Re: MA Agartha and MA Ulm
 

Instead of argueing what-ifs, simply try out my slightly improved Ulm :

[Dom3 MOD : MA Ulm] Black Steel of Ulm

Re: MA Agartha and MA Ulm
 

I'd say MA T'ien Ch'i isn't worse either. They're not exactly a powerhouse, but they've got enough magical and troop diversity to keep the enemy on their toes.

Re: MA Agartha and MA Ulm
 

The only problem with this, is in MP haven't ALL the players got to download the mod to play the game? Which further complicates setting up MP games.

However good mod Arralen. Lets hope Illwinter get the, 'hint' with MA Ulm and spice it up a bit in vanilla sometime soon.

Need to get Kristoffer or Johan to play MA Ulm in a MP game. It will then get loads of patch goodness, just like MA Mictlan + others will get in this next patch.

Its a fun way to get the devs to 'upgrade' a nation.

Re: MA Agartha and MA Ulm
 

Well we are talking about MA Ulm, if MA Ulm is lucky enough to make it into the mid game, would Riches From Beneath help Ulm alot?

I have never cast Riches From Beneath but I always thought it may help Ulm considerably.

Re: MA Agartha and MA Ulm
 

I'm not very experienced, but in my opinion all those could be done:
-Lower all armour's encumberance. Justify it with Ulmish armour being of higher technology than others.
-Give them some affordable bowman unit. If they're a nation of humans, why would they ignore the obvious advantage of having bowmen support the arbalets? Maybe something similar to LA Ulm's villain?
-Give them a good standart bearer. It will boost morale and be thematic.
-Give their priests a national anti-magic spell that would stack with 'tempering the will'.
-Increase the resource bonus in castles
-National Construction summon - steam golem.

edit: And how about a non-magical commander that can heal troops? A field surgeon perhaps. The same guy could also provide a supply bonus.

Re: MA Agartha and MA Ulm
 

I think Ulm might benifit from this more than many other nations... however...

In the mid game I'm trying to set myself up for the late game - where my infantry really won't be used much at all. I'm not sure I could ever justify casting this spell in that case when there are so many other better globals for entering the late game. Maybe if there were lots of global slots open and I could cast it for the base cost I'd consider it... but I wouldn't spend much more than than the base cost.

Now if I could somehow cast this in the early game I think it would be a very good deal for Ulm. IMHO RFB should probably be easier to cast anyway since it is barely ever used.

Re: MA Agartha and MA Ulm
 

Some nations peak (or don't) at very differnt times IMHO...

MA Ulm:
Average/Poor Early game
Average Mid game
Poor Late game

MA Agartha:
Poor Early Game
Average Mid Game
Good/Excellent Late Game

Re: MA Agartha and MA Ulm
 

Sombre said:

The resource issue is a different one, there you are debating whether or not you want to pay for plate mail on your archers. However, the fact that arbelests are the best missile weapon in the game is not debatable, unless you are trying to argue that shooting protection 5 guys is way more important than shooting protection 12+ guys.

Arbelests simply do the most damage per combat round, as I have shown, so it's not up for debate.

Re: MA Agartha and MA Ulm
 

I don't believe that you factored prescision differences in, but I think you are somwhat right regardless. Massed crossbowmen are highly overrated. Sure, C'tis might want them, but marignon is not better than Ulm because it has crossbows and not arbalests. Besides, the arbalest is the only nom-poison, non-magic ranged weapon that is halfway teolerable vs. thugs/SCs.

Re: MA Agartha and MA Ulm
 

When you initially expand as MA Ulm, you are best off using pure 17 prot inf. Those slice through indies with ease. Ignore arblests and crossbows as they only kill your own army.

Around 30-40 infantry can easily take a indie. So you can get 2-4 armies going in the 1st year to grab alot of indies. When you meet other players then recruit arbalests/crossbows in droves. Put your inf on guard commander in front of your massed arbalests/crossbows and make the enemy come to you.

It may get you through to turn 30 or so if you are lucky.