I totally heart this thread! Thanks for reminding me how much I like this game, tylertoo. Keep it up!
-TomLove the AAR!
It seems I have to take a second look at this game.
Awesome AAR!
Days 15-17
Having easily conquered the valuable indie base to the southeast, the Xenopod Cyaeg Queen staged a sumptuous barbecue of the slain raiders. But in the midst of the second course, the Critter recon unit arrived, breathless and bearing bad tidings: a member of the Empire of Man had been spotted to the north. The Queen was furious that her revelry had been spoiled, and was about to kill the messenger when her advisers reminded her that Critters are quite valuable indeed.
The party ruined, it was time to shore up defenses. With three bases now producing resources, summoning larger fighting units was becoming easier. To start she summoned a Reaver, a biomecha unit, to serve as a garrison of the currently-undefended Hiveship.
Meantime the Xenopod fighting unit “America’s Army” set its sights on the other raider base in the vicinity of the Hiveship: due west, and guarded by a row of ominous turrets:
And further north, another recon unit, a Consort with flight ability, ascended into the barren hills and spotted a rather large horde of Free Mutants:
The reconnaissance also continued near the northwestern outpost. First, more raiders were spotted due east:
The same recon unit then made the most startling discovery of the incursion: just northeast of the Xenopod post outpost was
The Empire of Man Headquarters
The consort recon unit took notes on the human HQ: Imperial Palace, War College, Intelligence Center, Industrial Complex, and something called a Starbucks. Why the moronic humans would have an “Intelligence Center” the consort couldn’t fathom. Off in the distance, he spotted a human adult and child, but paid them no mind.
The news was relayed to the Queen back at the Crashed Hiveship. She and her minions were both pleased and perplexed. The human base, according to intelligence gathered by the recon unit, was lightly defended at that particular moment. In short, ripe for the taking.
Her best fighting force, though, was days away from reaching that area – and was focused on taking out the indie base that was dangerously close to the mother ship.
The Queen weighed her options: divert “America’s Army” quickly northeast to the vile human headquarters, or let the military unit continue with its original plan of taking out the raider base, while building up a new force at the outpost. The Queen asked her cabinet for advice, but the group, afraid to say the wrong thing, cowered and sniveled in a corner. ‘Useless sacs,’ she thought, ‘I should just eat them all.’
This snivelling advisor would humbly suggest not diverting America’s Army from their set course and to patiently prepare a second assault group for the human base. Perhaps pepper it a bit with the flying unit? What will be the name of the second group? The Peoples Liberation Army of France?
Good stuff! Enjoying the read so far.
I remember always being interested in this game, but never did get enough time to pick it up in the past. I may have to look at this a little closer again. I am assuming you are playing against the AI during this? It looks to be right up my alley.
I just looked it up at the developer website. Is that still the best/only place to pick it up? I seem to remember having a discount code written down for this back in the day and I guess I never did buy it then. Shame on me.
decided to hold off on buying it until i figure out how to play it from demo lol.
Bill Harris’ six part play guide is how I learned back in the day.
There is no multiplayer. Armaggedon Empires is designed strictly as a single-player game against the AI.
-Tom
Days 18-21
It occurred to the Cyaeg Queen that discretion is the better part of valor, and so she opted to keep her magnificent fighting force, “America’s Army,” focused on claiming the raider base due west.
For the moment, then the just-discovered headquarters of the Empire of Man, tantalizingly close to the Xenopod northwestern outpost, would remain undisturbed. That is, except for occasional aerial attacks by the Xenocepter. The Queen hoped for lots of collateral damage.
The consort recon unit that had discovered the Empire of Man HQ was dispatched again to the region of the wretched human enclave, to keep a closer eye on their doings. Unfortunately, this foray proved fatal for the flying unit, as it happened upon an ambush:
The consort stood no chance. Alas, reconnaissance in this Age of Apocalypse is fraught with peril. The Xenopods at the Hiveship observed a moment of silence and resolved to seek revenge on the haughty two-legs.
One day later the same fate befell another recon unit, this time a critter. While exploring the northernmost regions of the desert, it came upon a trio of Free Mutants, who gave chase:
These dire outcomes were tempered by a huge military success: the Hero Scout M’sisilk, the master spy, employed his expertise at stealth and infiltrated, without notice, deep into the Empire of Man capital:
M’sisilk delivered the following intelligence report to the Cyaeg Queen and her minions: the human headquarters was barely guarded. One fighting unit featured only a Grenadiers, a Weapons Platoon and a Reaper. And remember, he added, don’t fear the Reaper.
But the Queen’s advisers shivered as they delivered the conclusion of the spy’s report: the Empire of Man was commanded by the legendary human leader, Erik Mai.
“Mai!” screamed the Queen upon delivery of the news.
“MAI!” She slammed seven of her twelve tentacles down on the desk. “Get me Mai! On a platter! With an apple stuffed in his mouth!”
And so it was that on Day 21 of the righteous Xenopod crusade to eradicate humanity that another legendary figure was summoned: the master assassin Illith.
“Don’t worry, your highness,” Illith assured the Queen. “What’s Mai will soon be yours.”
…And all of the onlookers smash together their gripping tentacles in glee.
Has this game been ported to IOS? or android? It seems like a natural for pads.
You’re making me want to play this game again. Great AAR.
Vic in fact recently posted here that a tablet port is not in the works.
Edit: btw, thanks to all who’ve posted feedback, its appreciated and keeps me motivated to keep going.
Days 22-24 The Master Assassin
Under cover of night, the master assassin Illith made his way toward the Empire of Man headquarters in the northwestern desert.
Therein lay his prey: the vile two-legged general Erik Mai. Illith had slain many in his day but none as notorious as Mai. His tentacles shivered in anticipation.
The Xenopod agent made his way to the top of a book depository and waited for the clear shot.
Though some in the human hive would undoubtedly be skeptical in years to come, a single bullet was sufficient.
Success. Terminated with extreme prejudice. Illith made his quickly out of the Imperial enclave, emminently satisfied. The Empire of Man was leaderless, and ripe for the taking. To say the Queen would be pleased was a huge understatement.
Back at the outpost, more larva were harvested into fighting units, and a new Xenopod force was quickly assembled, dubbed “The People’s Liberation Army of France.”
Their mission would be simple: commandeer control of the Empire of Man HQ. And do so before word of assassination of Erik Mai spreads throughout the rest of humankind.
Splendid!
I can’t wait for the next installment.
My tentacles are shivering
with…
antici…
pation.
I had convinced myself you were going to crown your achievement with the immortal line,
“Illith, you’ve got Mai!”
This is great. More than great. It’s bringing a tear to the old AI.
now where oh where is my copy of AE…rustle…rustle…
Game isnt easy, is it? i bought it yesterday and figured (some of) it out. It proceeded to swiftly kick my ass. Well at first i thought i was kicking its arse, but at about turn 30 it showed me the folly of my ways. so not that swift.
I can’t wait to see what happens next. Victory and human entrails for everyone i take it?
Day 25 Spy Vs. Spy
With the Empire of Man leader Erik Mai successfully terminated, Master spy M’sislik and the Hero Assassin Illith remained embedded in the human enclave to further gather intelligence and wreak havoc.
M’sislik delivered two reports: first a map of the area:
The capital now contained six Empire armies, which was ominous indeed. To the immediate east, an Empire recon unit had bumped into a recon unit of the human splinter group, the Free Mutants, with a Xenopod recon unit observing quietly from the wasteland to the north. Whether the three gathered later over a beer to swap recon stories is unclear.
Secondly, M’sislik delivered to the Hiveship an astounding intelligence report: the six armies of the Empire of Man situated in the capital were armies in name only. Some were unstaffed, others barely so, and no heroes were to be found. Clearly the assassination of Erik Mai has created a vacuum in human leadership:
Back at the hiveship, Xenopod intelligence leaders broke out the champagne. If the report was accurate, only four companies of humans were in the capital – and they were deployed separately. Therefore any attack by the Xenopod fighting unit, “The People’s Liberation Army of France,” would yield four separate battles, not one huge firefight, and thus was more easily winnable. “Stupid, stupid humans!” they shouted in glee.
The revelry was quickly tempered by sobering news: M’sislik, the master scout, had been caught.
The Cyaeg Queen was saddened; M’sislik had been a favorite. But she was relieved at least that Xenopods tended to be resistant to traditional forms of human torture; in fact they rather enjoyed techniques like water boarding.
And so, an attack on the Empire of Man HQ became even more imperative: rescue their hero scout. But the Queen’s military advisers decided to wait one more day for the resources to further improve the army.
First, she summoned to the Hiveship the master scientist and technologist Tsathogg, who was capable of creating a wide array of new weaponry:
Tsathogg overnight was able to fashion a wonderfully-named rifle, the Death Rod:
The Death Rod was assigned to the moderately-powered Gluttons. In addition, another larva was hatched at the outpost, and from that egg sprang another magnificent fighting unit, the Horror:
So as dawn arrived on the 26th day of righteous Xenopod campaign, the People’s Liberation Army had added a Death Rod and a Horror, and was ready to stage an incursion on the headquarters of the vile humans.
