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What to do with the Dwarven Fortress

Subjugate them!
- 7 (63.6%)
Kill them all and build a new Hive in the ruins!
- 4 (36.4%)

Total Members Voted: 11


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Author Topic: Lets Play Age of Wonders:Shadow Magic We are the Final Boss and we fear no dwarf  (Read 8935 times)

Demonic Spoon

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Age of Wonders is a turn based strategy game where you take the role of a Wizard-Godking ruling his vast domain from his great ivory wizard tower. A wide variety of races and pretty cool spells this has been one of my favourite games since forever. We will be playing the unofficial version 1.4.

Anyway, on to startup.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

My first time playing this scenario and my first time playing against Emperor difficulty enemies, so wish me luck. What magic and skills should we take and are there any changes you want to make to the setup? Oh yeah and the picture is slightly wrong, customise wizard and allied victory are on, but I can change that if you like.

((For some reason the uploaded screenshots keep varying in size, I have no idea why))
« Last Edit: November 28, 2011, 10:45:54 am by Demonic Spoon »
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Teneb

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2011, 08:17:01 am »

Heh, AoW:SM. I love this game.

Anyway, are you going for a "multi-sphere" wizard, and stick to shadow demons as the screenshots indicate? As for the skills, that's up to how you play.

I'll be following this.
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Demonic Spoon

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2011, 09:00:45 am »

I'm planning to stick to shadow demons yes but you the readers are welcome to suggest what sphere of magic and skills I choose. Currently I'm leaning toward scholar for the research bonus and water specialist because there aren't any other water wizards and flooding the map is always fun.
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freeformschooler

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2011, 01:37:33 pm »

I've never played this before. How about Water Magic, with War Mage as a skill? Not sure if Water Magic has any offensive stuff.
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Teneb

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2011, 03:32:56 pm »

Not sure if Water Magic has any offensive stuff.

All of them do. But fire and death have more.
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EuchreJack

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2011, 10:54:46 pm »

Full Life Magic!  Full Life Magic!

(Honestly, it's the only way that playing as Shadow Demons is not a colossal advantage.)

Demonic Spoon

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2011, 04:53:00 am »

Actually I don't think this map has much of a shadow world from the reviews but I'm not sure, not having ever played it myself, so the choices so far seem to be life magic and water magic. Since the idea of a evil race using life magic is just so amusing I'm going to go with that, my summons are not going to be happy are they?

EDIT: Okay this is seriously weird, the screenshots keep varying in size and I have no idea why. In any case on to the first update!

Update 1: The KlackonsShadow Demons shall reign supreme!

The great All-Devourer, ruler of the hivemind of the Shadow Demons, holds mastery over life and is skilled in the arts of war magic.

Spoiler: Setup (click to show/hide)

Let the games begin!

Spoiler: The Descent (click to show/hide)

From clouds of pure life the All-Devourer descends back to the mundane world, to lead its endless hordes to their inevitable victory.

Spoiler: The Choice (click to show/hide)

It seems that the hive is now confronted with a choice. They face three teleporters, each of which will transport them to locales unknown. Which should they choose?

Fun Facts about AoW time!

The Wizard's Domain

The purple border around the All-Devourer represents his domain. A wizard can only cast spell within his domain, and global spells will only have effect within his domain. A wizard tower greatly increases the size of a wizard's domain and certain special units and structures also radiate a small pocket of the domain of their owner around them, the most important of these units being heroes.
« Last Edit: November 28, 2011, 09:23:12 am by Demonic Spoon »
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Teneb

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2011, 07:21:24 am »

I say go with the middle one.


What units you got in that stack with the hero?
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Demonic Spoon

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #8 on: November 28, 2011, 08:05:24 am »

Middle one it is. I got 3 other heroes and 3 shadow lords in the stack. Huh, that probably means there are lots of independents.

Update coming as soon as the pictures are done uploading.

Fun Fact time!

Shadow Lords are the most powerful Shadow Demon unit! Mostly they're just big tough bruisers, but they do have the ability to teleport between the shadow world and the normal world.

EDIT: Photobucket's stupid bulk uploader just gave me a error for half of the images it uploaded when it was saving them, stupid photobucket.

EDIT2: Finally

Update 2: In which the hive gains a settlement and defeats vile foes!

Trusting their fortunes in the hands of the Luck, the All-Devourer and his entourage entered the centre teleporter. After the disorientating flash upwards into nothingness and then a even more disorientating downwards materialization, they arrived in a icy cavern filled with treasures, and more importantly, a settlement of Shadow Demons.

Spoiler: Arrival (click to show/hide)

Immediately, before they could react or defend themselves, one of the Shadow Lords was sent to negotiate with the rogue settlement.

Spoiler: Negotiation (click to show/hide)

Cowering before his great might they immediately acquiesced to accept the All-Devourer as their absolute ruler. And so the hive grows. The new additions to the hive were then sent out to collect the treasures surrounding the Hive's new city.

Spoiler: Construction Resources (click to show/hide)

Construction resources were found, allowing the rapid construction of additional structures within our city.

Spoiler: Treasure (click to show/hide)

Soon all the treasure was collected, much gold and mana crystals were added to the Hive's coffers and research had been advanced by catalysts.

Spoiler: Battle! (click to show/hide)

However, while the glorious army of the swarm was on it's way to capture a nearby watchtower, they were ambushed by a couple of foul yetis who had been hiding in the snow and ice for just such a opportunity.

Spoiler: More Battle! (click to show/hide)

Battle ensued, with the outnumbered yetis suddenly seeming uncertain about their chances of victory, or even survival.

Before they could have a chance to run however, the All-Devourer called down the fury of the stars on them, wounding them and leaving the confused and dazzled. The illustrious hero Xabu then sent forth a deadly ray of death to bring them nearer to the state of death, whereafter the shadowlords started closing in to engage in hand to hand combat.

The yetis, seeing that fleeing would be useless, decided to move forward and attempt to take on the shadowlords. One shadowlord easily defeated a already weakened yeti, while the great Hero of the Hive Xulax finished off the remaining yeti with his fiery breath.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The force then continued on to capture the watchtower and secure the Hives hold on this area, while also providing that ever critical element of reconnaissance s that the Hive can learn more of its surroundings.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Continuing their scouting the army then discovered another great treasure, a magic vault! The ancients used to store their most valuable and powerful spells in these vaults, to protect them from unworthy hands. Who knows what treasures could be hidden inside?!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

It was decided to find out, but the group was then faced by the guardians of the vault, a pair of Shadow Spirits. While these spirits were indeed powerful and a foe to be feared, they had one very important weakness. A weakness to the holy, in other words, a weakness to the FURY OF THE STARS! And so another foe fell before the relentless might of the neverending swarm.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Inside was discovered a spell that can call forth mighty blizzards, while not quite what we had hoped, it will certainly be very useful.

WTF Moment time!

When looking through my spellbook I noticed that I have the earth awareness spell, a powerful earth magic spell that reveals all cities on the map not protected from such detection by some means.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: November 28, 2011, 09:22:54 am by Demonic Spoon »
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freeformschooler

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #9 on: November 28, 2011, 09:42:09 am »

Wow. I must say, Shadow Demons seem like what would happen if you modded a video game to play as the final boss. Crazy stuff!
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Teneb

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #10 on: November 28, 2011, 10:15:13 am »

Shadow Demons are the toughest race around, but they have very few ranged units and weak to holy attacks. Ironic that life sphere was chosen for this game.
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Demonic Spoon

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #11 on: November 28, 2011, 10:37:37 am »

Wow. I must say, Shadow Demons seem like what would happen if you modded a video game to play as the final boss. Crazy stuff!

Well in campaign mode they actually are the final boss, so yeah.

Shadow Demons are the toughest race around, but they have very few ranged units and weak to holy attacks. Ironic that life sphere was chosen for this game.

IIRC, only the Spirit has a weakness to holy damage, the lack of ranged units does hurt though, only the two weakest units have ranged attacks, the Bombard and the Larva, though the Bombard's AOE attack is pretty cool. Oh wait, there's also the priest, who is a pretty decent ranged and heals to boot.

IMO the orcs are the better race, except in the shadow world where the Shadow Demons have the homeground advantage.

The irony is why I chose the life sphere. It has reduced my relations with Shadow Demons and now all my troops are just content instead of the cheerful they would normally be.

Update 3: Decisions Decisions

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

We have commenced construction on a library in the Brood Caves. This will allow the All-Devourer to more rapidly solve the greater mysteries of Life and so sooner wield them to smite our foes with its mighty power.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Our scouts have discovered a shadowgate! These gates allow transport to and from the shadow world, linking it with this plane. They also discovered a gateway to the surface of this world, with its horrible, bright, burning sun.

Should we return to our home plane or continue on to the scorching surface of this place?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Our army has found a signpost. It warns not to enter and the references to technology suggests that it is dwarven in origin. Should we heed this warning and rather explore to the east or disregard it and teach these dwarves to bow before their new masters?

What say you dear readers?

Fun Facts about AoW time!

The Shadow World

Originally a light and life filled world similar to the surface world, it has since been altered into the shadowy lifeless place it is today when the shadow demons came, devouring every scrap of life and light, and even the magic and souls of the world. With that world exhausted they then moved on to this new world, in hopes of more food for the hive.

The Shadow World causes shadow sickness in any units in it, which reduces their stats. Certain creatures however have the shadow walker trait, which makes them immune to shadow sickness. Notably the Shadow Demons, the Syrons and certain other units have Shadow Walking.
« Last Edit: November 28, 2011, 11:06:57 am by Demonic Spoon »
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freeformschooler

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Re: Lets Play Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
« Reply #12 on: November 28, 2011, 10:40:58 am »

Warnings? What warnings? We're the final boss. We are the warnings.
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Demonic Spoon

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Update 3: Steampunk!

Dwarfs? Hah! We fear no dwarves, we shall crush them!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

No fair, they have tanks!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The lords leave the safety of the watchtower to meet the tank mano-a-manodemono-a-tanko.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Protip, tanks don't have hands so they can't engage in hand to hand combat. Our lords won easily.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Xulux levels up! He gains the ability to drain the lifeforce from his foes when he damages them, healing himself in the process, a very nice ability.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Our scouts have reached the surface! They were ambushed by a group of 4 frostling wolfriders but these were quickly defeated, many of our units becoming veterans in the process.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The ice queen jumps to conclusions. Also we have discovered our first other wizard and they immediately declared war on us, I have this feeling that Shadow Demons aren't very popular for some reason. Is it the devouring?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Our scouts returned underground to scout out the surrounds of the shadow gate. However, before they could move to the shadow realm they were attacked by our ancient foes, the Syrons!(We don't know how there are trees underground either, maybe they're fungus trees?)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The syrons remain as adept as ever at killing us. This is actually good though, as we couldn't afford the upkeep of all our units.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

We have discovered a Dwarven Fortress! It is named east guard so presumably there are more to the west. What shall the Hive do? Shall we ignore this collection of mud huts? Shall we raze it to the ground? Shall we subjugate its inhabitants or shall we resettle our own people here to make it a new hive?

Fun Fact Time!

The Syrons:

The Syrons were the original inhabitants of the Shadow World, before the Shadow Demons came and devoured most of them and enslaved the rest. Syrons specialize in dealing lightning-based damage, which most Shadow Demons have a weakness to, making them the perfect counter to the Shadow Demons.

OOC: I would suggest conquering the city, migrating it to shadow demons and then recalling our army to deal with artica if she should appear, or if she does not then have it explore the shadow world.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2011, 03:43:41 pm by Demonic Spoon »
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EuchreJack

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As a Lord of Life Magic, and a member of a forum devoted to a game simulating Dwarves, you simply must take over the Dwarven city, but keep it in Dwarven hands.  As a goody-too-shoes Life Magic User, the Dwarves will love you.

Note: This game is completely and utterly unrealistic by equating Dwarves with goodness and life, as opposed to death and magma.
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