Caelum vs. Arcoscephale

[Azhur]

I'm playing a PBEM match against my good ol' friend. Here's the current situation:

Map: Arduria
Province strength: 6
Magic Search: 55
Random Events: Rare
Victory condition: by victory points
AIs: Pythium, Man, Ulm, C'tis, Marignon, Pangaea, Tien Chi

Turn 17

Caelum (Me, SE of Arduria):

Provinces: 27
Forts: 2
Income: 1300+ (Top)
Gem income: Way above all

Fire +3
Air +9
Water +4
Earth +8
Astral +4
Death +1
Nature +11

Research: Average
Dominion: Top
Army Size: Top
Pretender: Flying rainbow mage

Arco (He, NW of Arduria):

Provinces: Less
Forts: 1
Income: Less
Gem Income: Much less
Research: Top
Dominion: High
Army Size: High
Pretender: Ghost King SC

Till now my friend has nearly always beaten me. Now the payback time has come and I want you guys to help me to win this battle.

I'm expanding to the west and recently killed Pangaea. Now I had my first encounter with Tien Chi and so far no problems.
My friend is struggling against C'tis troops, which seem to be dealing much of trouble for him.

My primary tactic for now has been Wind Guide with High Seraphs, and as you can see, it has been working splendidly for now. But my fear against Ulm and such has also made me buy some Mammoth/Wingless squads.

My greatest weakness is the usage of magic. The only real deal I know for Caelum are of course AEQs, but other than that is beyond my knowledge. I've researched Conjuration and Construction 3. I've got lots of gems (especially air and nature ones), but yet no use for them. I just found some sorceress (2N, 2?) in the north, but don't yet have good ideas for their usage.

So.. how should I proceed?

[deccan]

Heh. Anyone will tell you to research Evocation and Alteration first as Caelum...

[Gandalf Parker]

The power of Caelum is in the flight. Going head-2-head as if you are both playing Ulm is not in your favor. You can jump over his armies and hit the provinces behind his front line. You can send sneaking priests in to lower his dominion and look for backside provinces that have low defense. You can position all of your armies far back on the battlefield forcing his to run forward seperating his infantry from his rear units, then attack rearmost or archers (use troops assigned to guard a commander that is told to shoot/shoot/attack-rear)

Also "Call of the Winds" is cheap. It can soften a province you are about to attack, it can keep him on his toes in the back areas, it is great for casting onto any high-gold province of yours for patrolling so you can tax higher. If you do the Last then you can switch the flyer-units to a cheap indept commander and use the leader as another flying commander such as with the hold-then-attack-rear tactic mentioned earlier.

[Ironhawk]

Your friend probably doesnt have a response to a battlefield summoning strategy which is probably what Ctis AI has chosen to use?

As for you, Deccan is correct. Your focus should be completely on Evocation and Alteration. Caelum mages are agreed upon by many as the most powerful in the game. You should get your battlefield magic in order and start wrecking havoc.

At low levels quickness-lightning bolt can do a good job with a couple of seraphs or whatever. Stepping up you get thunderstrike, etc. Caelum is practically designed to use Wrathful Skies. Stuff like that. There are plenty of threads on Caelum tactics, just search around.