[Boron]

Originally posted by Lach:
Most of my earlier questions turned out to be from lack of understanding game mechanics..... the problem still persists however. IF I can live long enough to get high level magic and a big gem income I can win...... or get close enough that I am satisfied.

The problem is that the computer just SWARMS over me with ENORMEOUS troops numbers.... how the hell can I counter that?

the faerun map is optimal for learning the game .
because there you have plenty of time and most likely will meet your first opponent after you already control 10-15 provinces at least .
and it is not wraparound . this makes orania a not so easy map if you play with all 17 ai opponents ihmo .
if you have luck and they fight mostly against each other for a long time it's easy to win because you will have superior summons .
but if you are already in battle with 1 ai at turn 5 and 1-2 others at turn 10 which often happens and they go with all their stuff on you it is very hard to survive .
if you play standard ulm or marignon this is not so hard to come by because your starting troops are just great but with other nations .
playing ryhleh is ihmo very optimal for beginners since your only opponent in the beginning is atlantis if you did turn them on .
so you have time and can decide against the ai when the carnage should start by deciding when you go on the continent .

finally a tip : to see if you expand "fast" enough look often at the provinces score graph .
if you are in the upper third it should be enough . depends on nations though and since you play nonstandard ermor they don't need to expand very fast in the beginning

i think the ai is not too bad because their swarming keeps you busy in early-midgame and often successfully disturbs you quite a bit .
rarely but it happens sometimes the ai does even summon magic troops like summer lions .
only thing i haven't yet seen is summoning them one of the unique summons .
general i think the ai is good enough to be a challenge in most cases if you do not play under extreme settings.
when i started playing dominions 6 weeks before i first thought exactly the same they always have more than me and the ai is very good .
you already found out yourself that at high magic levels the ai is very beatable but i really think it is good enough at impossible settings since it is a challenge even for sc pretenders with its hordes in early - midgame