[Ming]

K,

Thank you for your invitation of considering Bogarus’ smiters. It is something that is easy to overlook.

However, I did consider the possibility of using eparch for Bogarus extensively. After all, I advocated the use of bishop fish’s smiting ability in the early game for MA Oceania. So using smiters is something that I would definitely take into account. There are two major differences between the two cases:

First, everybody is map move one underwater, so bishop fish’s map move of one is not a handicap. Eparch’s map move of one is.

Second (and more important), battlemagic is much less important underwater (i.e. for MA Oceania) while one of Bogarus’ biggest advantage over other nations is its fast research and therefore earlier access to battlemagic. Without its speed, its research is only average – bear in mind starets are not particularly cost effective since it is old and not sacred. Using eparch would be giving up on Bogarus’ one major advantage over others. That is not to say that eparchs shouldn’t be used in an emergency - just that it should be avoided if possible.

The fact that eparch cost 175 gold while bishop fish cost only 120 also matters on the margin.

IMHO, an awake pretender pays for itself by enabling Bogarus to expand much faster, the additional combat value in defense of a rush is just icing on the cake. An awake pretender solves Bogarus' problem of weak starting troops, and poor national troops in general, in one stroke. Please bear in mind that part of the cost of an effective awake pretender is high dominion – something that Bogarus need anyway to take advantage of its cold scale and cold resistant troops. Also bear in mind that for Bogarus the pretender will get some equipment by turn 6 or 7 by researching construction 2 first – unlike the use of eparch, researching construction 2 first provides air quills, and so does not slow research in the long run.

Finally, against invaders an awake pretender would be scripting air shield, hold, hold, (hold) attack rear instead of fighting in the front on turn one.

Let me know if you still disagree.