Burning Banners - Campaign 11: Across the Oskolton (593-594 VE) versus Notebook LM (AI)

 

Playing Burning Banners vs Notebook LM

Campaign 11: Across the Oskolton 

This is my third time to play Burning Banners against an AI. You can read about my first two attempts, versus ChatGPT here and vs Gemini here. I decided to play Campaign 11 - Across the Oskolton against Gemini to learn how effective the AI could be at learning the system and playing the game AND teaching myself the Advanced Rules for Magic, Blessings, and Monsters. I love the art and vibe of this game, and getting to play more of it would be great!

Campaign 11 is a Scrolls of Sandaria (stand alone) scenario set in the year 593 in the middle of the War of the Burning Banners. The Campaign starts in Summer 593 with the turn order of:

Army of the Night, then Oathborn, and finally the Goblins.

The AotN and Goblins are 'the Invaders' and are limited in their power and the Oathborn are 'the Resistance' pushing back on the initial onslaught of their holds in the Oskolton Mountain range. 

I took the role of the Invaders, and the Resistance will be played by Notebook LM.

After the AotN and Goblins set up

I loaded the Undying Rules v1.1, the Cheat Sheet available from bobhope1999 on BGG here,  photos of the empty map, my opening setup, the Oathborn opening hand of cards (included Delve Greedily, Summon the Dead, Monsters in the Hills, and Demonic Possession) and the campaign pages for Campaign 11.

NotebookLM Opening Builds (Spending 16 Gold, 1 Saved) were as follows:

I will deploy the following forces to secure Barzirak and prepare for the Goblin incursions from the north and east:

Iron Legion (4 Gold): A sturdy heavy infantry unit for front-line defense.

Dragon Slayers (5 Gold): These units possess Stealth, allowing me to declare Ambushes against invading stacks.

King's Crossbows (3 Gold): Their Ranged ability is crucial for winning ties in combat and preventing enemy Flying units from bypassing them.

Siege Engine (3 Gold): Essential for defending the fortified positions of Barzirak.

Miners (1 Gold): Vital for generating extra income by working the nearby mountain mines. 

The only mistake was to build the siege engine. i clarified the rules and told the LM that I substituted another crossbow unit for the engine. 

Summer 593 - Shadow of Enslavement

The conflict began with a swift and terrifying strike by the Army of the Night. Kali the Shrouded utilized her flying Giant Bats to bypass defenses, while a dark blessing Enslaved the Oathborn Iron Legion.

The Legion then attacked the Yeti Elder and crossbowmen in Barzirak from the NE. The result was a tie, weakening the Legion, because the crossbowmen have the ranged trait. A second Giant Bat unit attacked the dwarven miners, scattering that unit.

Kali Enslaves an Iron Legion

I fed this into NotebookLM and the AI took it's first turn, beginning with the Oathborn Yeti casting Demonic Possession. It was a risk, but it worked and the Enslaved Hero was 'cured', and turned out to be Throndil, and the Oathborn Iron Legion was freed! Throndil led a charge by the Dragon Slayers south striking the other Giant Bat unit and weakening it. The AI then used Monsters in the Hills and a Banshee wandered from the mountains to attack my Giant Bats with Kali. The monster was able to weaken the bats. 

The Goblins Laid Waste to two of their three settlements to gain some gold. Goblin warriors moved to occupy the ruins of Highgarden and attacked the Banshee, defeating it! Iron Skull led Goblin Elites north, assaulted Barzirak, weakening the Legion there. Other goblins moved to form a western wall with the remaining Army of the Night southern, weakened Giant Bats.

An army with Hill Trolls appeared in The Bjornfoss. It attacked the Dragon Slayers to his NE, but it was a draw. Thus the summer of 593 ended. (I again cheated here... I didn't understand that the D. Slayers were besieging the Bjornfoss).

End of Summer 593

Autumn 593 - The Sacking of Barzirak

Kali, with her weakened bats, cast Fireball into the settlement of Barzirak and eliminated the Legion there. They then defeated the remaining garrison and looted the settlement, taking control. Then the Army of the Night formed a third Giant Bats unit and brought it up to the western line. 

Autumn 593 - End of Army of the Night turn A second dark hero, Luna, assassinated dwarven hero Throndil

Despite losses, the Resistance remained active, rebuilding the Iron Legion in thier entry hexes and using Portal magic to reposition the Dragon Slayers for a counter-offensive. The miners Delved Greedily, and came back with extra gold and a treasure, Horn of Udun. The Horn may be cast as a spell to reposition a target friendly adjacent unit to another hex adjacent to the caster.

Autumn 593 - End of Oathborn turn

The Invaders increased the pressure as goblin hero Iron Skull and his Goblin Army assaulted Barzirak, utilizing Instruments of Mischief to overwhelm the defenders, looting the settlement.

End of Autumn 593

Spring 594 - Tide Begins to Turn

The Army of the Night replaces the lost Bats and positions to prevent the dwarves from breaking out. 

Spring 594 after Army of the Night turn

This season saw the Resistance's most successful maneuvers. Newly recruited hero Stormcaller led an inspired counter-strike that successfully slew Iron Skull and cleared Barzirak. The AI utilized Undertow to strip me of my magical hand, neutralizing the Invaders support at a critical moment. Through the Ravens are Flying blessing and Spirit of the Mountain, the Oathborn restored Barzirak as a loyal settlement and brought Dara Firemane into the fray.

Goblin sneaks ambushed the Dragon Slayers. They were slain. The goblins did little else.

Summer 594 - Final Push and Tactical Error

Luna and her army of Feral Giant Bats attacked the Dragon Slayers, with a Rule the Night spell, they had 3 white dice and 1 black dice, rolling zero successes. The Dragon slayers responded by hitting twice. A Tidal Shelter failed to had any effect and the unit and Luna were scattered. Licking my wounds, I deployed an another Giant Bat unit and currently the situation is thus at the start of the Oathborn final turn:

Start of the final Oathborn turn

In the final season, the Oathborn established the Lost City of Khazud in the Copper Reefs peaks, creating a magically fortified bastion that provided a late-game income boost. Dwarven forces attempted to seize the another settlement, with the King's Crossbowmen failing to take The Bjornfoss from the Hill Trolls and a final push for Highgarden also stalled; the Oathborn were unable to take a third settlement before the summer ended, and the Invaders win.

End of the Campaign - the Oathborn run out of time.

Analysis

NotebookLM was much more accurate with regard to the Rules that either ChatGPT 4o or Gemini. It incorporated a bit of flavor and theme, like Gemini, but made moves that made sense, like ChatGPT, and followed most of the rules. When corrected, it incorporated my corrections. I am curious if those corrections would follow on to future games. 

It even managed to surprise me with a move or point out a rule to me a couple of times.

I have to play as if I am unaware of the hand the AI has, but that is about as good as Solo is going to get, for now, with Burning Banners I think. I will use NotebookLM again, and report back if I have significant information to share.