(s10H(s0B&d@(s0S INITIAL SETUP INFORMATION FOR THE: TROLL KINGDOM GAME 3, SECOND CYCLE OF MAGIC GENERAL NOTES Congratulations, my Liege, on leading our people into this new Age. Only the most brilliant of our allies and adversaries have met your level of achievement. Now they stand to aid or hinder us in our greatest challenge yet: to regain the might of the kingdom as it was before the Humans imposed their sufferance, and then rise again to new heights, reshaping all Alamaze in the mold of our ways. This task will be more difficult in every way than were our earlier travails. The Humans now control each city, and have strengthened their defenses well above prior norms, so that military conquest will prove difficult. In addition, their citizens are more difficult to move politically. Their outlawing of magic means research will be more expensive. Our economies are not as productive due to their high tariffs. Trade with other kings will most likely be more vital than ever. New powers are rumored to have formed in the land, such as we have not before encountered. Even the kingdoms with which we were familiar have, in their isolation, developed new methods of accentuating their strengths. All the artifacts of which we once knew have been lost or hidden by the Humans, yet new legends of powerful items never before uncovered have surfaced in the centuries since the last Age. Five strong unions have formed among the races subjugated by the Humans. Our Kingdom is a cornerstone in one of these. Working closely with our allies in planning against our mutual enemies will be more important than such strategy was to your noble ancestors. In addition, two more loosely aligned confederations have formed, each comprised of two of the unions. Such confederations may well work toward an epic victory, and we must give consideration to what roll our kingdom will play in such grand plans. Because of all these things, my Liege, I would advise more caution than your bold nature might otherwise dictate. All matters of thy kingdom will require greater planning and strategy. More than ever, early miscalculations must be avoided. Yet I have no doubts that your wisdom will again lead us to victory, oh Great King! KINGDOM SPECIFIC NOTES: ONLY RECENTLY HAVE THE TROLLS RISEN TO KINGDOM STATUS, SO THERE IS NO LONG LINEAGE TO TRACE. AS SUCH, THEY ARE FAIRLY WEAK POLITICALLY, AND THEIR LEADERS AND WIZARDS ARE NOT EXCEPTIONAL EITHER. DEVELOPING LEADERS IS THUS IMPORTANT, AS TROLLS ARE LIKELY TO HAVE LARGE GROUPS IN TIME. DESPITE SOME GLARING WEAKNESSES THE TROLLS, IF THEY CAN GAIN A FOOT WELL EMERGE AS THE MOST DOMINATING FORCE IN ALAMAZE AT SOMEPOINT DURING THE SECOND YEAR OF THE CAMPAIGN, DUE TO THE STRENGTH OF THEIR SOLDIERS, AND THEIR EVER INCREASING NUMBERS. SPECIAL RULES FOR THE TROLL KINGDOM: THE TROLLS ARE THE NEWEST RACE TO RISE TO KINGDOM STATUS. AS SUCH, THEIR INFLUENCE IS STILL WIDELY DILUTED AMONGST ITS VARIOUS CHIEFS. THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE LOW INITIAL INFLUENCE LEVEL, BUT ALSO GIVES THE TROLLS THE FOLLOWING ADVANTAGE. WHEN TROLLS RECRUIT EMISSARIES (ORDER #510), THERE IS NO REDUCTION IN THE KING'S INFLUENCE MADE EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF HIRING PROVINCIAL GOVERNORS, FOR WHICH THERE IS A .1 (RATHER THAN .3) PERCENT DECLINE IN THE KING'S INFLUENCE. THE TROLLS ARE NOT WELL ORGANIZED MILITARILY, BUT THEIR SOLDIERS ARE VERY RUGGED AND THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO BLEND INTO DISGUISING TERRAIN. AS SUCH, WHENEVER A TROLL GROUP ENDS ITS MOVEMENT IN FOREST, MOUNTAIN, OR MARSH TERRAIN, IT WILL MASK ITS SIZE AUTOMATICALLY, WITHOUT THE USE OF A SPECIAL ORDER OR SPELL. IN ADDITION, TROLLS HAVE REGENERATIVE POWERS. A TROLL GROUP MAY ISSUES THEIR SPECIAL ORDER #236 ONCE PER TURN. THEY HEAL UP TO 10% OF THAT GROUP'S ATTRITION. THIS ORDER WILL NOT REDUCE THE ATTRITION TO SUMMONED TROOPS THAT WAS OBTAINED FROM NOT BEING FED. SHOULD YOU DESIRE TO ELIMINATE TROOPS, ISSUE ORDER #235. TROLL EMISSARIES ARE RESISTANT TO SLEEP SPELLS. SLEEP SPELLS AGAINST TROLLS ARE LIKELY TO BE UNSUCCESSFUL 25% OF THE TIME. TROLLS CAN RECRUIT "MONSTERS", AN ASSORTMENT OF HUMANOIDS, FROM FOREST AREAS AT A COST OF 10,000 GOLD. ONCE RECRUITED, THEY NEED NOT BE PAID BUT CONSUME FOOD AT THE SAME RATE AS TROLL BRIGADES. THERE IS A MAXIMUM OF 3 MONSTER BRIGADES RECRUITED PER GROUP. THEY CAN TRANSFER OR COMBINE WITH OTHER GROUPS IN ORDER TO HAVE MORE MONSTER BRIGADES IN ONE GROUP. USE ORDER #565 (GROUP IN FOREST AREA ONLY), AND PUT THE GROUP I.D. IN COLUMN "A". TROLLS ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE EFFECTS OF MAGIC THAN ARE OTHER RACES. AS SUCH, BATTLE MAGIC SPELLS CAST AGAINST THEM HAVE 125% OF THEIR NORMAL EFFECT. AS THE TROLL KING YOU MAY ISSUE 5 ORDERS ABOVE YOUR INFLUENCE. (s10H(s0B&d@(s0S YOUR FIRST GROUP BEGINS AS YOUR MOST POWERFUL AND IMPORTANT GROUP. IN ADDITION, SHOULD YOU EARN YOUR ESO OR QUALIFY FOR AN APPEAL TO THE GODS (EPIC GAME ONLY) THERE ARE POSSIBLE AWARDS THAT ONLY GO INTO YOUR FIRST GROUP (SEE GENERAL RULES). (s12H(s0B&d@(s0S EARLY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE: HAVE REGIONAL INFLUENCE OF AT LEAST SUBSTANTIAL AND SIGNIFICANT, HAVE INFLUENCE OF AT LEAST 13, HAVE A POWER-3 WIZARD, AND AT LEAST ONE ARTIFACT AND YOU WILL GAIN: A POWER-1 WIZARD, A GENERAL II, A BARON, AND 25,000 GOLD AND FOOD. SECRET VICTORY CONDITION: YOU SHOULD MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO KEEP THIS BIT OF INFORMATION SECRET: WIN BY CONTROLLING AT LEAST THREE REGIONS AND THREE CITIES, HAVING AN INFLUENCE OF 20+, HAVING AT LEAST THREE EMISSARIES OF COUNT/COUNTESS RANK OR HIGHER (NOT INCLUDING KING/QUEEN/REGENT), AND THREE OR MORE ARTIFACTS (NOT INCLUDING PALANTIRS). (s12H(s0B&d@(s0STEAM VICTORY CONDITION THE TROLL KINGDOM IS PART OF THE CULT OF CHAOS. YOU MAY CLAIM A TEAM VICTORY IN THE SECOND CYCLE OF MAGIC IF YOUR KINGDOM, TOGETHER WITH YOUR TWO TEAMED KINGDOMS, CONTROL SEVEN OF THE TEN REGIONS OF ALAMAZE. JOINING YOUR KINGDOM IN THE CULT OF CHAOS ARE THE DEMON PRINCES AND THE DARKELVEN. EPIC VICTORY CONDITION THE DARK EMPIRE AND THE CULT OF CHAOS TOGETHER FORM THE SINISTER LEAGUE. THE GUARDIANS OF TRUTH AND THE ORDER OF JUSTICE COMBINE TO FORM THE REALMS OF LIGHT. IF EITHER THE REALMS OD LIGHT OR THE SINISTER LEAGUE CONTROL 9 REGIONS AT A TURN'S END. EACH KINGDOM IN THE WINNING SIDE WILL RECEIVE 2000 BONUS STATUS POINTS AND WIN THE CAMPAIGN. HOWEVER IF NEITHER OF THESE EPIC ALLIANCES ACHIEVES EPIC VICTORY PRIOR TO TURN 30, AND NO OTHER POWER HAS ACHIEVED VICTORY, THEN THE SECRET SOCIETY WINS, PROVIDED IT CONTROLS AT LEAST TWO REGIONS. IN WHICH CASE EACH OF ITS MEMBERS RECEIVE 3000 STATUS POINTS. *** SKELETONS *** The following skeletons, if revealed, will have detrimental impact on your influence and on regional reaction in some regions. (s10H(s0B&d@(s0STYPE CODE DESCRIPTION Minor 2138 THE KING HAS HODOPHOBIA: HE IS TERRIFIED TO TRAVEL. Major 3947 THE KING WAS ILLEGITIMATE AND SO HE IS NOT THE TRUE KING. Minor 5787 THE QUEEN HAS TORTURED HER SERVANTS WITHOUT PROVOCATION. (s10H(s0B&d@(s0S TROLL GROUP DOSSIER: (s12H(s0B&d@(s0SÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ EACH TROLL FULL STRENGTH BRIGADE CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING TROOPS: INFANTRY CALVERY ARCHERS 0 LIGHT INFANTRY 0 LIGHT CAVALRY 300 SKIRMISHERS 800 MEDIUM INFANTRY 0 MEDIUM CAVALRY 0 BOWMEN 900 HEAVY INFANTRY 0 HEAVY CAVALRY 0 EXPERT ARCHERS 100 GUARDS INFANTRY 0 ELITE CAVALRY 0 HORSE ARCHERS EACH BRIGADE OF RECRUITED TROOPS (RECRUITS OR VETERANS) CONSISTS OF: 1000 LIGHT INFANTRY 0 LIGHT CAVALRY 0 SKIRMISHERS 800 MEDIUM INFANTRY 100 MEDIUM CAVALRY 100 BOWMEN 0 HEAVY INFANTRY 0 HEAVY CAVALRY 0 EXPERT ARCHERS 0 GUARDS INFANTRY 0 ELITE CAVALRY 0 HORSE ARCHERS (s12H(s0B&d@(s0SÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ TERRAIN COMBAT ADJUSTMENT: MOVEMENT TERRAIN TYPE: POINT COST TROLL VETERANS RECRUITS PLAINS 4.0 5% 0% -25% FOREST 5.5 10% 0% -25% MOUNTAINS 8.0 10% 0% -25% DESERT 8.0 -10% 0% -25% MARSH 6.0 15% 0% -25% SEA 5.0 * * * Vs. POP CENTERS * 10% 0% -25% NOTE: VETERANS AND RECRUITS FIGHT WITH THE SAME VALUES IN ALL KINGDOMS. THEY MOVE ACCORDING TO THE KINGDOM'S MOVEMENT TABLE. THEY CONSUME FOOD AND GOLD AT THE SAME RATE AS THE KINGDOM-NAMED BRIGADES. GROUPS AT SEA FIGHT ACCORDING TO FLEET NUMBERS AND QUALITY IN THAT SEA. (s12H(s0B&d@(s0SÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ RESOURCE CONSUMPTION ** REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULE: PER BRIGADE: ** _________________________** ** TURN # BRIGADES ** FOOD 1200 ** 5 4 ** 10 5 GOLD 900 ** 15 6 ** 20 7 ** ** 25 3 ** ** ** (s12H(s0B&d@(s0SÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ MAGIC POTENTIAL: MAXIMUM ASSURED POWER LEVEL ATTAINABLE- 3 GOLD UNIT COST PER RESEARCH LEVEL- 13000 (s12H(s0B&d@(s0SÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ NOTES ON THE SUBJECTIVE RATINGS FOR THE SECOND CYCLE: Over fifty criteria which comprise the characteristics of each Kingdom have been evaluated in designing and balancing the Second Cycle. Exactly where your Kingdom falls along many of these lines will be divulged below. Much of the work which went into the second cycle involved balancing the potential of each Kingdom. The ratings will be broken down into several elements of play, with a numeric rating converted into a subjective phrase. These rating phrases were arrived at by establishing a mean and standard deviation for each criteria, and then assigning the appropriate phrase. Throughout, the following scale is used: SUPERIOR 1.75+ STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE MEAN EXCELLENT 1.00+ STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE MEAN GOOD .40+ STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE MEAN AVERAGE 39+ to .39- BELOW AVERAGE .40- STANDARD DEVIATIONS BELOW MEAN POOR 1.00- STANDARD DEVIATIONS BELOW MEAN VERY POOR 1.75- STANDARD DEVIATIONS BELOW MEAN What this is intended to relate to you is that there is no "puffing" of any ratings: if you have a superior rating in some area, another King almost certainly has a VERY POOR rating there. On the other hand, if you think your Kingdom looks horrible in a certain area, yet it's evaluation is BELOW AVERAGE (rather than VERY POOR), then you should be clued to reevaluate your perception of the strength of other Kingdoms in this area (ie, they probably are not as strong as you suspected). For each area, take the rating for "Summary" with a grain of salt. It will involve some weighting of the factors in that category, but could give a misleading final evaluation. For example, in the military section, a Kingdom whose troops are quite good in combat may be summarized as only average miltarily because of poor movement capabilities and light reinforcements. In any case, the evaluations are only intended to allow you to frame your Kingdom's beginning characteristics against those of the other Kings. SUBJECTIVE RATINGS FOR THE TROLL KINGDOM: POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS KING'S INFLUENCE BELOW AVERAGE LOCAL REGIONAL REACTION LEVELS BELOW AVERAGE EXPANSION AREA REGIONAL REACTIONS AVERAGE NUMBER OF HIGH-RANKING EMISSARIES BELOW AVERAGE TOTAL POLITICAL EMISSARY STRENGTH BELOW AVERAGE SPECIAL POLITICAL ABILITIES AVERAGE SUMMARY EVALUATION BELOW AVERAGE MILITARY CONSIDERATIONS NUMBER OF BRIGADES SUPERIOR INDIVIDUAL BRIGADE STRENGTH GOOD REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULE SUPERIOR QUALITY OF LEADERS BELOW AVERAGE MOVEMENT ABILITIES AVERAGE SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS EXCELLENT SEA POWER POOR SUMMARY EXCLUDING SEAPOWER EXCELLENT ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS INITIAL FOOD AND GOLD STOCKPILES BELOW AVERAGE BEGINNING FOOD PRODUCTION EXCELLENT BEGINNING GOLD PRODUCTION GOOD POPULATION CENTERS' DEFENSE LEVELS AVERAGE GEOGRAPHIC POSITION POOR TROOP MAINTENANCE COSTS SUPERIOR SPECIAL CAPABILITIES AVERAGE OVERALL ECONOMIC PICTURE GOOD ESOTERIC AND COVERT MATTERS ASSURED MAGIC LIMIT BELOW AVERAGE RESEARCH COST POOR NUMBER OF WIZARDS AND ADEPTS POOR INITIAL POWER OF WIZARDS BELOW AVERAGE AGENT POTENTIAL AVERAGE INITIAL NUMBER & QUALITY OF AGENTS AVERAGE SPECIAL COVERT CONSIDERATIONS AVERAGE SUMMARY OF MATTERS ESOTERIC AND COVERT BELOW AVERAGE