Guide: EA Agartha guide

[P3D]

Originally Posted by Agema

You don't need trogs to expand with your F/E/N bless, basic ancient ones will fight all day and barely die, so will defeat indies comfortably. They just tend to take a little more time doing it than trampling trogs. Your giants will also gain XP quickly, so their weak Att will eventually become respectable (and don't forget the F bless helping out).

You don't need to empower to make F boosters: your pretender can do that. You also don't really need magic scales. You have F and D magic, so can build lightless lanterns and skull mentors.

Dunno, initially, you don't have resources to buy enough Seal Guards, and Trogs are ideal to fill out the second and third expansion army. Granted, going for Const-1 first would make them immune to almost anything indies have.

The pretender might have other things to do besides making fire boosters to cast Augury.

My problem with no Magic scales is that Skull Mentors are expensive - they cost Death gems which you don't have much initially, and have dozens of better uses later. Shadow Brand, Horror Helmet, Skullface and Bone Armor besides Umbrals. You might not find enough Death sites either. Conj-6 might be a bit far to wait for Lanterns, of course you can rush it. At least that's my opinion.

[chrispedersen]

Originally Posted by P3D

Dunno, initially, you don't have resources to buy enough Seal Guards, and Trogs are ideal to fill out the second and third expansion army. Granted, going for Const-1 first would make them immune to almost anything indies have.

The pretender might have other things to do besides making fire boosters to cast Augury.

My problem with no Magic scales is that Skull Mentors are expensive - they cost Death gems which you don't have much initially, and have dozens of better uses later. Shadow Brand, Horror Helmet, Skullface and Bone Armor besides Umbrals. You might not find enough Death sites either. Conj-6 might be a bit far to wait for Lanterns, of course you can rush it. At least that's my opinion.

Agree - don't empower, let your pretender forge them.
Agree also that death gems are better put in umbrals
Also make sure to mention you should have an earth reader in the site every turn.

As for Trogs - Use trogs when you are fightin in cold territories. I probably wouldn't bother in cold 1... but in cold3 hellya.

And trogs become quite respectable when you get their protection up.

Since your D Oracles are capital only - you *have* to do something to stay up in the magical research. You could try building castles - but I think slow expansion really precludes that.

My choice of pretenders (CBM) would either be
Phoenix (Awake) F4N4-5A4, F4E4A4, F4S5A4, F4D4A4

Phoenix has a problem with no hands, so no hammers, which means you may wish to boost one higher than normal to make bootstrapping easierr. Exploding phoenixes give you good expansion, good minor blesses, good site searching and fills some gaps you can't otherwise cast A/N/S. FD is good for fireskulls, and are very useful for your Death DOs.

Olm: My choice only if you know you will be starting in or near water. Take N/W to get the free castles. Asleep is probably ok if you are only starting *near*

ForgeLord F4E4(N4|S4) You can increase the skills if you wish. If you are going to face undead (Ermor) Demons (lanka) the ability to crystal matrix, crystal slave, and crystal shields let your H7 communed DO's do insane banish damage might give you a chance.

[P3D]

My note on their good siege defense is only due to no deed for supplies.

I found that 6 Seal Guards can take out most indies with the F4E9N4 bless. But to get them built in two turns early one need Prod-1 and/or take high-resource provinces. Most lost fights come mainly from the death of the commander - they are anything but fast dealing the damage. So have a few bodyguards with the Reader/Oracle. Even indie infantry is OK for the purpose.

Oracles are not particularly efficient at research, 7 base RP for 400g, vs. 4 for 120g of the readers. The only available cheap/fast castle is IIRC in Forests (maybe swamps too).

Trogs need protection buffs to survive mid/late game, as they have no armor those buffs are high level. It was mentioned in another EA Agartha thread that 30 Trogs Hold/Attack Rear, Army of Lead+Mass Flight+Quickness can be devastating.

Would Cold Resistance/Immunity decrease extra fatigue for Cold blood?

[chrispedersen]

Originally Posted by P3D

My note on their good siege defense is only due to no deed for supplies.

I found that 6 Seal Guards can take out most indies with the F4E9N4 bless. But to get them built in two turns early one need Prod-1 and/or take high-resource provinces. Most lost fights come mainly from the death of the commander - they are anything but fast dealing the damage. So have a few bodyguards with the Reader/Oracle. Even indie infantry is OK for the purpose.

Oracles are not particularly efficient at research, 7 base RP for 400g, vs. 4 for 120g of the readers. The only available cheap/fast castle is IIRC in Forests (maybe swamps too).

Trogs need protection buffs to survive mid/late game, as they have no armor those buffs are high level. It was mentioned in another EA Agartha thread that 30 Trogs Hold/Attack Rear, Army of Lead+Mass Flight+Quickness can be devastating.

Would Cold Resistance/Immunity decrease extra fatigue for Cold blood?

..Y
...
...
.XX
.XX

If you set up in the back top left, against indies, this will minimize deaths due to stray arrows (hold hold attack). Commander set to bles bless.. and then *don't* have him cast spells. Fatigue makes it easier to hit him, and the silly earth balls they cast are pointless. You could tell him to cast earth grip in CBM - that does help your seal guards hit.

Agree with almost every point P. OR you can play in a resource 125-150%, and forgo the P-1.

Yes, cold immunity helps.

Also, if you find the size 1 goblins, or have a chance to buy the mercenary - they are gold. I don't remember if they work with the seal guards.. but I know they work with trogs and maybe your other ancient.

Inefficient research is why I believe you cry for a M1 at least or an M3 preferably scale.

[Agema]

Originally Posted by P3D

I found that 6 Seal Guards can take out most indies with the F4E9N4 bless. But to get them built in two turns early one need Prod-1 and/or take high-resource provinces.

Buy Ancient Ones for your first few turns, you get more with restricted resources. Seal Guard give you no particular advantage over Ancient ones against most indies, whilst considerably delaying you reaching a critical mass of blessed giants.

4-5 blessed giants will struggle alone. However, you've got a start army of Pale One chaff. A first turn's recruitment of 4 giants should suffice to start expansion when backed up by the pale ones; eventually your pale one chaff will die, but you can recruit an indy commander and ferry over more giants. Building an average of 5-6 giants a turn for the first 5 turns should give you two expansion armies of 10+. Once you've got the resources and armies going, then switch to Seal Guard.

[chrispedersen]

As for Trogs - Use trogs when you are fightin in cold territories. I probably wouldn't bother in cold 1... but in cold3 hellya.

And trogs become quite respectable when you get their protection up.

Since your D Oracles are capital only - you *have* to do something to stay up in the magical research. You could try building castles - but I think slow expansion really precludes that.

My choice of pretenders (CBM) would either be
Phoenix (Awake) F4N4-5A4, F4E4A4, F4S5A4, F4D4A4

Phoenix has a problem with no hands, so no hammers, which means you may wish to boost one higher than normal to make bootstrapping easier. Exploding phoenixes give you good expansion, good minor blesses, good site searching and fills some gaps you can't otherwise cast A/N/S. FD is good for fireskulls, and are very useful for your Death DOs.
Earth and Air gets you staffs of mastery, also allows the combination of DarkSkies and melancholia.

Olm: My choice only if you know you will be starting in or near water. Take N/W to get the free castles. Asleep is probably ok if you are only starting *near*

ForgeLord F4E4(N4|S4) You can increase the skills if you wish. If you are going to face undead (Ermor) Demons (lanka) the ability to crystal matrix, crystal slave, and crystal shields let your H7 communed DO's do insane banish damage might give you a chance.

[JimMorrison]

On Sieges- there is a (Siege) bonus, AND a (Defense) bonus. Having a (Siege) bonus confers no benefit to protecting a castle, only in assaulting it.

The Agarthans are great tunnelers, not great builders.

[Jazzepi]

We're so deep in this hole. LETS DIG OUR WAY OUT.

Jazzepi