Machaka - Page 2

Saxon · #1 July 2nd, 2006, 12:11 PM

Thanks for the reminder, size determines the supply usage. As Ermor is on the border, I need the supply items in any case, but twice as much with the spider armies.

Isn't it wonderful how fast holy units get into the hall of fame after a successful brush with Ermor? The kill rate is huge!

As for the poor PD, I may have been lucky, but have found it to be reasonable so far. Twice routing a decent invasion force of giants was a pleasant surprise. That said, I will be trying for Mechanical Milita later in the game, it really makes life simpler.

shovah · #2 July 3rd, 2006, 09:16 AM

fighting ermor give commanders a charcoal shield, will eat the undead. A black servant with full black plate, helm, girdle of might and possibly quickness boots+lucky coin dosnt cost much, can handle practically any pd (sneak him behind enemy front line and flank with servants while your main army crushes him), is hard to kill and does reasonable damage (i suggest horror helm personally if possible)

Saber Cherry · #3 June 29th, 2006, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Oversway said:

I would not recommend a bless strat with Machaka. The hunter spiders are good, but expensive and capitol only.

That's odd, cause I do recommend a bless strat with Machaka. Nature 9 and one of E4 or E9 or W9 or F4 or F9 or S4. Nature 9 also allows Mass Protection, Relief, and Mass Regeneration... while E* allows Legions of Steel. The combination of super-high protection, regeneration, and reinvigoration make Black Hunters very survivable, and the mounts almost invincible to anything save lightning and MR-save spells. You only need a few.

Oversway · #4 June 29th, 2006, 05:03 PM

Summon some ivy kings and you get all the same spells, no need for a dual 9 bless.

Although, you can beat the AI regardless

Nerfix · #5 June 29th, 2006, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Saber Cherry said:invincible to anything save lightning and MR-save spells. You only need a few.

Oh, but don't the two later on rule the battlefield?

Cainehill · #6 June 29th, 2006, 11:53 PM

Yes, but - something like 4 N9 hunters can clear most independent provinces. That makes it very feasible to expand quickly, and then work on longer term "solutions". Also, if you make a hunter lord your prophet, you can wind up with a very sweet early game mini-SC if he gets lucky with the HoF bonus, at which point you toss luck/ethereality/fire shield items on him if you didn't already.

Also - those black servant thugs? I think I was one of the first to discover 'em (surprised even Norfleet *grin*), and with heavy enough armor I had them successfully take 6 to 8 provinces with indies 7-8. Not sure if it's still possible with the CB mod, but the armored black servant is still pretty potent with a solid bless if you prophetize (or do stone boots/shroud of the saint).

NTJedi · #7 June 29th, 2006, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Endoperez said:
It has no weaknesses, but its strengths aren't very visible either.

It does have one weakness... it's province defense.

Hopefully some of the suggestions to improve province defense from the wishlist will exist in Dominions_3.

Valandil · #8 June 29th, 2006, 03:21 PM

Now, I'm not very good at this game, so feel free to ignore me.

I have found machaka spider riders to be insanely powerful in large groups. With web/poison they can be a threat to thugs, and they are cheap enough that one can field a sizeable army of them.
The black servant mini-sc idea works rather well, but I find that they need rime hauberks to kill anything (another interesting sentance).
It seems to me that machaka is very good at killing off scs. In one game I lost almost twenty well-equipped golems (don't ask) to the despicable strategy of spamming blindness and curse.

Saxon · #9 July 3rd, 2006, 10:09 AM

I am having a hell of a time powering up mages. I have had to empower a F2 so they can forge the Flaming Helmet for the rest of them. Unless I get lucky and get F as the random pick, is this pretty much the only way to get Flaming Arrows?

Charcoal Shield to eat undead. It shall be so. Well, that is if it can be used by mounted troops. Not sure who I would put it on if I have to go with an infantry unit. It will be a nice complement to the one eyed priests who are doing most of the work right now. Getting berserk, regenerating, reinvigorating giant spiders helps to, they can hold the undead tide back quite well! I do love the blessed Hunters�

shovah · #10 July 3rd, 2006, 10:20 AM

unless you take fire on the pretender then you need randoms/empowerment. The charcoal shield can be used by mounted troops and only use it on melee units as all it does is grant a strength 7 or so fireshield (so anyone who hits you takes 7 armour piercing fire dmg, deadly vrs un dead. Also remember that a f9 or so pretender gets around 15ap fireshield...)