What is the best pretender for Ulm?

[PvK]

Some ideas to combat lightning as MA Ulm:

* Thin screens of cheap/light troops in front of the main army.
* Archers ordered to Fire [at] Archers [and mages].
* Blade Wind.
* Heavy cavalry commanders with shock-resist (and perhaps other items, possibly escorted by Black Knights) and ordered to Attack Rear.

PvK

[alexti]

PvK said:
A Ghost King can be a rainbow and a strong combattant.

This one is a good candidate for the optimal MA Ulm pretender. Ulm can forge heavy armor and shield without any research and that's enough for GK to start taking indies. GK can take province, search it, take next, search etc... It's obviously preferrable to use him to conquer mountain/forest/swamp provinces leaving plains and farmlands to regular ulmish troops. That should quickly establish good income of various gems. Researching Alt-2 will quickly help GK. Then after researching some invocation for battlefield magic and construction for magic boosters Ulm can concentrate on conjuration. By that time GK should finish his expansion work and start forging and later summonning to open different magic paths. That needs to be planned from the beginning because Ulm really need to get some better access to magic. I think that it's critical to get some death on GK (for spectres and thugs) and enough nature to be able to summon Ivy Kings (with boosters). Choice of other paths can vary I think, but something like W2A2F2 (or more) is good for searching, forging and buffs. A bit of astral is also an option, though it will prevent one from using GK beyond the expansion phase because of magic duel.

[HoneyBadger]

A quick idea: Certain Pretenders which are thematically ideal for a specific nation-say for instance Forge Lord for Ulm, should for the same price be more powerful for that particular nation. Thus, when you pick Forge Lord for Ulm, he gains a bonus of 50% to Forging, instead of 25%. It's not a huge bonus, and it gives you a decent Pretender which fits the nation's theme. At some point, it might even allow that particular Pretender to forge magical items for free, which again wouldn't be a grossly overpowered ability for a forging nation.

[B0rsuk]

Myself, I prefer Celestial Badger.

[Sandman]

The Forge Lord is terribly expensive for what you get. Most 125 point pretenders have 2/1 magic, but the Forge Lord just has 1/1. His forging bonus isn't that good; with a dwarven hammer he'll get items for half price, but that's still just one item a turn. Has anyone tried gaming the system and turning him into a clam factory? I tried turning him into a blood item factory for Late Era Marignon, but the discount didn't seem to affect soul contracts.

For nations with powerful, diverse magic that include fire and earth, he might be useful to jump-start item production. Machaka and Shinyuyama come to mind. Unfortunately, they don't get him.

[HoneyBadger]

I'm the demonic badger.

Muahahahahahahaha!

[Hullu]

No one said Prince of Death with 9/10 dominion? That's my favourite. It can expand since turn 0 and archers/javelins alone pose a problem for him.

Forge him armour/helmet/shield and no indy can touch him. Also a move of three via air. Can always attack rear. And can kill pretty much most normal armies that are not supported by high researched mages or SCs. Can also single-handedly take all underwater provinces with a ring of water breathing or a similiar item - a nice bonus in a game where there are no underwater nations.

Basically I seem to love it.

Oh, and I've never lost arena with him yet. This gives nice exp boost and a trident which makes him all the more lethal (actually kills stuff instead of making everything flee. Yup I'm aware some SCs would kick his *** in the arena, but just haven't ran into those yet.

[SCKnight]

Hmm...What about the Enchantress and the General? Are they good choices as well?

[PvK]

I have used them both and had fun with them.

[B0rsuk]

Me !