EA R'lyeh considerations for a successful MP strat

[NTJedi]

If Belcarl is going with a nature wyrm he should switch its magic paths to make sure it can eventually cast strength of gaia.

[Belcarl]

The N4 was for the Naiad bless, since I could have sworn those were sacred. Without it the points are probably better spent on Air or Earth magic.

[HoneyBadger]

Nature magic is supposed to increase regeneration, according to in-game information when you're creating your pretender. If it doesn't have any effect, it's a bug. It definitely does seem to increase regenerative abilities of independent mages, but I'm not 100% on this, since regenerating nature mages aren't very common. Also, Shambler Thralls are really nice for early expansion. They're size 3 with trample and 50 morale. Difficult to take down with 24 hp and prot 7, plus they're amphibious. Most independents find it really hard to deal with 100 of them at a time.

[Endoperez]

Nature increases regeneration that's received from the spells (Personal Regeneration, Strength of Gaia etc). It doesn't affect natural regeneration AFAIK.

[void]

HoneyBadger said:
Nature magic is supposed to increase regeneration, according to in-game information when you're creating your pretender. If it doesn't have any effect, it's a bug. It definitely does seem to increase regenerative abilities of independent mages, but I'm not 100% on this, since regenerating nature mages aren't very common. Also, Shambler Thralls are really nice for early expansion. They're size 3 with trample and 50 morale. Difficult to take down with 24 hp and prot 7, plus they're amphibious. Most independents find it really hard to deal with 100 of them at a time.

are you serious?
Shambler Thrall is a 35G unit. and you are talking about using 100 of them against independents, as if you spent 3,500G on other units you are likely unable to handle independents w/ your 3500g unit o_O

[Belcarl]

The expendable "chaff" like Shamblers and Loboguards are great for the early expansion. But the losses tend to hurt you in the long run. That's why I try to get som summons going ASAP.

R'lyehs alternative to Shamblers and loboguards, the slave infantry, is really inferior, and tend to die just as easily regardless of their higher protection. This doesnt matter underwater, because you got acess to some really good artillery in your mind blasters. Without them, you will take heavy losses though.

Some solutions are either to replace the chaff with something tougher (Sea trolls) or get some heavy artillery (Mind lords with fish amulet). Some more creative strats could be flying thugs to take out enemy commanders etc, but then it's hard to generalize because it starts to depend on what your opposition is.

[HoneyBadger]

Naturally, Void, you can use shambler thralls for more ambitious endeavors, the above was just an exaggerated example. An example with a point though, namely that having large numbers of those easily produced units keeps those units safe, simply because they've got protection in numbers, which lets you continue to build them and build them. Also, they aren't nearly as effective against human nations, or even AI nations, because those nations are using their troops more effectively and can counter a mass forward rush in lots of different ways. 3500 gold isn't badly spent on shambler thralls, providing ofcourse that you use them well, to break the enemy's lines, soak up damage, destroy large mobs of small creatures, etc. And, they are the best pure combat unit Aboleths gets (this despite my running into slave trolls equipped with heavy armor, wielding coral glaives, led by an aboleth Mind Lord. I know that it's a balancing issue, but it seems to me that if the rogue Mind Lords have the infrastructure to enslave and then equip sea trolls, then certainly I should be able to.), except for slave princes. All in all, they're a good unit to have, much better than the seven kinds of lousy slaves Aboleths also use.

[KissBlade]

Shamblers are awful.

[HoneyBadger]

Compared to a lot of troops, yes, yes they are, but compared to what R'lyeh has to work with, they do just fine in early game, because you just don't have the numbers of other troops to protect your aboleth-kin and enforce your will on the surrounding environment. You don't really have the magic, either, for that matter, because it's early game. Shambler thralls have no morale quandries because they have clam dip where their brains used to be, they trample, they've got decent hp, and only cost 1 resource. Against human-sized independents, even Amber Clan, providing you've got their back, their's no contest. EA R'lyeh has crap for melee troops, except the shambler thrall. It's not much compared to most nations, but it's not crap.