EI - Evacuation: Frustration level critical.

Post by **Zhukov** » February 25th, 2006, 1:54 am

Well, I guess the thread's title says it all.
I am up to Evacuation on Eastern Invasion. Apparently I will lose all units that I don't recall. As I have only 100 gold that means I can only take five units with me.

As it is my recall list is pretty sad:
- 1x Iron Mauler
- 1x Royal Guard
- 1x Silver Mage
- 2x Dragoon
- 1x Knight
- 2x Ogre
- 1x Pikeman
- 4x Shock Trooper (yes, I like my thumpers )
- 1x Swordsman
- 2x White Mage
- a couple of level 1's (cavaly and young ogre)

The conditions of Evacuation mean I will lose 13 leveled units, without them actually fighting! Also in the previous level (captured) there is no way to stop your gold trickling away, as you waste much time slogging through caves and get your entire recall list recalled for you.
I hate to whine but I think this combination simply isn't fair to the player. It robs you of your leveled units no matter how well you play or even what luck you get.

I can think of three possible ways to address this (percieved) problem:

1. In Captured, change the mechanics so that you don't have to pay upkeep (after all, in that situation your men are fighting for themselves as much as you). This way you should still have a decent amount of gold with which to save more units in Evacuation.
2. In Evacuation allow units that dont get recalled to 'survive' (be recallable in the next level).
3. In Evacuation, auto-recall some units for free. (Like in the HttT levels Muff-Malals Peninsula, or Northern Winter)

On the other hand, if there is some good reason why this situation is allowed, please explain it and I shall promtly shut up.

Thank you

.

Post by **Zhukov** » February 25th, 2006, 12:24 pm

Bloody hell, come on people. 28 views and no replies?

im the one you think of · February 25th, 2006, 12:39 pm

In captured there is a city with about 20 villages near all your recalls, capture those then wait for turns to run out, with your recall list you should be able to kill the enemy leader with realtive ease, that way you can have a lot more money to recall with.

Post by **turin** » February 26th, 2006, 3:27 am

If I knew how to turn off upkeep in Captured, I would. But I don't, so I just stuck on some villages and tried to make it balanced.

If you only have 100 gold at the start of Evacuation... perhaps you need to replay Captured?

In any case, I'll be looking to rebalance EI sometime in the (perhaps not so) near future.

joshudson · Post by **joshudson** » February 26th, 2006, 3:34 am

You know, you could just store the gold when the scenario starts, and restore it at the end.

Post by **turin** » February 26th, 2006, 3:44 am

joshudson wrote:You know, you could just store the gold when the scenario starts, and restore it at the end.

Indeed, I do know this. But I haven't taken the time to do it yet, and in any case I don't think its the right thing to do - it will make the gold you get from the orcish villages worthless.

Mangudai · Post by **Mangudai** » February 28th, 2006, 5:27 am

There is another alternative to evacuating. Kill all the enemy leaders. I think this even preserves troops on the recall list.

Tmoiy · Post by **Tmoiy** » March 1st, 2006, 6:16 am

Mangudai wrote:There is another alternative to evacuating. Kill all the enemy leaders. I think this even preserves troops on the recall list.

Unfortunately, recent tweaking has made this harder to do than ever. The developers want you to run away.

Post by **Noyga** » March 2nd, 2006, 10:07 pm

turin wrote:If I knew how to turn off upkeep in Captured, I would. But I don't, so I just stuck on some villages and tried to make it balanced..

Something like :

Code: Select all

[object]
  silent=yes
  duration=level
  [filter]
   <some filter to select the unit>
  [/filter]
  [effect]
    apply_to=loyal
  [/effect]
[/object]

Will turn off the upkeep of the targeted unit for the entire scenario only.

Underdog · Post by **Underdog** » March 6th, 2006, 6:26 pm

Could someone tell me how to blow up the bridge at this scenario?

Here a screen of my situation, everyone made it to cross the bridge, except the red magicien who I met at the begin of this scenario. (I hope that won't be a problem)

toms · Post by **toms** » March 6th, 2006, 6:28 pm

No, it is a problem because the red mage has to be moved to the signpost to blow the bridge up.

Underdog · Post by **Underdog** » March 6th, 2006, 6:30 pm

So that means that I have to do this scenario again?

Elvish_Pillager · Post by **Elvish_Pillager** » March 6th, 2006, 10:07 pm

Underdog wrote:So that means that I have to do this scenario again?

Well, it looks like you're in a prime position to hack the stupid orcs on the bridge to pieces. And then to go kill the leaders.

If not for that stupid time limit, anyway...

Post by **Zhukov** » March 7th, 2006, 5:41 am

I found out why I was having such trouble with Evacuation. It's something fishy in Captured.

There is something weird with the early-finish bonus in the previous level.
I played Captured again and finished at turn 25. When I finished the level I had 145 gold. However despite finishing 15 turns early, I got no early-finish gold bonus, none at all.

This means I go into the next level with a pathetic 116 gold. However if I just wait until the last turn to end Captured, I go into Evacuation with a tidy 520 gold.

As I understand it, the early-finish bonus is supposed to give more gold then waiting for turns to expire, thus saving players the trouble of hitting 'end turn' twenty times to ensure their finances.

So unless I am very much mistaken, this is a seriously irritating hitch in Captured which is making Evacuation a problem. This may have something to do with changes in 1.1.1...?

Anyway, I think it requires attention. (hint hint)

Post by **turin** » March 7th, 2006, 1:29 pm

Aye. In SVN now, Captured gives the bonus when you win the level the way you're supposed to. Evacuation should be a tad easier now...