[Chris Byler]

Originally posted by apoger:
>So you'd just drown your enemies in fragile units that are cheap? The advantage outside of cheapness that these guys have over other C'tis units is speed, and they arn't *that* much faster. -edit--- morale is 2 higher than SG...

It's a combination of higher morale, large numbers due to low resource cost, and most of all the damage delt by two attacks. The bite attack is almost as strong as the regular C'tissian troops spear attack, plus they get a much higher damage trident attack.

True, but it has low attack and lower defense. And the higher morale is offset by their inferior defense and protection making them take more losses.

Plus, if you want two attacks, why aren't you taking falchioneers? They have two attacks (both pretty high damage) and still have reasonable protection.

I do use the LI also. I did mention them, however they take a beating from arrows, so I tend to change over to Elite Warriors. Still they are one of the few light troops worth making.

Swamp Guard don't combine well with the other troops becuase they are much slower. Plus they can only be made in small numbers and are a shard low on morale for heavy troops. I only use them if I need a large screen of troops that can absorb missile fire.

Low morale isn't as much of an issue with serpents and LK. I think they are a viable addition to a squad that you expect to be using hold and attack. Of course this depends on the availability of good missile troops, battle magic or runner flanking - otherwise you don't want to hold and attack anyway. But I think SG can be useful.

One mistake from the post that started this theme. I do use poison slingers, but only in small numbers. Their use is so specialized that I don't consider them regular troops. I make armies of undead using reanimation. I place 5 slingers behind 50 undead. This combo works very well for busting up high quality enemy armies in multiplayer. I wouldn't waste it versus the computer. The undead are immune to poison. Enemies get jammed up fighting the undead and are forced to fight in the poison clouds. Undead losses tend to be high, but the extended exposure to poison can take a tremendous number of quailty enemy troops down. Mannikins work just as well as reanimations.

Vinemen, too, unless you are Desert Tombs and don't have any nature gem income. For Miasma, vine ogres (a Sauromancer can't reach nature 3 unless he has favorable random pick and an item, but it's easier for Marshmasters).

Of course, you can have your Sauromancers cast Terror, too (or if you are DT, have unpriests instead). But the Shaman are much scarier - cast Curse. Poisoned cursed units have a 25% chance of acquiring a new affliction every round (from the poison damage, even if they don't get hit). And IIRC there is no defense against poison slings except 100% poison resistance.

Don't try to mix this with the more conventional LK/serpent/normal troops army, though. You'll banish your undead and poison your living. (The latter is less of a problem now that all C'tis troops have partial poison resistance, but it could still hurt.)

Firblog fortresses were a huge thing in Dom I, but I am finding them much more rare in Dom II. It's a shame, as they were one of the hidden benefits of earth magic.

Maybe the frequency of firbolg fortresses is terrain dependent.

Anyway, I think earth magic has enough benefits. If there is a path that needs more benefits, it is still water, IMO. Quickness doesn't help enough when you just pass out from fatigue twice as fast.