Trying to improve my MA Abyssia Pretender Design

[Squirrelloid]

.2h file and .trn file attached (.2h so you can see what I would probably be doing for that turn). I also included the fatherland file, in case you need that. (Never tried to pass a SP turn before). Map is Streamlands, requires CBM 1.71.

As i said, i think this game was a little slow at getting bloodhunting started. I just sort of rush-played through these, so i'm sure the play could be optimized quite a bit more.

[Mardagg]

ty for the file.
I got the map and cbm 1.71 but still cant load up the file:

"CBM kharamdzu.dm is required"

[Nightfall]

Originally Posted by Mardagg

Ok,i have never tried to mix in the expensive Salamanders,that should be working vs most indy provinces at least.But its till looks more like "turtling until the blood economy is running" if you not only skip lavas but also the Heavy Infantries for the early game(concerning sloth 3).

Not really, think of Salamanders as an indy leader with a fire brand and big heat aura, because that is almost exactly how they work. The gold cost for them starts to look very reasonable when you start thinking in those terms.

Note however, you need a demonbred to lead the mixed formation, which is not actually bad thing, since he can bring prison of fire to the party. These groups work fine against indies and other players early.

Of course you don't always need to include salamanders with your humanbred, just when the situation requires it.

[Squirrelloid]

Originally Posted by Mardagg

ty for the file.
I got the map and cbm 1.71 but still cant load up the file:

"CBM kharamdzu.dm is required"

Whoops, i seem to have used the mods for the Haitian Heaven 2 game, which i didn't notice because Kharam Dzu (mod nation) doesn't have a banner.

The Kharam Dzu mod can be found here: http://www.llamaserver.net/sombre/Dominions3/Mods/

Mod should have absolutely no effect on the particular game.

[Mardagg]

ok, after I finished looking at your turn about 40 minutes ago, i got the idea that i could play a short 12 turns with my own setup(F1 B6 this time) and post it here as well
Normal CBM1.71 and streamlands as well

I had a real bad start though:

only 3 neighbours to capital,2 of which swamp provinces and the last with a whopping 50 Heavy Inf/Heavy Cav garrison.lol.
A perfect example ,why making the starting assassin your prophet is advisable with Abysia.Because that way,i could simply assasinate via Smite the 2 tough commanders and take the huge pop province on turn 4.

-15 provinces
-finished second castle on turn 10
-third castle being built as well
- slow with the contracts,first contract built on turn 10,it basically goes 12,13,15,16,17,... until i get to constr 6 and will be able to build 2 per turn.
-pretty healhy kingdom despite the starting problems.
-got the warlock hero on turn 10 i think,otherwise i would be even worse in research
-basically no events at all,1 ill omen IIRC

Note,that i basically played it like my 6B only setup,so i did blood hunt my cap just 3 times,i think,within the whole first year and did concentrate equally on expanding,building 3 castles and blood hunting.That way i built my first contract on turn 10.Next one now,turn 12 and i got enough for another on turn 13 already.I did alchemize some fire gems to get the castle up 1 turn earlier IIRC.
I could easily skip research a bit more since i just need constr 2 for a start,building even 1 less warlock and/or skip the dragon anthemant for 1 or 2 more Demonbred,giving me a big headstart in blood hunting vs you together with my FoB.
That way i could probably achieve the first contract at turn 8 without doing suicide in the other areas.with a really good start and a bit blood hunt luck even earlier.
I could more concentrate on building a 2nd and 3rd castle with a new a lab as well,if i would blood hunt less while remaining still a slight blood slave income lead vs you simply because u have to focus on research more.

All in all i have to admit,that your setup is faster with the contracts than i thought.But you have difficulties in other areas as well,e.g. you cant plan ahead your 2nd and 3rd castle very well,because you dont know before when you get the event/s.
Furthermore you are much more vulnerable vs Human attacks in the early game,especially if catched off guard being low on resources and money.
I agree though,that your mid game/late mid game rocks.

[SsSam]

I see the infantry does an excellent job expanding.

I can understand how the combination of devils and blood summons will be be very powerful when combined with Abysia's astral mages.

How do you survive if you've made contact with an ubber bless nation and your waiting the 6-8 turns till you have your devil army in place?

Even worse you start to lose blood hunting territory and you are toast.

There seems to be a window of opportunity on a small map where Abysia is horribly exposed to a rush.

[13lackGu4rd]

Abysian Infantry takes care of most bless rushes easily enough. they're tough enough to last a few rounds, and with their heat aura and hot provinces(you're fighting a defensive battle against rushers, so you should be fighting in your own dominion) the small elite blessed forces should fatigue themselves out faster than your high encumbrance infantry.

[Squirrelloid]

Originally Posted by SsSam

I see the infantry does an excellent job expanding.

I can understand how the combination of devils and blood summons will be be very powerful when combined with Abysia's astral mages.

How do you survive if you've made contact with an ubber bless nation and your waiting the 6-8 turns till you have your devil army in place?

Even worse you start to lose blood hunting territory and you are toast.

There seems to be a window of opportunity on a small map where Abysia is horribly exposed to a rush.

Diplomacy - use it.
Prison of Fire - hoses bless rushes.
Which uber-bless nation are we talking about exactly? This is MA after all... I'd be more scared of massed skinshifters.

[SsSam]

Originally Posted by Squirrelloid

Diplomacy - use it.
Prison of Fire - hoses bless rushes.
Which uber-bless nation are we talking about exactly? This is MA after all... I'd be more scared of massed skinshifters.

If somebody is eager to get in a war on turns 12-16 I'm not sure any diplomacy in the world will help.

In particular the nation that I'm worried about is MA Pangea. Stealth to destroy blood hunters, Heavy stuff to go toe to toe with my guys.

[Squirrelloid]

Worried? About MA Pan? lol?

Heavy stuff? not so much. It might go toe to toe with your humanbred...

Buy PD with your bloodhunters, you'd be surprised how effective 2-3 hunters, 10 PD, and a little bit of blood research is at foiling raiding. Just Blood 1 gives you imps, which dramatically increase the difficulty in raiding the province. (And Pans make poor thugs)

MA Pan's early game is not that strong. And they're going to be charging down alteration so they can turn most of their Pan into animals and save on upkeep.

The diplomacy in the early game is not about drawing in an ally, but about making deals with neighbors so they don't attack *you*. If you're talking to them, you've just decreased the odds they're going to rush you by quite a bit (cause the guy who isn't talking to them is going to be worrisome for them - if they attack you and that person attacks them, they're suddenly in a two-front war.) Just the act of communicating lets your opponent know that he can secure agreements with you because you can be contacted.