Guide to MA Agartha (In prog) - Pretenders

[Salamander8]

Growth 0:
While some people in the advice thread provide solid reasons for picking growth 3, I have to strongly disagree. I feel its a total waste of points, and any reduction of aging problems is unreliable at best. My first year, 2/4 mages ended up with at least one affliction. I might as well have taken death.

No reason to go above standard. Your mages start with old age (by 4 years), and afflictions will happen anyways. There's little benefit to the supply and growth boni. I can't recommend it yet, but I'm going to take another look at 1-2 death scales. It's a thematic fit, and it seems they're going to die anyways.

In the SP game as MA Agartha I previosuly mentioned, I took Growth 2. I have to concur with your assessment of growth vs the Golem Crafters old age problems (and to a lesser extent, the Oracle of the Ancients). It's mid year 4 for my game, and I've lost 6 of these guys to disease brought on by old age, I have 2 that recently became diseased on top of this, and have at least another 6 that have less major afflictions. Two of my Ancient Oracles have minor afflictions from aging as well.

[Lazy_Perfectionist]

I'm glad to hear that, Salamander, since i was lazy, and only went a year before giving up on growth 3. If it was only a bout of badluck it would have been embarrassing. Four years is a much better data sample.

[Meglobob]

Well personally, based on a sample of 20+ MP games, perhaps a 1,000+ turns in all, I am a growth fan, especially with order.

[Salamander8]

I wanted to add that I normally do like to take growth, just that it hasn't helped with the old age issues with MA Agartha. I have growth 3 in my current SP game as MA R'Lyeh, and it's been quite nice. I tend to use a fair chunk of supplies as MA R'Lyeh due to the Ilithid artillery brigades.

Part of the old age problem with the Golem Crafters is that they come with F1 magic.

[Lazy_Perfectionist]

Meglobob, thats good to hear. Now, that growth you've taken, has that helped with units starting with old age, or are you a fan because of the other benefits?

[Shovah32]

Growth is great. The supply bonus is helpful, the income is nice, the reduced old age afflictions are also helpful and the population growth(particularly if you take growth 3) is a very big bonus in long games.

[Meglobob]

Lazy_Perfectionist said:
Meglobob, thats good to hear. Now, that growth you've taken, has that helped with units starting with old age, or are you a fan because of the other benefits?

Growth does help with old age but its really the income boost. I play in alot of games that last 50 - 100+ turns, growth has a considerable effect over this time period.

I suppose I would not take growth in a blitz.

A good way of reducing old age afflictions is to recruit your old age mages after the late winter month. So you get a full 9-12 turns out of them before they get afflictions.

[HoneyBadger]

On the subject of growth-I'd suggest never taking growth scales in combination with misfortune-over the long term, the misfortune generally cancels out any benefit from the growth.