Niels' tips for new players

These Tips are provided by Niels Lademark (with some editing by Morten Larsen). There is a different document with tips by Tommy Jensen. Niels has also written some tips for new players about to write their first set of orders.

Introduction

This is a complex and rich world. It takes time and dedication to get to know it well. If you spend the necessary 3-4 hours per turn (double that for your first two turns) you will get richly rewarded with loads of fun and (hopefully) dedicated allies and foes. Since Morten has split up the game in a basic game and an advanced game I face a situation where not all of the tips apply to the basic game. They do however all apply to the advanced game. To avoid confusion some tips have been marked with an (advanced) tag. This means that they only apply to the advanced game (surprise).

You can skip the pages in the rulebook marked with an *. There is a lot to read so take it easy initially. Ask a team member when in doubt they are almost always willing to help. You might stress their patience when you demonstrate a complete and utter lack of the basic concepts around turn 10, but as a general rule all questions are answered promptly.

I must emphasize that War of A Dark God is a team game. There are eight players on each team and I have learned several hard earned experienses from this:

  1. The team that communicates the most wins
  2. The team the submits most orders (turns) wins
  3. One and two (above) are almost always the same team

This always holds....even if the least communicative team is composed of experienced players. Thus if you leave on vacation for three weeks (turns) and are unable to submit orders your teammates suffers from it. This has several implications: First off your allies tend to gets very annoyed, secondly you will be last in line when an ally distributes surpluss resources. Luckily it is easy to avoid the aggravation: Send an e-mail to G.O.D. and ask him to appoint a substitute amongst your allies or ask an ally to substitute if you know one that is especially capable.
A note from Morten: Never give your pbem.dk passsword to another player as this would give him or her access to all details of your account. Get in touch with the game master instead as he can set it up so that your chosen substitute can temporarily maintain your position (and only that).

Generally there are six things you want to do initially:

Each of the above things require that you make some considerations before you submit your orders, let's look at each item separately.

Reorganise your units

Why reorganise? Well there are several reasons.

  • To split fast and slow units into separate forces.
  • To leave garrisons behind while your valiant armies attack the enemy.
  • To organise certain units under specific leaders.
  • To ensure that different units move into terrain where their potential can be best utilised.

The bottom line is that you will want reorganise and that means utilising a lot of orders dealing with forces, this can be tricky so here is a bit of advice on doing it.

First tip

First make sure that all units you wish to include in a force are on the exact same location. That means they need to be inside the same location as the unit issuing the "form 3109 3110" or "include 3109 3110" order. If you use a "join 3101" order the same is true. All units must be at the same location. Therefore you best check the locations:

Examples of different locations within zero distance (i.e. at the same hexside or at the centre of the same hex):

  • A crypt inside a temple: Units in the crypt are not in the same location as units in the temple.
  • A castle in a city at a hex position: Three different positions.

Look at the following example:

3101:
waitforall force 3109 3110
form 3109 3110

3109:
move 300 1801 3101

3110:
move 300 1801 3101

Assuming that the unit 3101 is inside The City of Barf (1801) in hex 300 and that the units 3109(HC) and 3110(HC) are in hex 301, the above orders would make the following happen

3101 (a ruler) will stand idle waiting until 3109 and 3110 are at the exact same location. Once 3101 spots all of the units in the waitforall list 3101 will issue a form order. Should either 3109 or 3110 be eliminated the eliminated unit(s) will be removed from the waitforall order.

All in all this should make sure that 3101 does not move around unguarded.

Second tip

Consider carefully the movement rates of the members in your forces. It is utter folly to include a slow Heavy Infantry unit with a group of Light Cavalry.....

Third tip (advanced)

Make sure that you do not include hidden units in a force (hidden units move at half speed). Units moving at sea cannot hide nor can flying units for that matter (actually they can attempt to hide but although they move at half their movement rate they are not any harder to spot).

Fourth tip

Never ever send your leader(s) out on their own in military mode, at least not if you run a standard (human) nation.

Fifth tip

Dont send several small armies. Althought 100 HI might impress you, it leaves little or no impression on the 40 minotaurs in the hex you planned to control. Therefor you should only send sizeable armies around.

Control new territory

Why waste time on controlling territory? Again there are several good reasons.

  • To score victory points.
  • To increase your nation's production of certain resources.
  • To get a strategic location or hex in which to recruit new troops.
  • To raise/destroy obelisks.
  • To prevent your enemies from gaining control.

Believe me you want to control new territory, but beware the pitfalls:

  • Not all units can control new territory
  • Some locations prevent control and must thus be controlled or at least neutral before the hex they are placed in can be controlled.
  • You need to be at the centre of a hex in order to control it.
  • Most enemy mass units at the control point prevent control.
  • It takes a loooong time to control mountains/swamps/jungle.

First tip

Only a few of your units can control. Your ruler(s) can always control but your knights/lizardman/hero/mercenary captain cannot. A mass unit can never control by itself. Read your units descriptions carefully and always remember that most leader need helping (mass)units in their force to control.

Second tip

Make sure your control doesn't get disrupted by locations in the hex.

Examples of locations that disrupt control:

  • All cities, castles, and keeps.
  • Oases.
  • Some caves (those with status as cities).

And locations that do not:

  • Volcanos.
  • Stone Circles.
  • Ruins.
  • Mines.
  • Most caves.

Third tip (advanced)

Wandering off in the midst of a control is dumb. Therefor never set your forceleaders reaction to engage or evade if you are planning a control order. The force might end up chasing enemy scouts (or even worse they might flee from one).

Fourth tip

As a rule of thumb your control attempt can be broken by any enemy who bring a force one fourth your strength or more. Read the section on effective presence in the rulebook if you plan to ruin another players attempt at controlling a hex or if you are in danger of getting your control orders spoiled.

Fifth tip

Check your leader's wounds (his effectiveness) and his movement rate in the terrain you wish to control. If he is really fast it will only take him about 30 phases to control a hex but 50+ phases is not unheard off for mountains, jungles, swamp or whatever he is unfamiliar with.

Sixh tip

It pays off to control hexes near your own lands first as neighbouring hexes that you already own make it easier to gain control.

Seventh tip

Use the control X option. This makes sure that your ruler makes at least X attempts at controlling a hex. He might get interrupted (by enemies or monsters). Specifying additional attempts will ensure that he start over immediately after an interruption (and not after having stood idle by for 18 phases).

Recruit new units

You have plenty of units? Your upkeep is already to high? Well not for long, the enemy is on the horizon and he is closing in on you......fast. You want to recruit new units:

  • To replenish lost troops.
  • To empty those decaying stockpiles.
  • To score battle victory points.
  • To trample your enemies under foot.
  • To garrison homeland.
  • To make new leaders for your armies.

First tip

The most common mistake is trying to recruit in a terrain that cannot be recruited in. If your Heavy Infantry can only be recruited in the terrains city and farmland, well then do not be surprised when your ruler fails after he has moved two hexes away into a hills hex.

Second tip

The second most common mistake is trying to recruit two units of Heavy Infantry with 50 members when your arms resource pool is only 250. With 50 individuals and 3 arms per individual it does not take Einstein to do the math, but sometimes COSMOS player are not up to it. It does not spell disaster but your leader will end up with smaller units than intended.

Third tip

The third most common mistake is attempting to recruit in locations you do not own. Actually some nations may recruit units in unowned locations but as a general rule it is not possible.

Fourth tip

The fourth most common and most fatal mistake is creating units your nation cannot support with gold, food, mana or fnorpinan umps (or whatever it takes to keep them happy). This can be deadly both in terms of lost territory and dead leaders who might end up with a rebellious army. Not all units rebel if their upkeep cannot be met, some merely disappear, but a rebellious army in a hex you control is much more damaging than an enemy army. In most instances the hex is lost to the rebels.

NOTE: In the basic game unsupported units simply disappear.

Fourth tip

Not exactly a mistake in game terms but still dumb is recruiting militia and light infantry. Militia is best for dying. In general recruit heavy and medium units if at all possible (Light cavalry being an exception).

Do battle

Me?! I am into peace love and understanding... Well go play something else because your average neighbour is not, so be advised, you cannot talk you way out of this one.

  • Someone will attack you, even if you can keep the Dark followers/Old tyrants at bay there are monsters about.
  • Unless you are very glib your allies will frown upon you if you do not participate in the slaughter (errr.. glorious battles for freedom and justice).

So you better learn the basics of the battleground, or you will learn the basics of surrendering........ real soon.

First tip (advanced)

If in doubt set your units' reaction to "Stand" (this is sensibly enough the default).

Second tip

Always set your rulers' fleewhen parameters as the very first orders you give them. Do it now!!! If they are poor fighters with average or worse defence rating (such as most human nobles), you should set their flee rating high (at the most 2-3 points below their maximum).

Once they flee (and they will) you will need to set the fleewhen parameter again once they return! Never forget it. It is the single most important order in the game. Without leaders you are toast.

Third tip

No matter how tough, your leaders cannot defeat a mass unit. Never engage your leaders in melee or worse missile fire. There are two exceptions (extreemly tough rulers) to this rule but in general: Don't do it!! Always set your leaders' tactics to avoid, trail or flee. Missile units are extremely deadly if they catch a leader with the wrong tactics. A single missile attack delivered against a Troll Ruler (one of the tougher ruler types) delivered 18 w.p. in a single attack. The idiot author of these tips had set his tactics to "attack". . . luckily the troll ruler had 20 w.p. and a fleewhen of 5 but it was as close as they come. It was a woodsman unit who delivered the punch and woodsmen are one of the weaker missile units. . . .

Fourth tip

Either attack or defend. You do not have to specify the exact same tactics for all units in your force, but splitting you forces by letting half of your army hold back while the other half charges is a really good way of retiring yourself. Also remember to move large forces around several small armies will get defeated a lot easier that had the same force been at the same spot (and with the same tactics).

Fifth tip

There are monsters about and they are tough. Do not send off a ruler in uncharted territory on turn one with a single mass unit and expect to accomplish much. There are LOTS of roaming monsters about and some of them can easily chew off a small army of 100 HI. Bring a sizeable army if you want to explore or, heaven forbid, control new hexes.

Sixth tip

Your troops' melee and defence ratings are rated on an individual basis, even your mass units. This means that your 25 Light cavalry with melee: Good and Defence: Good are equal to or slightly weaker than a light infantry unit of 150 individuals and melee: standard and defence: standard. The individuals in the LI unit are weaker but they are 6 times the number of cavalry and they can all attack their larger opponents at the same time, beware.

Seventh tip

Never ever let enemy forces into your home location. All individuals fleeing will pop up there when they return and be duly slaughtered. That means you must keep a sizeable force inside or at least near your home hex (preferably hidden), in order to intercept sneak attacts. I have crippled several enemy nations this way.

Eighth tip

If you plan to attack a fortification bring at lot of foot soldiers (cavalry is no good). Calculate the strength of the defenders and adjust for the wall rating as follows:

City wall rating   1     2     3     4    
Needed melee strength multiplier 1.5 3 5 10

Note: This is an assessment by the author of this tips page based on experience. It is not carved in stone nor guaranteed to be correct. There are lot of variables to take into account. The above don't even begin to scratch at all the subtilities (the effect of missile defence before melee combat for example).

Message: Do not make house calls before your sappers or war machines have been by.

Ninth tip

If you are near enemies with powerful strike spells (see the scenario description) you have better keep your armies moving (or hidden). Don't sit around waiting for that lightning strike to fry half your troops. If at all possible protect your key armies with spells, items or units able to deflect the effect of strike spells.

Questing

Questing adds spice to the world. It is also a way of earning victory points, and finding lost stashes of gold can aid your recruitment officers who are always on a tight budget. There are two "types" of quests: The basic roam the wilderness, find monster, slash monster, take treasure, be happy quest and the more advanced nation type that involves actual thinking on the players part. (Well some player don't think so then these quests fall under the roam the wilderness, find monster, get fried/eaten/mind blasted by monster, drop items, be dead quest). The Advanced quests can hand you powerful magic items, units (even rulers) or locations as well as considerable amounts of points (in the range of 20-50 per quest).

First tip

The monsters guarding even smallish amounts of treasure or common magic items are fairly tough. A single knight will in all likelihood lose most battles. It is therefore a good idea to combine 3-4 questing characters in a single force. Remember to set the same tactics (attack or assault) for each and every member of such a questing force (otherwise they will be picked off one by one). A good questing team consists of two knight and an acolyte (for healing).

Second tip

Use the retreatspot and retreatwhen options. Questing might take your force a loooong way from home and getting back to where the action is can take 3 full turns. Did I remember to mention the fleewhen option...? Oh... Well then... why have you not set it yet?!?

Third tip

Don't go into quest mode inside your capital... someone from the other team might be waiting for you... this is called assassination. So move somewhere else before you enter quest mode.

Fourth tip

Advanced quests are likely to involve several "steps" along the line of:

  1. Ask your advisors about some basic information
  2. Ask advisors about the location of the Oracle/Seer/Sage
  3. Find the Oracle/Seer/Sage to obtain information about your quest
  4. Pay through your nose to get inadequate information
  5. Go somewhere to find a mission critical lost spell or item
  6. Go to the Wizard/Mystic/Librarian to get further obscure hints (yes it will cost you)
  7. Let your priest/mage/ruler create that unique weapon/item that you also need
  8. Gather all clues items and a few backup characters and go to X marks the spot
  9. Spend several fustrating turns trying to second guess the warped thoughts of G.O.D.

As you can see this is likely to take several turns (12 turns for a very fast or very lucky player). So get at it from the start and remember that although it can be done in 12 turns other players (enemies) and monsters tend to obstruct your questers. So 12 turns are an optimistic estimate.

Fifth tip

I spent 450+ gold, two knights and a major prist, called upon the help of questing characters of several allies to almost accomplish my quest in turn 24 (and I started on phase one on turn one). Carefully consider if you want to spend the resources and do not start in turn 15: You will not make it in time. . . .nuff said.

Sixth tip

It does not pay off to spend all your mana or gold in an effort to create magic items for your questing character. Usually it is cheaper and far faster to create an additional questing character than to create a +20 % magic sword. So hold your mages back until it is obvious that you will actually need that ring of fire protection. There is always a possibility that you will stumble upon one by chance anyhow.

Seventh tip

As you can probably figure out some of the rare (and rewarding) items have really tough guardians. Some of them are effectively immune to damage so unless you have "the magic spoon of instant poisoned icecubes" and "the lost spell of inducing dragon heartburn" there is no way you can defeat good ol' Flamestrike (the Red Dragon) no matter how many knights you are willing to let him fry. Therefore don't go near him unless you know what you are doing.

Actually some major quest locations gets restocked with monsters every time the previous batch has been defeated to prevent players from entering and staying without doing what needs to be done.

Eighth tip

Don't attack everybody and his dog. If you attack uncritically you might offend certain non-player nations that you need information from. It is a tard difficult getting help from the Wizard of Water about that water elemental if you killed him or if he attacks your units on sight because the initial "negotiations" were less that diplomatic. This might force you to bypass some quest locations, but if your nation initially is neutral toward a non-player (questing) nation there is usually a good reason for it.

Miscellaneous

First tip

Set the fleewhen order at half the maximum HP for all rulers, or set it to 5, whichever is larger. Yes I know, I know, but you cannot repeat it too often.

Second tip

Experiment with the Autoresponder, get the Blue vs. Red files. Personally I prefer the Ghostscript/Ghostview/Postscript options, as the PS files are small. Ghostscript/Ghostview can also handle PDF files very neatly. All formats look the same when printed, though.

The most important tip

Do not try to write your orders just one hour before the deadline. It may take longer than you think to get your orders past the critical eye of the auto-responder.

Read  tips for new players about to write their first set of orders.

The auto-responder usually very quickly mails a receipt for your orders. If you have not received it within a 10-15 minutes then perhaps you have sent your orders to the wrong address (or your Internet service provider has a slow connection to Denmark). Check that you sent it to "ml@dina.kvl.dk" and that the subject line was "COSMOS AUTO".


Niels Lademark

Last revision: February 14, 2000.