Re: Nations under CBM 1.6
 

Well, from the reports I recall on MA Man MP games, I think giving them some early strategy to pursue easily can't be called 'ruining this nation game'. Afterall, they're considered really weak. Crones are a frustration on their own rigth !

Re: Nations under CBM 1.6
 

I think an E/N bless makes sense for MA Man. Consider its mythical influences: Wheel of Time, Lord of the Rings, Arthurian legend. All feature great swordsmen capable of fighting all day without fatigue and without being hindered by minor wounds. Stealthy elite infantry with that bless are reminiscent of the Rangers of Ithilien, the Lord Wardens are reminiscent of the Warders from WoT (combined with Two Rivers Longbowmen)...it gives Man a stealth-and-endurance feel, small elite armies against hordes, that is really quite interesting.

Re: Nations under CBM 1.6
 

MA Man still sucks. Sure, their troops can take on indies and some nations, but their mages are really uncool. And this nation is extremely frustrating. You can get to midgame, that's the reason for all that frustration. Because you get there and then everyoen can own you so easily. But they don't even have to - you will want to commit suicide, seeing all crones with good randoms die every winter. They are nature nation and even N4 mages are old! They live 170 years, 120 above old age limit, to die when you take over the empire. It says a lot.

Re: Nations under CBM 1.6
 

Yes, I believe the Wardens were based on the Warders from the Wheel of Time books. But Warders were only trained in Tar Valon, so making them recruit anywhere strays from that.

Re: Nations under CBM 1.6
 

The mothers would also only have been trained there.

There are plenty of nations where one could make the argument that more units should be capital only if you are going by where they are trained. Units should really only be made capital only if there is a compelling balance reason that they should be.

Re: Nations under CBM 1.6
 

That too. My main point is that Man is actually a pretty interesting E/N bless nation (aside from the old age on best mages thing).

Re: Nations under CBM 1.6
 

I'd say it would be better if their mages would be somewhat improved instead of making Wardens recruitable everywhere. Another thing which is bad about them is that capital-only (which is thematically sound!) Daughters are not very usable. Maybe thay should get some interesting bonus...
Speaking of which, I noted that C'tis Hierodulae got a price drop, seemingly in an attempt to make them somewhat useful. I think this is wrong approach - they aren't bad because they are pricy for what they do, they are bad because C'tis has much more useful commanders. I'd offer to give them an ability in line with their main function ;) - make them domsummon lizard troops, possibly including elite ones: Temple Dancers and Princes.

Re: Nations under CBM 1.6
 

Hierodules replace Miasma-vulnerable indy priests for C'tis--cheap, weak H1s, useful for temple-building and blesses in minor battles that don't warrant a H3 caster or when the nation can't afford one. The few times I've played MA C'tis, I've recruited 1 or 2 in the expansion phase, then never again, but I was glad to have those 1 or 2 so my prophet could do other things.

Man would definitely benefit from better mages. Less severe old age and better randoms on the crones would do it, even.

Re: Nations under CBM 1.6
 

Well, C'tis isn't only Miasma. I actually meant more EA, which I tried in SP some days ago (though LA is Miasma-free, too). And it has recruitable everywhere H2 priest and a Prince - priest-thug with map move 3. And I think that even in Miasma if all what you need is cheap temple-builder, you don't necessarily need Hierodula - especially if you'd have to move her across the map. What I offer gives her a unique niche.

Re: Nations under CBM 1.6
 

I don't see qm adding it and I don't think it makes sense to justify it as her spawning offspring. Autosummons etc are hard to balance and tend to create annoying secondary economies which don't rely on gold or even gems.

qm did try some national commanders summoning extra troops but quickly took it out.