Ermor - Early Age Guide (?)

[solops]

Has anyone created a guide to playing Early Age Ermor? If so, please post it here or supply a link. I'd welcome any advice or comments as well.

[johnarryn]

EA Ermor has access to excellent magical diversity. Your augurs are very strong in death, fire and astral. Some of your other mages provide you with nature, earth and (if I recall) water, meaning you lack access only to air. Your pretender can fill in this gap.

Use your magical diversity early on to aid in site searching - have multipath mages running around searching early on and you will find that by midgame you will have access to many gems and independent mages - I recall in a recent game having Crystal Mages, Wizards, Enchantresses, Gnomes and Adepts of the Silver Order. In the late game, your magical diversity will provide you the muscle and adaptability to win.

In the early game, rely on your excellent national troops. Your Equites of the Sacred Shroud are quite good, particularly with a water blessing (I would not, however, play Ermor as a bless nation). Lizard Auxiliaries are cheap and tough, with low morale being the only setback.

Almost all your troops have very good defense and tower shields, giving them alot of staying power against both bows and melee attacks.

To sum up: In the early game, rely on strong national troops to expand. Midgame your augurs are powerful battle mages who can supplement your nationals. Late game your magical diversity (which you should be developing throughout the game) and access to powerful Astral magic will give you an edge.

[Cor]

one word: communion. Ah yeah.

Make a pretender that has Astral, you will not be sorry late game.

[Warhammer]

I recently fired up a game with EA Ermor and was wondering what would be the best path for them?

I took an S9E4 with 5 dominion and some fair scales. I am awash with cash and have been naming some of the Arch Augurs or whatever they are each turn.

Would I be better off with a rainbow pretender, or should I go with more of a bless strategy? It looks like a F9 bless would be great for these guys.

[Eressil3]

And like Arco they got priest which heal afflictions. So you can send your lovely pretender to battle without being afraid to catch one.

[johnarryn]

I don't think I would necessarily pursue a bless strategy. Your sacreds, while good, are cap only and aren't as good as some of the other sacred nations like Vanheim and Helheim.

Instead, i would concentrate on working your magical diversity. Take a pretender who is strong in areas you aren't (Earth, Nature, Air, Water) and use that to gain access to some of the great late-game summons and items.

[SelfishGene]

EA Ermor is fairly effective but i think they are not the invincible legions that the Roman-themed nations of Ermor/Pythium possess in the Middle Era. EA Ermor has a few oddball things about it; Death mages, old age, no Death gem income, Priests that heal (albiet quite ineffectively, only about 1/3 to 1/4 as well as a Arco Priestess), medium Cavalry, Gladiators.

Gladiators are so effective it's almost always worth throwing a few in any battle where you know some casualties are inevitable (against Cavalry/Elephants, or Blood Vines). It's a bit of a micro headache to keep the "Gladiator reserves" stocked and up with the main army, though.

There really aren't any Pretenders/paths that especially come to mind immediately either when using Ermor. The Lord of um... Nature?, the Zeus-like titan with a pot on his head - he seems the most "thematic" Pretender to choose. Remember, though, you do have healing Priests, so taking an affliction-prone Pretender SC chassis is a very real and valid option.

[Sandman]

I wonder, do gladiators disappear after really tiny battles? Like finding a scout?

[johnarryn]

I believe they do... it makes it troublesome to use them when attacking, because you might just hit PD and lose them.

[Shovah32]

Or the enemy can just raid you with indy scouts whenever he notices or expects gladiators.