Caelum

[Coffeedragon]

Originally posted by Zurai:
You might try buying some heavy infantry to use as fodder for your einheres and skinshifters.

Or perhaps rely heavily on Hirdmen. Round shield/Prot 15 looks good. And they aren´t that expensive, just slow to build.

[Coffeedragon]

Also, Bow Mercenaries, and any Bows I can find a place to build somewhere, will be a must.

All this taken together, I may muddle through somehow. Still, I don´t like this weakness in my arsenal. Usually *I* am the one who kills from a distance (Man/Marignon!).

[Coffeedragon]

Of course I could also do some Flying myself , and let my Valkyries "attack Archers". But that may prove expensive.

Still surprised that there is no obvious anti-bow tactic for Vanheim. That they miss *both* Cavalry(*) *and* ranged units makes them a bit one-sided, no?

Edit: (*)except for the Van, obviously, but their price is somewhat of a slight deterrent to a strategy of attrition.

[ February 15, 2004, 01:09: Message edited by: Coffeedragon ]

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Coffeedragon:
Hit-and-Run is 180 from my playstyle, which is *ATTRITION*.

Precisely why you should adopt it.

If it happens to be a neat 180 from your playstyle, then it happens to also be the perfect complement your playstyle: Combine an attrition assault with hit-and-run disruption, and you'll roll through your opponent. If you want to fight a province-by-province war, Vanheim is perhaps not the nation for you: pure frontal assault is not what Vanheim excels at.

Originally posted by Coffeedragon:
I need a Vanheim battlefield tactic against Caelum´s bows. Everything else I´m unafraid of.

Is there a spell that simply stops bows from firing? Or anything that comes close?

Arrow Fend will render enemy archery completely ineffective against you. The Staff of Storms should cripple any attempt at missile fire and flying by anyone other than the Storm Guards. Storm is similar, but only reduces shooting accuracy. Perpetual Storm will kill flying AND shooting, but will also remove your sailing ability.

And Vanheim is missing cavalry? Those Vans sure look like they're on horses to me. They're pretty impressively mean cavalry, too, if you have a mean bless effect to back them up. At $70, "cheap" is not quite the word I'd use to describe them, though. However, they ARE sacred, so upkeep is significantly reduced.

[Psitticine]

I've had a good deal of success using Air magic against Caelum. Archers supported with suitable anti-missile protection generally outLast the frailer Caelum units, although they need a good infantry line to protect them from Mammoths.

[Coffeedragon]

Originally posted by Psitticine:
I've had a good deal of success using Air magic against Caelum. Archers supported with suitable anti-missile protection generally outLast the frailer Caelum units, although they need a good infantry line to protect them from Mammoths.

I think so; only problem is that Vanheim doesn´t have any archers.

[PvK]

Indy shortbowmen are one of the most common units though, and don't require many resources to build, so you can usually get as many as you want.

PvK

[Coffeedragon]

Originally posted by PvK:
Indy shortbowmen are one of the most common units though, and don't require many resources to build, so you can usually get as many as you want.

PvK

Right; though I usually dislike building non-fortress units; slow and messy.

[Coffeedragon]

Ok, I have decided on a strategy. It´s a pretty original one, I think.

I am collecting notes for an AAR. (1v1 human player on Targa´s small map)

You´ll get the AAR only after the game, of course, because, for now, all is secret.

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Coffeedragon:
Right; though I usually dislike building non-fortress units; slow and messy.

Well, you could always PUT a fortress there. Then it wouldn't be so slow and messy!