This is my Last post on the VQ thread, I am simply too frustrated with it.
No one has responded to my Posts in other threads, I though the objections to the SC VQ were well documented by now... if I missed the rebuttal, please direct me to it.
As I have said in other Posts, naked immortal SC's that can destroy entire armies (particularly before turn 30 or 20 or 10!!!)are obviously broken.
The castling/temple-ing strat just makes it a more efficient munchkinism, the fundamental problem is that getting a new flying army every turn for free, with no risk of losing it, in whole or in part (the latter being the fate of most normal armies...) while getting it's full tactical benefit.
The resources which must be devoted to stopping an immortal SC far outweigh the costs on a per use basis for producing one, (especially for ermor, whose recruitment does not suffer from scale poverty)... and are highly fraught with the risk of failure, attrition, and are much less flexible weapons than the flying immortal SC.
If there is a counter for it, other than attacking with overwhelming superiority in three places at once, and losing two of those *nonimmortal* armies while taking down one of the castles... you see my point.
The strat is so effective under the current rule set, it is broken.
Your saying someone, an expert, "almost" beat it, having encountered it several times before, isn't much of a defense.
If I know what my opponent is going to do and I *still* can't stop it in a cost effective way, knowing it's coming ... it is BROKEN.
This is a strategy game, ...optimization is supposed to be difficult and non commutative.
In this case it is neither.
Rabe the Retiring
references for those wanting more detail...
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...583;p=2#000036
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...583;p=1#000050