Recommended turn order based on play times:

There is a few open games to join!
- Igloo Wars 3v3 hosted by SeeR with 11 mods + the balance mod - a good opportunity to play a fun game with a master of mods! (it looks like some players not registered on the BF are already in, so the amount of seats available may be lower than displayed)
- Challenge #15 the usual Duel game vs DreadReapr. He has lost several games recently so if you want to gain free ranking points, join that and destroy him, he's in a losing streak!
- Empire Building Mod$ Duel SeeR wants to build a nicey empire and duel people, why not?
- Duel a 3rd duel, opened by SanTiL to fight new opponents, DreadReapr: DON'T JOIN!

By the way, there might be a 2vs2 Tournament this year (there will be a vote to decide if it's Duel or 2vs2), so might be a good idea to look for partners!

== Misc ==
Arena games will be played this Saturday, you're all invited to come to discover the Arena mode, a new way to play AoW3 with short tactical battles between human players (no empire building, only fights)! We should be there at least from 8am to 9am GMT.
Check out the Arena Player Pool for instruction on how to play the Arena. Come to the chat to get help or find an opponent!

Videos of two Arena fights:

AbedNego (Dwarf Sorcerer) vs Nemesis Zero (Draconian Necromancer)


AbedNego (Dwarf Necromancer) vs Nemesis Zero (Shadow Elf Sorcerer)

IIaanor joined !!

Still looking for a couple players for the Westeros Winter is Here map:

https://www.the-battlefield.com/aow3/index.php?page=bfmgames&listid=747

gladis joined !!

Hi all and welcome to our newest members! You may want to have a look at this article presenting the functions of the Battlefield (BF).

== Misc ==
There is a poll ongoing about the best mods for AoW3. Please vote in that poll if you haven't yet.
If you have never used one mod, please choose the option "Don't know" (and not "Neutral").

== Balance ==
v1.23 has been released on the beta branch of the balance mod. You can check its changelog in the usual document: https://docs.google.com/docum... />It should be released on the main branch in about 74 days.

Also, reminder: a discussion was launched about making rarely used Dwelling units more useful. You can still contribute here (and in particular give your opinion on the changes proposed): http://aow.triumph.net/forums/topic/making-currently-rarely-used-dwelling-units-more-useful  We should soon move to the next steps and gather feedback on the most promising ideas, to include them in the balance mod.

And finally, if no further feedback is provided, this change will be confirmed for v1.24:
GC46
Domains of XXX spells can be researched by Necromancer (were not displayed in the research book of Necromancer) and their non-morale bonus apply to Undead, Elementals and units of Magical Origin (these three types of units still do not start to “Like” the climate due to the spell) (was Undead, Elementals and units of Magical Origin do not benefit from the stat boost)

Hello,

I've created a 1v1 duel in preparation of the next round in the duel tournament, join if you want!
Link is here: https://www.the-battlefield.com/aow3/index.php?page=bfmgames&listid=744
And the settings are:
Normal tournament settings with the following options up for discussion: 
Include Pbem++ mod 
Allow max hero level 15 
Land only map 
Trial the new mod for removal of rapids

Hello,

Game "There can only be one" had a drop out and looking for a 6th player to start the game.
A few mods are needed:
Beast dwelling 
Dark Elf Dwelling 
PBEM 
PBEM ++ 
Extended Settings 

URL to game: https://www.the-battlefield.com/aow3/index.php?page=bfmgames&listid=736

Henrysix joined !!

TheLegendaryBen quitted!

Fanjo joined !!

New FFA deathmatch, 6 players. Check out the details and join up if you are interested.

https://www.the-battlefield.com/aow3/index.php?page=bfmgames&listid=736

darkapothem joined !!

Hi friends. I created new team game. Anyone interested can join it. I'm open to your suggestions about using new interesting mods.

It's nice for fun or for others to learn but I also think it's stressful, wouldn't want to do it.
edit: or not for ALL games, if necessary, then only tournaments

I am against recordings, i play some turns per day for recreation and live is stressful enough, plus i often have to make breaks in the turn cause someone is crying or wife orders me around. So it´s a lot of extra efford, that i don´t like cause i am lazy.

On the other side, as Hiliadan said, cheats may not be seen on the recordings at all, so what use has it anyway? It only works against the normal user, who has trouble with it and if he forgets to record or has technical problems, it´s bad for him cause that´s suspicious.

If the judges order recordings in certain cases that´s ok, but for all, i don´t think that´s appropriate. Best would be if the game had an review option like starcraft, but that´s not the case. So i´d say leave it as it is.

The only way this is viable is if turns are kept but only provided upon request. For example, if there is accusation of cheating. The player provides the requested videos (seems like it should only be 1-2 turns) and only the judges view them. Otherwise we get a video overload. 

Also I do not know how to record and would need some help. I am sure there are some other players in this boat. 

What Skuns said - i like the idea to have cheat detection but we should not give away our ... freedom

it's too much work for me to record my turns and i'm not sure i want to - why would i showcase my secret skills

anyway - IF the game is VERY buggy and i still want to play it - i would have voted YES, mandatory recordings, but as it is now - NO, thanks

sometimes i play a turn for 15 min. sometimes i play it for 2 hours, go out, have dinner, scream at kids and pets or just go take the ****ing garbage out - don't make me record my turns, it will turn the game into work ):

Hi. There are too many restrictions in your poll and I don't have enough time to rephrase my thoughts more than 100 symbols.
So I'll try to answer here:
1. I don't think that it's a bad idea, but I can't vote For it too.
2. Recording turns is a good idea, but I'm against for mandatory basis. Each player  is a living person, who can make mistakes, such as to forgot start recording his turns. And with mandatory basis we should punish him for it and start do not trust him at all?
3. "assurance that in case of the disputes, there will be undeniable evidence" is a good option, but if my opponent knows that I forgot to record some my own turns and he talks with the judges about my "cheating" moves at this non-recording turns. I can't provide evidence, so I will be automatically banned with mandatory basis?! (for cheating even I've played only by rules)
4. "Higher requirements for the PC to be able to play in the competitive play" - maybe for some players. And the recording is an extra headache for me. 
5. "only relevant parts and only in case of dispute/complaint from one or both of the contestants" I think it's good, but only all involved players have their recordings.
6. I tried OBS software and it worked properly, but maybe it is not the best solution for all PCs/laptops.

P.S. I don't know how to cheat at AoW3 and I don't like cheaters. Though some playable moments at the game, which I was faced earlier, turned out as the cheating moments. I thought that it was a known things for all so I didn't point them and also didn't use them. And if I'll find such moments in the future I'm not sure that I can find/know such moments as the cheating.     And if I'll be to know about such strange (a cheating as it will be define by others players) moments and I won't use them at all - I'm a cheater or not?!

I myself very much want turns to be recorded but more for the entertainment reasons. I'd love to see Gabriel and many other pro players here making their turns one by another and, what's more important, commenting on them. Would be great not only for the new players, but for the experienced players as well.
But, as Hiliadan has just mentioned, there is a problem in the process of recording. It requires space and a good pc. I don't think my pc can handle it but, who knows, maybe it was me who was doing smth wrong. 
So if people decide to make recording mandatory, I will, of course, accept it but require that some help should be provided from those who are experienced with the progs. Not just "oh, the name of the programm is ... I guess, you can download it for free, it's pretty easy to use it, good luck!" but some advice which programm to choose, how to minimize lags, set fps or smth, how to edit the videos and make it easier for the pc because I myself know nothing about recording and I am a completely noob in it

Hi all, I'd like to clarify that the judges of the 2 ongoing tournaments are not involved at all in this poll and that even if 100% say they are in favour of video recording, it does not mean it is going to be asked in tournaments.

Requiring video recording has many drawbacks. One is that it is not possible to implement because several of us do not have laptop powerful enough to record and using OBS to record will just crash our games, causing Ironman notifications and disqualifications. Bandicam can record only 10min in its free version. I don't know of any other free software that works.

A second is that judges can't watch hours of videos. So recording all turns won't be very useful. Even if we use it only when we suspect something, it is very complicated to watch 6 hours of videos to see 3 turns from 2 players.

A third issue is that it won't prevent cheating. In the case of DarkRider, a full video recording would not have fully prevented cheating. I can't tell more, sorry.
Conversely, putting pressure on potential cheaters will just make them harder to spot with other means. Typically, DarkRider would still have cheated and we would not have spotted him.

As I said before, we have ways to catch cheaters. We do not need systematic video recording. And I do not believe anyone in the community is systematically cheating right now.
I think it would be more positive to enjoy the game and not get too concerned about cheating.