Uses of Indie Soldiers?

Arryn · #1 March 18th, 2004, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Norfleet:
Can you give an Ivy King a Treelord's staff, and abuse THAT?

I don't see why not. That should boost the Ogres to 5/turn (I've not tried it yet, but it ought to work). I already have had plans to do just that in my AAR.

fahdiz · #2 March 18th, 2004, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Norfleet:
Can you give an Ivy King a Treelord's staff, and abuse THAT? I haven't had the opportunity to play around with Vine Creatures much. None of the nations I've played so far were really strong in Nature magic.

That's odd...given that you're an Ermor fan, I was sure you would have tried out Carrion Woods by now...

Peter Ebbesen · #3 March 18th, 2004, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Norfleet:
Can you give an Ivy King a Treelord's staff, and abuse THAT? I haven't had the opportunity to play around with Vine Creatures much. None of the nations I've played so far were really strong in Nature magic.

Weird. Vine Men/Ogre spawning is an exceptionally nice complement to the undead, as they don't eat either, can be generated in large numbers at small cost, and have different vulnerabilities than your default troops. (And one shared: Fire)

One of the cheapest damage absorbing walls available in combat. Even the Vine Men do well at this - Vine Ogre's just happen to be three times better at the same price, assuming you have the magic skills.

Of course, with Ermor, you really won't begin summoning them in great numbers until such time as you can pull in the great nature magic summoners to do the job for you, as Dusk Elders and Spectators have better things to do, but it can still prove an unsuspected (by the opposition) bonus.

[ March 17, 2004, 22:59: Message edited by: Peter Ebbesen ]

Arryn · #4 March 18th, 2004, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Arryn:

quote:
Originally posted by Norfleet:
Can you give an Ivy King a Treelord's staff, and abuse THAT?

I don't see why not. That should boost the Ogres to 5/turn (I've not tried it yet, but it ought to work). I already have had plans to do just that in my AAR.

Actually, as I think more on it, I probably won't do this. I can make a Staff for 30 gems (using a Dwarven Hammer), while I can summon another Ivy King for only 20 gems. It is *much* more cost effective for me to keep summoning more Ivy Kings as I accrue nature gems, than to try to boost the Ogre-summoning ability of the ones I have.

AhhhFresh · #5 March 18th, 2004, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Arryn:

quote:
Originally posted by AhhhFresh:
[qb]Vine Ogres, I'm not sure about... they can't be summoned underwater, and can only be summoned one at a time... and nature magic isn't exactly R'yleh strong suit.

Vine Ogres can be summoned 2x with an Ivy Crown, 3x by Crown of the Ivy King, and 4x by an Ivy King himself. That's 4 ogres for just a single gem. A real bargain.

EDIT: PS - Knights cannot be bought underwater either, nor can most indies. The ogres are a suggestion for a tough, cheap unit that DOES NOT EAT, and is not a magic troop.

EDIT 2: Given that illithids are giant-sized, and expensive, you need to develop some nature strength anyway so that you can make supply-boost items (feed 'em) and also cast Gift of Health (keep 'em alive) ...

I certainly work towards 5 nature with the squidies for Gift of Health... but it's relatively slow going. It's gonna take two empowerments plus a couple items (Thistle Mace + Moovine Bracelet?) to get there with a Starspawn who has a random in Nature.

To deftly tie that back into independent units topic... Druids(2N) or Jade Sorceresses(2N + 2?) could help a great deal in that regard...

I'm looking more for semi-quick ways... convievably cavalry could be brought in if your first above water fort is cleverly placed.

I have yet to make a pretender for R'yleh with any skill in nature... a Monlith would be a natural fit for that since he has a point in nature and astral already, but he's stuck underwater... at least early... and he doesn't have head or hands slots anyway (so only 1 vine ogre a turn). Same deal for the Void Lurker, but he's even worse since he's immobile and aquatic....

So what are you left with that can be a nature pretender for R'yleh at a reasonable price (I really like good scales)?

Arch Mage? He's aquatic... but at least has a bunch of slots...

Hmmm...

quantum_mechani · #6 March 18th, 2004, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AhhhFresh:

So what are you left with that can be a nature pretender for R'yleh at a reasonable price

I like giving an ancient kraken nature magic, all those HP go great with regeneration.

Norfleet · #7 March 18th, 2004, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by quantum_mechani:
I like giving an ancient kraken nature magic, all those HP go great with regeneration.

Alas, the Kraken is composed primarily of squishy bits, and has no real protection. He's gonna NEED that regeneration, and a LOT of it, as all those damnable Tritons and Ichytids go about poking his soft squishy parts with sharp things. Barkskin can help, but that's still an entire round of Tritons surrounding you and poking you.

[ March 18, 2004, 01:50: Message edited by: Norfleet ]