Lower level summons?

[Graeme Dice]

The_Tauren13 said:
In fact, the only real difference is that by nerfing the good ones you are also making national troops better, which is a very good thing, whereas if you improve the weaker ones, national troops just become more useless than they already are...

There are plenty of people who don't want to see the game degenerate into a zerg rush of national troops. The opportunity cost of a level of magic research is quite large, so the benefit you receive should also be quite large.

I guess people are just scared of the word 'nerf'; Zen is over there balancing the game by improving weak summons and everyone loves it, but let someone suggest nerfing something overpowered, like devils, and they get ripped for it.

No, I would say it's more likely that people get ripped for making a statement of opinion as though it were a fact.

[PvK]

The Panther said:
...
Water - Not very useful for summons. I suppose getting the sea troll kings is done just for the one water gem income per turn and the attached water skill to build clams. That hardly counts, though, for the goal is usally clams and not troops here. The sea trolls themselves are useful fodder, of course, but the fact that you have to pay them upkeep renders them practically useless.

I think water summons are useful ... underwater. Sea trolls are useful if you use them right away instead of keeping them sitting around eating children. Put them to use right away - they are a way to instantly create a fast and fairly tough instant army which can fight underwater:

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Sea monsters and kraken are also good underwater units.

PvK

[YellowCactus]

I LOVE playin' Blood Factions. And there's nothing better for blood hunting than a bunch of hawks. 25-50 hawks in each provice and your bloodhunting with the best of them. Not to mention Impossible to assassinate or get spyed on.

Gold is over-rated. After turn 30 it's a none issue if your cruizin.
-Yc

[Oversway]

I summon the Angelic host for the fire mage, who with a little work is some really heavy artillery, and is reasonably tough.

Yeah access to fire is nice, but holy-4 doesn't hurt either.

Water queens seem to be the best water summon. The sea troll king is nice but sometimes I don't want the annoying high upkeep of all the sea trolls.

[PvK]

Hawks for blood hunting? I thought only the leader mattered for blood hunting, and that his blood magic skill and items determined his effectiveness. And, why can't a hawk be assassinated just like any other blood hunting commander?

I can see hawk commanders being (sillily) good for blood slave transportation, but not for hunting. Am I wrong about some thing(s)?

PvK

[Huzurdaddi]

I think it is for the patrolling.

[Taqwus]

Hm. How many blood slaves can an unladen hawk carry?

[YellowCactus]

All commanders can carry 30 blood slaves. A hawk can carry 30
-Yc

[Taqwus]

Yeah, I know. It's just... odd.

(And you can also take blood slaves underwater, although you can't collect more, or cast any spells or rituals which require them, IIRC. Forging using blood slaves, 'tho, seems to be unaffected.)

[bone_daddy]

African or European?