Advice on learning the game

[Jarkko]

If you play EU3 or HoI2, then maybe you occasionally stumble on to Paradox forums? In the Off Topic subforum there I've been arranging introductory games of Dominions, both with the full game and the demo. Pop in there and join for the next one There is one requirement though, you *have to* be present in IRC during the initial gaming session (the first 10 or 20 turns), because that is the way those who have played the game a bit more can advice and help those who have questions about the game, tactics or even strategy

The latest thread is at http: //forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?t=470289 (not sure if direct linking is allowed), my intention is to set up an introductory MP game with the demo next week again, and a new MP game as soon as one of the current ones is over (shouldn't last that long anymore, I think).

[LDiCesare]

My own issue with understanding of dominions is that it comes in steps:
I am able to design a pretender with goals in mind. Like if I want a quick expansion, a wyrm or W9 dragon is nice. If I want a mix of bless + late game power, an oracle with S9 + some other bless is fine...
However, determining the goals is quite hard. I can get a very strong early and mid game with EA T'ien Chi for instance, but when it comes to late game, I am quite poor. I know that I need SC's, like tartarians or seraphs. I have no idea how many mages I need to summon enough tartarians, how many of them I should use as troops and how many as leaders. If I GoR many of them, it's expensive, slow, and I need more equipment. I start to understand that the best ones are the A2 ones for mistform, but then I realise I need more gems. Clam-hoarding I've understood, but in CBM1.6 it's gone and globals become more important. How many tartarian-casters do I need? If I want to be able to Wish for a seraph, do I need to take an S6+ pretender or can I hope to empower an ether lord?
My understanding of MP is that turtling is what matters most. You must be able to spend a lot of gems on big globals or summons + equipments, which means avoid costly wars, or you're toast late game as opponents will have more SC's than you. I'm not yet clear about artefacts either.

The big issue is that one must master the early game before understanding the mid game and then master the mid game before understanding the late game. And late game requires a lot of playthroughs and time to get there, along with some micromanagement.