How many troops form a "large enough" force?

Amhazair · #1 May 2nd, 2008, 05:59 AM

I really had the impression the point at which gems start to be used was lowered several patches back, (I can't remember which one exactly) but since nothing of the kind was mentioned in the patch notes I suppose it could just my imagination.

Generally though, since that point I never had a situation where I wished my mages used gems but didn't. The other way around however... In my last game a large R'lyeh army (~750 chaff, some quality troops, 40+ mage communion, 1 Tartarian SC, and maybe a dozen other assorted mages) blew around 30 gems against 25 Pythium PD. Including a will of the fates on turn 2, and then, unscripted, a second will of the fates to give luck to the legionaires I had master enslaved after the first cast. That was funny... At least the second and third master enslave I had scripted were deemed unnecessary though.

Sombre · #2 May 2nd, 2008, 06:37 AM

I think generally speaking people would rather waste a few gems now and then than have their mages ignore script against a serious threat and get their asses killed.

Zeldor · #3 May 2nd, 2008, 06:42 AM

But AI also ignores spells that do not need gems. I really see no logic in casting Body Ethereal on wolves instead of for example Soul Slay or Gifts from Heaven.

Twan · #4 May 2nd, 2008, 08:43 AM

I think there is an AI bug against stealthy mages discovered in patrol phase. I've seen 40+ mages with hundreds or troops follow their full round one script to kill a lone bard.

ano · #5 May 2nd, 2008, 08:58 AM

Maybe, condition is: "if there's a mage in the enemy force"...
Does LA Pythium has mages in defense, Amhazair?

ano · #6 May 2nd, 2008, 09:08 AM

Just checked it. Pythium gets Leo at defense 20.
Seems like mages in enemy force cause executing of gem-demanding scripts.

Amhazair · #7 May 2nd, 2008, 09:41 AM

Quote:

ano said:
Just checked it. Pythium gets Leo at defense 20.
Seems like mages in enemy force cause executing of gem-demanding scripts.

Good catch, and this might very well have something to do with it. It's definitely not the only consideration though.

I have on a couple of occasions used a couple of castings of ghost riders against large opposition armies for the sole purpose of having them use up their gems. Two castings is definitely enough to force gem usage, I haven't yet tried it with only one. Ghost riders don't have any mages, but they do come with a rather scary thug leader.