Playing solo

PhilD · #1 February 14th, 2006, 05:14 PM

While the AI is certainly not this game's strong point, I've been playing quite a bit of solo these days, while waiting for someone to appear in the lobby. To make it more fun (and more of a challenge), I've been adding personal rules...

* No death: try to win without losing a single unit; or

* Only one unit: you're only allowed to buy one type of unit

"No death" is often impossible, but "Only one unit" is actually possible most of the time. My worst experience is with the Undead on the two-river map, vs Dwarves: I've tried it with each of the 4 Undead units, and never won.

Any ideas for a solo challenge?

Sammas · #2 February 15th, 2006, 05:52 AM

Wow, took me a few goes, but I managed to win as undead one unit vs dwarves on Trinity Isles - is that the map you were talking about?

Great challenge, and I won't reveal which unit I won with so others can see what works for them.

PhilD · #3 February 15th, 2006, 08:54 AM

Vampires and Zombies seem unlikely, as they are both too slow out of the gates and fragile. Skeletons seem like the best bet, but each of my attempts has been a failure so far...

Edit: did it! (I went first this time; my previous attempts were all games where I went second, which absolutely doesn't help as you never need more gold than you already have)

Sammas · #4 February 15th, 2006, 03:35 PM

Heh yeap, I'm pretty sure I went first as well.

PhilD · #5 June 18th, 2006, 06:48 AM

Here's one more challenge: find a race, and a map, an an opponent race, for which you can win against the AI, using only one of your race's units - only, you have to be able to do it with each of your race's units.

I just did. Can one be more starved for online opponents?

Edit: managed it with the same races, another map. Hint: there's one race that the AI develops really badly with...

ichbinsehselber · #6 November 30th, 2006, 10:41 PM

I have also placed personal rules to make the scenario maps more challenging. But I do not like to restrict myself to one unit type, as this reduces in my opinion the tactical options and also the fun.

So I place myself the restriction to do nothing (just hit the end turn button, when it is my turn) for a predefined number of turns. After this period, all is allowed and given the fact that the AI has then a significant head-start, the scenario is a lot more challenging. Also it gives nice options, which unit you build at first, when you have e.g. 4k gold at the "first" real turn