My copy came in the mail!

[Endoperez]

If you start thinking that the AI is too easy,Edratman's mod will take care of that. It's in MA only and also incorporates Better Independents mod, also worth a look if the AI doesn't challenge you.


If you don't think you're not having fun with your current game, don't feel afraid to start a new one. If you want that feeling of satisfaction for actually winning and not just dominating, enable Victory Point victory condition on game creation and make the game end once you've conquered all (or most) capital provinces.

[Tifone]

Originally Posted by Ballbarian

Congratulations!
Just don't forget to sleep and eat occasionally.

Yeah, it's the best advice you can receive when you get the game Wish someone told so to me too...

[Gandalf Parker]

Thats why I dont wish for faster turn processing. If it wasnt for that Id have died a long time ago from starvation.
No probably dehydration first.
No probably exploded bladder first.
No actually my wife would have killed me before that.

(please read my sig)
Gandalf Parker

[Adept]

Pick one that appeals to you in style & mythology. If you like vikings or saxons, go with Vanheim, if you like english knights and longbows, go with Man.

Have fun!

[WolfHati]

Heheh. So for my second game I decided to try fighting late age Ermor--I chose Caelum since having flying units seemed kinda cool, and I started with a dormant angel pretender, the one with the hood and the big flaming sword. Anyway, I proceed to totally fail at conquering the surrounding independents, and once I finally get up the forces to do so, I find that a) I am right next to Ermor, and b) being now on normal difficulty they actually conquer provinces, and have almost surrounded me. Luckily I invested in many priests against such an eventuality. Still, I am getting mobbed by undead and fighting a losing battle, managing to hold on to maybe 3 provinces at a time while being mobbed by undeads, and watching my forces slowly dwindle. I manage to find their capital, which is only 3 squares away from mine, and then next turn, my pretender awakens.

Now my forces are now almost totally in my capital. Luckily they all have tactical speed of 3 and can fly, so not really seeing any other option, I just do an all out attack on their fort.. and it works magnificently! The flying guys manage to take the walls down quickly before my forces can get worn down too much by Ermor trying to retake the province, and I storm the castle. Turns out I caught them with their pants down and only their pretender, a dragon, is home. My guys fly in and take him out more or less instantly. Now, under siege in both provinces, I manage to survive long enough for Ermor's dominion to go away, and poof! I suddenly have gone from 2 embattled provinces to having vast swaths of land free for the taking, 2 forts, and tons of death gem income. Good times, heheh.

[Endoperez]

Just note that those "Swaths of land" are probably quite free of working-class people, meaning there's no income or resources at all, and not even food for your hungry, hungry birds. They eat twice as much as normal infantry, because they're size 3 instead of 2.

[llamabeast]

Ha, WolfHati, that is awesome! Well played!

[Gandalf Parker]

One strategy particular to Caelum is something I call "checkers strategy". Use mercs and elephants to claim the areas that connect to your castle in order to increase production there. But then scout for weak independents. Create a large flying army (or stealth if you find the right indepts). Skip over the hard indepts and take the weak ones. Force an enemy to fight you, then an indept, then you, then an indept if they want to reach you. Strike back at him just after he as hit a strong indept province.

Of course this is an early to mid-game strategy up until you and he can both create armies that make the indepts left on the board to be no defense anymore. And it works better on larger maps with more space between you and them.

Keep trying all the nations. You want to find one where its individual abilities matches your individual playing style.

Gandalf Parker

[Tifone]

Interesting strategy mr Gandalf, I've always used Elephants+Temple Guards (note I just play EA for now) for expansion but this "checkers" tactic could pay. I will try. Thanks!

[thejeff]

I suspect when Gandalf says larger maps, he means LARGE maps. I think he's talked about 1000+ province maps.

In MP with a more normal number of provinces per nation it would probably be perceived as an attempt to stake out too much territory and cut off your neighbors from expansion, thus leading to war on all fronts.

And with normal indy strengths, only the strongest indy provinces will be more than a speed bump to an aggressor by the end of the first year. Before that to anyone planning a rush.