An introduction to Arga Dis, Blood and Bronze

[Sombre]

Just to be clear - there are no 'Sparthans', or 'Spartans' for that matter, in the mod. None.

It does take parts of the Spartan myth is inspiration, as well as the film 300 (which isn't a great film by any means, but is good for getting the juices flowing).

You might say it's based on Sparta in the same sense that Ctis is based on Egypt.

[Amhazair]

HoneyBadger said:
I hope you'll be adjusting it to reflect the latest version of Arga Dis, though?

No doubt about it.

I've only had time to take a quick glance at the changes so far, but I hope to find the time to update this today, or else in the next few days at least.

I might also de-emphasize the reference I made to Sparta, since people apparently pick up on it quickly, forcing Sombre to jump into the thread telling them there are no Spartans to be found in the world of Dominions.

Thanks for the praise HB and Zentar, I'm glad you found this useful.

[JimMorrison]

Amhazair said:
I might also de-emphasize the reference I made to Sparta, since people apparently pick up on it quickly, forcing Sombre to jump into the thread telling them there are no Spartans to be found in the world of Dominions.

Nonsense! I have a Pocket Spartan! ..... No, I'm not showing it to you. >.>

[Amhazair]

Zentar said:
I don't know why players don't recommend a dormant Master Lich for a rainbow function. In this case a dual function build with 4F2A4W2E2S5D2N and rainbow scales with no production scale verses a dormant enchantress. You lose one extra production but you can still maximize your blessed unit production. You also lose 1 astral gem production but gain immortality and a third bless (death). Finally perhaps 1 heat scale would be better in the long run than a 1 death scale which I hate for blood nations for the very reasons discussed in this guide. Gold helps initial development but no death scales help sustain a good blood supply economy over the long run.

Sure, this one looks perfectly fine too. If I go for rainbow builds I generally try to fit in 3S to ensure I can forge Rings of Sorcery (with coin and cap) and Wizardry - hence why I often end up with the enchantress. But your variant with 5D (and immortality) has the advantage of being a very frightening caster on the battlefield (or on the strategic map for that matter) Forge him penetration and death boosters and lay down the hurt.

As I said though (and you repeated) I don't feel Arga Dis really needs a rainbow pretender. Unless you have a specific role in mind for him I think your best bet to be either an awake SC, or a Scales monster.

[Sombre]

In the latest version Arga Dis has even more magical variety, with easy access to nature (up to N3 basically) from the Urtyr Shaman blood summon.

[TheMenacer]

I doubt there'll be a consensus as far as pretender design goes. Arga Dis has enough magical diversity that it doesn't actually need a rainbow pretender, although the access to air and water as well as the research benefits are nice. The troops are strong enough that they don't strictly need an awake SC, as it seems as though gilgans could probably stop a trample or bless rush. The sacreds are recruitable anywhere, and since the mages are sacred it begs for an earth/low death bless, the troops have two attacks with a solid attack stat, which begs for the classic Fire/Water, and the gilgans are solid thugs with high HP, which begs for earth/nature.

My personal favorite at the moment is to go for a blood fountain with just enough paths to summon mages to diversify my magic and take a few minor blesses, preferably death, nature, and earth, and other than that just focus on scales. It's a solid all-purpose caster, researcher, and forger, plus it's thematic as hell.

[Amhazair]

I updated the first post to include the changes from the latest version. Most changes are minor tweaks, with one bigger fix giving the Blackwing Riders a decent piece of armour so they're no longer shredded to pieces by dagger wielding archers.

The major change is the inclusion of the Urtyr and Urtyr Shaman summons. The Shaman are N/B mages, and as such give you easy access to the various spells and items of that path combo. Urtyr on the other hand are cheap, solid and hard hitting light infantry. They also have totally awesome sprites.

[Sombre]

I'm pretty sure I put up the goldcost of augurs.

Also you mention choosing a bless which benefits battlemages, but remember that the Augurs aren't sacred. Only the misborn and Gilgans are.

[Amhazair]

Yes you did. 140g now instead of 120. It's incorporated into the first post. I didn't mean to include all the changes in the little above post, but... hang on. Included the changelist you used in the mod thread.

Edit: Augurs are sacred though. I almost read over that comment of yours. I allways figured it had to do with peering into the divine flames to interpret the will of the gods and such.

The full list of changes:

- version 1.3

-- CONTENT - Added "Bray of the Urtyr" spell

-- CONTENT - Added Urtyr shaman and troops as blood summons

-- TWEAK - Slightly upped companion protection - leather cuirass to hauberk

-- TWEAK - Recosted some commanders and troops slightly

-- TWEAK - Tweaked Myrmidon description.

-- TWEAK - Helgrot scout brought to stealth 10 in line with other scouts

-- TWEAK - Gilgan fear, berserk and cost reduced slightly.

-- TWEAK - Blackwing riders got scale mail hauberks to make them more useful and accentuate the foreign influence on them

-- TWEAK - Blood Wind pretender removed. I never liked it.


-- Version 1.2

-- FIX - Argan myrmidon captain's move to be the same as his troops

-- FIX - Apparently weapon 57 was sickle, not hoof. Hoof is 56. Fixed.

-- FIX - Hoof attacks on sworn companion and blackwing changed to non str based horse hoof attack id 56

-- TWEAK - No more misborn starting scout. Now they get a nice helgrot scout instead.

-- TWEAK - Misborn are now younger, with lower maxage.

[HoneyBadger]

I just want to go on the record saying that I'd love for someone to do one of these for F'thaggua-I know it's a lot to expect, because the mod itself is a mess (not to mention ugly), but it'd be great to see it in detail, through another person's eyes-and make fixing what's wrong with it a lot easier.