Faerun - started

[The Panther]

shmonk said:
So, is VH research the next one up from Normal/Standard research, or is that Difficult Research and VH is the highest of the Research settings?

And thanks for the info. That's what I was wondering, because it doesn't seem to me that even with an SC Pretender, it will be difficult/risky trying to take a Province a turn in the first 4 or 5 turns, what with no spells other that the default and no equipment. But I can see maybe 2 or 3 provinces by turn 10, or 1 every 3 turns. Even with Alteration 2, which would take what, at least 3 turns to get to, even with the pretender researching?

VH research is the hardest setting. Alt 2 takes quite a while to reach, even for the high-research nations.

A Fire 9 phoenix can take the easier level 9 indies (meaning militia/LI/HI/archers) with only evocation 1. It may take him 2 tries, though. Once you also get Alt-2, the phoenix can easily take one province per turn, except for a few troublesome types like the big vine tree thingies (whatever they are called).

Also, any of the dragons can take the easier level 9 indies with no research, but he risks taking afflictions and perhaps even dying.

The Vampire Queen can also take provinces without research if you are willing to try a couple of times and have her scripted correctly.

With a power bless effect and sacred troops, you can expect your prophet to begin to take level 9 indies on turn 4, especially with the recruitable balance mods. But this is obviously nation dependent. Pretty much any nation (no matter the pretender) ought to be taking L9 indies from turn 5 on by using an army, probably one province every two turns (with reinforcements/searching in between).