MA Ulm using Blood Magic

Baalz · #1 March 26th, 2008, 04:05 PM

Well, without getting into a tangential argument about Ulm surviving an initial rush, as I pointed out this is a total side strategy with a cost of a couple mages, a couple low income provinces, and the upkeep on 20 scouts. Ulm is seldom pinched for gold and also generally has an abundance of the cheap smiths. This is totally something you can do in addition to whatever your main strategy is and doesn't make you noticeably more vulnerable to a rush.

Renojustin · #2 March 28th, 2008, 02:24 AM

People think MA Ulm is vulnerable to a rush but they have a lot of things going for them for use against one. Great troops, great PD and uh... well, great troops. Troops that become of less and less value as the game goes on. So while unsuited to rushing on their own, they are fairly well equipped to handle an incoming one.

The only thing you'd really have to put special effort against, even specialize against, is tramplers. If they do that, you have to go with massed crossbowmen, research Earth Bind and immobility spells, probably take an awake SC pretender from the start as many will say is necessary with MA Ulm.

Love your bloodstone factory, AOE. Great strategy post.

Endoperez · #3 March 28th, 2008, 09:56 AM

The Thaumaturgy spell Bonds of Fire is also good against tramplers, especially Elephants. It's tests against morale, not strength, so even if it's not AoE it will last much longer.

Baalz · #4 March 28th, 2008, 10:00 AM

FYI here's a looooong discussion about Ulm beating back rushes (which is why I didn't want to get into it again).

http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/thr...&Number=586724

AreaOfEffect · #5 March 28th, 2008, 01:28 PM

Indeed, thank you Baalz. The 'rushing against Ulm' topic is more appropriately discussed their. Here I would rather focus on Ulm's best uses of blood magic. Also, thank you Renojustin. Your the first person so far to compliment me on these forums. I value that.

Renojustin · #6 March 29th, 2008, 05:01 PM

It's a way of playing MA Ulm that I've never heard or considered. Having just learned the uses of bloodstones myself, it was pretty nice to see a strategy for them. Sacred mages, cheap, and E2 can be a real powerful combination with bloodstones. I see Pangaea can make very good use of this as well.

What are some of the more powerful Earth spells that cost gems that you can access with E4? (Smith + Earth Boots + Summon Earthpower) Because that's going to be your bread and butter with this strategy. Think of some specific combinations and let me know what you come up with? I know about Rain of Stones, which can be devastating...

AreaOfEffect · #7 March 29th, 2008, 06:03 PM

Petrify - E5 - 0 gems One of my favorite spells. It's an AoE 1 death effect that paralyzes those that make the save. I can't stress how devastating this spell is. The only way around it is to be one of the few creatures that are immune by virtue of being stone already. This spell doesn't need gems.

Army of Gold - E4 - 3 gems This is a nice spell for your army in general. However, I generally don't script it unless I'm facing off with someone using a lot of fire magic, like Abysia.

Army of Lead - E5 - 3 gems A much better spell for Ulm then army of gold. It's an earth spell that grants MR and more protection. A good spell to script.

Earthquake - E4 - 3 gems Here is a good spell to cast and retreat with in my opinion. It's a defense check to avoid the AP damage so your regular troops will be at a disadvantage.

Tempering the Will - E3 - 0 gems I know this isn't a 4+ Earth spell but it's worth noting that a smith with boots + stone + earth gem can cast this at the start of battle and get an additional point of penetration before you even cast Summon Earthpower. Stack on a Spell Focus and the spell really becomes worth it as a first round spell.

Belac · #8 December 12th, 2009, 07:22 PM

To follow up on this with another angle...

I've designed an Ulmish rainbow pretender which has 26 points left over. My choices are to take a negative scale and use the 66 points for something or to take Blood2. Would this be worth it just for random searches and a possible side strategy? OTOH, since 25 of those points come from the cheaper cost of the Great Sage in the CBM, and now blood stones are apparently unique items, does that sufficiently weaken the strategy?

EDIT: Another pretty unrelated question, but it's about Ulm so I will ask it here: Ulmish troops are cheap. Is it a viable strategy to go Turmoil/Luck, or just Turmoil and use the points for other things?