Can someone tell me about Machaka?

[BigDaddy]

You think I could squeek it out with my favorite, an imprisoned astral rainbow master lich?
That is my SP favorite.

For 2player, I ussually go with somebody that uses indemic gems and has lots of that path. Preferably immortal, a titan, or immobile. Which seems less appropriate for MP.

I almost never choose an SC awake pretender, because you seem to lose your advantage by turn 20 or so.

I actually had the fetish set up as an astral somewhat rainbow mage (imprisoned).

However, I'm seeing more and more that by turn 20 some people can already be killed... Well, I ussually have a PK army at that point as any nation and essentially at any province size... But, I suppose it can happen to anyone. I find it's difficult to have an insurmountable rush before turn 20 and after that some of the provinces start to pay off.

I think people forget that all those provinces don't instantly pay themselves off, they have a rate of return. And despite what people always say, that they have an army design were their stuff doesnt' die to 'most indies,' the fact is that I know you take losses, 1 or 2... whatever. You take em as Jotenheim, you take'em with serpent cataphracts, with knights of various kinds...

[Ink]

I was just playing with their spider knights in SP testing.

results: they are not going to cut it offensively
reason: they are size 5 with str 10 and no high damage attacks
why this matters: each spider will probably be attacking a different square, such that they can't gang up on and kill single units.
what to do: use them defensively. the spider knights are extra robust, and their webspit is a straight defensive tool, plus their size helps them congest up the battlefield. set spider knights to fire closest, place tons of machaka's cheap archers behind them.

also, given this analysis, blessing is definitely a bad idea with Machaka. The Black Hunters are but slightly improved spider riders, damage wise (11 vs 10 str, 18 vs 16 dam spider bite). plus they are cap only, and there are no sacred mages to benefit from something like a D bless. bad bad bad. Machaka is a scales nation only.

[chrispedersen]

I don't see the problem. spiders destroy indies just fine.
spiders with mage support kill SCS even better.

I also don't like paying upkeep on machaka archers.
When attacked you can pop out a lot of archers fast, and move to where needed with mapmove 2.

[BigDaddy]

Originally Posted by Ink

I was just playing with their spider knights in SP testing.

results: they are not going to cut it offensively
reason: they are size 5 with str 10 and no high damage attacks
why this matters: each spider will probably be attacking a different square, such that they can't gang up on and kill single units.
what to do: use them defensively. the spider knights are extra robust, and their webspit is a straight defensive tool, plus their size helps them congest up the battlefield. set spider knights to fire closest, place tons of machaka's cheap archers behind them.

also, given this analysis, blessing is definitely a bad idea with Machaka. The Black Hunters are but slightly improved spider riders, damage wise (11 vs 10 str, 18 vs 16 dam spider bite). plus they are cap only, and there are no sacred mages to benefit from something like a D bless. bad bad bad. Machaka is a scales nation only.

They work fine early game, because they have death poison, and enough str to kill undead, although, I'd probably prefer javelins and hoplites for undead... at least undead that webs and priests had trouble with.

Mid-game they make a nice wall to hide behind and cast spells.

Although I haven't really played multiplayer late game, I assume that they get mowed down by SC, because their skills aren't that high, their damage is Okish, but only 1 per square.

Some nations have troops that can kill some less SCs, such as Pythium emerald guards or serpent catphracts, giants with javelins... giants with javelins will kill most stuff...

I assume though, that picking will be slim for killing SCs this way in late game, and you'll have to have some size army and mages, or an SC control unit.