upkeep

[NTJedi]

I'm not sure why the developers decided to have black hawks cost an upkeep.... they want/need money the same as great lions, wolves and other animals. Perhaps they just don't like birds.

[PvK]

Good question. I wondered that too, but I was also wondering why Black Hawks and similar common animals don't have stealth. Seems like they should have it, by virtue of most animals not being magical minions...

PvK

[Gandalf Parker]

Dont birds get a patrol bonus?

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by PvK:
Good question. I wondered that too, but I was also wondering why Black Hawks and similar common animals don't have stealth. Seems like they should have it, by virtue of most animals not being magical minions...

Well, wolves get it because they're wolves. They tend to be everywhere and nobody pays too much attention to them.

Bears, lions, tigers, and elephants, on the other hand, people notice when they start nosing around!

And Black Hawks make people point at the HUGE BIRD flying overhead.

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
Dont birds get a patrol bonus?

They don't have a specially added patrol bonus, but they do receive a bonus when patrolling by virtue of being fliers.

[NTJedi]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
Dont birds get a patrol bonus?

They have as much patrol bonus as a draconian flyer... yet the tiny black hawks have a gold upkeep and draconians don't.
Maybe they only eat the really expensive and sophisticated bird food !!


The developers know the real reason... but they've locked away that secret in a security box at The Chicago Bank... at least that's the rumor on the street.

[ July 14, 2004, 19:26: Message edited by: NTJedi ]

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by Boron:
you're just kidding or ?
[...]
for 45water/earthgems you get 15 trolls + 1 king . the trolls themselves are not very strong ihmo .

Not strong? Who's kidding now?

for 30 death you get 20 wights e.g. which are far stronger .

You're comparing a Conjuration 6 level 3 spell to a Conjuration 9 level 6 spell here. The huges differences in requirements should be a hint your comparison isn't really meaningful.

Besides, there's no really obvious to kill a Troll. OTOH you obviously haven't seen what a few Wither Bones can do to your 20 Wights yet, and it's likely most nations will have access to that spell when you reach Conjuration 9. When that'll happen, you'll think you better had recruited militia instead.

the kings are nice but they can't summon allies and i think aren't too good sc's either so all thems pretty ok to me . a airqueen e.g. which could summon allies 10 turns should easily beat a troll king with his 15 trolls .

and best thing it would give water magic some amphibian summons.

Ah, Water magic. So we're talking about Sea Kings here. They may not have a 'summon allies' option, but they generate water gems that can be used to summon a Sea Troll/turn at no gem cost - so in the end, the result is exactly the same. While your Air Queen is busy summonin allies, the King can do the same and get 10 more Trolls for the same base cost - ie, nil. That's a more meaningful comparison.

[Boron]

hm a completely NEW idea :
if all magic summons would need upkeep ?

some gold some perhaps 0,x gems / turn ?

like a vampire lord wants 1 blood slave every 2 turns ?
the magical leader units small gemupkeepcost , the magical units like wights gold ?

to the further discussion :
@ nagot the sea trolls of course should no longer get 1 water gem / turn . instead they get summon allies .

and what do you say to my comparison of trolls with draconians ? it is a reasonable ihmo .