CBM Pretenders

[JimMorrison]

Originally Posted by Endoperez

I think it's based on magic resistance or some other value all pretenders are good in. It usually takes a long time before the disease kicks in.

Pretty sure that it's not MR dependent. That from some SP games, but also in a current MP I am trying to invade MA C'tis, and even 18 MR mages in just 5 enemy dominion tend to very rapidly get diseased.

Honestly I think the mechanic is a bit harsh, this is the most needlessly attrition-istic invasion I've ever led (and I am a master at pissing troops away already ).

[Trumanator]

Well it can make diplomacy harder for C'tis, if you take a high dominion to maximize the income bonus, and it severely hinders your ability to diversify your magic.

[Jazzepi]

I disagree.

You can take a E4D5 awake PoD with great scales. With that you have full access to S/D/E/W/N which is pretty damn good. You can even get air if you summon into a faerie queen. Sure she gets diseased, but throw a ring of regen on her to keep her around.

Jazzepi

[JimMorrison]

I'm not going to argue that there aren't downsides. Just saying that someone with no real experience in the game, and no plan to win a war, can effectively ruin almost anyone's chances of victory, just by dragging them into a war. They force you to invade them, and your forces succumb to disease in just a couple of months. Basically everything you send is going to die, so if they have any real fight in them at all, you're going to have to sacrifice things that are irreplaceable, perhaps thugs and high level mages that you would absolutely not expect to lose ordinarily, if you were winning the war.

It's a bit off topic, but meh.

I like the auto-summoning pretenders, though I think the Mother of Monsters could maybe use a higher spawn rate, and maybe the Lord/Lady of Serpents could be toned down slightly.

[vfb]

I'm sure you know this already Jim. but you can use undead or demons or inanimates, they don't get affected by disease.

And in a game I played with Cleveland, somehow he managed to sneak Wardens into every single province I owned without too many of them getting diseased -- talk to him!

C'tis PD is teh suck, they get a pile of weak morale 7 militia (8 in C'tis dominion) that die easily, causing the not-as-terrible City Guard to rout. You can Send Lesser Horror, Arouse Hunger, Horde from Hell, etc, maybe even Call of Winds, to take his PD-only provinces.

Depends on the nation you are playing, but usually there's an answer.

[Trumanator]

Well my LotG finally did get disease, so scratch him off the list of those who are safe. It seems though that it could be interesting to go with him or any other non-immune chassis and make a beeline for GOH. Definitely for those who like to live dangerously though.

What does make a pretender "disease immune" though? Is it swamp survival? I know undead are effectively, if not technically immune to disease, but what exactly is the criteria?

[cleveland]

Originally Posted by vfb

And in a game I played with Cleveland, somehow he managed to sneak Wardens into every single province I owned without too many of them getting diseased -- talk to him!

A combination of luck and stupidity.

[vfb]

Originally Posted by Trumanator

Well my LotG finally did get disease, so scratch him off the list of those who are safe. It seems though that it could be interesting to go with him or any other non-immune chassis and make a beeline for GOH. Definitely for those who like to live dangerously though.

What does make a pretender "disease immune" though? Is it swamp survival? I know undead are effectively, if not technically immune to disease, but what exactly is the criteria?

Either of "cold blooded" or "swamp survival" is sufficient to avoid miasma disease.

Any of "lifeless", "undead" or "demon" is sufficient to avoid additional afflictions or HP loss from being diseased.

Immortal units or units with recuperation will also have a chance to automatically heal the disease affliction.

[archaeolept]

which gives c'tis a choice of 17 immune chassis, at least in CBM; 18 w/ the phoenix.

[Burnsaber]

I've invaded C'tis and lost only one W3 mage and some chaff troops to disease. Sometimes the healing ability of T'ien C'hi really pays off.

I had two invading armies (both about 200-300 troops and 12-15 mages). Here's some stuff I learned:

1) Start the healing immediately once your troops start getting diseased. If the unit has gained 2-3 afflictions from Disease already, he's a goner. That's because your healers will usually heal the secondary afflictions, not the disease itself. Sieges are a good way to get a break to heal your troops.

2) You need *a lot* healers. Both of my afromentioned armies had 1 Apothecary (heal 20) to do healing. Not even nearly enough. But in both armies, 3-4 Alchemists of the Five Elements (heal 30) did the trick.