Re: MP Game - Newbie Game (by Aku)
"etheral effect is canceled by magic weapons"
yup. But this tactic doesn't stand on only one leg. Luck stops 50% of hits. It's also counting on the units special ability. Using this with regenerating means that their lifespans are extended by 50%. In most cases, since they have the wonderfull ability to swarm, that's enough to prevent casualties.
"+ you need 2 turns with your mages casting etheral + luck and your skinshifters on hold orders."
When I tested this out, I found that the "hold and attack" command is enough to have them stay two turns for both etheral and luck to be cast on the troops.
"so archers/x-bows espeically with wind guide/flaming arrows can cause severe damage while you buff"
I also found that leaving even a handfull of troops up in front (with orders to hold and attack as well) attracts all the missile fire. And even if a player sets their archers to fire rear (which already limits their accuracy), you should always carry a Staff of Storms. There's also the option of casting Arrow Fend or producing amulets of missile protection for your casters.
"so do any flying armies with attack rearmost orders or something similiar"
Since the army that's being "mass-buffed" is literaly surrounding your casters, they act like bodyguards. In my tests, I had plenty of flyers suicide themselves on my army.
"Last problem that comes to my mind :
enemy = ryleh / pythium :
they mind duel your S2 mages to death with ease"
A very real possibility. Although with S2 casters, you should be equiping all of them with a +1S item anyways to have them cast teleport and Soul Slay. This probably won't save them from mind duels though. I guess it might be safer to keep them out of combat with pythium/ryleh.
"but otherwise a really nasty idea . evil"
Indeed. I've yet to try it with sacred troops. My guess is that you could use a smaller army with fewer casters. And that's the key to having lots of seperate armies doing differenting things on all your borders. I think if you need large armies to accomplish anything, you can't cover enough fronts to battle more then one opponent at a time. And depending on diplomacy to keep you safe is risky (although being completly new to MP, I've yet to discover the advantages of diplomacy to gameplay)
Edit: it true that this strategy will suffer against some races (like Boron mentioned, Bless F9 and Caelum). But if you go up against Caelum or F9, you simply take etheral out of your scripts. Nothing works against everything, so I guess this is just one of many other strategies that give you a slight advantage. But like in professional gambling, that's all you need.
[ August 01, 2004, 17:39: Message edited by: Alexi ]
|
Hybrid Mode
