Could have been a good game. Unfortunately it is way too difficult, to the point that it is simply impossible to win. It is try and die, over and over again, and even if you are doing well, SURPRISE!!!! You lose. Either an impossibly strong enemy army shows up out of the blue to destroy you, or you go through a series of five turns in a row in which bad events destroy your kingdom.
I can only suppose that the ludicrous save limitation is there specifically to prevent people from going back and trying something different to learn from their 'mistakes' . Without a manual, without any way of really being able to learn the game without investing thousands of hours in total frustration, this is a game better unplayed.

Hopefully, the designer will forget about beating his customers and learn to create a game that is fun to play for people besides the unemployed extremists who have nothing better to do than hole up in their parent's basement for a thousand hours.

Unfortunately, this is a game which is much better to play in about five years after people post all the tricks to winning, if there are any. Trying to figure them out yourself from this design, without a manual, and without saves, is simply not fun after a while.

I know the hardcore will flame me here, but this is a game that only caters to the hardcore. No one else need bother.

It's not that hard : play on easiest level, follow the pre-combat advices/warning, plan battles a bit, and it should be ok... You'll stil lose from time to time but can "go back in time one turn", and start another game when you've learned some more.

Well, in my opinion, it is hard game, and it is better to play in Eador, if you've played before in some easier "fantasy+turn-based" titles. The tutorial is in my opinion the good introduction to know, how to play, but of course it doesn't show everything. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard, if there was "normal" save game option.

My advice? Well, maybe better try something easier and more "user-friendly"? And go back to the Eador, when you'll have more experience. Eador is really fantastic game(IMHO), but I understand that it can be not too nice experience for beginners, or even intermediate players.

Or wait for Eador: Master of the Broken World. There will be added save-game option :)

I usually hate these kind of phrases, but ladies and gentleman, this is why we cant have nice things.

99% of games are so inane that even the worst pre schooler with half his brain asleep can easily beat them in 5 hours, and here we have one where you need to think a bit, and apparently that is "too hard" or "hardcore" even on the easiest setting.
You can find these posts on any game's forum that requires a modicum of brain activity, FTL, Fantasy Wars, Kings Bounty...you name em.

Well, the game does have a steep learning curve. Personally, I really enjoy the game. But I will agree with the OP in at least one respect:

In the sandbox mode, at least, it seems that random events pop up way too often that can cause an immediate demise to one's game in the early going. No amount of strategy or experience is going to save a player if a dozen harpies get upset in turn 10 and decide to destroy the province. Or if a rabble event with six or seven opponents occurs on turn 6.

This isn't a game breaker for me. But it can feel unfair at times.

I really hate this part as well. They really need to put a do not appear before turn # on a lot of these events. I mean it's just so sucky when they happen within the first 20 turns as your game is probably unrecoverable if it happens.

BTW what does "sandbox" mean? From the context I think you mean single scenarios but cannot be totally sure.

I'd give the same advices than PDF : Go for an easier difficulty (I get from another thread that you're playing at "competent". If it's too hard, why not play at an easier level?) It's what the difficulty setting is for, after all, and the game can be fun on "beginner".
And you CAN "go back and try something different to learn from your mistakes". Simply use the "go back in time" button when you get hosed, and you'll get to the previous turn, with the possibility to give different orders to your heroes. It's the replacement for the usual save/load strategy. You'll lose points, sure, but it's not important if your goal is simply to capture the shard, isn't it?

Oh, and is offensive, man! I'm not an "hardcore" player (as I said, I play the campaign on beginner, which mean any hardcore Eador fan will see me as some kind of kindergarten snotling), but that kind of hatespeech makes me want to flame you soooo much.
Please refrain from insulting your fellow player, please? I like the "friendly and helpful" mood of these forums, and I'd want them to stay this way.

Yes. Just another way for me to say single scenario.

Clearly 99.9% of the population can't approach your god-like genius levels of intelligence. Is it lonely being the smartest guy in the entire world? With such incredible intelligence wouldn't it be better to spend your time doing something productive and useful for the world? Or are all of us worthless, sniveling morons too pathetic for you to bother with except to insult?

I'm truly astounded by your intelligence, since you can just 'think a bit' and figure out this game so easily. Tell me, did you have it all figured out in the first turn? Or did you actually have to play a turn first? Because without a manual, without an opportunity to go back and try different strategies, without any information on the mechanics of the game I am having to do the try-and-die strategy to figure things out.

Please let us know how you do it.

I have tried many different four player competent maps so far, and in about 80% of them, I find out I've lost due to some random circumstance beyond my control. Unfortunately this is after I have already put an hour plus into each.

Now because I am not a genius like yourself, I have to work for a living, and I have children. So I don't have a thousand hours to spend on a frustrating trail and error process.

So my original criticism is valid.

And frankly, you did a great job of confirming the characterization of whom this game is currently designed for. When you get a job someday and move out of your parent's basement, you might appreciate the use of your time a little more. Until then, why not use your 'genius' for good?

The problem is that going back one turn doesn't allow you to try different strategies from when things went wrong and it doesn't change the events. There are so many random events that defeat you in one turn completely ending your game. After putting in an hour or two, the 'surprise you are dead' routine is pretty damn annoying,. Which is why gamemasters figured this out in the third grade and stop doing it when they realized no one wanted to play with them anymore.

Almost all of the advice on these boards have been to not play at beginner because the game changes at competent and above. So I am playing at competent.

The thing is, I'm convinced that the very best players can't win on competent level on a consistent basis, let alone the higher levels. I have seen nothing but strategies that work on the beginner levels but don't work at competent and much helpful advice such as 'be smarter'.

Even the videos I've watched by the designer have been useless in 80% of the maps I play on, which turn out to be unwinnable at spawn. And he is cheating.

I'm fairly sure there is a trick to playing this game, Figuring out the trick is supposed to be the challenge. But I don't want to grind away for a thousand hours to figure out a trick that works in one game. I want a strategy game in which I have to actually think and plan.

This really doesn't seem like that game.

You know, if you can't do something this doesn't mean that it is impossible.
5 starts on expert with commander by William_Blake, second one with incredible harsh random: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/74473397/barbarian_healer.rar

There is no trick, you just have to learn how to play, what's good to have and what isn't. You'll find a lot of suggestions and discussions in the forum about those. Right now I started again, I didn't reach 3d level units yet, I play on expert and I can win first 10-15 shards in a row without losing one. Still, at a certain point the game has become even more difficult, I'll try to do better this time. I didn't understand yet which building brings to citadel and to 3rd level units, maybe I'll find out this time.

I'm not sure I understand you. You're saying that the game can't be won on competent or higher, you won't believe the people that say it can be done, accusing them of lying and/or cheating, and YET you won't play at a lower difficulty level because it would prevent you from playing on competent? It seems somewhat circular, no?
If the game is too dificult for you on competent (which I can understand : I play on beginner, and I find it challenging enough that way), then don't play on competent. Simple. Or play the campaign, where the difficulty and complexity is ramped up slowly. Unless a hardcore gamer is holding a gun to your head or something?
Difficulty setting exists so that people like you and me can still have fun with difficult games. Not everybody can beat every game on the hardest dif. level, and this one has been designed to be a challenge for most. Like many older games were a few years back, as you might know since you're on GOG. Maybe it's simply not a game for you ? (Every game doesn't have to please everyone)

As for the "one turn back", it won't help if your whole map is screwed, sure (for example if the AI made an alliance with the centaurs while you are still using rank 1 units), but it WILL be efficient for many "boo, you're dead" encounters. You go one turn back and you tell your hero not to attack that ruin, or not to invade that enemy province, or to explore somewhere else, or to use a healing ritual... Simple. It's not a "cure all" button, but it's been a lifesaver when I started this game.

Frankly, breathe and calm down, man. It's just a game.

I work.
I have children.
I don't have a thousand hours to spend on the game.
I'm not a genius.

Yet I play this game at Expert and Master and enjoy it! Do I win 100% on Master? Hell no, but I CAN win, and the challenge is great. Also the rest of your post here was extremely offensive. So it's not a game for you, so everyone that likes it must be unemployed autists? Talk about being an a******, man!

This is wrong. Some strategies become unworkable on higher levels, but a good strategy at a higher level is also a good strategy at a lower level, and MOST good strategies at lower levels are still good strategies at higher levels. You'll adapt to those that aren't.

You mean like Poker? It's still a game of skill, but there IS a large random factor - a lot larger than in Eador too. Good players can win onsistently on Competent, but perhaps not 100%, but then again - what would be the fun in a guaranteed victory?

There is no single trick - just using consistently good strategies and tactics is what will lead you to win in most cases. That is in fact one of the better things about this game - it's not just figure out one trick and then win, win, win. You have to adapt to different situations.

No it probably isn't a game for you - that seems clear, but can you perhaps NOT insult other people in every post you make, and we'd be happy!
To get Citadel you need Fort, Builders Guild and at least 3 lvl 2 units unlocked already.

Through the use of my extrem genius I figured out that right clicking stuff brings up explanations, the rest I learned from the tutorial messages. From even smarter people than me, like Gremlion, I learned how to ascend the difficulty levels. You are right in that I can sit at home all day and play games, but I am even way more intelligent than you so far assumed! Through the use of my previously mentioned genius I built up an internet business for which I basically have to do nothing anymore but watch the money roll in and file tax forms. So you be proud of your wage slavery, I'll be proud of playing Eador all day. Wonder whos better off.