First impossible game... too easy?

[Cheezeninja]

Ok, im running my first game set at impossible with independants set at 9. Its the aran map with 8 players (including me). For some reason it just seems too easy, and i blame this on the cheesy setup i have going.

I'm playing ermor with the ashen empire special dominion with a ghost king, i maxed out cold (because undead dont care), sloth (because i dont use resources), and Death (surprise!), i also maxed out order, fortune, and magic, and have dominion 10. I have 4 death, 3 astral, and 2 water, and the 20 point castle. Net result 0 points left over.

It just seems ridiculously easy, i run over the independants and most enemy armies like its cool. I've lost a couple armies in enemy provinces that had high dominion, but once my dominion reaches them i crush them. All i spend money on is temples, and i get it by launching taxes up to 200% when i conquer a province and then down to 0% when there arent enough people left to make any money. The only thing thats actually hard to do is storm castles (so far i've done 1 and im besieging 2). My research sucks, but im gaining and expect to gain more when i break down those castles and get their gems. I'm astronomically higher in provinces, dominion, and army size. I usually get 1-3 free commanders with 50 undead for them to command each turn and i only have about 15 provinces, plus i have my arch-bishops on constant reanimate. I kill population like a lawn mower over a rabbit hole, but so what, as long as i keep expanding i keep getting more money and thats the only thing i need them for.

I dont think im all that good at this game, i just won my first game on normal a few days ago (and posted jubilantly about it). i think setting your empire up like that is just unbalanced....

it is fun though
and thats the point.

[ March 25, 2004, 18:58: Message edited by: Cheezeninja ]

[PvK]

It's probably mainly that the AI doesn't know how to deal with Ashen Ermor very effectively. Ashen Ermor has a big advantage against the AI.

PvK

[Tuna-Fish]

Oh by the way, undead dont really need the order, and by ditching it and getting turmoil 3 you gain 240 points, to be used for neat magic skill. Also, when pop goes low, leave taxes on 200, it does no harm and if there is a gold-creating site (like a gold mine) you get double income. Also, if you have turmoil 3 you cannot get as much income from those provinces by just taxing, but you can easily get it by pillaging. ~100 undead pillaging a province empty it very fast, giving you a nice amount of gold and also ensuring that the province is lost to all AI's forever.

[Cheezeninja]

this just keeps getting better...
I dont think i'll ever play any of the 'nice' races, why be a man when you can be the sinister and uncaring force that scours all life and hope from the planet?

I really want to figure out a winning strategy for the illithids...because i love illithids as well.

[Gandalf Parker]

You are right. With that setup its way too easy. Just dont let it convince you that you can take that show on the road (jump into a multiplayer game with the same results).

The AI for Dom2 is one file using generic responses that are averagely good for all of the nations. In a multiplayer game anyone seeing Ermor will start cranking out priests and making cauldrons for food. Nations such as Marignon in particular will prove much harder with a human managing things.

[ March 25, 2004, 20:05: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

[Argitoth]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
Nations such as Marignon in particular will prove much harder with a human managing things.

I believe C'tis is more powerful against Ermor.

-Powerful priests
-Easy access to Wither Bones

.. that's about it.

[ March 25, 2004, 21:57: Message edited by: Argitoth ]