"Paratrooping" enemy armies

Arryn · #1 January 12th, 2004, 10:31 PM

I'm playing Jotunheim (Utgard) on Orania (a lovely and large map with room to grow) and it's turn 75ish. Pythium (difficult AI) keeps popping 30-40 strength armies of madmen/flagellants deep into my territory, one such army 3 provinces from my capital. The AI has been popping 2-3 armies a turn into my "rear" areas for over a half-dozen turns now. While they are easy to crush with my giants, the AI is building and dropping them on me faster than I can build new armies to chase them down, or move my frontline troops (which are busy crushing Pythium's border temples) back to deal with them.

My (newbie) question is this: what magic (spell, presumably) is the Pythium AI using to send these annoying armies deep into my lands? I sure would like to do unto it what it is doing to unto me. I have stronger armies, and I'm pissed and looking for payback ...

tka · #2 January 12th, 2004, 10:34 PM

I think it is Imprint Souls

#3 January 12th, 2004, 10:40 PM

Yes, Imprint Souls. If you are using Jotunheim. They have excellent provincial defense. I'm surprised he got through it, unless you arn't using it

Gandalf Parker · #4 January 12th, 2004, 10:45 PM

That tactic works well against un-defended areas, or nations whose natural militia are weak. As Jotun your defenders kick tail.

Go to one of your provinces and click the "defence" in the upper left display. Add 6 to each province (other nations need to add something like 11)

Arryn · #5 January 12th, 2004, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Morag:
I think it is Imprint Souls

Ick! I think you're right. Thanks for the prompt reply!

The AI must be converting almost all its gems to get the 50-75 astral it needs to keep doing this to me every turn. As soon as I finish crushing Caelum (I just killed their pretender and I need a few more turns to rebuild my flying troops so I can complete the capture of their citadel) I'll be able to spare my pretender to deal with them as they so very much deserve ...

Arryn · #6 January 12th, 2004, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zen:
Yes, Imprint Souls. If you are using Jotunheim. They have excellent provincial defense. I'm surprised he got through it, unless you arn't using it

The provinces he's munching on have 20 defense! All my provinces have at least that.

#7 January 12th, 2004, 10:50 PM

Hrm. I've never had an Imprint Souls munch 20 giants before. I wonder if those flags have a mondo bless effect.

The best way to stop an AI from casting on alot of undefended provinces is to go siege his capital. He'll throw everything he has for the most part at trying to free that.

Gandalf Parker · #8 January 12th, 2004, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Arryn:

quote:
Originally posted by Zen:
Yes, Imprint Souls. If you are using Jotunheim. They have excellent provincial defense. I'm surprised he got through it, unless you arn't using it

The provinces he's munching on have 20 defense! All my provinces have at least that.

Wow. good to know. Thanks for the warning about that tactic

Arryn · #9 January 12th, 2004, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zen:
The best way to stop an AI from casting on alot of undefended provinces is to go siege his capital. He'll throw everything he has for the most part at trying to free that.

Working on it. I finally located Pythium while I was munching on his border temples. As soon as I wipe Caelum out (a few more turns) I'll be able to devote my undivided attention to Pythium's home base.

Arryn · #10 January 13th, 2004, 05:10 AM

In case anyone's the least bit curious:

Having killed the Caelum pretender in his fort (though routing before my victory was complete), Caelum's 4 global enchantments went poof. Yea! But my cheers were premature. This just freed up the slots for my nemesis Pythium to divert his gems to putting up his own spells. Lovely. Not. I am reprieved and no longer suffer monthly hit-n-run raids from Imprinted Souls, but I have to avoid coastal zones due to Lure of the Deep. Still, it's a trade I'm happy to make, mixed blessing and all (yeah, I know, bad pun, but I couldn't resist -- which is another pun as well, hehe).

I just now, finally, took the Caelum citadel (turn 80), so I'm free to at Last devote the not-so-loving attentions of my Niefel pretender, his angelic hosts, mages, and whatnot to crushing Pythium, exacting my vengeance along the way.

With regards to the Imprinted raids, I discovered empirically that a defense value of roughly (n/2)+1, where 'n' is the expected size of the attacking force, tends to dissuade (ie, slaughter) the invaders. Bumping my defense from 20 to a new value of 21-25 did the trick. Expensive, but I have lots more gold than I need, so what better to spend it on? I've since started boosting my border provinces to 30-50+ and Pythium's attacks are hitting a veritable wall of giants he's breaking his teeth on. Assuming he doesn't lose his head completely ...

This game is GREAT!

Cheers, all!

[ January 13, 2004, 03:23: Message edited by: Arryn ]