“Two Seasons: Winter-Spring 2016” Tournament. Online games for rating (reports, discussions).

My opponent started with a Strider, and I got a Diplomat. I decided to play. (I was hoping he was underground, and as always, everything was blocked off.) In terms of troops, I didn't get anything at all. But I could see Lizardmen and Gnolls nearby. So, I didn't make a bad choice. On day 124, I opened a Cartographer. And immediately I saw a Castle, Wings, and a Crown (all of which I picked up along the way). And on the opposite side, a Fortress. By day 131, I had the Castle, Wings, and Crown. I gave the Wings to my Rogue, and he ran to get a +12/3 Shield and a +5 Breastplate. After replenishing mana, I decided it was time to attack my opponent, before he recruited something powerful (he was already focused on getting a +4 Shield). And my Rogue, with the Wings, went to steal the Fortress. But somehow I messed up; I didn't notice that I was visible from the lookout (I had it for a couple of days until my opponent built a Veil of Darkness). My opponent couldn't reach me with his main army, so he attacked with his Rogue from the Dungeon (after first taking boots with 15% resistance). My Rogue had 4 Firebirds against the opponent's Muel, with 700+ ground skeletons and 33 Vampires, plus some smaller units. The Vampires were killed with one Implosion, and the skeletons wouldn't have caught up to the Firebirds. But damn, the 15% resistance reflected two Implosions in a row. My opponent has Shackles, and his main army is coming. Thanks for the game.