How to fight EA Abysia?

[MaxWilson]

Originally Posted by Il Magno

just an additional question, what is better: skellyspam, nether darts bombing or a good mix?

Depends on paths--D1 skelly spamming with "Raise Skeleton" isn't nearly as good, so D1S1 should do Nether Darts or Ghost Grip--but I would usually take skelly spamming.

In practice, though, I'd test both before trusting the "gut feel" of someone from the forums. Shift + U during the battle replay may be useful.

-Max

[Baalz]

Yeah, also keep in mind that both those strategies really need critical mass to be effective, and benefit greatly from a communion. A reverse communion is pretty safe and will immensely increase the effectiveness of either of those tactics. Check my guide for more details, but here's the cliff's notes:

Assuming you've got several S1 D1 mages together for critical mass, script all but one to communtion slave then a mix of raise skeletons and nether darts. The last one (the one most bottom of the commander list when you're giving orders) script to communion master, power of the spheres. Now, for double extra super bonus points add a blood mage in also towards the bottom of the commander list, and script sabbath master, reinvigoration, hold, hold, reinvigoration, retreat.

Result - all your slaves will be S2 D2 and able to cast the D2 summon skeletons as well as getting the penetration boost to nether darts. They will reinvigorated by the master and able to raise 2-3 times as many skeletons as a regular D2 mage (probably 20 times as many as a regular D1 mage) *and* you've got a communion master who can drop big spells like rigormortis, or will of the fates, or darkness, or doom, etc. It's very unlikely a single master can over fatigue several slaves with the same paths, it should be next to impossible to kill off your own slaves doing a maneuver like this. If you wanted to be fancy (a bit more risky, but do-able if you script reinvigoration cleverly) you could even use one of the witch kings as your sabaath master and drop everything from grip of winter to foul vapors - which makes fighting through that skellispam *so* much more fun.

[JimMorrison]

Originally Posted by Baalz

Assuming you've got several S1 D1 mages together for critical mass

It's Sauromatia, so he'll be using S1/D2/N1 Enaries. Boosting them to D3 makes them fairly capable skelly spammers en mass, even without the Reinvig.

[chrispedersen]

Agree with Jim - PoTS with one mage, skel spam with the others. Will last way long enough for the androphags to do their thing.

[Dragar]

yep leech is a killer against Burning Ones thanks executor for teaching me that lesson. You really want to be killing them with magic or ranged attacks wherever possible, up close they are lethal. Only thing that ever gave me great pause in melee using them was a well armoured cyclops

[chrispedersen]

Leech is absurdly effective, and should be any blood nations first thought against anything but chaff.

But Dragar, have you tried summoning imps... (continuously?) your imps should shield your burning ones from leech.

[Dragar]

EA Abysia doesn't have a lot of blood - very wimpy warlocks (S1B2) who are cap only and have old age. Competing against the Anointed of Rhuax I tend to get enough of them only for searching astral and hunting for blood stones.

That's why after the early game when the Burning Ones can dominate I find EA Abysia the weakest of the eras, they are very heavily fire reliant. If they had any kind of non-cap blood mage, even a B1, they'd be a lot better.

So yes, imps might help, but it is tough to have blood support on your armies.

[chrispedersen]

Well, if you find indy N1's you could go with one of my favorites - Swarm!

[Il Magno]

I try now to understand the various suggestions, here what I recognised:

comunions: quite clear; thx a lot for the renvigoration detail, it could be I was failing due to that detail missing. FYI I was very interested by your guide, but failed to feel confident when I tested it

bane lords thugs with eyes hields; ok clear; still I supposed to stay at the back firing everything (including WCs ) to the Abyssian guys, is it not more safe and effective? Than what does it mean "100 fr"?

I'll have swarm so do you u suggest to add it to the skelly spam tactic?

Leech: I have not that mastery level in blood, and honestly I don't know how the spell works: (as said before I consider my self a rookie )

[Dragar]

100fr - 100% fire resistance. Never close a thug with abysia without it

Only use thugs if you are sure they can survive, which basically means fire resistance and either stupendous defence, or protection, or both. You'll want an AP or AN weapon too as their prot is quite high