Built by : Barracks Classically designed, these sturdy rolling platforms hurl large rocks for distance over small obstructions. A Catapult can do much damage, but cannot take much punishment itself, making it most effective behind your other units. SPYHAWK Built by : Barracks These highly trained, silent messengers have but one mission: reconnaissance. They fly high and fast, often even able to evade tracking arrows. They do not engage enemy units and won’t last long if cornered. MAGE BUILDER Built by: Barracks The Mage Builder, an architect Mage among his warrior brethren, is recruited in the Bastion. This mage is neces-sary for the building of Aramon’s Tier 2, and some Tier 1, buildings. If attacked, the Mage Builder can respond with a magic throwing hammer. Tier 2 STRONGHOLD Built by: Mage Builder This tower-like fortification is manned by a lone Cannoneer who sees far and wide from his high perch. It is a structure vital for the defense and safety of other unarmed buildings. Well armored, Strongholds are a valuable defense for army encampments. KEEP Built by: Mage Builder Much more impressive than a humble Barracks, the Keep is the source of the Elsin’s strongest, most durable units. WAR GALLEY Built by: Mage Builder The War Galley is a versatile and well-armed naval vessel. It can transport other units and take part in offensives with its array of cannon. It is the entire Aramon fleet. TREBUCHET Built by: Mage Builder This huge device is the ultimate in medieval artillery. Bigger and more powerful than a Catapult, the Trebuchet lobs explosive projectiles capable of leveling enemy fortifications from behind your front lines. Its drawbacks are a low rate of fire and frailty in close combat, so defend it well. Tier 3 BARBARIAN Built by: Keep The skilled and powerful Barbarian broadswordsmen hail from the highlands near Ullin’s Fingers. Taller and stronger than the average soldier, these muscled warriors are bred for war. Their endurance and initiative is unsurpassed, and these lumbering soldiers are always up to engaging the enemy with their massive two-handed broadswords. CANNONEER Built by: Keep The medium-sized, medium-strength mobile cannon manned by the Cannoneer is an improvement over the Catapult; the damage it deals is much graver. It is however slightly slower and, like the Catapult, isn’t designed for close combat. The Cannonneer can hurl explosive cannonballs over defending walls, unless stationed very close to walls or its target. TITAN Built by: Keep Wielding massive sledges, Titans are a clan of smiths loyal to the Elsin. They’re big, they’re brutish and their hammers pack a heavy wallop. Titans fill out Elsin’s heavy infantry ranks. Their smithing background gives units in their immediate vicinity a bonus armor adjustment. MAGE ARCHER Built by: Keep Mage Archers are the elite Archers in Elsin’s armies. Firing slightly farther than standard-trained Archers, their arrows also inflict more damage. In addition, Mage Archers can fire three different types of arrows: Fire, Tracking and Paralyzing arrows, depending upon their target’s weak spots and the archer’s personal Mana supply. ASSASSIN Built by: Keep The Assassin is a covert operative that is quick and lethal for enemy units. Armed only with his throwing daggers, an Assassin can cloak himself to move about undetected behind enemy lines, until his personal Mana supply runs dry. ACOLYTE OF ANU Built by: Keep These units are grand masters of Earth spells. They have three spells at their disposal: Earthquake, Meteor and Flesh Turned Stone. They also have the added ability to resurrect most units from the dead and heal the injured. Tier 4 DIVINE LODESTONE Built by: Acolyte Divine Lodestones are endowed by their builders with a stronger purification potential, allowing them to absorb Mana quicker than standard Lodestones. They require much more time and Mana to be built. [UNKNOWN ENTRY] [UNKNOWN ENTRY] The Noble Houses of Aramon The four Noble Houses of Aramon generally maintain good relations with each other; armed conflict is the exception rather than the rule. All four Houses had, at one time or another, control over all of Aramon. Thus they regard each other as equals and were initially resentful at having Elsin’s rule imposed upon them. THE HOUSE OF BURIASH The House of Buriash is probably the most powerful of the four Noble Houses of Aramon. Its lands occupy most of northwestern Aramon, and its nobles ruled Aramon immediately prior to the coronation of Elsin as Aramon’s Mage King. The present Lord Buriash is rumored to retain grievances about the way his family was removed from power. The Lords of Buriash have always been warriors by nature, and peasants inhabiting their lands don’t have an easy life. THE HOUSE OF DERNHEST This House is said to have come into existence as a result of a union between Verunan sailors and the fair maidens that northeastern Aramon is famous for. Traditionally, the Lords of Dernhest have acquired wealth through commerce rather than warfare, so there may be truth in this. However, the present Lord Dernhest is determined to make his mark as a military leader and certainly has the talent to become one. His one weakness is an inordinate fondness of good food and drink the Dernhest House is probably the most loyal to Elsin; its lords seem to have little political ambition. THE HOUSE OF HELDAIN The lands of the House of Heldain lie deep in the interior of Aramon. Its nobles traditionally aspire to become chivalrous knights. The morality of the Heldain lords may be questionable on occasion, but there is no doubt that this noble house produces the finest cavalrymen in Aramon. All men of the Heldain House seem to have an instinctive understanding of their beasts, the rider and the horse acting as one in combat. The House of Heldain has been somewhat divided in its attitude to Elsin. Interestingly, the Heldain noble most famous for his independence, courage and intelligence. Joreth, has always been a staunch supporter of Elsin. THE HOUSE OF AIDENFEL The House of Aidenfel, whose lands lie in eastern Aramon, claims to be the most ancient of the four Noble Houses. It has produced a large share of Aramon’s artists, men of learning and inventors. There is a rumor that the House of Aidenfel is directly descended from the Kandrans, and certainly this is the Noble House with most links across Darien; its men and women often take spouses from overseas. The most recent of these intercontinental marriages, that of the current Lord Aidenfel to a beautiful Taros aristocrat, has added to tension between Taros and Aramon. It’s said every Tarosian noble dreamed of possessing this particular beauty, and there have been drunken boasts of taking her back by force Please do note that House Buriash is upset about something that happened over fifteen hundred years ago. That is one hell of a grudge. The thing about house Aidenfel will never be mentioned again and I'm pretty sure the only reason it exists is so Cavedog can make a thinly-veiled Helen of Troy reference. Neruz fucked around with this message at 13:13 on Jul 12, 2014 |
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Jun 29, 2014 20:32
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Neruz posted:Heh yeah, if I had been in charge of that display I would have just used the Lokken statue and given him some zombie friends; Lokken basically single-handedly drives the entire Kingdoms storyline anyway so it's not like he doesn't deserve a big statue. Lokken drives the storyline because he's a big loving baby. He blames everything that happens to him on Elsin (the ponce).
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Jun 30, 2014 02:23
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