Re: Alexander\'s Ever-Expanding Tome of Knowledge,
 

I believe magic-duels are based on the respective power of the participants in Astral magic? If so, I should warn that I usually play Ancient Krakens with 8 levels of starting Astral, empowering other magic paths as needed. As far as I know, MR does help against Curse and Horror Mark.

Re: Alexander\'s Ever-Expanding Tome of Knowledge,
 

The spells Curse and Horror Mark don't allow for magic resistance. Horror attacks might be affected by magic resistance, and high magic resistance helps to keep you from dying if a Horror attacks.

Ancient Kraken with 8 levels of Astral is so expensive that it should be undefeatable. It isn't, but it does come pretty close.

Van rush
This strategy works with EA Helheim, MA Vanheim and LA Vanheim. It works for EA Vanheim with few changes.

This strategy is based around sacred, mounted cavalry that has glamour and insane defense. Take an imprisoned pretender with Water 9, Fire 9 (Father of Winters is fine), full Order to have enough money for the expensive Vanir, and some Sloth and Cold scales to afford anything else you might want. Dominion 5-7 works well. Build groups of half-a-dozen or so sacred cavalry and use them to conquer independents. Avoid barbarians, heavy cavalry, Dark Vines and other tough provinces until you can bring a bigger force (10 to 15 Vanir) against them. If you meet another nation early on, you can probably kill it before it can come up with a way to deal with Vanir.

Re: Alexander\'s Ever-Expanding Tome of Knowledge, pt 2
 

Bards can instill unrest as well.

Re: Alexander\'s Ever-Expanding Tome of Knowledge, pt 2
 

Mechanics-wise, Bards are spies. They aren't named as such, but this is probably just propaganda. Chelms has a stealthy spy-mage too, BTW.

Re: Alexander\'s Ever-Expanding Tome of Knowledge,
 

As do Tien Chi and Late Era Ulm and probably others.

It would be nice if both spying and assassination had icons so you could be sure who could do what, before sending them out.

Re: Alexander\'s Ever-Expanding Tome of Knowledge,
 

As per Ancient Krakens with Astral 8 being extremely expensive, they are, but they're also the ideal Pretender for R'lyeh, especially if you're going for Wish rush combined with clam-spamming. I like to build up a posse of 5 (4 wished for) empowered (4 death, 3 earth, 3 astral, 2 nature, 1 water, plus atleast 1 fire and air if you're going to give them amulets of the fish and send them onto land), gift-of-reason Ancient Krakens by mid-game, and by end-game have a Kraken-factory, producing, gift of reasoning, and empowering atleast 1 (different) Kraken per turn. Backed up by communion-slaved Aboleth Mindlords, they really are pretty much unbeatable, being able to handle swarms, SCs, and anything magic you throw at them, since with Aboleths, the one thing you can count on being bigger and better at than anyone else is research. You can use your Krakens as a single force to take out heavy provinces, or divide them up and conquer quickly. They work almost as well on land as they do in the water, and by end-game you can factory-build well-equipped gorgons and void-lords almost as easily as you can your Krakens-(infact, you can summon up any Pretender-type in the game, just summon, equip, and empower whatever SC best suits your needs. You can start laying down Fountains of Blood and moving fast and furious into blood-magic. If you like the units of another nation, make your own. Do what you feel.) You do need a TON of astral pearls though, because each Kraken represents atleast 3 wishes-one to summon and then two to get the gems to empower them to level 1 in each magical path, unless you're getting in 50+ gems of each type a round-which, with this tactic, you should be by mid-game, but each Mind-Lord, once empowered to level 1, can produce clamshells. You'll want a couple hundred of these going by midgame, so get shucking! You also need several (not just one) mages who can cast Wish by mid-game. It can be risky, and it's easy to screw up, because you're basically putting all of your Nation's eggs in one basket, but the payoff can be enormous.

Re: Alexander\'s Ever-Expanding Tome of Knowledge,
 

<b> Frogmen Eskimos have you confused? </b>

while struggling to come up with a stratagem for the odd late era Atlantis i accidentally came upon something. Nature 9 bless is REALLY effective on the national sacred. Although I am sort of lost as to why the Assarut just tore through enemies while berserk,fire bless did not produce the same results. back the sacred up with seal hunters and you have a good early to mid game force

Re: Alexander\'s Ever-Expanding Tome of Knowledge,
 

Can't explain why berserking makes them more effective, but Water9 bless also works well, coupled with Fire4 for the Attack increase. 10 Arssartuts (1 turn recruitement) can take on most indies with no or 1 loss. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Alexander\'s Ever-Expanding Tome of Knowledge,
 

Atlantians always seem to kick more explitive than any other race while berserk. I don't know why, but I've noticed this with Living Pillars too. They're well-nigh unstoppable, for no real statistical reason I can put my finger on. I've seen one Living Pillar take out around 5 sacred W9/F9 Helheim sacreds, while the rest of his army ran away. Some do die quickly while berserk, but with others-maybe 5 to 10%-it's like this switch gets turned on and they just kill and kill and kill past all reasonability or believability. It's really one of the high points of playing Atlantis when it happens.

Re: Alexander\'s Ever-Expanding Tome of Knowledge,
 

Basic question from someone new to the game: Why a Kraken and not a Wyrm? Less attacks, less hitpoints, less defense, but starts with regeneration, more protection, more attack, more strength, is poisonous and fully poison immune from the get go, is amphibious rather than aquatic (saving a misc slot if you want to go on land), has 2 helmet/2 misc rather than 3 misc, and has more leadership. You could go with Spirit Helmet/Wraith crown/Stone Bird/Pendant of Luck for a combat model, or Skullface/Starshine Skullcap/Water Bracelet/Crystal Coin if you want to gain turn and gem advantage through less empowering.

The big loss would seem to be some vulnerability to afflictions, but you could always use some of your turn advantage to create a Mother of Serpents to act as forward magical support and healing if that becomes an issue.