New Player question - taking out Oceania

[Piet]

My first game - I play Abysia against Oceania, C'tis, and Agartha on a small map. I do fine taking out and taking over all land areas. I learn to empower a couple of my mages to have water skills and figure out how to make water breathing ring. I have a couple of low production amphibian provinces, and keep pumping those armies into the Oceania empire. But my brute force approach is not enough... I can't bring my armies with my water breathing leaders and am scared to commit those mages that have developed water skills.

What did I do wrong? What can I do to finish this map? Is there some way that I can make my armies be water breathing?

[thejeff]

Abysia's a rough nation to go underwater with. Your fire mages are largely useless underwater, even once you get water breathing gear.

There are a number of items that grant water breathing to either commanders or commander and some troops. They require either water or air, neither of which you have much of.
They only become poor amphibians, though and will fair poorly against Oceania's troops. I'd focus on thugs and SCs.

Many undead are also amphibian, so if you can get death magic, you can use that path

You don't say what era you're playing. If it's middle, I'd focus on blood, summon and equip a bunch of the blood uniques and send them in do the killing. Early age I'm not so familiar with.

Also, use your empowered mages to summon water breathers. Sea King's Court and Naiads both are good water mages. Both the Sea Trolls from the court and Naiad Warriors are decent troops, if expensive.

There's also the alternative of going for a dominion victory. Blood sacrifice along the shoreline.

[Piet]

I was playing the early era. Anyway, I was just about to cast Sea King's Court when the dominion strategy came to fruition(blood sacrifice along the shore as you suggested). Thanks for good advise, I was getting frustrated with the micro management.

Speaking of which, I wish that there was a way to "factory" water breathing rings (not that it would have been effective mind you). I could make them, but only one at a time (I think, I didn't try clicking on it repeatedly to queue them up).

Thanks again!!

[thejeff]

No, you can't queue items.

"Forge Monthly" has been a much requested option for quite awhile.

[K]

It's counter-intuitive that Water magic is not that great fighting underwater, but it's true.

What you need is Nature magic and Air magic for battle magic, and death and/or Earth for troops.

Battle magic for underwater includes Lightning Bolts and Poison Clouds, and a few army boosting spells like Fog Warriors and Army of Lead, for example.

For troops, building water-breathing items is a bit of a waste when you can just summon Marble Warriors or undead.

Since you are fighting AI, SCs are the best. Kit out a few Banelords or Elemental Royalty and take it to them.

[Tuidjy]

K, I have to disagree about water magic. It is useful for both summoning
(the shark line of spells), army support (friendly currents) and SCs (quicken
self, water shield, breath of winter) Niefel Jarls, for example, are beasts
underwater. Or anywhere, for that matter, except for hot provinces.

Against the AI, I suggest SCs. If you control the landmass, and have an
abundance of gems, Wraith Lords with firebrand, charcoal shield, spirit helmet,
chainmail of displacement, coots of quickness, ring of regeneration, and amulet
of luck are able to take on any amount of troops.