Re: MA Marignon
 

The seraph seems to be entangled or under darkness or something. His att and def are quite subpar http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: MA Marignon
 

With marignon, as with many human nations, it is good to plan a path to anti-aging objects. I usually add B4 to my pretender, so that he can start a blood economy as soon as he awakes/break free.

Marignon, with it's mages dabling in fire magic, especially needs those objects. Without, your senior mages (capitol only) won't last more than two or three years (for the lucky ones). It allows you to empower them, so as to diversify into W/N/D/E.

I think the knights of the chalice allow for a rush early on, but if you go this way you'll need prod 2/3, which will be almost useless in late game.(I do recommend F/S bless too)

Re: MA Marignon
 

Prod 3 is nice for this nation´s early game.
They have ok troops
Youll have enough resources to make crossbows + infantry every turn.

The Inquisitors of holy 3 are awesome at smiting those blessable tough guys that could cream your troops. But your bes commander by far is the spy that brings quick grief to your agressors creating unrest in their capitol.

I find the knights to be a luxury of later on. Unless you go with F9S9 and flagellants where perhaps you wont be using so many crossbows.

probably would go conj up to phoenix power and evoc up to holy pyre. If facing hordes a little more on evoc to falling fires.

Re: MA Marignon
 

I have found taking a growth 3 scale to significantly reduce aging mortalities in Marignon mages.

I fully agree about prod scale (not needed). Xbows are relatively low on resources and the infantries are only required to hold the enemy long enough for mages and Xbows to finish him so you don't need much of those. I'd recommend putting the scales in Order/Growth/Magic.

Re: MA Marignon
 

utterdark

Re: MA Marignon
 

Very interesting reading this. It seems there are so many strategies possible with Marignon.

Re: MA Marignon
 

Hi all,

Thx for the interesting posts.

I am struggling with Marignon myself. Other than the flagellants, the upkeep and resource costs seem very high. The other problem is my old mages keep dying constantly.

What do Marignon players think of using the Phoenix as a Marignon Pretender?

---Ray

Re: MA Marignon
 

The phoenix has a great potential with margnon. The fire bless will be great for flagellants, and while giving it enough air magic to mostly make boosters, you are giving your flagellants a much needed air bless at the same time.

Marginon is a good nation because it has a lot of diversity, to help it deal with almost any situation. It has xbows, knights, soldiers with sheilds, soldiers with big weapons, and sacreds to give an extra impact. And Late game they have the very usefull angels.

Re: MA Marignon
 

A growth scale should help with your mages, but just don't make too many Grand Masters. You could try a communion of Witch Hunters, with one cast of Phoenix power and Power of the Spheres by communion masters, to get F4 on all your slaves. That's plenty for some nasty falling fires.

Maybe script something like this:

Slave, Fire Darts, Falling Fires x 3, spells
Slave, Fire Darts, Falling Fires x 3, spells
Slave, Fire Darts, Falling Fires x 3, spells
Slave, Fire Darts, Falling Fires x 3, spells
...
Slave, Fire Darts, Falling Fires x 3, spells
Master, Power of the Spheres, Body Ethereal, ...
Master, Phoenix Power, Personal Luck, ...

Re: MA Marignon
 

The problem I have seen with Marignon in MP is their vulnerability to an early rush (I have been on both ends of this stick).

Many good long-term Marignon strategies call for rainbow pretenders and/or good scales. Their sacreds are not that strong as to make them a real bless / rush nation. Taking a strong bless may get them to survive the early game, but then takes its toll later on since you didn't spend points on scales and magic diversity. So then you're stuck in mid-game with (at best) average scales / magic diversity, old mages, and blessed but still average sacreds.

Their problems are magnified in hard research games as some of their more obvious strenghts lie in the higher evocation/conjuration paths.

I have given up on finding a coherent optimal strategy that helps them through all stages of the game - it's impossible. The best thing seems to be taking a gamble for the early game and bet on a lucky starting position with no rush-neighbours, allowing you to research your way safely into midgame. Once you get there with your good scales/magic, things change and you could quickly become very strong indeed, but its a gamble as you can easily be killed in the early phase.

Taking an awake SC pretender or a strong bless for your sacreds may or may not save you against an aggresive early rush. But then you will most likely die in midgame because of the lack of magic/scales.

Thougher choices then faced by many other nations. Have made me turn away from Marignon for a while now.