First Post: Suggestions on Nation choices?

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Networkingguru said:
LOL, will do.

As far as man, I just started a game with them based on the previous suggestions, and I have to admit, I am enjoying it so far. However, I am intrigued that you do not use PD. I can't see how you get away with no PD unless you keep an army in every province, which doesn't really seem economically feasible. With all the random events, not to mention spells that can target from afar and flying units, I don't see how you can secure provinces without using PD. Can you elaborate?

Oops, sorry to give the impression that you should have zero PD. I'll always buy 1PD -- this lets me see what I get invaded by. I'll buy 3PD if I can afford it (ha ha, no seriously, sometimes you're 2GP away from another elephant or knight or mage, and in that case I will get just 1PD). 1-3PD will stop enemy scouts from taking your provinces.

I'll put 5-10PD in any province that I think might get call-of-winded.

As someone else remarked, in MP, PD is not a deterrent to stop other players from attacking you. The deterrent is your capability to counter-attack.

When you lose a province to a remote attack or random event, if the province is now independent, you can take your time and send an army group to retake it. Or, a couple of assassins with skulls (sorry, none for Man!) can liberate provinces from Knights or Barbarians on their own.

If another player has done something like teleport or fly or sneak a stealth army into a province you own, then you can use your own rituals to kill their commanders. With Man, you get A3 crones, so you could rain down some seeking arrows. They'll have a PD commander so they won't auto-route, but if you can keep the army immobilized (no commanders) and bring up a bigger army to route it, your enemy will lose all the units.

Try not to leave temples outside forts, since it'll cost you 200 gold if your enemy razes it (400 for most other nations). Try not to leave labs outside forts, because they can be used against you.