Drakes beat Northerners: Replay wanted

[Doc Paterson]

Englandschorsch: Here's a fun replay for you. I gave the AI 200G to make it more interesting. The version of the Freelands used here is the newest update, and is in The Multiplayer Map Reader's Digest, if you want it.

(To actually improve though, as people here have said, you have to face good human opponents. Sometimes watching good games will help a little as well. If you want to watch a few higher-level Drake/Northerner matches and don't want to trawl through the replay archive, try doing a search on youtube. I think I may have put a few on there. Can't remember offhand. )

By the way, everyone: Is it me, or has the AI gotten better? In the old days, 300G AI or 400G AI 1v1s used to be pretty easy....This 200G Northerner had me a little worried for a bit. Improved recruiting against Drakes seems to be the main thing, but they also seem better about not attacking as senselessly, and make a priority of taking unoccupied villages....Though they did waste a whole lot of gold on trolls.

[englandschorsch]

Thanks a lot Doc. I'll watch it later this day.

[Yogibear]

By the way, everyone: Is it me, or has the AI gotten better?

Yup, i recently asked myself the same, when i noticed that in the opening scenario of HttT the northern elves are not positioning themselves unnecessarily on grassland where they could have attacked from 70% forest.

@englandschorsch:
To illustrate the concept of retreating and advancing, here is a replay that is very much dominated by tactical positioning of units. Unfortunately drakes are not involved, but the same applies to them analogously.

Notice, that when the attacking player advances, he needs at least one full turn to get his units into position for an attack. Notice also, that player 2 (the Knalgans) never keeps attacking on second watch, although he is still stronger at that time. Why so? Because he knows that when he finished his turn, it will be dawn and every unit that is still exposed will suffer badly.

After we agreed on a draw, we played it out just for fun (the observers insisted on it ). The Loyalists stayed during the night on defensive terrain, without Knalgans attacking. That way, they spared that one "move-to-the-enemy-before-we-can-start-attacking" turn. And although i couldn't move all my units (i was running out of time due to some conversation earlier), it lead to a devastating attack (although i have to admit i was a little lucky here).

So: Don't give your enemy the possibility to position for the attack in time, or you will have to pray for the RNG to survive .

[englandschorsch]

To illustrate the concept of retreating and advancing, here is a replay that is very much dominated by tactical positioning of units. Unfortunately drakes are not involved, but the same applies to them analogously.

I'd love to watch it, but it's not a replay. It's just a saved game.

//edit: OK, I've just found the "show replay" tickbox. ^^

[englandschorsch]

Just watched it. Really nice game. I will have to watch it again, more slowly in order to analyze all the details in the strategical moves.

Thanks a lot. I'm looking forward to more of those ladder replays.

I start to really love the game. Simple as it is, it's making me addicted. Who's writing my maths exam for me next week?

[Wintermute]

I start to really love the game. Simple as it is, it's making me addicted. Who's writing my maths exam for me next week?

Let's hope "what is the probability that your mage hits 2/3 and kills that stupid grunt" is a valid exam question.

[Yogibear]

I start to really love the game. Simple as it is, it's making me addicted. Who's writing my maths exam for me next week?

Let's hope "what is the probability that your mage hits 2/3 and kills that stupid grunt" is a valid exam question.

I bet you already give your math students such questions .

[Wintermute]

Let's hope "what is the probability that your mage hits 2/3 and kills that stupid grunt" is a valid exam question.

I bet you already give your math students such questions .

Hey! These are things that all students need to know!

[englandschorsch]

Let's hope "what is the probability that your mage hits 2/3 and kills that stupid grunt" is a valid exam question.

Nah, it's rather like "Let your Augr calculate the eigenvalues so that the Drake Burner can burn down that differential equation by applying the fundamental matrix and hadamard formula."

[csarmi]

Well I guess I exaggerated a bit.

I was perhaps thinking of lawful/chaotic and mirror matchups a bit too much.

me too, though I still remember playing against you when by turn 25 or so only 31 damage total was done (by me, I charged an elvish scout in turn 21 or so)

[Wintermute]

Nah, it's rather like "Let your Augr calculate the eigenvalues so that the Drake Burner can burn down that differential equation by applying the fundamental matrix and hadamard formula."

Sounds like you better practice up with those drakes then!

[englandschorsch]

Nah, it's rather like "Let your Augr calculate the eigenvalues so that the Drake Burner can burn down that differential equation by applying the fundamental matrix and hadamard formula."

Sounds like you better practice up with those drakes then!

That's for sure! ^^

[englandschorsch]

Hi guys,

it's been a while now and I've faithfully been playing Wesnoth. Here's my latest replay. I think I'm improving. Obviously I'm not there yet, but I'm improving.

hornshark_replay.gz

(10.73 KiB) Downloaded 266 times

I'd appreciate any tipps and comments. It's not Drakes vs. Northerners, though. It's Drakes vs. Rebels.

Thanks a lot guys,
Schorsch

//edit: Here's another one against Northerners:

drakes_vs_northerners.gz

(14.59 KiB) Downloaded 254 times

And, yes, I forgot to get that nearby village with my leader in turn one.
I must have been absent-minded or something. ^^

Again: comments appreciated.

[Eskon]

Notes I made:

Turn one: Um. Holy crap. Are you supposed to recruit that many stuff on the first turn in Hornshark? I usually only get two or maybe three units and move my leader to the second before I continue. Can somebody who actually knows what he is doing help me out there? Thing is, of the units you recruited only the two gliders can reach a village next turn, all the others kind of lose you income. Then again, I *am* a cheapskate, and with 150 gold it might be smarter to get the units early because the middle keep might not let you spend the money saved fast enough. Still, at least the clasher up there looks a bit wonky. He's quick though, so it might not be all that bad. Your opponent also recruited in full, so I might be in the wrong.

Turn three: YEEAAAAH. Computer scout kamikaze attack. That's how we love it.

Turn four: You proceed to absolutely own his scouts, while having gotten all your villages. I'm not seeing much badness from your side. And sheesh. Does the AI ever learn?

Turn five: I'd have used that Glider to land a killing blow so you could retreat some wounded unit to that village. That fighter with 12/38 health would have needed it, while the Glider essentially wasted a turn and a village healing spot. It's sort of fine since you could be reasonably sure the wounded fighter stays safe, but I'm just sayin'. You sure love yourself some augurs... Can't say anything against it, only that if you see the Wose, why don't you get a Burner? Because of the night impending?

(Why does the AI get Woses against Drakes anyway? Am I missing something or is the AI just that dumb?)

Turn six: Hm. Okay. Again, no wounded units near the enemy for a killing strike. I think you could've killed the wose if you had attacked it with your melee attack at the end - now the wose gets some regen in and cause some trouble. But it doesn't matter much at this point - you are winning so hard it's not even funny. Enemy has moved - see? That could've bitten you in the ass. The fighter got attacked by the healed-up wose and was almost killed!

Turn seven: Nicely done. I've still not seen any of your gliders attack, but if they can take villages instead it's okay. I think you forgot one on the water village in the north once? Yeah. That won't happen against human opponents I hope Against the AI it doesn't matter.

Turn eight: Why am I watching this? I'd complain about terrain placement of those augurs (Couldn't one of them have attacked from the hill) but what does it matter? You're in front now anyway.

The End. One loss, thirteen kills. As far as I can see, a few minor mistakes. Mind you, I completely plaster the AI most of the time, too. Still, beating it this decisively, especially if you do it consistently, in my mind proves you've at least grasped the basics. Like me, you might be at the point where you need to play some multiplayer to really improve.

[englandschorsch]

Ok, thanks a lot, mate. That doesn't sound to bad in my ears.

Yeah, I forgot about that Glider in the North for one turn or so. Noob mistake.
And you're right: I love to watch my little magic Saurians roast Elves with their wands.