Strategy for Agartha Early Age

[SunTzu84]

PDF said:
I've only been battling against EA Agarthans, never played them myself, but they are pretty good with F9 (and possibly W4 or N4 as well) blessed Seal Guards, and Magma Children summons. The little warriors are not good though .
Their mages are potent (they can have up to E5 !) and quite tough, my Abysians assassins never managed to kill one...

But they cost 400 pounds and are recuitable only in the capital. Usually I employ mercenaries (in sp) to battle against the indie, because the smaller agarthans are sadly weak and the Ancient Ones so difficult to mass and can be swarmed easily (hoburgs seems to be the bane of these poor giants...). Until now I found the earth boots useful for Oracles, but my knowledge of magic objects is very limited.
The magma children are nice, however, I'm going to try massing them.

[krpeters]

I've dabbled with Agartha EA in single player and came up with a moderately useful strategy -- Troglodyte horde. A small group of stampeders has a tendency to get enveloped and consumed, but a squad of 20 stampeders can break apart any squad and squish them flat...

...you do have to beware of archers, though. But then any Agartha squad (no shields) has to beware of them. Maybe backing up the troggies with cheap slingers would work?

Note that this strategy takes advantage of both Dom3's massive increase of gold and supply.

[Wyatt Hebert]

Basic Strategies for Agartha EA

1) Use your National Summons. Umbrals, Magma Children, and Earth Elementals are all quite good.

Reasons:

a) Umbrals: Undead, Ethereal, Life Drain w/ High Str. Ridiculously cheap for their effectiveness. Guaranteed casters (even cheap ones).

b) Magma Children: Magic Unit (problem), and, iirc, an 8-pt Armor Piercing AoE 1 Flame Strike. Just so you know, this means that they hit the entire square for 8+(random) Fire damage, and the opponent has halved protection against it. And this is each individual Magma Child. Try to keep away from your other units, though.

c) Earth Elementals: Magic Unit that has Trample. Trample is useful, and their high morale make them quite useful for running through the opponents.

That's a basic synopsis of, imo, your best units, barring a particular bless. The game I played with EA Agartha, I played and E10 Cyclops. The bless gives all your mages Reinvigorate, and allows me to Forge useful equipment on the cheap (or VERY cheap with a few effects).

Other questions: 1) Pretender design? 2) Opponents?

My game was against Ulm and Helheim (at least), and neither one could really get past my defensive set up. Helheim, while usually tough (even AI against new players, honestly), just completely folds to the Flame Strike (btw, AoE (Area of Effect) attacks don't have to roll to hit... they just whack the whole square), and the tramplers are useful against them, too. Ulm just required a good deal of screen, Tramplers, and Magma Children.

Definitely research Conj 3 and Evo 5 (Blade Wind's level, right?) quickly, then Cons 2-6, as desired. Thaumaturgy 2, early, if you want to be able to remote search (Gnome Lore, etc.) your provinces.

Just some of my thoughts...

Wyatt Hebert

[NTJedi]

Wyatt Hebert said:

a) Umbrals: Undead, Ethereal, Life Drain w/ High Str. Ridiculously cheap for their effectiveness. Guaranteed casters (even cheap ones).

These are very powerful and very cheap for only 2 death gems when they should cost 4 or 5 death gems.

[thejeff]

Just remember the Magma Children only have the flame attack. They're completely harmless against anything fire-resistant.

I watched a single casting of Summon Imp take out a whole side of my army once.

[Valandil]

Blade wind is evo three, not five, just for referance.
The umbrals are also sacred, no?

[Endoperez]

Valandil said:
Blade wind is evo three, not five, just for referance.
The umbrals are also sacred, no?

Blade Wind is actually Evoc 4.

Umbrals aren't sacred, but the Earth/Death summons in Conjuration they get in later ages are. Well, at least the Sepulchrals, I'm not quite sure about the reanimated Pale Ones.

[Saxon]

In the earth spells, check out Legions of Steel and (I think) Strength of Giants. These two boost protection and strength respectively, for entire squads. You have the earth mages to cast them and it will really help your forces. The giants, especially the pink ones, have low protection and really benefit from the boost. I have not found strength a problem, but boosting it will ensure that you really hurt what you hit.

Blade wind is good, but boosting your units should not be overlooked. If you put all your troops against the back of the battle field, take a turn or three buffing them, then blade wind and infantry attack, it can work out well. It also gives you time to bless. Also, usually archers can not reach you in the first round and then fire at long range for the second. By then, your troops are protected.

[SunTzu84]

Saxon said:
In the earth spells, check out Legions of Steel and (I think) Strength of Giants. These two boost protection and strength respectively, for entire squads. You have the earth mages to cast them and it will really help your forces. The giants, especially the pink ones, have low protection and really benefit from the boost. I have not found strength a problem, but boosting it will ensure that you really hurt what you hit.

Blade wind is good, but boosting your units should not be overlooked. If you put all your troops against the back of the battle field, take a turn or three buffing them, then blade wind and infantry attack, it can work out well. It also gives you time to bless. Also, usually archers can not reach you in the first round and then fire at long range for the second. By then, your troops are protected.

Thanks everyone, this is really helpful

[Shovah32]

And if you can research up to it, weapons of sharpness is very nasty(i think it needs e5 but with summon earthpower you already have e4 mages)