Re: Monkeys cry for changes?
 

Ich, I think you could win a game with nothing but hoburgs. Take this guy on in multiplayer at your own risk.

Re: Monkeys cry for changes?
 

Bandar Log as several good points going for it :
-recruitable everywhere sacreds : with enougth indep priests, you can attack with lots of them on turn one, or use less priests, decoys and hold & attack
-Their low level conjuration summons (low cost too) makes this nation a hich astral, earth, water and nature nation ; for a game wich is all about magic it should help a bit.
The only point on which I agree with Ano is the pitifull siege capacity. And the OH MY GOD THIS PD IS RUBISH !!!!

Re: Monkeys cry for changes?
 

I think Machaka needs help more than the monkey nations that have had plenty of attention. Machaka is looking seriously old and outdated, its a very unpopular nation in MP. In fact I think its largely forgot about.

Hopefully, Machaka will get its much overdue overall and we will get the EA Machaka nations and a LA nation? Plus plenty of new national spells please, just like the monkey nations who have tons.

Re: Monkeys cry for changes?
 

I fully agree Machaka is less powerfull than Bandar (never played Patala) : no specific spells, worse PD ( we should organize a PD deathmatch to know for sure), meh sacreds (capitol only "en plus"),and a far worse magic diversity.

OH !! I forgot your best mages die like flies from old age.(but you cab burn 120 points to "solve" the problem)

Ah, they've got spiders. Original and sometimes usefull (versus small elite groups)

Re: Monkeys cry for changes?
 

I like Machaka and think they are quite good. Their regular spiders combined with hoplites do wonders. They can start mass producing fetishes early (you may freely equip them on black sorcerers who don't die from them) for 3N3F with hammer. They are cheap and in the late game fire gems have a lot of uses.
And who said that they lack magic diversity? They have 4 open schools of magic which are all quite good.
They fear neither sacreds nor early sc's because spiders kill both so they can choose a good sleeping pretender.
One of the main problems of Machaka is upkeep. It is a big problem and should be thought about if you plan to play them.

Re: Monkeys cry for changes?
 

Sacreds of Bandar cost nothing upkeep wise, you can have lots of them and still recruit tons of mages.

And if all gems are good, astral ones have more uses, for items (luck and anti magic ones for the most commonly forged) and battle field enchantment (which will do wonder on your horde of sacreds)

Re: Monkeys cry for changes?
 

Bandar log are pathetic. At least Patala has useful combat mages; this is not true for the MA Bandar.
Their starting army is UTTER CRAP. And yes, its a seriuos handicap. I dont think you'll find a worse starting army in Dominions 3.
Their mages are sssssssssssssssssssssssslowwwwww.
Their PD sucks.
Their troops suck. They are either useless or cost too much for their prowess, and all of them are completely decimated by archers and bladewind because their best shield is (tadaaam!) buckler.
Their sacreds are very, very frail. Even with a strong bless they will still die en masse when exposed to arrows or combat spells.
Etc, etc. Of all nations, I'd rate the Bandar Log as the most pathetic - worse than even Machaka (which is mainly handicapped by the lack of access to astral - I think they need some national summon with astral magic).

Re: Monkeys cry for changes?
 

There are many many mages that are ssssssssslowwww. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
Their PD doesn't suck harder (at least not sensibly much) than machaka's one.
In fact their sacreds are almost the only troops I do recruit, with some decoys and archers, they have the upkeep of a chaff unit.(dom 6+)
You don't seem to consider the 3E and 3W mages you can easily enroll(and they often have 4), with great moral and I think 2 strategic movement. I wonder if you use the golem summons with MA Agartha.
Their starting army is utter crap ? Okay, use it to patrol on turn one, recruit sacreds, mix, attack : you'll beat anything not being heavy cavalry.
I find spiders as being costly to enroll, costly to maintain, and not effective enougth in effectively killing something. With bandar you can have many more effective combat groups, raiding behind ennemy lines.
I think a water 9 bless, plus whatever you like or can afford greatly reduces the archer vulnerability, and can easily be achieved with neutral or better scales (I'm at work, so I can't check). You don't need a combat pretender with your sacreds, so why not an dormant/imprisoned one ?
But I agree with you : Machaka truly needs some love, be it summons or whatever pleases KO.

Re: Monkeys cry for changes?
 

>> There are many many mages that are ssssssssslowwww.
Yea, but many small weaknesses combined make a big weakness.
>> Their PD doesn't suck harder (at least not sensibly much) than machaka's one.
Ohkay, maybe. Still it sucks unbelievably hard.
>> You don't seem to consider the 3E and 3W mages you can easily enroll(and they often have 4), with great moral and I think 2 strategic movement.
For a price of 25 nature, its not so easy. Still its great to have them, of course.
>> I find spiders as being costly to enroll, costly to maintain, and not effective enougth in effectively killing something. With bandar you can have many more effective combat groups, raiding behind ennemy lines.
You will be the one who's raided most of the time. And spiders are quite good actually, I've used them. As machaka, I held my ground against Ermor and Pangaea, attacking me from opposite sides, machaka is quite solid.
>> I think a water 9 bless, plus whatever you like or can afford greatly reduces the archer vulnerability
You're losing credibility here. How does defense help against missile fire?

Re: Monkeys cry for changes?
 

Machaka has very powerful battle magic and fetish factory. I don`t think they so weak.