[Norfleet]

Originally posted by CUnknown:
1) Are games often won without the use of SC's?

Yes, they can be, in very small games where you often rush your opponents before the game reaches that phase of development. SCs are, however, an inherent core aspect of the game, as evidenced by the fact that many pretender choices are geared towards having a big, mean, asswhailer at your disposal from turn 1.

This question can be like asking, "Can wars be won without tanks?", though. Yes, they can be, but the alternatives tend to be bloody, gruelling, and tedious.

2) Are games often won without the use of lifedrain in any form?

Once again, in very small games where people rush each other from the beginning, before SCs and item forging enters the picture, lifedrain does not necessarily manifest itself. Given that an overdependence on lifedrain can be countered by the use of lifeless units, many of which can be had very cheaply, and will eventually exhaust anything that isn't 0-encumberance if it depends entirely on lifedrain for fatigue control, it is also not as if Dom2 leaves you without a solution to an army of lifedraining attackers.