Re: Request for assistance
 

Usually my armies can squash the AI without too much trouble, but the AI fields too many armies to squish them all. They get behind my front lines, and once that happens, I can't stop them.

Information thus far has definitely been helpful. If there's any other pearls of advice to offer, please feel free! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Request for assistance
 

Ulm has terrific provincial defense. Those Arbalests shine especially against smaller armies with heavy troops, and aren't that effective against big armies of light units without indep support. Marignon's Crossbowmen and Jotunheim's Jotun Militia work better.

You might also want to try a map with more chokepoints (mountain gaps, seas, rivers that limit movement etc). The maps might be too open for your playstyle.

Re: Request for assistance
 

I know what you mean about handling a zillion armies. I have some techniques but they fall under the category of "stupid AI tricks". First is that the AI always like to attack the currently weakest adjacent province. So 1 army bouncing back and forth can hold 2 provinces indefinitely and wipe a lot of AI armies in the process. Second is that the AI almost never abandons a siege, so if you have abundant fortresses in your territory that will make them stop so you can clean them up. Often my armies are "too good" and could be split up but I know that's hard and the smaller armies do get smacked from time to time.

Re: Request for assistance
 

Ahhhh the AI is good with sending suicide armies to slice into the heart of an empire and eventually causing fatal wounds. Here's what I suggest:
To stop the AI from breaking deep into your heart look for bottleneck points on the map and hold them. Try to expand while remaining in contact with as few AIs as possible. If 10 AI opponents are able to attack and they are around the same strength as you then things could get scary fast.
If playing ULM summon the Enliven Statues and Mechanical Men!(Earth Construction spells) These fellas are very impressive in battle. Once you try them you'll recognize they are worth the gem cost. If playing MAN summon the Vine Ogres a special forged hat will bring in one extra Vine Ogre as well. Find the good summoning spells such as the ones I mentioned because this will make winning more of a reality. Some summoning spells are a waste of gems.(fire_drake anyone? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/Sick.gif)
If you find a library summon the sages for increased research and have the blood sages hunt for blood slaves. The long term benefit will allow you to develop some powerful armies for middle/late game.
Don't play games against ERMOR until you feel confident, he is probably the toughest computer opponent.
I wouldn't advise casting Acashic record unless the province is mountain/forest or some other good combination.


Another spell you could cast to help stop AI opponents from drilling thru the heart of your empire are global spells like Haunted Forest or Mechanical Milita... these become available at the higher levels.

Re: Request for assistance
 

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Well, at least I've been doing something right! I always use sages to do my research; they're quite cheap and have a fair number of research points to use.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif This I have learned the hard way! After playing them once before and being annihilated by absolutely massive armies that I had no chance of stopping, I stopped playing against them http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Request for assistance
 

As you can see, there are as many ways to play this game as there are people. No one mentioned the Super Combatant (SC), but it is something you might want to experiment with. It does not come naturally to those of us who’s first impulse is to buy lots of heavy infantry, but that is one of the fun parts of the game.

In essence, you equip and power up one magical unit so far that it trashes armies all by itself. Many of the high level summons can be used and many people design their god to do this. They use things like life drain and regenerate to ensure they can not be killed and then give then some nasty weapons. Take it to the extreme and you get amazing results. Really, one unit that kills an entire enemy army of 100 or more. If you can get that tactic down, you will find things easier.

Sure, you can beat the AI with only normal troops, but why play Dom if you want a historical battle. Total War covers that rather well. This is a fantasy game, so play with the magic, make it the heart of your army.

Re: Request for assistance
 

I can tell you my first tactics. I believe combat is rather standard.

TACTICS

Front: Heavy infantry(any cheap armored infantry) at hold & closest. If you make two groups of them few enemies will come trough since enemies are lured to engage hand to hand if they are fairly close.
Don't use light armored troops if you can afford heavy as they cost the same gold.
mages that buff your troops are welcome here.

Immediatly behind: Missile troops (maybe indy crossbowmen if you don't get longbowmen), javelineers can fit here too and then get archers a little behind.
They will soften the enemy and if they are close will hit more often.

Cavalry: If you fit cavalry or anything faster than your heavy troops (light infantry or militia or flagelants) put them on the flanks to hold and attack rear (or archers) if you are lucky they will pass the main army and hit archers but if it's a luxury type like knights put them on flank and very rear so they meet battle only to chase units that rout so few of them escape.
Example: if you get light units of an event treat them as your first flankers to aid your heavy centre and your cavalry (use heavy and never light cavalry) just to chase.

You can make this armies fairly good if you build castles on good resource provinces like mountains so most of your force is cheap armored soldiers.

using magic is a little trickier but as you conquer you can divert some gold to do it.

Oh, there's another dirty trick. Put a very armored slow troop with feew units at hold and attack rear placed on flank and very foward. They will atract missile fire and survive (with shields of course) if they are wounded better, some wounds slow them down (crippled for example) and they will never see hand to hand because your faster troops cover by the time enemy gets there. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Request for assistance
 

SRATEGIES

Don't start a war.
Let them do it for you. If you are in peace you can prosper and let them fight each other.

If you have 2 enemies that are next to each other let one of them conquer that region alltogether so the other will have no road into your country unless he attacks the new owner (this will eliminate one enemy without even a fight)

Every one know the cheap tactic of leaving a province without defence so you know enemy will attack that one.
Just move a good army there and kill them all.

As you play games you can foretell what the game will be so you will design your pretender better.

If you dislike magic play Pangaea with oracle (zero cost and dominion 4) and rest of your points on a cool castle (wizard tower for example) and good scales. With enough gold you can make centaurs or armored minotaurs en masse. and if you want more gold set taxes in a populated province to 200% and patrol with harpies.

Re: Request for assistance
 

I was wondering how possible it is to use the "flight" spell to affect the troops you want it to be cast on. If I placed a mage and a group of cavalry way off in the rear, away from my other troops, do you think I could get away with setting the mage to cast flight on the cavalry and then telling them to "attack rear" with the intention of killing the mages/archers? It's hard to do specific tactics like this bcause the AI is in control.

=$=

Re: Request for assistance
 

you would want to script it as hols and attack rear, which gives your mage three rounds to get the flight spell right.