Anti-SC commanders

[BigDaddy]

I'm highly interesting in inexpensive Anti-SC commanders, like commanders with visions foe and eye of aiming, or bow of botulf, eye of aiming, etc. Or less expensive mages that can kill/injure enemy SCs.

Which ones do you guys think are most effective?

[Saber Cherry]

I never use Eyes or Hearts. I can't stand mutilating my own commanders...

However, in a recent game I played, I was very careful to keep my good commanders away from an indy province that had a totem-shield-equpped leader. In the same game, as Vanheim, I lost my heroic strength national hero einhere (30 strength when berserked) to Decay.

I never seem to have any luck against SCs with bows or whatever (not accurate enough), although I have taken them out with my own SCs equipped with artifacts. Paralyze sometimes works, though, and is pretty easy to cast.

[Chazar]

I once tried a squad of 7 caelian scouts equipped with ethereal crossbows. The 7 where spread out between ordinary archers for protection and accompanied bigger armies, usually with a mage casting wind guide. I did not notice that they presented a great help. (The scouts were merely scripted to fire without any specific target.) Maybe I did something wrong or just had bad luck. Maybe I should have made a large squad, but it is too much trouble to create and move them around (since they are all commanders).

[Arralen]

Chazar said:
I once tried a squad of 7 caelian scouts equipped with ethereal crossbows.
..
I did not notice that they presented a great help.
..
The scouts were merely scripted to fire without any specific target.

You should have used "fire at large enemy monsters" ..

[WraithLord]

I once tried (in MP) giving emerald guard commanders eye of aiming and ethereal x-bow.
Scripted them to fire closest.

They did offer some help against banelord SCs and ghost riders commanders.

[Blofeld]

Scout(s) with Herald Lance set to cast spells can make wonders if you're facing Bane lords and other undead thugs.
Or with Phoenix rod, if you're playing Marignon or get fire mages from elsewhere.

If you put Boots of Quickness on them - double the fun.

Shambler chiefs are good carriers for such items - cheap and tough enough to survive a random arrow or lightning bolt.

Blindness is also good and castable by a lowly fire mage.
And the spellcasting AI will actually go for it it when facing fire-resistant foe, which is nice.

[Ironhawk]

I havent tried it, but isnt there a shield that blinds anyone that strikes the wielder? Just put that on an indy commander and set him out as bait for the SC, way in front of your troops or something.

[Saber Cherry]

Eye shield, nature (2?) const (4?)

[Evil Dave]

Const 2, according to Zen's quick reference. I've found that several indy commanders each with one of those is a cost-effective way of spanking most SCs. It doesn't work all the time, but that's fine with me -- it's the threat that counts.

[Arralen]

Eye Shields work wonders on assassines as well. As long as it survives 2 hits, that is...