How to deal with elephants

Dedas · #1 August 2nd, 2007, 04:14 PM

I actually put some research and experience behind this and the above spell list what I came up with, all level 5 and below. There are better spells of course but on higher levels, capable of dealing with later game threats as it should be.

Another thing, I did never state that the spells above should work on their own, quite the contrary in fact - they work best in combination with other spells and units. For example, you don't need that many Bonds of Fire to make a huge difference when your army consists of lots of arbalests and foot soldiers. The elephants will come to you in smaller numbers actually possible to stop. The thing is to break the "wall of tramplers" and buy time for the real troops to fire and hack. Just some poorly scripted mages with with minimal backup will do nothing. We all know that.

Oh, and if you have anything better to offer in countering an early game elephant/mammoth rush besides running away please share. I believe we are all ears.

Baalz · #2 August 2nd, 2007, 04:37 PM

Oh I don't know Bob, I've personally had pretty good luck with frighten and in another case body ethereal (water blessed Bandar Log tiger riders - quickened 3 attacks plus a high defense). In another game I saw elephants crushing my neighbor and quickly researched up to enslave mind before they were turned on me. You think soul slay ruined your day? Elephants fear the communion. >

Dedas · #3 August 2nd, 2007, 05:03 PM

Thank you Baalz, I will add Body Ethereal to the list. Oh and I just tested it myself in a little scenario I did. It works very well with simple units as heavy cavalry, units that you can recruit almost everywhere.

Oh, and archers and fliers are not that big a threat to mages in the back if you know how to protect them. You just need to roughly know how the combat AI works and of course know your opponent's scripting. I usually send in a scout with retreat order first, or spy on the enemy when he attacks indies to find out. People usually don't change their setup even though they should. Because you never know who's watching. He he he!

Folket · #4 August 2nd, 2007, 05:11 PM

I think mind burn and soul slay should be on the list.

Dedas · #5 August 2nd, 2007, 05:38 PM

Soul Slay is already added. I'm a bit skeptical to Mind Burn though, mostly because I haven't tested it yet on elephants. It looks like it does too little damage. Maybe you have some experience?

sector24 · #6 August 2nd, 2007, 08:52 PM

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think elephants often have 9 morale. Most of the time they have 11, and sometimes quite a bit higher. It seems to me the whole idea of elephants panicking needs to be reworked. When I think of a low morale unit, I'm thinking about guys with 5 or 6 morale, not 9 or 11.

Jazzepi · #7 August 2nd, 2007, 09:48 PM

I don't think any unit in the game has base morale that low.

Jazzepi

Salamander8 · #8 August 2nd, 2007, 09:50 PM

Lowest I can think of offhand are the basic slave forces (triton, merfolk, atlantians, not Lobo Guards of course) of R'Lyeh with 8.

Jazzepi · #9 August 2nd, 2007, 09:55 PM

8 is extremely low, by the way, in enemy dominion it becomes a 7.

To give you an example, I was attempting to take over a province offered to me for sale that had 20 points of PD in it. With about 10 archers, my 7 morale 80 man squad broke in about four volleys.

Jazzepi

Salamander8 · #10 August 2nd, 2007, 09:58 PM

Yeah 8 is very bad. That's the main reason I try to not build many of those types and stick with the less skilled, but mindless Lobo Guards as any R'Lyeh. Although I have had a lot of success with the cowardly troops with a hero with the valor hall of fame ability leading them.