Acro- Golden Era
 

Since I got so much uber tips from my Ermor post. Was wondering if I could get some tips on Acro- Golden Era now.
Been using them in a Chariot heavy army with little range troops and units of Wing Riders as raiding or quick support.
Seems to work ok, losses are quite bearable although i tried a Water 9 for Bless pretender for that. Wondering if you guys have any tips for me http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Thanks in advance

Re: Acro- Golden Era
 

In the base game, GE Arco's only real strengths are it's philosophers and engineers. For troops, a slow trickle of myrmidons is usually used, if you get a second fort perhaps independent heavy infantry. The wind riders are cool, but a little to expensive to be really cost effective. One good plan is to rely on mystics etheralizing your precious few troops.

Also, if you are facing another player early, research some evocation to give your mystics a little offensive punch.

Re: Acro- Golden Era
 

or try sceptics en mass in enemys dominion

Re: Acro- Golden Era
 

Arco GE is all about the magic. Your troops are pretty bad overall so you will need to get your magic going quickly. Take a magic scale and use your awesome Philosophers to get your research rocking. Once youve got some wind under your wings you should be able to rely on your Mystics and summoned creatures to do all of your heavy-lifting in battle.

One additional note, Aku and I were discussing the strategy of using Skeptics as Dominion-killers and agreed that it had merit. As it turns out, another player actually used it on him reportedly taking provinces from dom10 to dom0 in one turn with no loses to Skeptics!! Even through heavy patrols! So apparently that tactic is viable too, tho it is not something you will want to use until later since you must sacrifice Philosopher production to make Skeptics (they are cap-only, right?)

Re: Acro- Golden Era
 

best is to give the sceptics winged shoes and fly around dominion killing http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Acro- Golden Era
 

I think one additional point that needs to be brought up is the Skeptic Prophet. This is probably your best choice for a Prophet (unless you have a high-Earth pretender and get Orokestes), and this guy is very good at destroying enemy dominion. He has the following points:

1) Inherent Dominion reduction (Skeptic effect)
2) Automatic Preaching (Prophet effect)
3) Able to Preach (Prophet makes him level-3 Holy Priest)

I'll also note that it's not hard for Golden Era Arco to make Stone Idols, which would improve this strategy even more.

Re: Acro- Golden Era
 

Are the sceptics automatic killing dominon, or do they have to stay or "preach" - never used them before ?

Re: Acro- Golden Era
 

Automatic. And they also "work" on your own dominion, so you'll propably want them to get to the enemy fast.

Re: Acro- Golden Era
 

Which IMO is the biggest problem with GE Arco on anything but smaller maps. Sceptics are capitol only, so it can take ages to get them to enemy territory - about the only feasable way to do it is to give each one a pair of flying boots, which imo is a waste of air gems. (Since each needs the flying boots, and unless you can generate scouts near the enemy to sneak in for you to transfer the boots back home, each set of boots is wasted / lost.)

In addition : the philosophers are perhaps GE Arco's other really big strength. But - also capitol only, so you have to choose between philosophers and sceptics. Worse, Icarid Champions and Wind Lords are also capitol only.

And then to make it worse, you probably want / need mystics and priestesses in fair quantities as well -- better build another fortification quick, or they're cutting into your production of the capitol only commanders as well.

Re: Acro- Golden Era
 

Yes, one of the biggest challenges of GE Arco is 'managing' the many different capital-only commanders you basically need.

Perhaps GE Arco could be given a national 'commander gate' spell? As in, one commander casts a spell, and a different commander is teleported to a target province? That would at least solve the 'time problem' with Skeptics.