Re: Good Troop Summons
 

how to summon cheap and massive troops without using any gems?

Re: Good Troop Summons
 

Play a mod in the 'balancing phase' ;]

KO: Yay! -does the bog beast dance- Any chance of a bog beast migration random event?

Re: Good Troop Summons
 

Summer Lions are rather expensive at six gems apiece, compared to Winter Wolves at 2 apiece. And I haven't played a nation favored with fire magic of any worthwhile amount, yet. So I can't say they are any good, but can throw out some ideas. I'm not a fan of the cost, though.

While not exactly correct, you can consider them the heavy cavalry of summons (though not the elites). They do have low length weapons (bite, claw), but they do have two attacks where Winter Wolves have only the one. The combination of 44 hitpoints and ethereal means that they could, in theory, intercept knights without immediately folding. They lack the power to penetrate heavy armor, though if they can survive a few turns, they'll get the chance to penetrate thanks to fatigue - while they have 0 encumberance, Knights have quite a bit more. Though, a 19 and 17 damage attack are by no means bad if they find a target soft enough.

They've got a size 4, which is a bit of trouble, though mitigated by their ethereal nature, but does allow them to intercept larger forces than size 3 units.

Its worth giving them a try, but it would be an expensive waste to relegate them to cleanup duty. You'd almost certainly want to buff them, as well, though size four makes them a bit difficult to buff with area one spells. Or combo them with spells that are less likely to affect ethereal units.

I'll have to look into what nations do reliably get these, but probably wont, since I'm not a fan of nations with a drop of blood magic.

Re: Good Troop Summons
 

> Any chance of a bog beast migration random event?

I think I can imagine that one http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Good Troop Summons
 

Any of the summons that ramp up the higher level you go are easy to mass. Ghosts, statues, undead horse.

I agree with the statement that it depends on the nation. It also depends on who you are fighting.

A few wights interspersed with some LA Atlantis troops can really give them some kick.

Summer lions or Winter wolves behind your Abyssian or LA Atlantis heavy infantry set to hold and attack can chase down runners that the normal heavy infantry would let get away. The auras they provide can turn a close fight as well.

Against certain enemies, summons you wouldnt normally consider become an option. As mentioned, claymen vs R'leh.
How about a horde of dispossesed to hold up a line of Giants while your mages pound them. Mechanical men become an option if you are facing an enemy using Elemental magic. And Spring Hawks are damn expensive to mass, but if you are fighting someone using alot of lighting, it may be an option.

The best bang for the buck in the late game is whatever your enemy is vulnerable to.

Re: Good Troop Summons
 

I have found spring hawks to be excellent against Helheim. The armour negating lightning swarm attack cuts through glamoured troops like a knife through butter.

Due to the expensive nature of glamoured troops generally, probably worth the gem cost.

Corpse Man Construction is good, with lightning rod 5E gems you get 4 for 1A gem, staff of storms 6/1A gem and Igor Knohelms Tome + staff of storms 16/1A.

The really great thing about corpse men is the 100% SR (little frankinsteins), so they can survive on a battlefield with wrathful skies for example. The mindless, 100% CR, 100% PR also create other interesting possibilities. The high hps 20 and poor amphibian are a great bonus too. Cheap and nasty. Useful the entire game.

Remember the Vine Ogre spell cast by Ivy King, equipped with treelords staff+Ivy Crown/Crown of the Ivy King becomes a fantastic conjuration for 2N gems. Take advantage of there mindless and 100%PR to turn them into a more destructive army than just meatshields.

Re: Good Troop Summons
 

I personally find it a bit irritating that there are some spells which are total dross unless you are using a specific item with them, such as vine men/ogre, corpse men etc. Same with dragon master and drakes - you can't make the base spell more useful because then it's too abusable with the items, which means you have more 'pitfall' summons that new players will go for and essentially waste their gems.

I'd prefer it if having the item just allowed you access to another version of the spell which was more efficient (though not 4 or 8 or 16 times as efficient) and that way the original spell could be balanced to see a bit more use.

Re: Good Troop Summons
 

That is also part of the charm of this game. Yes, you have a spell that is absolute crap, but if you want, you can expend the resources to make that a killer spell later. I've never cast corpse men without at least a lightning rod. Its complete crap, nevermind the waste of an action for only one unit, but combined with other boosters, it is a great spell.

Re: Good Troop Summons
 

I like it as it is now.

It encourages creative, strategic/tactical thinking and I like spells which scale upward throughout the game, so are always useful. Rather than a spell which becomes utterly useless by turn 10 for example.

Re: Good Troop Summons
 

How is corpse man or summon drakes always useful? They're useless unless you have the item. Their transition from utterly useless to useful based entirely on the item/spell required isn't 'scaling' at all.