Nerf

[Bananadine]

You can't always beat the highest-level AI by playing the way the AI does. If you try that then you'll just be roleplaying as a non-cheating AI against a cheating AI.

I played this way because I just wanted to relax for a bit, and building automatic killing machines in computer simulations is how I relax. But then I got sucked into the project of trying to take over a whole huge map without ever actually trying very hard, and it turned out to be an unrewarding timesink. This has happened to me several times over the past couple of years.

Still, it could be fun for somebody to play with 125 PD sometimes.

[DeadlyShoe]

you guys need to play with better independents i think ^_^

[Executor]

True, depending on what nation you take and what the AI takes.
I like to mess around with the AI from time to time too, doe as hard as I try I can never force myself to play serious against the AI no matter what.

One thing I realized too as that the AI has a nice advantage on wrap around maps due to his massive numbers.

[iRFNA]

Ya, how many of these examples are with better indies and against mighty/impossible AIs?

[Executor]

All, of course.

[rdonj]

No vet would bother playing against less than impossible AIs. It's too easy to beat the AI on lesser difficulties once you understand how the game works. Personally I only have trouble when fighting 3 or more impossible AIs at the same time. Before I've gotten my magic developed. While using suboptimal anti-AI strategies.

This is no knock against anyone who can't beat the impossible AI. It takes a while to learn the tricks, or a lot of forum reading. But once you become experienced, defeating an impossible AI is actually pretty easy. You have to play a little differently than you would in multiplayer and some strategies that are very effective in MP don't work *at all* in SP. And vice versa, such as with the PD.

[krpeters]

So what's the "correct" way to take on an AI army of 240 troops in mid-spring of year 3 (turn 26)? Assuming your SC Pretender is off dealing with other threats, that is?

The reason I ask is that I verified the excessive PD strategy does work well. I had about 2000 gold worth of troops in province to defend with. Ordinarily, I would have won that battle, but with substantial casualties/attrition. But this time I poured in an additional 1000 gold worth of PD. (PD 41, technically 861 gold).

I started my troops behind my PD. My PD met his horde of garbage, inflicted a good number of casualties, then routed. Then my main troops charged in and finished off his troops. I was pretty pleased with the result. This was with EA Fomoria, btw -- competent PD, but nothing that great (I think?)

So is there a better way to deal with an AI force like this?

[rdonj]

Turn a Fomorian King into a soul vortex-casting SC. He can defeat any number of such armies solo unless the RNG rolls very badly against him. There's also things like dance of the morrigans. But in general PD is a good and effective way to deal with the AI. 20 PD is good enough though mostly, 40 I would save for really large armies and only when you *know* you're going to be fighting over the spot a lot.

[thejeff]

Even without Soul Vortex, which is 6th level and might not be available yet if you're focused on other paths, Fomorian Kings are tough enough to take an AI army of that size with Mistform, Mirror Image, and standard thug gear.
Other than that, chaff and Thunderstrike spam?

Fomoria is pretty limited in mage power outside the capital, so it's hard to rely on standard army+artillery/buff mage tactics. It's really designed to be a blessed thug nation.

[krpeters]

Yes, I am planning to use Fomorian kings later, with soul vortex, gear, mistform, etc. But obviously my research hasn't gotten that far yet. (Well, Mistform yes, worthwhile gear no. Gleaming shields are Const-6)

I bypassed the bless strategy because my real objective this game is to try something differnet -- Golems laying down Astral Tempest on AI superarmies. The Golem will teleport in, cast, and then recall out. Simultanously, the kings will cloud trapeze in and stand around while AT does its work killing.

Since this is going to take a while to research, I need to survive long enough to get there. Which is why I started with a dormant E2S2 Wyrm to exterminate any armies threatening my capital, instead of a more typical imprisoned W9N6 pretender.