Battle Report: April 15th

Welcome to another DIVINE RIGHT battle report! There were actually two games this past Saturday but, I'm going to focus on the second because the first didn't get too far. The first game will get written up once we get a few more turns on it. 

Thus, the nations of Minaria again march to war, this time in the ADVANCED GAME. This game features Jared as Shucassam, Were-puppy as Pon and, yours truly as Mivior. The first couple turns are uneventful. With the various powers grabbing allies and, maneuvering forces for sieges. Mivior managed to grab Rombune and, Shucassam managed to ally with Muetar. Pon is unlucky in diplomacy but, manages to get a special mercenary, Ogsbogg the Ogre. What follows are the highlights. 

The combined Miviorine-Rombuni fleets make their way for the vulnerable Shucassami port of Zefnar. 

In an attempt to counter act these attackers Shucassam strikes at a vulnerable fleet of Miviorine mercenaries. The combat comes to a stalemate with both fleets and all aboard sinking to the bottom of the Sea of Drowning Men. 

In a blow for the Miviorine campaign against Shucassam, the untimely death of Rombune's monarch throws the kingdom into confusion. Their forces abandon Mivior's siege of Zefnar. Luckily, Hothior had recently joined Mivior's alliance and, were able to make up for the loss of Rombune. Their combined forces land and lay siege to the port city. 

Shucassam had recently acquired the services of Urmoff the Sea Serpent, and sought to use him for hit and run attacks on vulnerable fleets in the Sea of Drowning Men. While after the death of their monarch... 

....Rombuni forces returned home and demobilized. 

Ogsbogg the Ogre, the Ponese mercenary is ambushed by the Muetarians just south of the territory of the Eaters of Wisdom around the same time. 

Up North, the Elves had recently joined with Shucassam and have rushed down to siege the vulnerable castle town of Addat at Surf's End. 

In response to this threat, Mivior spent it's diplomatic efforts to recruit barbarians of the northern "Cannibal" tribe to attack Elfland at it's capital of Ider Bolis. With promises of rich Elven plunder for the Barbarians. Unfortunately, the thick forests of Neuth impede their progress towards the Elven capital. It will take several turns for the barbarians to effect their siege. 

A little later  and to the south, The overwhelmed garrison of Zefnar on the Sea surrenders to the combined might of Mivior and Hothior.

The center of action in the game starting to shift with the Shucassmi encroachment on Northern Mivior and Eastern Hothior. Shucassam seems to be splitting it's main forces between targets in the east and the west. Mivior, despite the successful siege of Zefnar now finds itself under attack by the desert kingdom on several fronts. Pon is understrength but, it slowly forming a strategy given its available options. 

At the end of this phase, Shucassam is currently the major power in the game, having allied with the land powers of Muetar, Immer, and Elfland. Mivior is second with naval supremecy, Hothior and legions of barbarians to call upon. Pon has so far been unlucky with diplomacy but, has the aid of powerful Minarian mercenaries. Schardenzar having contracted his services to this underdog, they still have some advantage in the game. Things are just getting started. 

Notes

We're just beginning in this game but, it already looks like the fantasy elements of the advanced game increase it's unpredictability. If only because they improve the amount of strategic options that are available to a player. In the above game, I saw that the Elves had become allied to one of my rivals so I summoned stacks of barbarians to take advantage of this. It is a great way to make attacks on enemies in hard to reach places. Of course, should the barbarians take Ider Bolis it will net Mivior many more victory points, than a successful siege of Addat will net Shucassam. There are also many varieties of special mercenaries with different capabilities and bonuses. Jared's Urmoff the Sea Serpent effectively acts like a submarine, and can only be attacked had it previously made an attack that turn. There are other things that we haven't had a chance to try yet, like a quest to the Temple of Kings or a sacrifice on the Altars of Grey Staff. If one is particularly lucky, an alliance with one of the wizards would switch things up quite a bit too. 

A lot can happen in an Advanced game of DIVINE RIGHT. There is much that can be done. All I can say is, it's not over yet.