Ludi Solis Invicti: last chances to win!

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Ludi Solis Invicti: last chances to win!

Postby Gnaeus Dionysius Draco on Sat Dec 06, 2003 5:19 pm

Salvete sodales,

On December 23-26 we will have the ludi Solis Invicti. They are the last races of the modern calendar year and will decide the individual winner and the winning factio.

What can be won, actually?

The winning charioteer will have an extra point to spend on his statistics next year. This may not seem much, but it can give a winning charioteer the edge in a tight competition. He also receives the title "Auriga Optima MMDCCLVI" (best charioteer of 2756)

The winning team shall simply receive the title "Factio Optima MMDCCLVI".

Who can win?

As said before, in the individual rankings it's down between Damnator (Albata) and Romulus (Purpurea), with Damnator in an advantageous position.

However, all charioteers do well to gain points for their factio, because four out six factiones can still win (Albata, Russata, Aurata, Purpurea). The least liked factio of SVR (see the poll) will lose 15 points. Praesina and Veneta may not be able to win this, but especially Veneta would do well to reduce the damage and save their reputation.

I want to win! How?

Look here at this topic.

Changes of tactics and new charioteers are welcome until December 20.

Valete bene!
Draco, magister ludorum ;)
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Postby Gnaeus Dionysius Draco on Sat Dec 20, 2003 12:55 pm

Remember that tomorrow is the last day to change tactics or to enter the ludi!

Valete,
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Postby Gnaeus Dionysius Draco on Tue Dec 23, 2003 9:08 pm

Sodales!

Today the Ludi Circenses have begun. Here is the report from the quarters!

QUARTERS

Group I (Victorinus, Juba Bane, Phaethoon, Pericolosus)

Welcome to the Ludi Solis Invicti, the last and decesive races of the year! The circus is a bit snowed in and the people are dressed in their winter togae but still the weather conditions can't temper their good mood. Especially the Albata fans seem particulary excited. One of the reasons is that a new charioteer joined their ranks. His name is Pericolosus and his chariot is the Flora Mortis or "Deathflower". He is sponsored by lady Dionysia Veneta. His contenders in his first quarters will be Publius Victorinus for the Greens, Juba Bane for the Blues and Phaethoon for the Reds. Victorinus has been tipped as the favourite in this quarter. We'll see!

And there they go, trailblazing through the snow! Oh look at that, spectacular! Phaethoon, the Greek mercenary charioteer, lashes out at Victorinus as both struggle to maintain or capture the lead. Phaethoon's whip scars the arms of Victorinus but he is not swayed by the ferocity of his opponent. By the second round, both charioteers are so wrapped up in their duel that they watch helplessly as Pericolosus not only crushes Juba Bane mercilessly against the spina, sending a cold shiver down the Veneta fans' collective spine, but swiftly passes the other two contenders. Using the uproar and confusion in the circus, Phaethoon finally manages to lash out so hard and unexpectedly at Victorinus that he loses control and rolls out of his chariot; the "Hamaksa Purdaês" however begins to slip in the tracks of Juba Bane and comes to a crashing halt against the walls of the circus. The cheery atmosphere seems to freeze. Albata, the Winter's faction, are pleased with the results but the rest maintains a gloomy silence as debutant Pericolosus wins the first quarters.

1. Pericolosus
2. Phaethoon made an unhappy encounter with the walls
3. Victorinus was taken out by Phaethoon
4. Juba Bane was crushed against the spina by Pericolosus

Group II (Damnator, Bibax, Hannibal, Morgareth)

The second quarter features four veterans, two of them also champions, so this should be exciting. Hannibal has decidely shown potential this year, while the other two now don't have much to prove anymore. Damnator looks a bit nervous but still confident. Morgareth, on the other hand, has changed tactics and rumour has it that his new armour will be able to withstand any attack, save for the strongest. We'll see. The fourth contender is Bibax, who was one of this year's major disappointments. But perhaps he still has a trick up his irregular sleeve.

The start seems to be a bit predictable, with Damnator and Hannibal leading the pack. The speed of the "Fulmen Draconis" however is too much for "the Elephant" of the Green racer and he is forced to fall back. Hot on Damnator's trail is his own team-mate Bibax. Will Bibax actually race a good race this time? Morgareth is also on the rise. His style has markedly changed and his "Infernerator" has been visibly modified and rebuilt. As the crowd is still in part discussing these changes and the Whites are overjoyed with their two charioteers, who are still leading, Hannibal bumps into Morgareth and elicits a shrill cry from his opponent as he begins to use his spiked whip to flay his skin. The "Infernerator" zigzags off but Hannibal is not so content as to pass the Golden champion. Again the whip swings through the air and this time tears Morgareth's hands open. The plates on his chariot and the armour he's wearing are no match for Hannibal's brute force and he falls back, avoiding a crash but thrown out of his chariot by the sudden stop. Damnator scrapes against the spina but is unharmed. Bibax is not so fortunate and smashes into the spina with an unparallelled violence. A sigh of relief escapes the Green fans' mouths as Hannibal secures the second spot and thus Praesina will be represented in the semis.

1. Damnator
2. Hannibal
3. Bibax slammed against the spina
4. Morgareth was no match for Hannibal's brutality

Group III (PD Robur, Caesar, Indutiomarus, Maximus)

Here we have four unhappy cases. Maximus of factio Russata was the champion of last races, but he has had a lot of ill luck. According to the experts he could and should have been a dominant presence on the tracks much earlier. This could also be said of Publius Decius Robur, who somehow always ends up facing the wrong end of the spina or with his "Quadriga Ignis" in splinters. Indutiomarus is a very impressive racer on paper but like his Golden colleague, he has had an exceptional record of ill luck. Caesar then is probably the unluckiest charioteer in the entire ludi. More than five races have still given him zero points although technically he is better than the likes of Bibax and Juba Bane. Let's see if things will turn out differently.

The Reds in the circus cheer noisily and violently as Maximus and Indutiomarus go head to head for the lead. PD Robur follows closely. Although Russata and Aurata are no real enemies, this time the atmosphere is grim. Aurata desperately needs to get into the semis but the Reds want another champion. They're bloody hungry! The few Veneta fans in the top of the circus, with red noses and silent expressions, watch another disappointment taking place. Caesar is doing the best he can but he is no match for the other three, who are definitely speed demons and have escaped his reach to send them against the spina. Oh and there! Indutiomarus almost loses control and with a painful sound, his chariot scrapes against the walls. This gives Maximus and his "Centaurus" the edge and lightning-fast he takes hold of the lead. Indutiomarus nor PD Robur can catch up with him and are now, in fact, rivals for the second place. In the end it's Indutiomarus who comes second, but still PD Robur has a chance of making it to the semis if the third racer of the next quarters will do worse than him. Many in the Aurata fan camp are praying…

1. Maximus
2. Indutiomarus
3. PD Robur
4. Caesar

Group IV (Romulus, Callidus, Myrtilos)

The fourth quarter once again features a champion and two erstwhile rivals. Although Damnator has long since replaced Callidus as Romulus' most outspoken opponent, the rivalry between Purpurea and Russata was started by the "eternally second" Callidus and the fluid, ingraspably talented Romulus. This is already a classic. Most experts agree that Callidus had an amount of ill luck but critics say that Romulus is simply a thousand times better. A potential outsider in this group is Myrtilos. He is factio Veneta's last and only decent hope of ever achieving something. He once made the finals but that's a long time ago… But who knows. Fortuna may yet drive him to the highest tops.

Callidus comes on strong. Under loud cheers of the Red fans, his "Celetior" speeds through the snowy tracks. From his perspective it must look as if the snow is travelling at incredible speeds alongside him and his chariot. Romulus gets rid of Myrtilos pretty soon and without much ado. His class is so visible that the few Blue fans who have bothered to buy a ticket have, deep in their heart, become supporters of Romulus, four-fold champion of the ludi Societatis. Just as most spectators now watch the distance between Romulus and Callidus become smaller and smaller, their silence is broken by a harsh sound: Myrtilos' chariot has slipped up and slid against the walls, causing Myrtilos a major head-ache and factio Veneta to exit another ludi circenses with zero points. Although both Purpurea and Russata are now certain of their spots in the semis, Romulus, who realises that all points count if he wants to defeat Damnator, passes the helpless Callidus and once again the myth is reinforced.

1. Romulus
2. Callidus
3. Myrtilos crashed against the walls

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Go in the semis: Pericolosus, Damnator, Hannibal, Maximus, Indutiomarus, PD Robur, Romulus and Callidus

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Postby Gnaeus Dionysius Draco on Wed Dec 24, 2003 1:29 pm

SEMIS

Group I (Pericolosus, Hannibal, Maximus, Romulus)

Debutant Pericolosus faces off with Hannibal, Maximus and Romulus for this semi. Three Romans and a Punic brute. Or three classic racing colours and an imperial one. And two champions against two ambitious racers. The four represented factiones have come to the circus en masse. The snow, however, has decided to stay away and that's for the best. The stakes are especially high for Romulus. He has to hit the jackpot again to be able to still beat Damnator, who, in turn, has to become last in his own semi.

There they go, thundering down the track! The breath of the charioteers and horses alike makes small clouds that drift past their mouths and chariots into the cold air. The wintery white Pericolosus and Romulus, with his usual serenity, start off as leaders of the pack. Romulus curbs the spina in his fantastic way but Pericolosus is probably just as good! The Whites are cheering and the Purple fans are frowning at the skills of this newcomer. Maximus and Hannibal are close on their tail, however. The "Elephant" then suddenly bumps into the "Centaurus" en Hannibal uses his heavy, spiked whip to lash out at the previous champion. One ferocious strike suffices. Maximus is dazed and stumbles, his "Centaurus" raging out of control. Hannibal passes him with a cowardly grin and begins to lash threateningly at Pericolosus and Romulus, who are both increasing speed. The Punic brute selects his next target and in the blink of an eye's time, the heavy leather whip is strung around Pericolosus' throat. Hannibal loses some speed but the "Flora Mortis" loses its charioteer! This is the third contender the Green charioteer eliminates in these ludi. Obviously he's looking for fights these days… Romulus, luckily, is too fast and escapes Hannibal's wrath. And as such, both factio Purpurea and Praesina continue into the finals. Romulus still has a chance of becoming champion of 2756.

1. Romulus
2. Hannibal
3. Pericolosus was ripped from his chariot by Hannibal
4. Maximus was struck down by Hannibal

Group II (Damnator, PD Robur, Callidus, Indutiomarus)

This semi features four familiar faces. Damnator is the favourite to win this year's title and basks in the prospect of it. Although it rains white petals from the side of the White supporters, the snowing has also set in again, so it's hard to distinguish one white rain from the other. The two Golden chariots stand side by side. Indutiomarus is the underdog but his loyal supporters know he and his "Gallia Victrix" can do it. Publius Decius Robur has never been much of a crowd favourite but everyone knows he can compete. And then there's Callidus. In the absence of his eternal nemesis Romulus, he should be able to do well… if he escapes Damnator's brutality.

The start sign is given. All chariots more or less keep the same speed and pace. Although they are going very quick, due to their similarity in pace it doesn't seem that way at the horselegs and wheels plough through the snow. By Jove! In the first bend around the spina already an accident happens! The "Quadriga Ignis" hit the spina from the flanks and breaks. Robur tries to halt or slow down his span but they simply tear the chariot further a part by their sheer speed, until they are indeed halted by the wheels breaking and the chariot being torn open. The other three chariots race on as if nothing happened. Damnator tries to ram Callidus but the "Celetior" graciously evades his attempts and leaves the White agressor behind in a trail of snow. Damnator then slowly catches up with Indutiomarus. The "Gallia Victrix" is also wary of being pushed against the walls and zigzags continuously. As they all race past the wreckage of the "Quadriga Ignis", Damnator chooses his time and, just as he is behind Indutiomarus, lashes his opponent. The whip curls up and makes an unhealthy sound as its end causes blood to sprawl from Indutiomarus' nose and mouth. The colossal driver lets out a hoarse cry. A second blow strikes the charioteer in the reins. Damnator knows he's having Aurata for dinner tonight and strikes a third time, this time against the chariot itself. His whip curls itself around the wheel. This instability, and the fear of Indutiomarus' span, causes him to lose control completely and he capsizes with a violent crash. However, Damnator cannot retract his whip in time. Indutiomarus' crash causes him to slip and slide, making a terrible crash against the walls of the circus. The "Fulmen Draconis" is nothing but a pile of splinters as Callidus crosses the finishing line in an eerily silent circus.

1. Callidus
2. Damnator had an unhappy collision with the walls
3. Indutiomarus capsized through Damnator's vile actions
4. PD Robur eliminated himself against the spina

----

Go in the finals: Romulus, Hannibal, Callidus

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Postby Gnaeus Dionysius Draco on Fri Dec 26, 2003 12:48 pm

FINALS (Hannibal, Romulus, Callidus)

An odd feeling has come over the circus. We know that Damnator cannot win these ludi but that he is certain of his position as champion. The only thing that may yet happen is that factio Albata does not become the winning factio. Callidus is the only man who can prevent this. Unfortunately for him, nor Hannibal, nor Romulus seem to intend to let him have his way. Factio Praesina desperately wants to win the ludi and Romulus won't hesitate to take a fifth victory if he can: although he can't become this year's champion, five victories in one year would be some record. And as such, the "Elephant", the "Celeres" and the "Celetior" stand side by side, waiting for the start signal. The circus is filled with supporters of all factiones. Everyone wants to know how these ludi will end!

As they start, Hannibal appears to take the lead. He vigorously directs the "Elephant", a hulking green appearance over fields of white, over the first straight line and through the first bend, where he is almost passed by Callidus, who effectively passes him on the next straight line. Hannibal is too surprised and concentrated to even think of using his massive whip. The "Celetior" is too fast anyway. The Reds heave their fists and cheer their charioteer on. Russata, the greatest factio of 2756… It would be a dream, after all the hardships they endured at the hands of Damnator and Romulus. Romulus is also closing in and passes Hannibal without much ado. The Greens know that no matter how hard Hannibal will try now, this is the end for him. His two opponents are too far away. In his frustration and fury, he even scrapes the walls with his chariot but is then quickly on track again. Romulus is fast, very, very fast. But so is Callidus. Fast enough? For a moment, it depends on the observer's point of view, but moments before the finish, it's clearly the purple head of the "Celeres" that first crosses the finishing line… And so, Romulus grasps his fifth victory. Factio Albata wins the battle for best factio and Damnator, even though Romulus tried hard, becomes champion of 2756.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ROMULUS, WINNER OF THE LUDI SOLIS INVICTI, AND HIS SPONSOR, M. MORAVIUS HORATIUS PISCINUS.

CONGRATULATIONS TO DAMNATOR, AURIGA OPTIMA MMDCCLVI, AND HIS SPONSOR, GN. DIONYSIUS DRACO INVICTUS.

CONGRATULATIONS TO FACTIO ALBATA, FACTIO OPTIMA MMDCCLVI, AND THEIR SPONSORS, GN. DIONYSIUS DRACO INVICTUS, L. DIONYSIUS BIBENS AND AR. DIONYSIA VENETA.





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Postby Gnaeus Dionysius Draco on Fri Dec 26, 2003 12:50 pm

FACTIO PURPUREA +24

Romulus +24!

Romulus grasps his fifth victory. As many will know by now, this is no accident. Romulus is simply one of the best charioteers. But possibly also one with huge amounts of luck. Unluckily, however, the score difference between him and Damnator was not enough to make Romulus win this year's title. Factio Purpurea should have been third but since the public voted it as least favourite, it loses 15 points and drops to the fourth place.

Question of the year: did Piscinus' curses and blessings really work?

FACTIO RUSSATA +20

Callidus +16
Maximus +3
Phaethoon +1

Factio Russata confirms its strong potential. Although Maximus is this year's true champion for the Reds, Callidus has also gathered an impressive record that cannot be overlooked. He is certainly capable of achieving a victory but somehow another player always blocked his path. Phaethoon is a bit of an irregular and lacks speed to persevere and compete with the big guys. However, he could have done worse. All in all factio Russata has done a very good job. No one would have expected their second spot in the beginning of the year.

Question of the year: why does Callidus have "2" for force when he can't use it?

FACTIO ALBATA +14

Damnator +9
Bibax +0
Pericolosus +5

Factio Albata crowns itself champion and also owns the individual champion, Damnator. Damnator combined steady achievements with both pitiless brutality and a more than decent speed. It is also fair to say that many of his opponents have had ill luck. Nonetheless, countless finals and two victories sufficed to make him this year's champion. This makes him about the only successful violent player on the track. Bibax was a major disappointment. His meagre two points were gained by luck only and his statistics show a great deal of unrealiability and unnecessary risks. Pericolosus hasn't shown much but what he has shown looks very promising. On paper he is the fastest racer in the ludi, even beating Romulus. Let's see how they fare next year!

Question of the year: why doesn't Bibax' owner alter his tactics since they obviously suck?

FACTIO PRAESINA +14

Hannibal +14
Victorinus +0

Factio Praesina has been a bit of an outsider the whole year. No one can say they've done bad, but they haven't done terribly good as well. Hannibal is definitely one of the better charioteers but he lacks speed. Perhaps he should invest a bit less in force and a bit more in his top speed. However, on a blue Monday he is certainly capable of winning a ludi. Victorinus is another story. He is a promising charioteer and one of the only ones who can get away with tactic G in a decent manner – he knows how to use it. A few minor tweaks could make factio Praesina a more impressive factio.

Question of the year: why is Victorinus' armour so rediculously strong?

FACTIO AURATA +7

Publius Decius Robur +3
Indutiomarus +4
Morgareth +0

Factio Aurata has been a bit disappointing in these races but overall they've shown they're a force to be reckoned with. After half a year of ill luck and bad tactics, PD Robur and Indutiomarus made a 180° turn and became very decent racers. Indutiomarus has all the potential to belong to the best. PD Robur is always a good contender. Morgareth was Aurata's champion, without doubt. Still, his change of tactics is doubtful. Wasn't he better off with his old tactics? The difference between Aurata and Russata is small, yet large enough to make Aurata third and not second.

Question of the year: why does Morgareth have "1" for force if he can use it to strike back?

FACTIO VENETA +0

Myrtilos +0
Juba Bane +0
Caesar +0

These results are symptomatic for factio Veneta's diseases. Their best charioteer, Myrtilos, was good enough to compete with the bigger fish in the beginning but as more entered the ludi and many changed their tactics he inevitably fell back and, actually, kept falling. Still, with a few minor tweaks Myrtilos could be up to date again and might save factio Veneta next year. More problematic is Juba Bane, who has had an exceptional amount of luck for his tactics. He is the slowest charioteer in the races and his tactics are ill-considered. Caesar has lacked luck but, like Myrtilos, also lacks that extra something that would make him fit to compete against the bigger boys. His zero points are definitely undeserved, but factio Veneta's last position, 50 points away from factio Praesina, is not.

Question of the year: why did no one in factio Veneta change their tactics?


THE RANKINGS

1. Damnator (Al): 142 (1) [sponsor: Gn. Dionysius Draco Invictus]
2. Romulus (Pu): 140 (2) [sponsor: M. Moravius Horatius Piscinus]
3. Maximus (Ru): 69 (4) [sponsor: Ti. Dionysius Draco]
4. Morgareth (Au): 68 (3) [sponsor: A. Dionysius Mencius]
5. Callidus (Ru): 66 (6) [sponsor: Pr. Aurelius Tergestus]
6. Hannibal (Pr): 61 (7) [sponsor: Q. Claudius Locatus Barbatus]
7. Publius Decius Robur (Au): 59 (4) [sponsor: Q. Pomponius Atticus]
8. Myrtilos (Ve): 32 (8) [sponsor: M. Pomponius Lupus]
9. Victorinus (Pr): 31 (9) [sponsor: Ti. Coruncanius]
10. Indutiomarus (Au): 12 (11) [sponsor: P. Dionysius Mus]
11. Juba Bane (Ve): 10 (10) [sponsor: M. Scribonius Curio Britannicus]
12. Pericolosus (Al): 5 (-) [sponsor: Ar. Dionysia Veneta]
12. Phaethoon (Ru): 5 (12) [sponsor: Al. Dionysius Hellenos]
13. Bibax (Al): 2 (13) [sponsor: L. Dionysius Bibens]
14. Caesar (Ve): 0 (14) [sponsor: Tq. Dionysius Draco]

These results are pretty straightforward. There is a difference of more than 70 points between the third and second charioteer. Competition is much tighter in the zone between third and seventh. Maximus and Morgareth differ only one point! The top-5 consists only of champions, with the exception of the eternally second Callidus in the fifth spot. Hannibal's hard work is rewarded with a well-deserved sixth place. In the lower regions Myrtilos beats Victorinus by one point and is the highest-ranking Blue on the eighth place. The rest of the pack is fairly disappointing in number of points.


1. Factio Albata: 149 (1) -- 3 racers
2. Factio Russata: 142 (3) -- 3 racers
3. Factio Aurata: 139 (2) -- 3 racers
4. Factio Purpurea: 125 (140-15) (4) –- 1 racer
5. Factio Praesina: 92 (5) -- 2 racers
6. Factio Veneta: 42 (6) -- 3 racers


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Postby Q. C. Locatus Barbatus on Fri Dec 26, 2003 6:19 pm

Obviously winning is not my main goal in these contests, but eleminating rivals?! Oh boy, I did enjoy these Ludi! I will order Hannibal to train a little more on speed and we have a very dangerous man in our ludi! Haha, even more dangerous! Eat sand everybody!
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