Advice for Abysia against Niefelheim

[Manuk]

disease its not bad but i don't know how many of them would be affected.

[llamabeast]

DrPraetorious said:

Actually, it's the *action point* bonus that really hurt him that battle. My giants practically teleported across the battlefield - in a hot province they're much slower.

I'm not sure the action points are that important - if both sides have melee armies, when they meet each other doesn't really matter.

The big problem as I see it is the cold aura. Most armies have about two hits at the giants - enough to injure them significantly if you have good men - then the army falls asleep in the cold, and the giants mop up with no casualties. Of course their extra armour and defence make a big difference too.

In my test games, Abysia beats Niefelheim trivially in a hot province, and almost can't win in the cold. But I think it's likely Niefelheim will have Wolven Winter (trying to estimate from the score graphs) and given that he'll probably be able to guess where any important battles are, how can I possibly beat him? I wish there was some kind of counter to wolven winter, but there isn't as far as I can tell, and so no matter how good my dominion is, for only 10 water gems he can turn the heat-3 province where a battle will occur to cold-3, dooming my poor soldiers.

If he hasn't got Wolven Winter he's stuffed.

[Huzurdaddi]

The giants do not regen during the magic casting rounds. So that means a *vast* numbers of Flames from Afar ( if you have space age research then Flames from the Sky ) should toast the giants. For 40 giants I *think* it would take something like 25 Falmes from Afar to kill them all. That is 250 gems so it is mroe than likely not worth it.

In combat Rods of the Phoenix, and lots of them, will do the trick, but you probably don't have the tech, nor do you have the gems, nor do you have the screening troops.

Othen that those insanely costly ideas I think that if you are fighting in cold provinces you are going to get smoked, uhm frozen, uhm whatever.

[Baalz]

llamabeast said:

In my test games, Abysia beats Niefelheim trivially in a hot province, and almost can't win in the cold. But I think it's likely Niefelheim will have Wolven Winter (trying to estimate from the score graphs) and given that he'll probably be able to guess where any important battles are, how can I possibly beat him? I wish there was some kind of counter to wolven winter, but there isn't as far as I can tell, and so no matter how good my dominion is, for only 10 water gems he can turn the heat-3 province where a battle will occur to cold-3, dooming my poor soldiers.

If he hasn't got Wolven Winter he's stuffed.

Again, in the easier said than done category, is the fact that you know this and can use it to your advantage. If you've got an overall pretty high heat countryside that he has the ability to pinpoint some cold into go geurilla on him. If he can only effectively fight in one province at a time (which rapidly heats back up the turn after he freezes it) hit 3 or 4 provinces for each one of yours he muscles into. Also, if you have a good gem/research lead look at some of the dome spells to protect your provinces. Does anybody know the fire damage done if you hit the dome of fire with a spell? It may be enough to discourage the casting of wolven winter where it's expected (or it might not be enough to phase the giant casters, dunno). I think maybe the dome of fire doesn't actually stop the effect though so maybe look into a different one (astral, blood?). Imagine the surprise of moving his main force in, expecting wolven winter to have gone off but instead being met by a stout defense in a warm climate...

[mivayan]

stellar cascades, in combat, will make the giants nicely tired since they dont reinvigorate more than their enc.

[llamabeast]

Once again everyone, many thanks for all the advice, I'm thinking about it all carefully. Much appreciated!