Ermor Ashen Empire really bizarre?

[tinkthank]

Two things bizarre here:

on turn four, I had 5 commanders (all Emorian Cultists) appear in a faraway province of my enemy (Abyssia), and they took over that province with little effort. I never summoned these folks or told anyone to go there, didnt even know that province existed. Was sort of surprised to receive the message "There was a battle in...", no special event, nothing. What is that?

Other bizarre thing: I cant seem to lose at all to the computer AIs. Playing on Aran. I set to full death, sloth, cold, and turmoil, gave me 1 point of magic and fortune for the hell of it, and took a ghost king with 5 death, 4 of everything else, 7 dominion. Dont have a strategy at all, since I didnt even know what I would get when choosing this "special dominion", but it seems on turn 30 I am pretty much crushing just about everyone else with very little effort or thought. Is this right? I mean, it is not quite as fun as the other ones to play, I feel, and I doubt I will be doing much more of this nation, since it is a bit one-sided, but isnt this a sure win in MP if you like this style of play?

[Kristoffer O]

The event is a bad event for another player. He gets most of the info.

Ermor is very strong vs AI. If you try rich world setting you will be somewhat less powerful (5 extra gems will not compensate the increased incomes of other players). In MP Ermor is not that powerful, rather the opposite. There are many strategies available that will cause Ermor great problems. There is also a very major diplomatic problem in MP. Everyone will probably gang up on you at first sight.

[tinkthank]

Originally posted by Kristoffer O:
The event is a bad event for another player. He gets most of the info.

Ermor is very strong vs AI. If you try rich world setting you will be somewhat less powerful (5 extra gems will not compensate the increased incomes of other players). In MP Ermor is not that powerful, rather the opposite. There are many strategies available that will cause Ermor great problems. There is also a very major diplomatic problem in MP. Everyone will probably gang up on you at first sight.

OK.

As to that "event" -- it wasnt even listed as one. What was it?

[Argitoth]

Originally posted by Kristoffer O:
There is also a very major diplomatic problem in MP. Everyone will probably gang up on you at first sight.

Actually, I beg to differ. Ermor's undiplomatic style is extremely overrated. Ermor can be a good allie just like anyone else. The only thing you have to do is keep his dominion out just like every allie has to do with every allie.

[ywl]

Originally posted by Argitoth:

quote:

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Originally posted by Kristoffer O:
There is also a very major diplomatic problem in MP. Everyone will probably gang up on you at first sight.

Actually, I beg to differ. Ermor's undiplomatic style is extremely overrated. Ermor can be a good allie just like anyone else. The only thing you have to do is keep his dominion out just like every allie has to do with every allie.

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Not in the game I played .

First, an enemy with an infinite supply of troops, even though you know that they can be banished easily, is very unnerving. It's better off to kill him first. Most other enemy will have limit on how much troop they can build up. Second, most players have a tendency to use very high dominions strength for Ermor, which itself is a passive-aggressive strategy. In that situation, there is nothing like a *peaceful* Ermor. Finally, Ermor is very weak in the beginning and his land is usually flushed with found sites - an invitation for attack.

A diplomatic Ermor can be played but it is difficult. It might be easier to win by sticking to the Broken Empire.

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Argitoth:
Actually, I beg to differ. Ermor's undiplomatic style is extremely overrated. Ermor can be a good allie just like anyone else. The only thing you have to do is keep his dominion out just like every allie has to do with every allie.

How undiplomatic Ermor is depends on how crowded the map is, and how aggressively you are viewed as a player. If the map is crowded, people are likely to gang up on Ermor first because any land that Ermor takes is ruined permanently. If the player running Ermor is known to be highly aggressive, this will also motivate people to gang up on him, for the same reason. Of course, this applies to a lesser extent to any player, but Ermor tends to be the one that nobody likes because of the burnination.

[ February 04, 2004, 17:04: Message edited by: Norfleet ]

[Taqwus]

Your opponents might also worry that you're stockpiling for Utterdark if everything's _too_ quiet, heh.