🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <65a137e0-7b67-458f-a2a1-e6c4391439f5@gu8g2000vbb.googlegroups.com>, 
snarks@gmail.com says...
> 
> What am I supposed to do to complete the third Vikings mission in the
> Settlers IV Add On missions?
> 
> I have to support the two other tribes against the Dark Tribe, who
> have overwhelming forces. There's no way I can generate enough troops
> to whittle the DT down even if I skirmish and heal. I start out with
> two Marketplaces and some donkeys, so maybe that's a clue - what
> resources can I supply to the other tribes that will help them? The
> northern tribe quickly has their recruitment barracks overwhelmed so
> any recruit is an instant death, so weapons and gold won't do it. I've
> tried sending stone and wood, but the southern tribe doesn't build
> houses. Any hints?
> 
> Phil Hibbs.


I gave up on Settlers IV because my final conclusion was that you're fighting 
deus ex machina at every turn. In most rts games that play reasonably fair, you 
can interrupt the AI supply lines (take all their metal mines and they can no 
longer build swords, take their wood supply and they can't build structures or 
whatever). My take on Settlers IV was that there are 1) time based script 
events that will plonk enemies on you never mind what you do, 2) collision 
based script events: one of your scouts touching a certain pixel will bring an 
avalanche of enemies down on you and, possibly, 3) enemy patrols that are set 
to run into your starting area never mind what. 

It's just not how I like to play 'strategy', trying to find a weakness in the 
script events that I can somehow exploit to survive being hugely outnumbered 
never mind what I do. Bah. I deleted that game. 

Sorry, I'm not being very helpful, am I? But as I see it, finding a weak spot 
in the BlueByte script of armies falling out of the sky on to your head is your 
only chance. There usually is one (weak spot).

-P.