Scripts to defeat earth attacks or ashen angels

[incognito]

Playing Kailasa in a MP game with some friends and getting hammered by earth attacks. I've found bodyguards are not doing the trick in most cases, since 1 death results in the troops and commander routing, and the loss of everyone.

For reference, I am looking for any combo of spells across any mage types that helps defeat these two attacks. My S1, and S2/N1 mages so far have no luck. My E3 Yaksha can drop an earth elemental with two close range castings of blade wind - this is the only successful cast combo that saves them, albeit it does not work on the ashen angels.

I also lose W4 Yakshini easily to assassination spells, since water seems to lack offensive punch in these mano-au-mano situations.

Ideally, I'm looking for solutions other than using heavy gems or equipping guys with great gear (although a single item that is reliable would be good).

Thanks in advance for ideas.

[NTJedi]

incognito said:
Playing Kailasa in a MP game with some friends and getting hammered by earth attacks. I've found bodyguards are not doing the trick in most cases, since 1 death results in the troops and commander routing, and the loss of everyone.

I rarely use bodyguards with morale below 20 because of the routing issue.

incognito said:
For reference, I am looking for any combo of spells across any mage types that helps defeat these two attacks. My S1, and S2/N1 mages so far have no luck. My E3 Yaksha can drop an earth elemental with two close range castings of blade wind - this is the only successful cast combo that saves them, albeit it does not work on the ashen angels.

If your astral mages are researching in your capital just have them setup to cast returning, thus the enemy earth attack is wasted.

incognito said:
I also lose W4 Yakshini easily to assassination spells, since water seems to lack offensive punch in these mano-au-mano situations.

Ideally, I'm looking for solutions other than using heavy gems or equipping guys with great gear (although a single item that is reliable would be good).

Thanks in advance for ideas.

Your answer is not providing these low mages with the correct offensive spells, but with providing them decoys for the assassination spells. Have several cheap scouts moving with your armies... after your human opponent realizes almost every assassination spell is only killing a scout he will change his strategy. Make sure the scouts are not sneaking/hiding otherwise they won't work as decoys for protecting your mages against these assassination spells.
If your armies consist of mostly national units you may want to use cheap commanders instead (30 gold instead of 20) thus less likely your national troops will flee for when you march into battle.

[PvK]

A few ideas:

Give the S2 mages an astral pearl and script Soul Slay.

Give a valuable target a bodyguard that is as large as an earth elemental so it can't be trampled.

The decoy accompaniment NTJedi mentioned is also a good idea.

PvK

[aku666]

How about using mindless/mechanical units as bodyguards?

[Ironhawk]

Against an Ashen Angel, all you need is some chaff bodyguards to stall the angel for a turn or two and then script your mage to cast Dust to Dust. I suppose Banishment might also work if it was a priest? Not as good of a bet tho.

As for an Earth Attack - thats a tough spell to stand up to. Paralyze, Soul slay, etc would probably be your best bet. Or the spell that kills magic beings? Cant recall what it is. If you are willing to spare a gem, you could summon your own elemental in the battle. In the case of earth attack tho, you really are better off going with chaff commanders like scouts to reduce the chances of a mage or key commander being assassinated.

[tibbs]

Well, I believe there is a spell that is designed to kill a magic unit.I think it is maybe 3 astral and fairly high up the research scale. Also there is a sword, (moonblade?) that is good against magic beings.

But decoys are probably your best and cheapest route for low lvl mages.

[Borya]

I rarely use bodyguards with morale below 20 because of the routing issue.

Sorry for offtopic - what is the issue about?

[NTJedi]

Borya said:

Sorry for offtopic - what is the issue about?

It's not a bug, but a by design issue... if a bodyguard dies during an assassination battle then all units make a morale check. If they fail the morale check all units will retreat and thus anyone retreating during an assassination battle means death for them.

[1000yd_stare]

You should surrender to Yomi.

[Taqwus]

'Opposition' is the targeted anti-magic-unit spell; resist or take damage. It's also the effect on Elf Bane. Moon Blade does additional damage to magic creatures, but doesn't attempt Opposition, if memory serves.

Earth Attack is powerful for the marginal gem cost, which is presumably why it takes an E5 caster and a fair amount of research. Body Ethereal will help a human-sized victim, because earth elementals attack smaller targets by trampling, but this doesn't help against Ashen Angels because the latter use magic weapons IIRC.

Decoys make sense. So might a dome spell, to reduce the likelihood that the spell attacks will actually work, if this is a situation where you're getting pummeled in one province.