Re: MEPBM 4th age opinion

From: Darrell Shieml <Darrell.Shimel@MCI.COM>

Date: Mon, 09 Feb 1998 00:00:00 +0000

> While I have seen the 4th age games through a friend of mine, I can't
> agree they are worth playing.

I love them and will probably never play 3rd age again, except to join a
Grudge game with a few misguided friends.

>
> First, there is no way a nation should be able to start with 90ish
> equivelent agents. I can't even to begin to suggest what GSI was
> thinking when they made that possible. In 3 games my friend has played,
> he has seen about 6 nations (all together) destroyed in the first 3
> turns (maybe 4) by agents of nations who ganged up.

Puttng a nation OUT with assassins is very hard.  About the only way
I've seen it done is if the nation has a large deficit, and you kill the
players that were in the capital for NatSells.  Killing all characters
is hard, and steals come after paying bills.

I have, however, seen nations drop after being pestered by assassins.
This is a more serious concern in my mind.  In fact, I'm trying to put
together a game without assassinate or kidnap orders.  It is going
really slow.

> Also, I have heard (and have seen in 1 instance) of games where ALL the
> neutrals go free.

Was this a Grudge game.  I can't imagine 9 or 11 nations all making the
same decision.  Unless, of course, one allegiance is way better at
communication and coordination than the other.

In my first game, a large number of neutrals went DS.  This was becasue
they actually talked to us.  The FreePs never wrote, or even answered.

> How is this a fair game? How is this a game?

Diplomacy is part of the game!!!!

> To start
> outnumbered by 5 or 6 nations? And expect to win? That is not a matter
> of diplomacy, that is a matter of bad game mechanics.

It is a game because all 3 alliances are outnumbered.  The DS and FreeP
are more outnumbered than the Neutrals, but the Neutrals to join the DS
and FreeP.

>
> I would think a more reasonable system of declaring evil/free

Any suggestions?  How about the lousy team gets all the neutrals that
don't declare first??  Besides, DS and FreeP is just an Icon.  Any
nation can have disliked relations to any other.  This means the nation
forced to go good could still attack the good.

Is the 3rd age system any better??  Assuming you get DS of Freep, you
are forced to be allies with 9 other players.  What if you don't like
them?  What if you don't like their style of play??  You are stuck.  In
the 4th age, you can build your own alliance.

> and better
> starting character equality is absolutely necessary before I even
> remotely consider playing any 4th age game.

Non-humans can start with better agents.  Mannish can start with better
emissaries (I'd never be Elvish or Dwarvish).  The agents can do more
damage early.  They can harass and annoy, but the emissaries is where
the long term strength comes from.  Economic power allows for conquest.

>
> T. Walko

Darrell Shimel

References

Re: MEPBM What do you suggest?
rwulman@aol.com (RWULMAN)
Wed, 04 Feb 1998 00:00:00 +0000
Re: MEPBM What do you suggest?
reklan@aol.com (Reklan)
Sun, 08 Feb 1998 00:00:00 +0000
MEPBM 4th age opinion
"T. Walko (Yes I hate spam)" <Tom@nospamjerkstroll.mv.com>
Sun, 08 Feb 1998 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

Re: MEPBM What do you suggest?
rwulman@aol.com (RWULMAN)
Wed, 04 Feb 1998 00:00:00 +0000
Re: MEPBM What do you suggest?
reklan@aol.com (Reklan)
Sun, 08 Feb 1998 00:00:00 +0000
MEPBM 4th age opinion
"T. Walko (Yes I hate spam)" <Tom@nospamjerkstroll.mv.com>
Sun, 08 Feb 1998 00:00:00 +0000