Virgin Queen groping in the dark game

Joel, sounds good, I'll put you down for the Ottomans. I was going to send an e-mail to coordinate with that list on the first game. Only person I don't have is Bulwyf. Can you PM me w/your e-mail addy?

Put me down for the power nobody else wants.

Is there a card manifest available anywhere?

Fat Mail me your email address. I'll get the emails out everyone.

I'm voting either AndyinKuit be the Virgin Queen since I've never seen him with a women or maybe Lotter since he looks good in a dress.

Virgin #2 - Drunk WBC+ crew
1. Fallen - Austria - Holy Roman Emperor
2. KingPut
3. AndyinKuit
4. Stonecutter
5. FlimFlam
6. Matt Lotter
Anybody want to claim a country (Spain, France, Turks, England, Dutch (Prot)? (no Vassal gaming during WBC)

KingPut wrote: I'm voting either AndyinKuit be the Virgin Queen since I've never seen him with a woman

Nor I, though I have seen Andy with Loter.

KingPut wrote: or maybe Lotter since he looks good in a dress.

It's the wig and white face makeup that I'm concerned about.

I should have jumped on this one (the game that is). If someone needs to escape sign me up as an alternate.

S.

I emailed everyone. Here's the line up. If you don't like who you got feel free to trade. I hoping the Vassal Mod and game will be delievered by mid May.

Matt Lotter, is the Virgin Queen - England
Andy - France
KingPut - Spain
Fallen - Holy Roman Emperor
FlimFlam - Turks
Stonecutter - Protestants (Dutch & Huguenots)

Sagrilarus wrote:
I should have jumped on this one (the game that is). If someone needs to escape sign me up as an alternate.

S.

Sag, you can take my spot if want. I'm going to slammed in May with moving AND a new baby.

Still haven't heard from Bulwyf via PM. Can anyone PM me his e-mail addy?

I have:

garysax: HRE
Not Sure: Spain
Dogmatix: (called maybe protestants/dutch)
JoelCFC25: Ottomans
Mikko: Whatever no one else wants
Bulwyf: ?

This is not intended to be a fully-formed strategy guide (who other than Ed is even in a position to write such a thing at this point?), but new players might want to take some of the following into consideration. Maybe it will prompt you to carefully read some of the pertinent rules sections...

GENERAL
Be aware of some key differences from Here I Stand--suing for peace is gone, which can mean that capturing an enemy key could be for keeps if the victor doesn't feel like ceding it back. In HIS you could get smacked down really hard, but recover all your losses if you are willing to cough up a pile of War Winner VPs and/or card draws to do it.

Interactions with minor powers are much different. You can spend CP to boost your chances of winning the ability to activate a minor when it comes time to do their status check (via a card in the deck, or when someone else declares war on them). If you DOW a minor, you lose the ability to diplomatically influence them for the rest of the game, and will probably see someone else take control of them, putting you at war with a major power instead.

Know the piracy rules. Everyone can do piracy in this game, but only against a power you're at war with (or always against Spain/Portugal on the World Map).

Spain, England, France, and the Protestants need to know all the religious rules. The spread of religion is quite different in this game, but quicker and easier. Also make sure you know how rebellions start and the consequences of their success.

OTTOMAN
Advantages and General Goals:

• You can pirate anyone on the Europe map, whether you're at war or not.
• While Suleiman is alive, you get to keep and use both home cards each turn instead of discarding one
• Your home cards allow you several choices: build a stack of units for cheap, declare war on the fly in the action rounds, and one of them has the option to be used as an all-powerful "cancel any event" Response.
• A good scientist result may give you the chance to earn a bonus that will help build the Suez Canal. You want this. 2VP and a permanent +1 Card marker for the rest of the game.

SPAIN
Advantages and General Goals:

• Protect your New World treasures, because any that aren't pirated go into your hand at the end of the turn. These give you a big resource edge as impulse-extenders.
• Keep England busy with Jesuits and espionage.
• Getting units into Ireland or England itself is a huge boost to your chances of pulling off an English Catholic Rebellion (auto-win).
• Read all the rules. Like the Hapsburgs in HIS, you're involved in everything.

ENGLAND
Advantages and General Goals:

• Use the carrot of Elizabeth's hand in marriage to get cards or favors. You can command compensation for having to burn your home card to jilt the poor guy at the altar and still get your Virgin Queen VP at turn's end--the jilted power can reap nice rewards. Or do this to yourself by setting up Elizabeth with Lord Darnley!
• Walsingham will come in very handy with espionage (attack or defense).
• You have the best sea captains. They can either be naval leaders on the Europe Map or top quality pirates on the World Map
• Be very cautious about letting Mary hang around too long. Check the reference cards that have been posted on the GMT living rules page--her list of modifiers to Catholic Rebellion attempts or assassination attempts against Elizabeth is terrifying.

FRANCE
Advantages and General Goals:

• Get those 5 kids married for a VP each. You have a home card that can boost the chances of a positive outcome, too.
• Read 20.10 about how the Catholic League forms and prepare yourself. This is an unmitigated disaster for France.
• Be an effective diplomat. The Huguenots can rebel faster and more easily than you can put them down, because you have shitty army leadership. However, let them know you're not afraid to unleash your home card that can, in the words of a guy in my current game "roll them up like a carpet".
• Hang on to Paris. It's worth 1 VP at the end of every turn.
• Try and save some CP for splashing influence on the minors (I'm neglecting this badly at present).

HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE
Advantages and General Goals:

• You can choose to take a pile of mercs to give as gifts every turn. Get something nice in exchange. Another diplomatic edge is a home card ability to give a specific card to another player.
• Know the conditions for getting Master of Central Europe VPs (hint: the target is right out your front door).
• Lay in the weeds. You have a secret religious preference that can be dropped on everyone at the end of a turn to catapult to victory.
• Get your royals married and take advantage of your home card to employ the Italians, because you have one crappy sea captain who won't manage much in the New World.

PROTESTANTS
Advantages and General Goals:

• You have a very powerful home card for spreading religion or fomenting rebellions. Use it wisely, because your other home card has a bunch of preconditions and won't arrive until the Catholic League forms.
• Keys in the Netherlands are worth a juicy 3 VP each.
• Your army leaders are very good--which makes them high-profile assassination targets for France or Spain. Beware.
• Know the conditions of the Dutch Revolt card. You can scoop valuable VPs from this mandatory event that cycles back into the deck (or see Spain score VPs if you get off to a slow start).

Wow, had a devil of a time getting Vassal re-installed. That's what happens when you don't use it for a couple of years.

S.

Gary Sax wrote: Still haven't heard from Bulwyf via PM.

Sorry my man. I've been out of town for a week and I just got home today. PM sent.

-Will

Sagrilarus wrote: Wow, had a devil of a time getting Vassal re-installed. That's what happens when you don't use it for a couple of years.

Can you say what the problem was? It helps the developers to hear about these things. What operating system are you using, and what version of Java? I would avoid Java 7 on the Windows platform for the time being, at least as far as VASSAL is concerned. There have been plenty of reports of graphics glitches. Stick with Java 6 if you can.

JoelCFC25 wrote:

Sagrilarus wrote: Wow, had a devil of a time getting Vassal re-installed. That's what happens when you don't use it for a couple of years.

Can you say what the problem was? It helps the developers to hear about these things. What operating system are you using, and what version of Java? I would avoid Java 7 on the Windows platform for the time being, at least as far as VASSAL is concerned. There have been plenty of reports of graphics glitches. Stick with Java 6 if you can.

First thing I did was install the most recent Vassal over to the old. I didn't run my old version first. That's usually not an issue. I double-clicked the icon and got nothing. OS (XP Pro) showed a vassal thread start up and die in a fraction of a second. So I tried opening some tried and true mods (WofG and B17) and got the same result. Fully uninstalled vassal and reinstalled newest, no change. Upgraded to Java 6.something, uninstalled vassal and reinstalled again, and then everything worked correctly.

S.

no problem, wasn't trying to call you out. I'll e-mail everybody today or tomorrow.

I'll tell you what -- I'm only to page ten of the rules and I'm glad to be off on one corner of the map. There's plenty of moving parts in this one.

S.

Shit! I'd better read the bastard rules.

I fart in your general direction and your mother was a hamster.