Artillery Rituals
 

What spell do you guys think is the most crippling and/or deadly artillery spell?
Also what nation can cast it with most ease?

Just to kick it off, I like the sound of Beaconing.
If you can cast it you can probably cast Mother Oak too, supplying you with the needed nature gems.

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

Firestorm, obviously my beloved Abysians http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

Firestorm is a great spell for the Abysians, but its not a ritual http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

Rain of Toads by Mictlan. Why? Because blood slaves are so cheap that you can spam the hell out of it easily and early, crippling your opponent's castles while it really hurts.

Late game ghost riders is pretty devastating if you've got a good death gem income.

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

oh right... its no ritual http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif shame on me....

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

I constantly end up getting 9 of 10 provinces with below 5000 population. Think the inhabitants of my games has read you're bloodhunting guide. They shuffle around to keep below the magic number http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

I found send horror to be pretty devastating.

Jazzepi

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

Send Lesser Horror can be good to fire several at once at small military groups, and is easier to cast than Send Horror. (Mictlan Moon Priests only need one astral buff to cast it)

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

Ghost Riders, Earth Elementals, Manifestations, Murdering Winter, Flames from the Sky are kings.

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

I don't know if it qualifies as "Artillery", but I'm a fan of seeking arrow. It only damages commanders and not troops, but its a great way to try to cut an army's head off since it will always strike before an army can move.

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

Murdering Winter!

Earth Attack. (Not artillery but it works if Seeking Arrow does). On that note, Send Tupilak.

Oh, and Beckoning. Oh, whoops, that's what the OP said (For a moment I though Beaconing was a spell I'd missed, I don't know all the blood spells yet ;P )

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

I'm less of a fan of murdering winter due to the gem and research cost. On the other hand you do get it before flames from the sky and water doesn't have fantastic map spells anyway.

Earth attack fav assassin spell, just because it doesn't "couldn't find target" and attack caster.

Flames from the sky is nice, yet I always feel gyped when I cast it on a 300+ army and get 60 kills.

Mind hunt vs a non-astral nation is king http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif 2 astral, good chance of killing an enemy. Spam it on an unprotected army and stop it in its tracks. Solo SC that's dominating but has no astral? Spam Mind hunt, even high MR will fall eventually. Love it... and hate it.

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

Vengeance of the Dead is even better than Mind Hunt, isn't it? It targets the most deadly (probably most expensive) commander in the province and friendly astral mages don't interfere.

-Max

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

If you are talking about full-on army attack rituals rather than assasination rituals, I would say Murdering Winter. If you wait for the winter season and prepare the province with a Wolven Winter, the effects are truly devastating. I once killed 200/300 human-type units with it. Bear in mind that Murdering Winter/Flames from the Sky do regular damage and are thus less effective vs units with more than standard HP.

Baalz - interesting choice of rain of toads!

Re: Artillery Rituals
 

Blight isn't dramatically effective, but is a nice spell, especially if you're Agartha. It's affects aren't as critical as as many of the spells, but I (LA Atlantis) have been invading Ctis, and have a force occupying their capital. Even with my death scales, their capital has at most two thirds the population mine has. My first turn occupying that capital and unrest is at about 78. With tax at max, and monthly blights, the value is dropping.

If I keep the city, I get their gems and an unproductive province. If I lose the province, I've burning 240 gold of theirs a turn (three blighters), taking out more of their populace, limiting their supply ability (important with 400 strong armies), restricting long-term income significantly, and hampering their capital only productions.

I'll agree, there are more decisive, and probably better spells, but Blight is pretty inexpensive for non-blood, has significant long-term effect if you can keep it going, etc. etc. The former 300 gold province is now a net drain on their economy, and getting permanent penalties while I'm at it. All at alteration 4.