The Rally Point (discussion and questions)

[stockwellpete]

Will the Wolves at the Gate armies be included in Early Middle Ages?

I am consulting with Anders (hidde) and Ian (ianiow) at the moment about this. The difficulty is that the release date of the new DLC is a secret and we won't know it until it is announced by Slitherine on the forum. Also with the DLC is the option to choose historical allies with your army choices for the first time. There are at least three ways that we can go at this awkward situation (from a timing point of view, I mean), and as soon as I have heard from Anders and Ian I will post again.

We are also going to be trialling the use of larger 1600 pt armies in one of the sections following a poll we did towards the end of last season.

The answer to Cunningcairn's question about the Wolves at the Gate armies is "yes". What we have decided to do is to start the tournament as originally planned on June 1st, except that the start of the Early Middle Ages section may be delayed for a short period depending on the release date of the new DLC. I do not know the release date as it is a secret, so we will just have to wait for the announcement.

What I also plan to do is trial the new "allies" option in the Early Middle Ages this season as well and then run a poll before Season 6 to see if we want to roll it out across the tournament as a whole. In addition, the trial of larger 1600 pt armies (which we have already polled) will take place in the Biblical section in this coming season. We will then run another poll to see how players feel about that issue and whether we want to extend it further in future.

I hope this meets with general approval. The main thing is to get players using the new armies. The use of allies is a secondary consideration but at least we can make a start with a trial in Season 5.

[Cunningcairn]

Will the Wolves at the Gate armies be included in Early Middle Ages?

I am consulting with Anders (hidde) and Ian (ianiow) at the moment about this. The difficulty is that the release date of the new DLC is a secret and we won't know it until it is announced by Slitherine on the forum. Also with the DLC is the option to choose historical allies with your army choices for the first time. There are at least three ways that we can go at this awkward situation (from a timing point of view, I mean), and as soon as I have heard from Anders and Ian I will post again.

We are also going to be trialling the use of larger 1600 pt armies in one of the sections following a poll we did towards the end of last season.

The answer to Cunningcairn's question about the Wolves at the Gate armies is "yes". What we have decided to do is to start the tournament as originally planned on June 1st, except that the start of the Early Middle Ages section may be delayed for a short period depending on the release date of the new DLC. I do not know the release date as it is a secret, so we will just have to wait for the announcement.

What I also plan to do is trial the new "allies" option in the Early Middle Ages this season as well and then run a poll before Season 6 to see if we want to roll it out across the tournament as a whole. In addition, the trial of larger 1600 pt armies (which we have already polled) will take place in the Biblical section in this coming season. We will then run another poll to see how players feel about that issue and whether we want to extend it further in future.

I hope this meets with general approval. The main thing is to get players using the new armies. The use of allies is a secondary consideration but at least we can make a start with a trial in Season 5.

Thanks Pete! That sounds great.

[Cunningcairn]

Will the Biblical section be using the TT Mod again?

[stockwellpete]

Will the Biblical section be using the TT Mod again?

Yes, it will use the TT mod until another Biblical DLC is released.

[ianiow]

I have noticed with the TT mod in the Biblical section a few of the hoplite armies have got a crazy amount of LF javelinmen. Most of the armies have got 1+ 0/6 or 0/5 javelinmen but three of the lists (Aetolian, Akarnanian and Phokian) have 7+ 0/47. This must be a typo surely.

[rbodleyscott]

I have noticed with the TT mod in the Biblical section a few of the hoplite armies have got a crazy amount of LF javelinmen. Most of the armies have got 1+ 0/6 or 0/5 javelinmen but three of the lists (Aetolian, Akarnanian and Phokian) have 7+ 0/47. This must be a typo surely.

No, it is based on their historical armies.

[ianiow]

I have noticed with the TT mod in the Biblical section a few of the hoplite armies have got a crazy amount of LF javelinmen. Most of the armies have got 1+ 0/6 or 0/5 javelinmen but three of the lists (Aetolian, Akarnanian and Phokian) have 7+ 0/47. This must be a typo surely.

No, it is based on their historical armies.

LOL. I wonder who will be first to field a 54 LF javelinmen army in a tournament! Now there is a challenge!

[Morbio]

I have noticed with the TT mod in the Biblical section a few of the hoplite armies have got a crazy amount of LF javelinmen. Most of the armies have got 1+ 0/6 or 0/5 javelinmen but three of the lists (Aetolian, Akarnanian and Phokian) have 7+ 0/47. This must be a typo surely.

No, it is based on their historical armies.

LOL. I wonder who will be first to field a 54 LF javelinmen army in a tournament! Now there is a challenge!

It would be a similar nightmare as the Moors army that Rex is using in the KO tournament. I played several games against him using that army this season and it's hard work and very frustrating!

[Geffalrus]

It would be a similar nightmare as the Moors army that Rex is using in the KO tournament. I played several games against him using that army this season and it's hard work and very frustrating!

I don't know, the Biblical bracket is full of massed archers and Sparabara.........just the type of thing to deal with itty bitty skirms, I think.

[melm]

I think early middle age army lists are better with late antiquity army, rather than the army from Wolves at the Gate.

I feel Wolves DLC's armies are mostly with defensive or offensive spearmen, which is too unique to combat with earlier armies.

[stockwellpete]

Historical allies will be a new feature of the game when the "Wolves at the Gate" DLC is released shortly. The armies from this DLC will go into the Early Middle Ages army list and we will be trialling the use of historical allies in this section this season, with a view to rolling it out right across the tournament in Season 6. There will be a poll towards the end of Season 5 to make sure there is support for this new feature.

Richard has asked me to point out that historical allies will be handled a bit differently from FOG 1. Players choosing historical allies for their main army in FOG 2 will have to use just one of those allies for all their nine matches. In FOG1 players were able to switch allies depending on which army they were fighting against, but this is not possible in FOG 2.

There is an official thread on the new feature here . . .

viewtopic.php?f=58&t=91760

[rbodleyscott]

Also note that if you choose to use allies, the allied units are not simply tacked on to the default list. Although the overall number of available units is usually larger in a mixed list than in a single nation list, the main army unit maxima are somewhat reduced to compensate for part of the army being allies.

This means that taking an ally is not generally an effective exploit to allow you to take more of a unit type from the main list than there are in that main list.

It also means that if you specify an ally and then don't field them (or only the minima if their units have minima), the unit maxima for your main army will be lower than if you had not specified an ally.

Choose wisely!

[Cunningcairn]

Also note that if you choose to use allies, the allied units are not simply tacked on to the default list. Although the overall number of available units is usually larger in a mixed list than in a single nation list, the main army unit maxima are somewhat reduced to compensate for part of the army being allies.

This means that taking an ally is not generally an effective exploit to allow you to take more of a unit type from the main list than there are in that main list.

It also means that if you specify an ally and then don't field them (or only the minima if their units have minima), the unit maxima for your main army will be lower than if you had not specified an ally.

Choose wisely!

This is a great feature. I have a few questions. Will only one general be assigned as an ally general? Can you have more than one ally per list? Are allies available for all DLC's? Is there anywhere to view ally availability per list before the release?

[rbodleyscott]

Will only one general be assigned as an ally general?

Allied troops in custom battles are not required to deploy together under an ally general. This is not entirely historical, but is a “quality of life” game design decision, to avoid issues with deployment and group moves.

If a general, other than the C-in-C, is commanding an allied unit, his name will be appropriate for the allied nation.

Can you have more than one ally per list?

No

Are allies available for all DLC's?

Yes

Is there anywhere to view ally availability per list before the release?

No

[Morbio]

Pete,

Do we have to have purchased and installed this release to e able to participate in this league?

Morbio

[stockwellpete]

Pete,

Do we have to have purchased and installed this release to e able to participate in this league?

Morbio

Yes.

[Morbio]

My apologies, I didn't realise this, I will have to withdraw as I won't be purchasing this expansion, sorry

[stockwellpete]

Am I being stupid?

I can't see where it says how many points an army is for the league games?


Best Wishes

Mike

It is medium size - 1200 pts except for Biblical which is using 1600 pts this season.

[MikeMarchant]

Am I being stupid?

I can't see where it says how many points an army is for the league games?


Best Wishes

Mike

It is medium size - 1200 pts except for Biblical which is using 1600 pts this season.

Thanks, Pete.


Best Wishes

Mike

[uneducated]

For the Biblical Tournament, some Mods are required to participate. (The TT Mods) Would it be OK to just leave those in the Games and Multiplayer folders and play the other Tournaments or would it be necessary to remove/replace these Mods for every Turn?