First Non-Pretender SC

[atul]

To say something not so late-gamish as wished things...

(disclaimer: I'm no way too veteran yet and have a habit of using a different nation for every MP, so the following isn't too well tested. So take with a grain of salt and insert critique as you see fit - it will be well received)

1. With a nation that has moderately cheap blood mages and decent troops the first Ice Devil can be summoned around turn 13 or so. By turn 20 there ought to be quite a bunch of them equipped with Const-4 items at least. Items include at least those granting regeneration and increased MR, and then everything else depends on assumed opposition - against hordes of small troops life draining weapon and a damage shield are nice, against undead ditch the life draining and get reinvigoration. And so on.

This approach totally concentrates on getting those IDs first as fast as possible, relying on the (it seems to be by the forum posts) conventional wisdom that first you must research Alt-3 for your pretender and Const-4 to get SDRs. But should those who compete for uniques take that route they see when reaching Blood-5 around turn 20 that there actually aren't too many IDs left.

Everything else (initial expansion, site searching, stuff) is sacrificed, and currently I'm not sure whether it's worth the effort.

2. The IDs are used first alone to mop up easier targets, but there will be a time when they are just a part of bigger armies. They are put against anything that is deemed easy target enough.

3. I'd say buff and charge, although there are few good battlefield-wide spells coming into my mind that may be of use in special situations like against many mages.

4. IDs die when the opponent decides they are worth the effort. They can't teleport nor hide, so they can't always choose their battles. The aim being, cause more damage than you receive. As to continuing after IDs, higher blood circles have their uniques, also better construction circles offer more options to equip those SCs.