Superheroes dominating Dominions 3 ?

[Tyrant]

I favor a slow "build and strangle" conservative style of play, and it really hurts me to take death scales, but the more i play the more i lean towards KissBlade's PoV. I know it does not make mathematical sence, but i have been able to see the benefits of growth in games far more clearly than the cost of death. Often i have experienced a pleasant long term trend in my own economy from growth, but not once have i seen an enemy nation decline noticably from their death scale.

Another obvious thing i have recently learned- although growth provides a very noticable protection from the ravages of age, it only helps when you are in your own dominion. In one game i'm playing i was quite disturbed to find nearly half my Marignon mages got hearts one turn while they were out besieging an enemy castle and late winter rolled around.

I can't quite go all the way and say death-3 is a "no-brainer", but experience has pushed me toward accepting death scales against my natural inclination.

[Meglobob]

Tyrant said:
Often i have experienced a pleasant long term trend in my own economy from growth, but not once have i seen an enemy nation decline noticably from their death scale.

I am playing MA Ermor with death-3, my capitals population is around 23,000 at around turn 30'ish.

Playing Caelum with growth-3 my capitals population is 35,000 at around turn 30'ish.

So the difference is noticable. Also, playing MA Ermor I have noticed a slow but sure tightening of my income, ie...I am having less to spend. This makes me for more aggressive, as I need new lands to make up for my declining old ones.

[mivayan]

calmon said:
I agree with shovah, sure it depends on game length, game rules, etc. but i normally not go with death 3 and i choose growth 3 as often as i can, even without big old age problems.
In longer games there is a real difference between a 40.000 populated home province (and all other provinces in same way) or just 20.000 on turn 50.

My math says 22k for death3, starting at 30... minor point. So, it's not useless. Good. But those 240 points can almost give a wyrm Death4 and Nature4, for example. Or luck3 for extra gems with points left over.

[FrankTrollman]

Deleted.

[SelfishGene]

The one thing about MA Agartha is that it's a recruitable land-based amphibious nation with human and amphib troops. Not much, admittedly.

[Shovah32]

But(apart from EA which lacks humans, but can get indies anyway) the other agarthan ages are too, +they have other things to make them superior.

[mivayan]

SelfishGene said:
The one thing about MA Agartha is that it's a recruitable land-based amphibious nation with human and amphib troops. Not much, admittedly.

National statue summoning spells that make sturdy meatshields. Golem cult dominion that gives +100% bonus hp to statues in dom10, makes them sturdier. Summons from Enliven Statues are affected, dunno about the constuction summons.

[danm]

Seeing as how everyone keeps crying about how overpowered MA Agartha is, i figured that was the obvious next choice for me ;-)

I decided to just take great scales, and rely on indie troops to tide me through until i figure out what I want to do mid/late game. If nothing else I'll die a happy capitalist with lots of cash...

For the first game i just took the cheapest pretender I could (imprisoned waterfountain with dom5 and astral4 i think... hes not woke up yet...) Once I figure out what Items/spells I really miss, I'll try again with a pretender who can fill those needs without blowing my scales.

Biggest thing I miss so far is DD for skull mentors. I'm addicted to those things, and a 2.5% chance to get DD on a 400 gold elderly capitol only unit isn't quite going to cut it, I fear.

Its a completely different nation strategicly from EA, where the NNE/sacred Ancients realllly reward terrible scales (for bless and to starve incoming armies)

If nothing else, it's a good excuse to learn how to use indies to reasonable effect, as I tend to be attracted to nations that don't play nice with normal humans.

[mivayan]

danm said:
I'm addicted to those things, and a 2.5% chance to get DD on a 400 gold elderly capitol only unit isn't quite going to cut it, I fear.

Dont be afraid of their old age for other usage though (blade wind). In my death1 dominion solo game, golem crafters (maxage 48, no death magic) gets age afflictions as often as expected, but Oracle of the ancients(maxage 400, death magic 1) very rarely.

Maxage, death magic, growth scale are the only things that directly affect the age affliction formula iirc. (fire/nature magic has an indirect effect by changing maxage).

If nothing else, it's a good excuse to learn how to use indies to reasonable effect, as I tend to be attracted to nations that don't play nice with normal humans.

Independend bows and big shield wearing Agarthan infantry is nice against AI armies.