average dominion scale.

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Some nations should consider Ceremonial Faith, which may be cheaper than going for high dominion, and just as effective if not more. These IMHO are good candidates for Ceremonial Faith, for these reasons:

Caelum: cheap, stealthy, holy-3 Seraphines can fly where their preaching ability is needed.

Man: cheap stealthy monks and cheap temples.

Pangaea: stealthy holy-3 Dryads and cheap temples.

Marignon: cheap stealthy friars and Inquisitors.

Machaka: holy-2 priests with increased stealth, and cheap holy-3 priests.

I've also noticed that Ceremonial Faith works well with R'lyeh and Atlantis, who sometimes have problems to push their dominion because of the large size of sea provinces. Both have astral mages and the astral gems they need (thru clams) to place lots of Telestetic Animates in their underwater provinces. Upkeep-free level 5 priests come handy to keep the dominion right there. And since many sea invasions are carried on with undead hordes, they may find a second role as point defense.

[ July 14, 2004, 09:11: Message edited by: Nagot Gick Fel ]

[tinkthank]

Originally posted by Nagot Gick Fel:
Some nations should consider Ceremonial Faith, which may be cheaper than going for high dominion, and just as effective if not more. These IMHO are good candidates for Ceremonial Faith, for these reasons:

Caelum: cheap, stealthy, holy-3 Seraphines can fly where their preaching ability is needed.

Man: cheap stealthy monks and cheap temples.

Pangaea: stealthy holy-3 Dryads and cheap temples.

Marignon: cheap stealthy friars and Inquisitors.

Machaka: holy-2 priests with increased stealth, and cheap holy-3 priests.

I've also noticed that Ceremonial Faith works well with R'lyeh and Atlantis, who sometimes have problems to push their dominion because of the large size of sea provinces. Both have astral mages and the astral gems they need (thru clams) to place lots of Telestetic Animates in their underwater provinces. Upkeep-free level 5 priests come handy to keep the dominion right there. And since many sea invasions are carried on with undead hordes, they may find a second role as point defense.

Nagot, doesn't Ceremonial Faith only work *within* your own dominion? I ask this because you list stealthy priests and/or inquisitors as good criteria for CF, but inquisitors shine best outside their dominion, and stealthy priests are also great within enemy provs with borderline dominions. Or am I missing something?

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
Nagot, doesn't Ceremonial Faith only work *within* your own dominion? I ask this because you list stealthy priests and/or inquisitors as good criteria for CF, but inquisitors shine best outside their dominion, and stealthy priests are also great within enemy provs with borderline dominions. Or am I missing something?

Nope, you're right - at least as far as I can tell. I think CF is great with Marignon for the following reasons:

The stealthy friars can work on provinces (whether you control them or not) if the dominion here is in the -3/+3 range, which is usually the case around your borders in the early game. If it starts red, it may take some time or several friars but once it turns white the CF bonus kicks in and thus the odds are good this province will remain under your influence.

The Inquisitors' job is to negate strong enemy dominion (thanks to the inquisition multiplier), or to improve yours and keep it high in provinces you control near strong enemy influence (thanks to the CF bonus), possibly with friar support.

Although the inquisitor and CF bonuses don't add (again, as far as I can tell), that's 3 different situations, and you only need 2 kind of priests to solve them. CF isn't a mandatory component in it, but it makes your priests *much* more efficient in achieving this synergy. With Marignon I'd buy a 25-points CF instead of that 28-points 4th candle any day.

[ July 14, 2004, 12:18: Message edited by: Nagot Gick Fel ]