Your favorite nations / themes -- and why! please participate!

[Cainehill]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
So my question is: Why do I appear to be alone here? It is because Helheim isnt as competetive as Default Van? (or is it because you cant get those cute little pigs anymore?) Are Svartalvs really so much less sexy than Dwarves? Your honest opinion is appreciated!

I'm rather fond of Helheim myself. With the Hangadrott I don't need to take death magic on my pretender, making the Allfather a little less compelling and letting me try other pretenders. As someone else mentioned, the Hangadrott's are 2nd only to Tuatha when it comes to recruitable commanders.

In addition, I find Helheim has less of a problem getting decent magic research going than the other themes, which is a big help. The Svartalfs don't have a random, but can forge a lot of good things - earth boots, dwarven hammers, wraith swords, etc.

[Endoperez]

Why do people think of various Vanir and Tuatha commanders when they hear someone say 'recruitable super combatant'? I think non-commander Niefel Giants are scary enough with a decent blessing, and 500 pieces of gold for a Niefel Jarl aren't that much more than the 400 needed for a Hangadrott... Niefel Jarls can also cast Quickness on their own, and have a foot slot.

[Cainehill]

Originally posted by Endoperez:
Why do people think of various Vanir and Tuatha commanders when they hear someone say 'recruitable super combatant'? I think non-commander Niefel Giants are scary enough with a decent blessing, and 500 pieces of gold for a Niefel Jarl aren't that much more than the 400 needed for a Hangadrott... Niefel Jarls can also cast Quickness on their own, and have a foot slot.

Forgot the Niefel Jarls - they're certainly up there too. One reason I consider the Tuatha to be the best, better than the Niefel, is the innate recuperation. Crippled Niefel Jarls and Van-lords aren't nearly as useful as a healthy Tuatha.

[tinkthank]

ooh - a vote for Tien BK! can you elaborate and say why?

[tinkthank]

Well these are some of my views in short:

I love
MACHAKA, because
- they have assassins and spies!! Only Marignon has that adaik
- they dont really lack in any troop: they have great cavalry, albeit VERY expensive, and decent footsoldiers, and archers (although the worst in the game)
- they have most excellent mages!
- forest survival!
Too bad they also have
- all the neato troops are capital only! Argh!
- neither air nor astral -- argh!
- crap-o PD

TIEN CHI S&A because
- flying CMs are one of the best mages in the game
- MoD are great researchers and decent, cheap necros, with SUPER starting spell for them
- good summons
- decent archers!
- great heros
- nice summons as starting spells!
Too bad they also have
- turmoil!

MARIGNON because
- they have assassins AND spies!! whoo hoo! Only Machaka has these too
- they have scary good cavalry
- which are also part of the very good sacred troops
- inquisitors!!
- great crossbowmen!
- decent footsoldiers!
too bad they also have
- no real magical flexibility
- their best units are very expensive and capital-only

CAELUM because
- i love archers!
- cheapo troops!
- GREAT sneaky flying priests, for cheap too!
- great cheap mages!
- super mobility!
- magical weapons!
- almost nothing worth mentioning is capital-only! you can build the best everywhere!
- with cold 3, you can afford high dominion and other scales
too bad they also have
- no exciting sacred unit
- no easily accessible footsoldiers (very high resources)
- no real magical flexibility

I like so much more, too, but these are my reasons. I thus checked the "cool" box for "why", although I suppose that is sort of broad and pretty lame.
I LOVE the stealthy nations too, I just stink at them (I always lose with Pan). I think Man and Van are great too, I just dont have quite as much fun with them, I dont know why.

[tinkthank]

Damn, did I do something wrong? I wanted to look at these older polls, but I cant see the poll information, just the Posts. Any tips? Thanks much