Re: ME-PBM: challenging a dragon...

From: Patrick F. McGehearty <patrick@convex.COM>

Date: Sat, 30 Nov 1996 00:00:00 +0000

In article <329D43B2.11DA@yeti.dit.upm.es>,
Ignacio M�s Ivars  <imivars@yeti.dit.upm.es> wrote:
>Hi, wise and old players of MEPBM. I am playing the Noldo position in
>one game in Spain and I have Elrond with a challenge of 239. I was
>wondering if I could challenge a dragon and if you have any data on
>this. Has someone done it before? What was his challenge rank? Did
>he/she issue a challenge or merely react attacking the lizard?
>
>Thanks for your help. I will offer the outcome if I finally decide to do
>it.
>
>Nacho Mas.
>

There are differing opinions on the value of challenging dragons.
There are also differing opinions on the best way to use Elrond.
So there will always be those who consider it suboptimal to use Elrond to
challenge dragons.  On the other hand, some of us have had so much trouble
with dragons that we would go for them just for the fun of eliminating the
beasts.  The Noldo have such a wealth of characters that it is a challenge
to chose how to use their powers.

I would be very careful in using Elrond to challenge dragons with
armies.  The DS will catch on pretty quickly, assassinate Elrond and then
they will have all his artifacts.  With help from your team in locating
dragons in the mountains, you should be able to kill a dragon every other
turn.  Be sure to not kill those few which are recruitable by the FP.  By
turn 20, dragons won't be much of a factor.  If you can afford a second
character to go with him as a company commander, then the second character
can move and guard him while Elrond challenges and locates artifacts.  You
might even get a kill every turn if your allies can find enough dragons.
Stay in touch with the Dwarves especially.  If you have Elrond move to a mtn
hex every turn you don't see a dragon, he can put a camp down whenever he is
not dragon slaying.

At 239, your odds are pretty good (better than 90% to win), but you still
might get unlucky.  If you lose a challenge, at least the DS won't get your
artifacts.

- Patrick McGehearty

References

ME-PBM: challenging a dragon...
Ignacio M�s Ivars <imivars@yeti.dit.upm.es>
Wed, 27 Nov 1996 00:00:00 +0000