MA Man

[Jazzepi]

Does anyone have any advice on how to play MA Man? With such low magic diversity it definitely feels like they need a rainbow pretender. Especially one that can forge air helms.

I was curious on other people's thoughts on scales, and unit use. I have a lot of trouble expanding consistently in the early game with them.

Jazzepi

[Meglobob]

Yes, make sure you have A4, don't rely on MA Caelum to trade you one, especially when I have played MA Man twice and been caught out with that one myself.

As a alternative you can put at least S4 on your pretender then you can forge starhine skullcap--->ring of sorcery--->ring of wizardry. This is more versatile, as it will boost other magic paths as well. You could even turn it into a bless with S9. The twist of fate + MR bonus is a good bless. Also S9 opens up spells like arcane nexus etc...

S9 with a fountain if available to Man, is very cheap in design points.

[Jazzepi]

I was thinking of making a great sage with these scales. Tell me what you think.

Dom 4 or 5 (I can't remember)
F3
A4
W3
E3
S4
D3
N3

Order 3
Prod 3
Cold 1
Death 2
Misfortune 3
Magic 1

[Jazzepi]

Meglobob said:
Yes, make sure you have A4, don't rely on MA Caelum to trade you one, especially when I have played MA Man twice and been caught out with that one myself.

As a alternative you can put at least S4 on your pretender then you can forge starhine skullcap--->ring of sorcery--->ring of wizardry. This is more versatile, as it will boost other magic paths as well. You could even turn it into a bless with S9. The twist of fate + MR bonus is a good bless. Also S9 opens up spells like arcane nexus etc...

S9 with a fountain if available to Man, is very cheap in design points.

Oh man, you definitely wooped me in that game. I'm pretty sure you're going to win it. My noobness showed through. I did have wind guide and arrow fend ready. I thought we were going to have an archer war, but, uh, no not really. I went all scales in that game. Honestly, now that I've learned more, I've started to realize how conventional troops are just a means to an end. More than anything you *must* have a good magic late game if you want to stay in the game, having the best scales and the worst magic is an awful idea.

Jazzepi

[Nikolai]

Bards. Do not forget bards. Very hard to catch, and shut down capital and income lands in one-two turns.

And "Never play without Air magic level four" is words to live by.

[Jazzepi]

>And "Never play without Air magic level four" is words to >live by.

ARE words to live by

Jazzepi

[Meglobob]

Jazzepi said:I'm pretty sure you're going to win it.

Nah...Ma Ctis Amhazair will win it. He is in a different (superior) league to me. Shame he does not share his ideas more on the forum. But then many of the best players keep there thoughts to themselves.

Use a pretender design thats good for you, which you will enjoy playing. Like I said I played MA Man twice and well I had good games both times, ultimately I lost with one and the other resulted in a draw.

Your pretender is excellent for site searching and the mid to late game.

I personally hate taking death scale, I only take death scale on the Ashen Empire or suchlike.

[Jazzepi]

Actually, I forgot about the crone's old age problem. Do you recruit a lot of them? They seem like good combat mages, if they weren't so... fragile, and extremely expensive.

I could do...

Order 3
Prod 2
Cold 2
Death 0
Misfortune 3
Magic 1

Jazzepi

[Jazzepi]

The main thing I was looking for is a good analysis of the units. I can't really figure out which ones I should be building to expand with early. The knights are very nice, but too expensive to build early, and a lot of the meele feel underwhelming for their expense. I was messing around with the spearmen who are furtherest to the left in the production que.

Jazzepi