Re: More Tien Chi !
 

One thing I dislike about tien chi, is there magic is erratic, there is no obivus path to research.
With races like abysia,atlantis,ryleh,pyth,caelum,man,pan... and many other races you know what type of magic to get at the start of the game.

Re: More Tien Chi !
 

That's not necessarily a real issue : for example Arco is also "erratic". But *all* Arco mages are rather good, whereas *all* base TC mages aren't : they're weak in all paths...
OTOH standard TC human troops are not that bad - not worst than Marignon's .. except TC has no sacred troops ! Always subpar ... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif
In the only PBEM I've played with TC (BK !) early expansion was rather standard : however after that I clashed with Caelum, who annihilated by cavalry armies quite easily with his Seraphs, and my mages were pretty useless. And it was on hard research, limiting my disadvantages !! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/shock.gif

Re: More Tien Chi !
 

You could call it erratic, or you could call it... flexible! For myself, I prefer to start with evocation, for all those amusing spells like Sulphur Haze that no one else can cast.

Re: More Tien Chi !
 

With arco though, you know you can start with thaum magic, and cast paralyze, while if you are playing tien chi you do not know that.

Re: More Tien Chi !
 

However, with Tien Chi your Celestial Master can cast Acid Bolt after Evocation 3, one level lower than Paralyze, and of school that offers Master with lucky randoms the spells they need to excel. That mightn't be as much as the elemental excellensy of Arcos, but that is something.

Which magic would suit them better, in your opinion? If I did a small mod, what should I change? Celestial Master to FAEWW? with no Astral, cabable of casting (automatically) Magma Bolts, Iron/Steel skin, cabable of getting E2 -> Earth Boots -> Dwarven Hammer? He would lose his Magic Duel suspectibility, but also the option of casting Power of the Spheres. What about making Master of the Way to S? instead of W?, giving Tien Chi lots of low-Astral fodder to use as Magic Duel bait and as communion slaves, instead?

Of course, I would change the starting spells too.

Re: More Tien Chi !
 

I'm playing Tien Chi right now in a multiplayer game (two vs. two), and I'm really enjoying it. It's an interesting challenge. I don't want to say too much, since we've just had our first clash with the enemy and I'm afraid enemy scouts might have penetrated even into this thread.

Re: More Tien Chi !
 

Well, I suppose the enemy has already noticed that I am playing the Spring and Autumn variant, and that my sacred troops get +4 protection, +4 reinvigoration, quickness, and +4 defense. And that Lu Tung-Pin the Immortal is my prophet.

So far it has been shown that a horde of Jaguar Warriors with Fire-9, Water-9 blessing are better than a horde of Flagellants with Earth-9, Water-9, especially if the Fire-9 Pretender throws fire darts at the Flagellants.

On the other hand, said Pretender took two nasty battle wounds from Tien Chi archers and Hoburg crossbowmen -- Chest Wound and Never Healing Wound...

Re: More Tien Chi !
 

Ouch

Re: More Tien Chi !
 

I feel like Tien Chi S+A is a really powerful race. And that it has some undiscovereved tactic that no one knows, but this tactic makes it better in equal hands then any other nation.

Re: More Tien Chi !
 

Well I hope I figure it out soon. ;-)

Any suggestions would be appreciated. My ally is Marignon and my enemies are R'lyeh and Mictlan. As mentioned, Mictlan is a double-blessed race, with a Golden Naga with 9 Fire and 9 Water magic.

I will happily report what I learn after the information is no longer a military secret...