Slitherine

Hi, I just bought GoT this week (boxed version) but the manual was only 8 pages long including covers. It didn't actually tell me anything about playing the game - only basic additions to the original Spartan game.

So ... a couple of days later I bought the Spartan digital download game for two reasons, to get the extra maps and also to get a more detailed manual. Unfortunately, the digital download didn't have a manual at all.

I really enjoy playing the game but I know that if I knew more about what was happening 'under the hood' it would help me with strategy. For example, in some games I don't receive the upgrades to troops and buildings indicated by the research. I assume this is because of the ethnic group I have chosen, but it would be really useful to know before starting research which technologies are going to be useful to me.

Specific questions I have are:

1. Is there a more detailed manual available and where can I find it?

2. Is there a reference sheet of the units/technologies/ethnic groups etc?

3. What are the two numbers under the units? (I assume squad size and experience)?

4. How do I increase the squad sizes and how important is squad experience?

5. What are the effects of the different squad stances in battle mode? (Eg. In most games column mode is used for marching quickly but weak in attack)

6. How do I recruit heroes?

7. In diplomacy mode, what is the benefit of having allies?

8. Why would you make an ally a vassal? (Seems very expensive for no benefit)

9. When you improve trade relations with another culture, is there a price benefit? If so, if you improve trade relations with a culture with Iron or Marble for example, does it make those commodities cheaper?

Thanks in advance.

Awesome game - even without knowing the above

1.)I think there are a lot of unit guides and posters in the spartan site.

2.) See above, only I know for sure

3.)Squad size and experience. Probably.

4.) Depots. Squad experience is important when facing equal troops, as it will make a difference. Otherwise, dont worry about it.

5.) Column is a punching formation, most aggresive on the attack. I tend to make massive blocks of many units in column. This tears through most things, and your guys dont take a lot of damage in melee (smaller frontage due to frontage sharing)

6.) Only available in some scenarios, except for generals. Get the officers thing (Something like that, check the refrence sheet reference)

7.) There are some diplomatic options that only work with allies. Also, I beleive that they are garunteed not to attack you, and get aggresive towards your enemies quickly.

8.) All their land are belong to us, at no reputation loss.

9.) I beleive it merely allows you to buy/sell more in general. Dont quote me on this. However., there is a way for an economic powerhouse to mint money, if you have enough trade power. Buy a good deal of a commodity, sending prices sky-high. Then sell about ten times as much. This works best with marble/gold type commodities, due to the cost.

Thanks for the speedy response. Your answers were most helpful.

I'll have a look for the references you mentioned.

EDIT:

The wallchart link doesn't work but it can be found on the Graphsim site. Here are current links...

http://www.graphsim.com/ImportedItems/S ... uction.jpg

http://www.graphsim.com/ImportedItems/S ... ctures.jpg

Another minor benefit to vassalization is the possibility of getting units you wouldn't normally be able to recruit in that particular campaign. I'm playing an eastern campaign right now and with the vassalization of an ally just got myself 20 units of pelegasian nobles.

Is there a way of reducing the cost of vassalisation? In one game I had an ally that would have cost 4 and a half million in silver to make a vassal. I only had about 30 thousand so it would have taken a long long time to reach the target figure.

The manual can be downloaded from www.slitherine.com/spartan/downloads.htm

I have Spartan, but not GoT. The one is based on the other, so I can answer about half your questions, those that are common to both.

1. Is there a more detailed manual available and where can I find it?
The printed manual with the game has some info on unit types, buildings, and other options, but is still limited.
2. Is there a reference sheet of the units/technologies/ethnic groups etc?

3. What are the two numbers under the units? (I assume squad size and experience)?
Definitely unit size and experience level. I believe that there's also a thin colored bar on one side that tells you how far to the next level.

4. How do I increase the squad sizes and how important is squad experience?
Squad size can be increased by building a depot in the city where you recruit units, new units will be larger, and cost more both to build and to maintain. No way to upgrade previously built units. A unit with a couple of experience levels will SHRED a green unit. Experience may be gained by combat or by building the unit in a city with a manned training ground. Your capital building will also produce trained troops, so it makes a good place to build your first barracks.

5. What are the effects of the different squad stances in battle mode? (Eg. In most games column mode is used for marching quickly but weak in attack)
You can put a unit on a narrow frontage to pack more into a narrow "spearpoint", hitting power is greater, but more vulnerable to missle fire, since there are more targets to hit in a given area.

6. How do I recruit heroes?
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7. In diplomacy mode, what is the benefit of having allies?
-
8. Why would you make an ally a vassal? (Seems very expensive for no benefit)
-
9. When you improve trade relations with another culture, is there a price benefit? If so, if you improve trade relations with a culture with Iron or Marble for example, does it make those commodities cheaper?
With a trade agreement, you get a lower price on goods purchased for several turns. It doesn't matter who you have the agreement with, it affects all of your purchases.

Good luck and enjoy the game. BTW, the best way to stop a city from churning out hordes of troops turn after turn is to take it from the enemy.