impossible
 

I couldn't understand how people routinely win solo games vs impossible opponents. I've done it with Ermor, but three dozen arch bishops summoning longdead horsemen is not exactly expert tactics.

Well, after what I read here I changed my approach. My latest game is Vanheim vs 7 difficult opponents on a large map. I took Order-3, Cold-1, Misfortune-2, Watchtower, and the rest into my pretender, the Allfather. He was sickeningly effective. I researched Alteration 3, then had him cast Quickness, Body Ethereal, Mistform, then Attack Rear. I think my days of taking a Great Sage pretender are over.

Anyhoo, the game is a cakewalk. I have 3 Queens of Elemental Air, 6 Ice Devils, and 6+ Wraith Lords all running around, plus the Van. Armies of two dozen Van lead by a Vanjarl with a SoS can typically beat twice their number with zero casualties. I'm almost to Conjuration 9 so I can cast Tartarian Gate and Ghost Riders.

On to my questions: assuming everything is buildable, what should I put on my pretender to make him a late-game menace? He's been summoning Wraith Lords and building items, but I think I'd like to have him run amuck just for fun. I was thinking Blood Thorn, Charcoal Shield, Amon Hotep, Pendant of Luck, Amulet of Antimagic, and some type of armor. I'm not overly worried about horrors.

Next: any thoughts on playing Vanheim versus 7-8 impossible opponents on a large map? I was thinking Indies at 9 to slow the AI down, and avoid Ctis and Ermor because they love casting Burden of Time. I usually play with site chance set to 75, and random events on rare.


Caseus

Re: impossible
 

I am far from an expert on late game, everything is buildable, scenarios. But on the few occasions that I've made it to that point I've found the Mage Bane to be a ridiculously cool weapon. True, it won't restore your fatigue and health like the good ol' Blood Thorn. But if everything is buildable you can surely come up with some other way to reinvigorate and regenerate your SC.

Re: impossible
 

I've found that independents 9 are too much for the AI. Yes they will take them eventually but I think they end up with far less territory than a normal AI with independents 7. Few provinces makes impossible easy. Plus it seems with indy 9 you have extremes of super heavy cav Groups that are near impossible for the AI, and huge Groups of militia and archers which are a cakewalk no matter what indy level - bumping up to 9 adds a few more routers.

Re: impossible
 

I agree. IMO, for SP play, the ideal level is 7, as the AI nations can expand reasonably and yet the indies still provide a moderate challenge to the player. Strength 6 allows the AIs to expand slightly faster, but doesn't create strong enough indies to provide an acceptable level of resistance to human expansion.

Re: impossible
 

I'd suggest Inland map with 13 impossible AI (no water nations and no Ermor) with indy in 5-7 range. It usually produces good game.

Re: impossible
 

magic sites at 75 ??
humans are always able to find more magic sites then computer opponents so a lower setting would usually provide more challenge.

Re: impossible
 

Independents at 7 worked great! The AI expanded but not at a ridiculous rate. I'll crank down the site chance next game. I like to crank it up so I have lots of gems to try different strategies.


Caseus