Caelum questions, both themes.

[fahdiz]

I have to admit, I'm entranced by Caelum.

I think I'm starting to get the hang of how to use their armies more effectively - I've been having decent success having my archers fire at the closest enemy while having a gaggle of regular troops hold and then attack rearmost. And the distance from which they can attack provinces (and the fact that they can fly over tough provinces altogether, to head for a juicier target) is very, very nice.

However, I am sort of at a loss as to how to capitalize on Caelum's strengths mid-to-late game. Caelum's fighters are not physically very strong, nor well-protected in more temperate climates, nor is their morale high. Their only sacred non-commander units don't fly, and the Return of the Raptors theme doesn't even get Temple Guards...so obviously bless strategies are out of the question. Wingless, for a capitol-only unit, are worse than worthless.

With other nations, I'll occasionally stack higher-morale units in each squad to help with the morale checks...but with Caelum's low-morale regulars, and without good sacred units, this doesn't work very well - at least not in my limited experience.

Summons via the Conjuration path might work well, but those require relatively early research to get decent ones - and it's difficult to get researching when your SC pretender is out helping the weak Caelum armies eke out small victories. Wind Guide is outstanding, but with Storm Generals you are severely limited as to the number of Blizzard Warriors/standard archers you can bring to the party, if you want them to be at *all* protected by a line or two of foot troops on hold...so the benefit tends to be negated somewhat.

I have noticed that my success tends to be better with the Lady of Fortune than with other pretenders, but I still have some trouble taking even small provinces due to retreats (which, with flying units, are *immediate*) and to the low squad-size capabilities of Storm Generals (who I love, but dearly wish had the ability to take 50 troops rather than 25 with them at the start).

How do other Caelum players overcome Caelum's weaknesses and capitalize on their strengths? I think they're my favorite nation thus far (in terms of theme, and in the *theory* of how their armies should work) but I have some serious long-term viability problems using them.