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Agema Publications

A forum for the disscussion of the Play by Mail games from Agema Publications


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    Grey Eminence

    The Revenant
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    Post by The Revenant Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:12 pm

    What experience have folk got of playing-out a military conflict where the opposition is npc (i.e. Richard)? Somehow I've got the impression from posts read that Richard will enact a stout resistance, but perhaps not play aggressively (i.e. resist invasion but not invade?) Also that he will not commit to much (if anything) in the way of diplomatic finagling over such conflict (I guess trying to leave things open for potential new players)???? All insights and suppositions welcome.
    Deacon
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    Post by Deacon Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:55 pm


    My impression is that Richard will put the necessary amount of time in to mount a reasonable defense, but he has turns to process, so he isn't going to spend the time a player would. Of course, a bit of his time, knowing the system, is worth a lot.

    Still, I think your impression matches mine.
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    Stuart Bailey
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    Post by Stuart Bailey Thu Mar 20, 2014 12:18 am


    Having fought various NPC's over the years my impression is:

    1) They very rarely launch a counter attack into your territory but they will raid at sea and they will launch a counter attack to defend own territory. This seems to be more likely to happen if a former player has taken troops out of their starting garrisons, turned some into field armies and given them a tactical doctrine etc.

    I guess its hard/time consuming for Richard to form relief forces out of Garrisons but if a position has a field army already set up and its tactics in place its easier for Richard to rule that if Player A besieges capital of NPC B the the 1st Field Army of B will attempt to break the siege. Using its standard field tactics.

    2) If you are running a fairly weak starting position NPC's are fairly easy to knock off (just like Diplomacy) so in G7 for instance Bavaria is able to annex a fellow German State in a couple of months with a good plan. But if you are running a strong position expect the opposition to be fanatical - such as the Germanic supermen (who go not seem to need supplies or food) who have been defending the rights of western German Electors, Princes & Bishops against an over mighty HRE in G2.

    3) Even if running a fairly strong position it is still possible to defeat NPC's provided:

    - You do not mind a slow campaign in which your agents will be all deaf & stupid and the hostiles will all have perfect int on your movements and wide awake guards. So forget the cunning shortcuts to Victory.....they are not going to work.

    - You do not do things which would be seen as errors by commanders in the period. So campaign in winter and your sickness level will suffer. Against players you may get way with unguarded Siege Trains and supply Convoys. Against NPC's they will get snapped up.

    - You are bloody minded and fixed on your objective and are not paniced into making peace by declines in your honour, EH and a general feeling that nothing you do has an effect on the opposition.

    As a aside Ottoman players on campaign against Christain NPC's face a particular problem - the paper will write up your ..... in the most lurid style .......your simple order to blockade will probably result in nuns being cut down on route, babies dieing of hunger and all with extra condemnation by the Pope.

    4) Basically Richard will punish your errors and short cuts but given time you will defeat his NPC's unless you are trying to do something like defeat France and capture Paris with the Baden Military on its own. What the time does mean is that Richard can find a player to take over your NPC foe or other players may get involved. I would add that Richard is not above dropping hints!

    The largest war I ever fought in an Agema Game was nothing to do with my Character who thought the anti Bay of Egypt alliance had a good case (He was up to the eye balls in Piracy and hand in glove with the Barbary Corsairs). But every month I ignored the fact that the Ottoman Empire was being torn in half cost my Grand Vizier another honour point.

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