[ywl]

Originally posted by SurvivalistMerc:
I actually do get a reasonable start with Ulm. But since they are resource-dependent I like to take surrounding provinces, and that is not always easy.

I find that I need mercenaries to help me get a good start as Ulm. Because I can't (it's not possible) to buy very many troops at first until you get some more territories.

It would be great if you'd share your wisdom as to how you do it, ywl.

I imagine you are using a supercombatant pretender. I like RBs better with Ulm, but that is a matter of personal taste.

I was only teasing you - in no way, I'm belittling your skill . It's just Dominions is such a complicated game that everybody is going to miss something.

With a rainbow mage, the expansion would be slow for most nations, except for those few with cheap but powerful units, such as Man's Longbows, to a less extent, Tien Chi's archers or some javelin throwing nations (haven't tested those enough yet). I don't think I have much secret or magic there.

But if you're using the shieldless infantries with "only" 15 protection, the resource requirement (20 or 21) is not that much more than the different forms of Legionaires or the Hypaspist... And as Ulm, your units are so cheap that you always have more golds you can use in the first few turns. Outbidding the others on the mercenaries is easy. So, the expansion should not be too bad.

My trick is more to use the powerful low level earth items. With Construction 2, with the large number of earth gem income, you could easily put a "Boot of the Behemoth", "Black Steel Full Plate", "Lead Shield" and "Black Steel Helmet" on your pretender. You would have a trampler of 30+ protection! The only weakness would be a very high
encumbance.

But. If you're using a Prince of Death, it wouldn't matters - he does not suffer from any melee fatique. Your PoD would also have at least Death level 5. So, you'll have a flying trampler with fear +15 aura (and 30+ protection). What indies can stand in his way?

Moreover, with the points from drain, you can easily have one more path at level 4. If you use the order/misfortune combo, you could have another. For example, if you go for Nature and Water, he would have Regeneration (Enchan 2), Cold Aura (Enchan 1), Quickness (Alter 2). If you go for Nature and Fire, he would have Regeneration and Fire Shield. And or Astral?

Both Death and Nature can give you *very* good summoned mages once you've got to Conjuration 6. If you're lucky, Nature can also give you some very good sites that have versatile mages... So, you don't really need a killer, rainbow mage to diversify your Ulm setting. If you go for order/misfortune, a PoD could give your nations access to at least four paths. How many more can you ask for?

Actually, the optimization of a PoD with Ulm is so cheap and efficient - powerful combatant for early game and late confrontation, multiple magic paths, late game magic diversification - that I almost want to call it imbalance. But judging from the depth of the game, I guess I'd be proven wrong very soon in any MP game .