Feeling excited about Mictlan

Nagot Gick Fel · #1 January 15th, 2004, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by General Tacticus:
- how will you deal with big tramplers ? defense won't help...

Defense DOES help. Trampled units who pass a defense test will get only 1 point of damage. Although I don't remember how that test is done - guess it's DEF 10 = 50% chance?.

General Tacticus · #2 January 15th, 2004, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by aldin:
Tremendous response General, just what I was hoping for. Mind if I try to answer your questions(in the hope of learning more from you)?

quote:
Originally posted by General Tacticus:
Here are a few challenge :
- how will you defeat an army with 60 longbowmen and 40 heavy infantry (15+ prot).
- how will you deal with big tramplers ? defense won't help...
- how will you deal with heavy losses ?
- how will you deal with hostile magic ?
- when your enemies are ready to cast, say, Burden of Time, will you be able to dispel it ?

Bowmen/HI and Tramplers seem to have the same solution to me - get into the rear. Eagle warriors on the flanks seems the best bet here, probably set back just a bit from the Sun warriors in the middle to make the SW the more obvious missile target. Is there (yes, still a n00b) an early fear-causing blood spell that would be useful to spook tramplers? That's be nice too.

Heavy losses are a big problem. I guess Mictlan really needs to find an alternate troop source so that something other that it's sacred units take the main damage. That dovetails nicely with solving the HI/Bowmen or Trampler issue as well.

Hostile magic... feh! I think I'm finally getting it. Mictlan MUST develop a secondary source of halfway decent cannon fodder or it'll lose too many sacred troops to be viable.

As for Burden of Time, well, it sucks. At least Mictlan has S2 mages. Ulm is REALLY screwed by BoT...

~Aldin

Right. Mictlan national troops can be used as fodder at the start of the game, a few feathered warriors will make sure they don't rout too quickly... but they simply are not strong enough to face the middle game as anything more than walking, single-use shields. As long as you plan for the transition with summons or good indies, you'll be okay. But do prepare. And make sure to find a way to do decent research, or you'll fell the pain also.

Your setup gave you a very good start, and you will need it to overcome your weaknesses in other areas...

P.S. to Nagot Gick Fel : I stand corrected...

Pocus · #3 January 15th, 2004, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nagot Gick Fel:

quote:
Originally posted by General Tacticus:
- how will you deal with big tramplers ? defense won't help...

Defense DOES help. Trampled units who pass a defense test will get only 1 point of damage. Although I don't remember how that test is done - guess it's DEF 10 = 50% chance?.

I was going to reply, but you were faster

. IIRC trampling attacks have 10 ATT rating.

Endoperez · #4 January 15th, 2004, 08:59 PM

Isn't Mictlan equipped with slave-producing commanders? And although their troops suck, I thought they were at least cheap. Just levy/buy some cannon fodder, some arrow fodder, some spell fodder etc.

Nagot Gick Fel · #5 January 15th, 2004, 09:18 PM

BTW, aldin, just for fun I toyed with a dual 9s Mictlan pretender recently and a dominion similar to yours. I picked a Colossal Head with Nature and Blood. As Pocus suggested some time ago, Nature-9 blessing works rather well with Jaguar Warriors, extra STR is always good to have, and the Death Curse on Eagle Warriors can do wonders. I managed to curse my all my 3 neighbors' pretenders (Cyclops, male Titan x 2), and horror marked them with Moon Priests on top of that. Now, everytime they come back and show their nose, I give them the Mictlan Horror Picture Show

. Aren't they mad at me!

The 2 Titans lead the contest for the "Most Debilitated God in the World", but since the Cyclops can't lose more than one eye, I'd say he starts with an unfair advantage. Heaps of fun!

Wauthan · #6 January 15th, 2004, 09:53 PM

After reading these recent Posts I'm starting to wonder what strengths Mictlan do have. Wonder what a good mod might be to make the more popular?

Got an idea as soon as I posted. A good mod would be to let Mictlan build their sacred troops in any fortress+temple. That would give them a good way to expand since their strongest troops wouldn't have to be ferried around. Would also make them a time bomb since every stronghold would allow them to build more sacred troops each turn.

[ January 15, 2004, 19:58: Message edited by: Wauthan ]

PvK · #7 January 15th, 2004, 10:12 PM

I think they may be pretty strong for more experienced players who find and use the good points. I've been playing a hard game with Mictlan, and see a few things:

* Blessed Eagle Warriors mixed with Fiends of Darkness (national summon from start) make a very powerful fly-into-rear force. That's what you do to the strong armies with archers, etc.

* They have some nice heroic casters which expand their already-large menu of magic, without costing gold (but require luck).

* Their troops aren't great but are cheap and if assisted, say, with Flaming Weapons, suddenly those javelins and slings are more lethal.

* Their standard commanders are cheap (40) AND sacred (maintenance cost thus is the same as two regular infantry!), and they can raise slave cannon fodder.

* The priests are blood-one sacred units for 80 gold - they make good blood hunters and leaders for demon/Eagle Warrior Groups.

* Soul contracts for Devil production are a tempting and natural choice. You want to place them in a different group from the Fiends of Darkness though to reduce any heat-aura fatigue, particularly if you have them on the typical Hold & Attack Rear.

PvK