Help, read all the faqs, playing demo, dont know how to PLAY...

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Gavinfox:
This game is REALLY REALLY hard and is REALLY REALLY under-documented...

While this is true of "official" documentation, there are plenty of fan-created docs that will help you. May I suggest the following:

1. Download the various docs I have available on my site.
2. Follow the links I have on my site to other sites and download the docs you may find there (notably, the stuff on Sunray's site regarding playing various nations).
3. Read the AARs (After-Action Reports) for various nations that are to be found on this forum.

Once you've done all this homework you may find that most (if not all) of your questions have been answered. The forum's SEARCH feature is also useful ...

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Gavinfox:
there has to be one simple way to win, for at least one narrow civ and god thats agreed on as a very workable strategy? something that tells me what i should be trying to achieve at any given moment?

There is no such thing. Even concentrating on how to play just one (of 17) nations, strategies can (and do) change dramatically depending on the map you choose, the strength of independents, where on the map you begin, etc. Oh, and strategies that work against AIs may fail miserably versus human opponents.

[Molog]

A simple way to win against AI is with Ermor Ashen empire. Take a ghost king. Take full negative scales on everything, except luck and magic. Take 10 dominion. Give your ghost king a bit of every kind of magic minus blood or 4 in nature. Just make some bischops, have them reanimate warriors and keep attacking. Have your ghost king search each province.

[Gavinfox]

Originally posted by Arryn:

quote:

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Originally posted by Gavinfox:
there has to be one simple way to win, for at least one narrow civ and god thats agreed on as a very workable strategy? something that tells me what i should be trying to achieve at any given moment?

There is no such thing. Even concentrating on how to play just one (of 17) nations, strategies can (and do) change dramatically depending on the map you choose, the strength of independents, where on the map you begin, etc. Oh, and strategies that work against AIs may fail miserably versus human opponents.

---

What I meant was, "Give me a good simple, win-in-40-turns strategy, controlling all possible variables, which will help me to understand various parts of the game as possible with the demo."

[Gandalf Parker]

We can try but how do you play? If you tend to mass armies and charge in like berserker then it will be very different than if you prefer to use scouts and sneaking armies. I REALLY dont want to insult you or anything but this game isnt for everyone. Some people prefer arcade games where the path is obvious and you just keep trying it till you get past it. Some people like games like chess where all the pieces are equal on both sides and its only who uses the best strategy. This game is well designed for people who really REALLY prefer to come up with their own strategys and tactics. Lots of choices about nation, pretender, equipment, tactics. Some of us have had it over a year and are still finding new tactics. The problem it causes is that we can give you what works for us but there is no gaurantee it will work for you. The game is balanced pretty well that way. Personally, I prefer playing Man or Pangaea in sneak-army mode but my tactics fail horribly for other people.

My suggestion was Ulm because its the lowest learning curve. Its armored units with resistance to magic scale. You build armies and attack. I suggested man, ctis, and pangaea as opponents because the computer AI doesnt play them very well. Do not put Ermor, water nations, caelum, or abyssia in as opponents because explaining what to do when you meet them is a whole new subject. I recommended turning up independents because even though it seems harder for you to beat them, you will do better than the computer. If you have independents at the default of 3 or lower then the AI's will swarm you way too soon. If you play Ulm then you can stand some help in the area of food, archers, and flyers. That means its good to attack provinces that say it has druids, jade amazons, raptors, and any archer types.

[ July 22, 2004, 01:44: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

[Gavinfox]

Coud someone help me with setting custom orders? I dont understand how to script orders for a battle, and I dont know much about setting repeating orders every month, or other things like that. thanks.

Gavin I would like to help you, but I really can't. There is no easy way to win the game in a demo unless you take the time to learn the dynamics of the game which are hard to teach.

Post your Nation, Your Pretender, your Theme, and your Scales and I and many others will be able to help you muster together army, setting mages, and pointing you in a research direction.

Edit: Spelling.

[ July 22, 2004, 03:46: Message edited by: Zen ]

[Smauler]

I've been playing the game for about 1 week now. I've won a couple now (well won one, the other I was realloy dominating by turn 40).

I don't use my god for combat at all, basically. I generally will use a crappy human pick. Give them at least 3 in water, death and nature. All that they will be used for is searching for these shrines. Add 3 to cold, and select Niefenhelm. Raise dominion up to at least 6, select (probably) Castle as your fortificatation type, and use the other picks how you like.

Create a new game. Change starting provinces to 3 or so, special sites to 75, intedependent strength to 5 or so, everything else the same.

Therefore, using Jotunhelm, with Niefenhelm. First turn, grab a Gygja or perhaps a Skratti for research. Contiue adding these for research, I generally end up on turn 40 with about 8-10. Research conjuration until you get to at least level 3. Then you should be able to revive Banes and Wights with at least a couple of your Gygjas. If you can't (you need 2 death), give one or two of them empowerment up to 2 death. Revive a Bane, then repeatedly revive wights (shift-M). You could also research to level 4, empower to 3 death, and summon shade beasts too, but it's not necessary.
Also, empower your Skratti(s) to water 2 if you don't have one, and cast summon ice drake repeatedly with them. When you have enough Nature gems empower a Skratti up to 3 (or you have a lucky Skratti with 3 nature already), and repeatedly summon pride of lions.

I generally just produce Jotun Godes as commanders (Priest level 3, leadership 25), and Jotun Axemen or Jotun woodsmen as troops. When you have enough money, go for Niefel Jarls and Niefel Giants if you like. Just carry on producing as much as you can afford, you should be able to get 3 or 4 or more axemen every turn, just do this every turn, because resources are your limiting factor generally, not gold.

Just carry on attacking easy neighbouring provinces, especially those with decent incomes. Your god should be just wandering around, searching for magic sites, and after a while you should be able to start summoning (see top). Basically, don't attack anything you think you might lose.

This is just the tactic I use, I've only been playing the demo for a week or so, so I've no idea how this tactic would play in a longer game, but it seems to work pretty well for me now. Anyway, good luck .

[ July 22, 2004, 06:18: Message edited by: Smauler ]

[Sindai]

Another fairly easy tactic should be Abyssia (default theme) with a Moloch fire-9 pretender. Just build Anathament Dragons (level 4 priests), lava warriors (their sacred, berzerking, 2-flail-using troops) and heavy infantry. Don't include Ulm among the AI opponents.

Lead your armies with Dragons, have them bless the lava warriors, and watch them buzzsaw their way through virtually any opposition. Research evocation magic so that the Dragons can help out the troops with fire spells. Once you get up to the more powerful spells (falling fires was the great one, I think) the Dragons will be able to wipe out whole squads on their own, and the Moloch will be an army-murdering death machine. You'll hardly even need the lava warriors at that point.

This was how I won (well, almost. I'd wiped out everyone but Pangea and had them down to just a couple provinces by the time I hit the turn limit) my first demo game.

[ July 22, 2004, 06:31: Message edited by: Sindai ]

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Smauler:
I generally just produce Jotun Godes as commanders (Priest level 3, leadership 25),

For short games, I'd recommend Jarls. Godes are too expensive unless your strategy is dominion spread (very hard in short games) or blessing sacred troops (not recommended to use with Smauler's pretender magic picks).

Jotun Axemen or Jotun woodsmen as troops.

I recommend Jotun Spearmen (or the spear-carrying Hirdmen) over Axemen. The longer length of the spear is very effective for repels, which means your troops tend to get fewer wounds and live longer. Axes do more damage, but I prefer every edge in favor of troop defense. Woodsmen are a poor choice in bang-for-the-buck, unless you are playing a bless strategy. They are quite fragile, compared to other choices, and expensive.