[Keir Maxwell]

Here is where I'm at with the design:

Mother of Lions, nature3, dom5
order3, prod1, growth3, misfortune3, magic3
Wizards Tower

Could be a good race for players new to dom as its got narrow magic (earth, nature) a useful starting spell (Panic) that can be easily cast in the first battles (pretender) and boosted (Eagle Eyes). Add in powerful, fast, stealthy troops in the Centaur Warriors with good leaders in your Dryads, Centaur Heirophants, and a Pan per major army after the first - commanded by your pretender.

I stay away from all the strat move 1 units. For resource heavy troops the Centaur Cataphracts have strat move 2 and do a good job in the center. Early on the only unit I build is Centaur Warriors. Stick the free Satyrs on hold and attack in the middle and set the Centaurs loose on indies - there is lots of different tactics to try with the Centaurs and surrounding and destroying ai armies is a breeze. I really like the speed, both tactical and strategic, of this race.

The Mother of Lions is cheap, decent precision (13), can cast Panic, gets free lions every battle and has a decent base dominion - 3. You could go for a more costly pretender and reduce the extravegent scales but seeing as the Mother works really well why bother?

Magic3 makes Dryads good researchers curing one of Pangaea's major weaknesses and the lure of Mass Protection is overwhelming. Centaur Warriors will be ~17 prot with Mass Protection and the Cataphracts will be up around ~22. Must get time for a play tonight so I can get far enough to try it out.

I patrol on the first turn setting taxes to 150% (I'm cautious) and do a bit of other patrolling for extra gold when there is troops who don't need to move off that turn.

I find this race a pleasure to play. Frustration value is very low (as long as you check to see if you are moving or sneaking everytime!) and if you set your Centaur Heirophants on stay behind troops you don't have an archery phase speeding up the battle replays - which are pretty fast anyway what with the Centaur Warriors.

Merry Xmas

Keir

[ December 25, 2003, 07:17: Message edited by: Keir Maxwell ]