Many Mario Bros.

[dux_is_me]

Welcome to the newest game in the Many Marios series, Many Mario Bros.. You will probably notice the change in strategy, since this version is probably the most combat-oriented ever.
Please note that Many Mario Bros. will be updated weekly. Though the previous games lasted days and days without a clear victory, this one is designed to be played in just a few turns. In fact, the time limit for Many Mario Bros. is 10 weeks. After the 10 weeks have passed, the game will be over and a winner will be declared.

So, how do you win the game? Every week, a star battle will be held. This battle is a free-for-all between all the armies that are sent into it, and the winner will collect a star. After week 10, the player with the most stars is the winner. Remember, however, that units "destroyed" in battle are merely removed from combat. Thus, you always keep all of your units (unless an event or something actually destroys the unit).

Playing the game

To start the game, choose a character: the Marios, Luigis, Warios or Waluigis. (You can see the characters' traits below, in the "Characters" section.) You start with 1000 coins ("c") to spend. Use these coins to recruit units, purchase items, and pay the construction costs for buildings.

You can only recruit units that match your character. Units have a certain amount of energy ("E"), which you spend to perform tasks such as building and collecting coins. This energy is restored back to full at the beginning of every week, so don't be afraid to spend it all.

In Many Mario Bros., you get 10c per point of energy you invest in collecting coins.

For the first time in Many Marios, there is no limit to how many units you can have, and no maintenance costs to pay for each unit. As long as you can recruit them, you can have as many units as you want.

Characters

Mario
Cost: 150c
Energy: 5E

Luigi
Cost: 130c
Energy: 4E
For every 2E a Luigi invests in building, it gains a bonus 1E that may be used only for building. (Two of these bonus energy don't grant a bonus 1E.)

Wario
Cost: 200c
Energy: 6E
+1E attack, +1E defense.

Waluigi
Cost: 160c
Energy: 5E
A raiding Waluigi steals twice the amount of energy from the defending player's units (see "Raiding" under "Combat" below).

Turn Structure

(For several reasons) Turns are divided into four sections:
Starting phase: This begins with me posting the results of last week's battles, and everyone's status as the new week begins. I also post the event for this week (some events actually affect the week before they happen, because they're supposed to be a surprise).
Main phase: Each player gets his or her own main phase. In a single post, you declare your actions for the day (investing energy, recruiting units, purchasing and using items).
Tactical phase: You then send me a PM with your battle decisions for the turn: What units you will send into battle, what units will stay at home for defense, and how those units will fight.
Combat phase: Then I calculate the combat results, and I'm ready to update and post the next week's starting phase.

Battles

Battles come in two flavors: one is the star battle, fought by everyone that sends an army. The other is the raid, in which a player chooses to attack another on its own. These two forms of battle have several things in common:
Your units will behave in battle as you state in your tactical post (the PM you send to me after your main phase). Units can be located (and moved) in two zones: the "forward" zone and the "back" zone. Forward units deal and take damage every round, while back units don't deal or take any damage. There are exceptions, of course: Units with ranged fire deal damage even from the back zone, and flying units can deal damage into the opponent's back zone.
Units must have energy to fight. Each unit's current energy becomes its attack and defense at the beginning of the battle, and modifiers are applied (such as the Warios' bonus to both stats).
Combat is divided into rounds. During each round, each unit that can deal damage spends one attack point to add one damage to the "damage pile". This damage is then split among the units that can take damage, always following the statements from each player's tactical post. As a unit takes damage, its defense drops. When it reaches zero, it's removed from battle. The last player to have units still in battle is the winner.
Star battle: The only thing you can't state on your tactical post is a preference for attacking a particular player's units (this is to avoid ganging up).
Raiding: In your tactical post, you may send armies to attack other players instead of (or in addition to) going to the star battle. If more than one player raids the same player, the defender's units' energy is multiplied by the amount of attackers (this is to make ganging up more manageable for the defender). If the attackers win the battle, all the leftover attacking energy is inflicted as "raid damage" to the defender's units: for each point of raid damage, one of the defender's units loses 1E for the next week. You can use this to slow down development.
Battle abilities and commands: Certain items or other effects grant battle abilities to units, which means they can do something normal units can't do. A unit with flight can deal damage into your opponent's back zone. A unit with ranged fire deals damage from your back zone. A unit with double strike can use 2E to deal 2 damage per round, rather than 1E for 1 damage.
A command is like a battle ability in that it allows the unit to perform special actions, but a command is only a replacement for a unit's standard attack. During the round a unit uses a command, it skips its attack for that round (and maybe spends some energy) to cause an effect.

Items

To buy an item, all you do is pay the amount of coins. Some items may have requirements; you have to fulfill these before buying them. You may buy any amount of the same item unless otherwise noted.
Equipment (any item that mentions "equip") now has a restriction: Each unit may have only one item equipped at any given time. Also, some items (the Mini Mushroom, below) have a restriction on unequipping (remember that "moving" an equipment is considered unequipping and equipping).

Super Mushroom
Cost: 36c
Equipped unit gets +1E.

Mega Mushroom
Cost: 120c
One unit gets +10E until the end of the day.

Starman
Cost: 80c
Use the Starman as a battle begins.
One unit gets +4 attack and +2 defense and gains double strike.

Fire Flower
Cost: 80c
Equipped unit gets +2 attack and gains ranged fire.

Mini Mushroom
Cost: 90c
Equipped unit gets -3E.
As a star battle begins, you may equip the Mini Mushroom to one of an opponent's units.
You may not unequip the Mini Mushroom from one of your units unless you pay 90c. (If you do, add the Mini Mushroom to your inventory.)

Blue shell
Cost: 100c
Equipped unit gets +3 defense and gains the following special attack:
'Shell throw' command (This unit can grant ranged fire to one unit's next attack at the cost of 1E.)

Buildings

How to build: First, you choose a building. Then, you pay the coin cost. Next, you begin spending energy until the energy cost is paid. And then you get your building.
Although you can make partial energy investments, you can't make partial coin payments. Also, you have to pay the entire coin cost before you can begin spending energy.

Warp Pipe
Cost: 50c, 15E
Lets you recruit special units.

Mushroom House
Cost: 300c, 10E
Lets you cast spells.

Airship
Cost: 500c, 100E
You can send the Ariship into a star battle or raid. It grants flight to all of your units in that battle, and any of those units with ranged fire also gain double strike.

Handtrap
Cost: 100c, 10E
When an opponent raids you, that player's forward unit with the most attack is removed from battle and its energy is depleted. That unit does not restore energy until that player spends 10E to rescue the unit or 20E to destroy the Handtrap altogether.

Bullet Bill Cannon
Cost: 50c, 10E
A Bullet Bill Cannon defends as a 5E unit with flight and ranged fire (it can attack from and into the back zone). It can't be equipped.

Events

Most events have two versions: the global version, and the spell version. For each event, the global version is listed first, then the spell version, separated by two slashes.
Global events have a random chance of happening at the beginning of a week.
Before you can cast spells, you have to build a Mushroom House. Spells have an energy cost. You can pay the energy cost with energy from any number of units.

Freezie
All units in today's star battle get -1E as the battle begins. // 15E: Choose a player. All of that player's units get -1E during today's star battle. Cast this spell only as a battle begins.

Icicle
All forward units in today's star battle get -1E as the battle begins. // 1E: Deals 2 damage to a forward unit. Cast this spell as a battle command.

Fireball
All back units in today's star battle get -1E as the battle begins. // 1E: Deals 1 damage to a back unit. Cast this spell as a battle command.

Match Game
This week, each player can pay for items in energy, at a rate of 30 coins per point of energy. // 15E: This week, you can pay for items in energy, at a rate of 30 coins per point of energy.

Darkness
Last week's battles do not take place. // 50E: This week, you can't enter a star battle and players can't raid you. Cast this spell only during your main phase.

Other Units

Spiny
Cost: 180c
Energy: 3E
When a Spiny is dealt damage, it deals that much damage back the next round (even if it's removed from battle).

Fighter Fly
Cost: 140c
Energy: 3E
Flight

Boomerang Brother
Cost: 240c
Energy: 4E
Ranged fire, double strike

;

All questions will be answered (and new game elements added) as the game progresses. In the meantime, what are you waiting for? Week 1 awaits you!

[Sarai and Samiel]

Turn 1- Begin!

Start bonus: 1000C

Resource: 1000C 0C

Purchase: Wario([size=2]W) x5 (-1000C, +30E)

Action: Gather x30 (-30E, +300C)

Resource: 300C, 0E
City: 5W

Purchase: Wario x1 (-200C, +6E)

Purchase: Super Mushroom(SM) x2 (-72C, +2E)

Resource: 28C, 8E
City: 6W, 2SM

Action: Gather x8 (+80E)

Purchase: Super Mushroom x3 (-108C, +3E)

Resource: 0C, 3E
City: 6W, 5SM

END TURN

This should be interestingly different.

[Breadlord Dragoshi]

Turn 1, Dragoshi Main...START!

Lessee...1000 coins, no energy...Hmm. I'll buy 5 Waluigis (-800c), and have them all gather resources (+250c, -25e). I then buy two more Waluigis (-320c) and, I end my Main phase, there.

Statistical Stuffz
Coins: 130c
Energy: 10e
Party: 7Wa (5 depleted of energy, 2 active.)
Items: None
Equipment: None
Buildings: None

[Chunky Kong12345]

Mmmm, maybe I'll sit this one out. I like the construction and exploration aspect a bit better.

[SephirothKirby]

^ I have to agree with him, this isn't as much to my favor as the old school Many Marios, however, it still IS Many Marios, thus I will play it.

Turn 1: BEGIN

Purchase 5 Warios, -1000c (0c)

Wario 1
Equip: N/A
Action: Gather (+60c, 60c)

Wario 2
Equip: N/A
Action: Gather (+60c, 120c)

Wario 3
Equip: N/A
Action: Gather (+60c, 180c)

Wario 4
Equip: N/A
Action: Gather (+60c, 240c)

Wario 5
Equip: N/A
Action: Gather (+60, 300c)

Purchase 1 Wario, -200c (100c)

Purchase 2 Super Mushrooms, -72c (28c)

Wario 6
Equip: Super Mushroom
Action: Gather (+70, 98c)

Wario 1
Equip: Super Mushroom
Action: Gather [SM Energy] (+10, 108c)

Purchase 2 Super Mushrooms, -72c (36c)

Wario 2
Equip: Super Mushroom
Action: Gather [SM Energy] (+10, 46c)

Wario 3
Equip: Super Mushroom
Action: Gather [SM Energy] (+10, 56c)

Purchase 1 Super Mushroom, -36c (20c)

Wario 4
Equip: Super Mushroom
Action: Gather [SM Energy] (+10, 30c)

Turn 1: END

Tribe:
Wario x6

Inventory:
SuperMushroom x5

Funds:
30c

(EDIT: Can we buy members of different races, or do we have to stick with the ones we pick in the beginning?)

[Breadlord Dragoshi]

We stick with the ones we picked in the beginning, as per usual SK. Though, there prolly' will be special units that anyone can buy once they get a Warp Pipe

[Sarai and Samiel]

SephiKirby, 98+10=/=118. You can't afford that last mushroom.

[S1x]

Ah, how I wish I still had the time to try and construct my version of this again... but sadly, I'm doing way too many other things. Again, I like what you've done with this game. Not only did you enjoy it lots, you've practically made it your own.

[dux_is_me]

^^^ BSD is right.

^^ Keep in mind that (even though a week seems like a lot of time) I'm too busy to do all of the calculations (battle results are already a lot), so I leave it up to you guys.

^ Thank you!

And finally... No Mario Bros.?! Come on. Warios and Waluigis aren't that good... or are they?

[Sarai and Samiel]

I almost went with Luigis, but the building is clearly just not nearly as important in this version, and the accelerated coin gathering from all those Warios will likely make up for it.

[dux_is_me]

Actually, buildings are (going to be) the one thing that makes reliable defense possible. (Other than just building a large army, but then again, you have to do that to attack too.)

By the way, only one person has sent me this week's tactical post. Remember there's a star battle this week, too!

[Chunky Kong12345]

Waluigi kicks ass.

[dux_is_me]

Waluigi's in the game just because it needed a "raiding tribe".

EDIT: Week 2 (and every week afterwards) begins on Sunday.

[SephirothKirby]

Sorry for the math mistake, I corrected it.

Also, is Selene helping on the making of MMX3?

Also also, I do think Warios are surprisingly overpowering.

For 50c more than Mario, Warios get an additional 1E, as well as a +1 ATK and a +1 DEF.

I don't think Marios are even worth the trouble. The only difference they would make is, during turn 1 I could've had one more Mario than I had Wario, but Wario greatly makes up for it on all fronts.

I don't fully understand battle, but I suppose I'll come to that trouble later.

Let me just ask a quick question.

Wario 1 enters battle. Energy = 6. He gets +1 DEF, so his energy, or HP counts as (6 + 1), or 7. His attack is completely different from his energy, correct? Attacking doesn't lower his DEF, does it?

I suppose he would inflict 1 damage per round, but since he gets +1 ATK, he deals 2?

After you answer these, I'll PM you my combat round, I suppose.

[dux_is_me]

^ No. Saying Warios get +1 attack and +1 defense is like saying they enter battle with 7E.

^ I can think of several good reasons to have four Marios rather than three Warios.

^ Maybe she should be!

[Breadlord Dragoshi]

Would it be right to presume that one of the reasons would be that four Marios collectively have more energy than three Warios? >_> I mean, sure it's only by two, but hey, that energy can be put to good use.

[Sarai and Samiel]

^^ I would be, if you let me know about it. But I haven't heard a thing.

[dux_is_me]

^^ But three Warios have (one) more energy than four Marios, while in battle. However, there is at least one other reason.

^ Hmm. I'll be sure to send you a PM. Actually, I'm doing it right now.

[Sarai and Samiel]

The mystery reason is probably this: Four Marios equip one more item of each kind, collectively, than three Warios.

[dux_is_me]

Actually, four Marios equip only one more item than three Warios (new equip rules warning), but the answer is otherwise right.

EDIT: That makes four Marios/Super Mushroom better than three Warios/Super Mushroom, with the extra 36c spent being compensated for in just two days with the Marios' extra 2E.

However, in retrospect, equip items should have been more decisive.