Jahger Conquers Outland

So my new Cataclysm character, Jahger the Worgen Hunter, has reached level 70 (the current level cap is 85). With the revamp of the content for levels 1-60, the content released for levels 60-70 in the first expansion is now the oldest content and the most annoying to do. However, the hunter having a pet allows you to tackle content normally designed for groups. So, to make things more interesting, I've gone out of my to tackle all the group quests I've come across. This culminated in my hard fought victory over the ferocious gronn, Durn the Hungerer.

Durn the Hungerer slain

Level 69 unlocks the top talent in your chosen talent tree, which as a Beast Mastery Hunter is the ability to tame exotic pets. I've started by getting the striking looking core hound, the Kurken, from the Draenei starter area. The unique buff it provides, Ancient Hysteria, is one of the strongest in the game - equivalent to the much vaunted Shaman ability Heroism/Bloodlust.

Jahger, level 50 hunter, with his new, unnamed, core hound

Unfortunately it looks like Survival is by far the best talent tree to take for the current endgame content at the moment, so I guess I'll just enjoy my Beast Mastery while leveling and ready myself for having to relearn the class when I hit 85. Until then, though, I have the frozen lands of Northrend and the new zones of Cataclysm to explore.

Cataclysm Shatters Sales Record

So, according to a Blizzard press release, World of Warcraft's third expansion, Cataclysm, sold 3.3 million copies in its first 24 hours of release, making it the fastest-selling PC game of all time.

I'll count myself in that number and since I resubscribed I've been playing it a lot. Jahger, my Worgen Hunter has already reached the lofty heights of level 50. Leveling in this post-Cataclysm world is a real pleasure, streamlined and story-focused. If you have any interest in MMOs (or are a lapsed WoW player), you owe it to yourself to give this new world a try. You don't even need to buy any of the expansions to experience the changes.

Story-focused post-Cataclysm questing

Besides questing and doing group dungeons, I've picked up a fascination for animal collecting. You see, with the overhaul of the Hunter class for the new expansion, the class-defining Hunter's pets were all put on a level playing field (though you customize them with talent choices) except for a unique buff or debuff based on the pet's family - cats give an agility buff, hyenas increase bleed damage taken by the enemy, etc. By the time he reaches the new level cap of 85, a good Hunter should have a wide selection of pets to cover whatever buffs/debuffs are missing from the group. I've picked out the pets in each family that I want based on their looks, and seek them out to tame them as soon as I reach their level. My preferred pet while I'm leveling is Whitefang, a White Worg, which gives a bonus to one's chance to score critical hits.

Jahger and his faithful worg, Whitefang

The leveling curve does get steeper, but I hope to get on to the new Cataclysm (80+) zones in another week or so.

"Terrible, yet refined..."

With the release of World of Warcraft's latest expansion, Cataclysm, I've cancelled my Aion subscription with Armitage the Cleric having reached level 20. Although the questing has been fairly fun, I've yet to see any group content, which is a pity for an MMO. Regardless, I don't see myself rushing back with the amount of content to see in Cataclysm.

Armitage, Elyos Chanter (Aion)

For those who don't know, Cataclysm has reshaped all the Old World (level 1-60) content, making for a much more enjoyable experience. And with PvP battleground queues and the (relatively new) PvE dungeon finder, joining groups for multiplayer while you level is really easy.

To further tempt one to experience the new leveling content, Cataclysm has introduced two new races, Worgen (werewolves) and Goblins. I've created Jahger, the Worgen Hunter.

Jahger, Worgen Hunter (World of Warcraft)

The Worgen have their own introductory questline that runs along the timeline of the Shattering. As a human in the kingdom of Gilneas, you begin by helping to defend the capital from the constant assault of Worgen, before eventually falling to the Worgen curse yourself. Held prisoner by the humans, you're given a chance to prove that you have control over your bestial nature.

Can a Worgen be trusted?

What begins as a defence against an assault by the Forsaken (the undead of the Horde) becomes a desperate evacuation as the cataclysm sees the land sinking beneath the ocean.

Just this questline tops anything I've seen in Aion with World of Warcraft's phasing tech being used to give a real sense of progression of the timeline. Of course, most quests still boil down to kill X creatures or find Y items, but it is really worthwhile to pay attention to the story here.

I believe Goblins have a similarly excellent introductory questline and look forward to giving that a go, but meanwhile I'm pushing on with Jahger. I've already reached passed level 20, leaving Armitage's accomplishment as just a fading memory.

The title of this post is a reference to an oh-so-relevant Penny Arcade comic about Cataclysm and Worgen.

Civ 5: Conquering Caesar (Part 3)

With Chivalry researched, I want Knights to continue my conquests. I'm in a bit of a construction phase as I build necessary happiness buildings as well as Barracks in my designated military cities like Cumae and Antium.

I soon have enough money to buy an alliance with Monaco and as units are being built they're shifted across that isthmus to the east. I meet Gandhi of India who inexplicably complains that my units are near his border while I don't even know where his border is?! Never mind; if his border is nearby, then his time will come shortly.

In 820 AD, happiness has reached a high of +18, Rome finishes the Chichen Itza (for 50% longer Golden Ages, should I ever get one), and I adopt the Professional Army social policy (-50% cost for upgrading military). I now start upgrading my old horsemen to Knights at a cheap 75g each.

I see Arabia now has Longswordsmen, a dangerous melee unit. I need to attack soon with overwhelming force. My army is slowly assembling east of Monaco. Harun Al-Rashid is concerned about my army on his western border. I bluff, claiming I'm peaceful, as I don't really care about my reputation anymore.

In 1000 AD, Genghis Khan declares war on Washington, while I declare war on Harun al-Rashid. The city states of Rio de Janeiro and Tyre are on Harun's side though I have little concern for them.

2 Knights and a Legion are enough to take the first city, Kufah, to be razed. As my forces heal up and reinforcements arrive, Arabian forces rush to defend Mecca. There are more defenders than I expected and I have to employ some tactical withdrawals, keeping out of Mecca's bombardment range to ensure I have decent odds against Harun's units. With the Discipline social policy bonus (+15% while adjacent to another of your units), Great General bonus (+25% within 2 tiles) and flanking bonus when I can, I whittle away at Harun's army. I have a few cases where a Knight barely survives, but by the time Harun's forces are exhausted, I haven't lost a single unit.

Meanwhile Washington loses his capital to Genghis Khan, and my happiness triggers a Golden Age (for 15 turns). It's time to start capturing cities and driving down that happiness again.

After 10 turns of battle out in the open, my army advances on Mecca itself. It consists of 6 Knights, 3 Legions and a Great General, with even more reinforcements on their way. Just 3 Knights and a Legion are needed to capture it.

The army then splits up to take the remaining Arabian cities. To the south, Damascus has cotton and spices for me - it's captured by 2 Knights. To the north, Medina has Stonehenge - and it's also captured by 2 Knights. Then, to the east, the cities of Najran and Basra are also quickly taken with 3 units each. Finally my army descends on Harun's final city of Baghdad which is captured in 1170 AD after 17 turns of war.

During the war, I've earned a Great Scientist and wasted it on Steel, thinking I could get Military Science with him. No matter; Knights seem sufficiently powerful for now. Also, Rome has built the Forbidden Palace (-50% unhappiness from number of cities), but after the Arabian conquest, I'm still left at negative happiness.

I've also spent money to get an alliance with Sidon south of Arabian lands. Although I've spied Indian lands to the east, I want to check out if there are any civilizations past Sidon.

In 1210 AD, with an army that includes 11 Knights massing on India's doorstep, I declare war on Gandhi.

Gandhi has a few units defending Delhi, his capital. As my Knights surround the city, his co-ordinated fire takes down one of my Knights. But his units easily fall and Delhi is immediately captured.

My happiness has dropped to -12. I plan to get all future Golden Ages through wonders and great people anyway, but at -10 happiness you take combat penalties. So I spend money rush buying Theatres and otherwise building more Theatres where I can, as well as the Notre Dame in London (for +5 happiness).

Some of the amry heads north to Vijayanagara and capture it two turns later, while the rest advance on Mumbai. During the attack on Mumbai, a Great General is born, to be used for a Golden Age when needed. I capture Mumba in 1270 AD, eliminating Gandhi after just 6 turns of war.

After a bit of resting up and scouting, I find Washington to the south of Indian lands, beyond the city states of Helsinki and Tyre. Not really what I need as Washington's already lost his capital; but an easy conquest I can't refuse and it might lead to the last civ, the Mongols. I spend money for an alliance with Helsinki to make moving my army there a bit easier (I still don't have Optics to enable my units to travel on water).

As my army begins to mass near Atlanta, I see Genghis Khan is still at war with Washington, and is busy attacking Atlanta. Even as Washington stoically defends against Genghis's assault he asks for assurance about the units on his border. I let him have the bad news as a I declare war on him in 1340 AD. I proceed to steal Atlanta from under Genghis Khan's nose, which eliminates Washington.

I can now see Genghis's American conquests to the south of Atlanta. I've also spotted a Mongolian city across a channel south of Sidon. While my eastern army trickles down to Atlanta and Boston, new units are diverted to Sidon. I finally research Optics so those units can cross the channel and put pressure on the Mongolian west. I've also researched Military Tradition and start upgrading my experienced Knights at 115g each.

My Golden Age from happiness ends, and I start a new 22 turn Golden Age with the Taj Mahal built in Moscow. With 6 Cavalry at the front and more incoming, I declare war on Genghis in 1370 AD.

He appears to have quite a few units, but they're mostly backward Archers, Horsemen and his unique unit, the Keshik. I quickly learn that Genghis has built the Great Wall (how ironic!) which limits the great manoeuverability of my Cavalry (movement inside his borders is slowed). So while I'm able to pick off his units with ease, my own units are left very vulnerable. Fortunately, they weather the counter-attack with just a few bruises.

After 3 turns of clearing out his defenders, my Cavalry stike at Boston and raze it. The army rides on south to Washington. Again my most forward Cavalry, despite being really vulnerable, survive the counter-attack from Genghis's forces. After a few more turns, I don't see any more Mongolian units and I safely capture Washington.

I capture, Turfan, the city across the channel from Sidon, but I have too few forces there to really exert any pressure. My eastern army splits up, hunting for the Mongolian capital. They capture New York and Tabriz in short order.

I see Genghis rallying the last of his forces at Beshbalik - he finally has a Musketman amongst his defenders. But with the size and power of my army, it just tramples them underfoot to capture Beshbalik.

They then spot Genghis's capital, Karakorum, and even my wounded Cavalry ride on to assault it. The most forward units, a Trebuchet and 2 Cavalry are enough to capture it in 1480 AD (turn 208), giving me a Domination victory; my first win on Emperor level and also, by far, my fastest victory of any kind on a standard-sized map.

This is the first time I've gone for almost continual warfare from the moment I got my first horses, and it's a strategy that the AI seems to be weak against as they just don't have enough defenders and are generally weak at waging war. Once you have a few cities conquered, your strength just snowballs, as your growing Empire gives you the finances and research to continue to wage an increasingly lopsided war.