New Player Guide
From Solium Infernum Wiki
Contents |
Welcome to Solium Infernum!
Solium Infernum is a turn based strategy game with a focus on planning and deception rather than outright combat.
First Game: Step 1 - Creating an Avatar
Assuming you've installed the game, the first thing you will want to do is create an avatar.
An avatar is your in game representation and determines your starting abilities. You can create a new avatar for each game you play. After the game is started, editing the original avatar will not affect the in game version, so you can also have just one avatar that you update for each game.
If you wish, you may skip this step and use the built-in avatar "Abaddon" which is a perfectly acceptable avatar for your first game.
However, if you would like to know a bit more about who you are playing, use the third menu option on the main screen "Create & Edit Avatar" to begin the creation process.
The new screen has options to select an avatar to edit or delete, or you can create a new one.
- Click: Create New Avatar
Avatar Creation Screen
During avatar creation, you start with 30 points to spend on attributes, rank, objectives, and perks.
- Attributes can be raised up to 4 and cost 2/4/8/16 points (for a total of 30 points to get a 4 in one attribute).
- Ranks cost 3 points to increase one level.
- Objectives can either cost or refund points. Selecting Lust or Gluttony to get the 3 extra points is recommended.
- Perks are the most complicated, as they grant bonuses that may be otherwise unobtainable. You can also take negative perks to gain more points once you have a better idea of what isn't necessary for your strategies to succeed.
For your first game, spend 16 points to purchase Charisma 3 and at least another 6 points to get a rank of Marquis. Pick either gluttony or lust for an objective. Spend the remaining 13 points as you wish, but do not take any of the negative perks to get more.
You will also need to enter a name and can pick one of the 15 portraits. Your name and portrait are for identification only.
Once all your points are spent (it is ok if you have a point or two left over)
- Click: Save Avatar / Ok / Cancel / Cancel
(You should be back at the main menu now)
First Game: Step 2 - Setting up a Game
To start a new game, select Single Player from the main screen. Single Player can also be used if you are going to play a hotseat multi-player game. You have a choice of Normal or Iron Man. Iron Man does not add anything to the game, it just stops you from reloading old saves, so pick normal for now. And then choose new game to start the game configuration process.
- Click: Single Player / Normal Game / New Game
Game Setup Screen
On the game setup screen there are options to adjust map size, map type, frequency of places of power, and the game length.
- Map Size: Choose between 12/14/16 hex width. Height is always 12.
- Map Type: Picks between major map features. Great Rivers tends to be more open. Acheron's Locks has many small areas. Dante's peak has a large mountain and chasms to channel conflict. The Lake of Fire is also open, but adds a special place of power, The Palace on the Lake of Fire, which grants +1 order slot, in addition to prestige.
- Place of Power: Determines the number of places of power that will be generated. Public objectives and the Lake of Fire can override the None value.
- Game Length: Determines number of tokens to be drawn to end the game (10/15/20/25). You can estimate a turn length of 4x the number of tokens.
For now, leave all the map and game settings at their default values. Click the red arrow button to select your avatar and add at least two opponents (I'd recommend adding five). You can set them all to random for now.
The game will take some time to generate. The amount of time varies as the generator repeatedly creates random arrangements, tests them, and throws them away until it gets one that works. Once the map is generated, you are presented with the Turn Log for the first turn.
First Game: Step 3 - Taking a Turn
The turn log tells you who is the new regent and presents you with some tribute. Assuming you picked Marquis rank, there will be four tribute offerings. You will need to click on the down arrow to scroll the turn log to see them all.
Click on the red wax seal next to each tribute offering and select which resource cards to collect. If you have Charisma 3, you will get to pick 3 of 4 cards in each offering. Charisma 2 gives only 2 of 3, Charisma 1 is 2 of 2 (no choice), and Charisma 0 is 1 of 1.
- When selecting resources, you can usually pick the highest values, and when tied, pick the one you have the least of (resource totals are shown at the top of the screen).
- It is also possible that you may get a manuscript tribute along with your resources. Feel free to take it instead of a resource card, although it is unlikely that you will use it until much later in the game.
What to do during a turn
- First, read the turn log. Make note of which items have been bought from the Bazaar (and stop by to see what they have been replaced with). Collect your tribute and respond to any messages that need a response.
- Second, look at the map. See if any legions have moved. If you are planning on moving a legion, now would be a good time to plot its movement.
- Third, open the ministerium back up, go to the orders page, and plan your remaining orders. There is a number in the lower left that indicates how many additional orders you have. It should be down to 0 before you end your turn.
- You will probably want to place at least one Demand Tribute->Demand Resources order every turn. You may even wish to demand resources twice in one turn.
- Increase your charisma. Charisma is always a good investment in the first half of the game, and usually in the second half too. It is expensive, but unlike the other stats, it will give back all the resources you spend on it.
