Agartha: Golem Crafters

[Endoperez]

Yes, darkness would really make a difference against almost all nations.

Perhaps Caves and Deep Seas should get, if not darkness, then at least severe penalties for units without darkvision.

[Incabulos]

Hmm so what is special about cave provinces if not darkness? I thought cave provinces were (supposed) to be dark?

[MaxWilson]

It's a bug on the shortlist: Cave provinces are supposed to have automatic Darkness but it doesn't currently work. I like Endoperez's idea about Deep Seas being dark too, but that would be a design change and not just a bug fix.

-Max

[legowarrior]

So back on subject, what are some good dominion points for the Agatha. A high Dominion takes advantage of the cult ability, but is high production necessary? And how necessary is gold for the units? Extra gold is always a plus, but how does order stack vs. Turmoil and 3 luck?

[JimMorrison]

This is a really odd build, and is probably not for everyone, but I had a joint victory (my first win! or half win!) playing MA Agartha like this, so I will describe, in case it brings you any luck, or at least fresh ideas -

Dormant Great Enchantress, Dom4(!), E6/S6/N4, Order3/Misf2/Magic1 (I actually had Growth1/Misf3, don't ask, cause I don't know! It was my first MP signup.)

It's comical, as the bless ultimately does little for your statues (MR is okay for the little ones, but MR items do not stack with Astral bless on the Marble Oracles), and they are 0Enc and Lifeless, so do not benefit from E/N blessings. However, the bless is actually rather effective on your recruitables, and is very nice for your mages.

However, by the end of the game, I had up -

Gift of Health
Earth Blood Deep Well
Arcane Nexus
And some other global that slips my mind, I had Stellar Focus most of the game, but at the end I think it was Mother Oak.

Golem Cult is a fun novelty, but only helps under your own dominion, so it's a catch-22, since you will be fighting in enemy dominion a lot (especially with Dom4!). Your Golem Crafters can forge Water Bracelets, and then you can set them to Summon Earthpower, Acid Boltx4, which is devastating considering their low cost, and sacred status. This also gives access to Manifest Vitriol. A Marble Oracle with a Crown of Command can lead Vitriol Lions against Illithids, or anyone using heavy Astral spells for a completely Mindless troop, just give your Oracle a wand or a crossbow so he stays behind the Lions, and stack some MR gear on him.

Anyway, the game was a mess, but I won (well, half won!), and it just illustrates how sometimes you don't have to play towards a nation's obvious strengths, or even try to shore up their obvious weaknesses, to succeed.

[chrispedersen]

Originally Posted by JimMorrison

This is a really odd build, and is probably not for everyone, but I had a joint victory (my first win! or half win!) playing MA Agartha like this, so I will describe, in case it brings you any luck, or at least fresh ideas -

Dormant Great Enchantress, Dom4(!), E6/S6/N4, Order3/Misf2/Magic1 (I actually had Growth1/Misf3, don't ask, cause I don't know! It was my first MP signup.)

It's comical, as the bless ultimately does little for your statues (MR is okay for the little ones, but MR items do not stack with Astral bless on the Marble Oracles), and they are 0Enc and Lifeless, so do not benefit from E/N blessings. However, the bless is actually rather effective on your recruitables, and is very nice for your mages.

However, by the end of the game, I had up -

Gift of Health
Earth Blood Deep Well
Arcane Nexus
And some other global that slips my mind, I had Stellar Focus most of the game, but at the end I think it was Mother Oak.

Golem Cult is a fun novelty, but only helps under your own dominion, so it's a catch-22, since you will be fighting in enemy dominion a lot (especially with Dom4!). Your Golem Crafters can forge Water Bracelets, and then you can set them to Summon Earthpower, Acid Boltx4, which is devastating considering their low cost, and sacred status. This also gives access to Manifest Vitriol. A Marble Oracle with a Crown of Command can lead Vitriol Lions against Illithids, or anyone using heavy Astral spells for a completely Mindless troop, just give your Oracle a wand or a crossbow so he stays behind the Lions, and stack some MR gear on him.

Anyway, the game was a mess, but I won (well, half won!), and it just illustrates how sometimes you don't have to play towards a nation's obvious strengths, or even try to shore up their obvious weaknesses, to succeed.

yeah, sometimes it depends on who you sleep with =P

[BesucherXia]

Originally Posted by Endoperez

Yes, darkness would really make a difference against almost all nations.

Perhaps Caves and Deep Seas should get, if not darkness, then at least severe penalties for units without darkvision.

I think we can use a "50% darkness penalties" for these battlefields. i.e if a unit has at least 50% darkvision like the humans in LA, he fights perfectly. Otherwise, he should take penalties like 50% DV units under that spell.

This would also explain why oceania has not finished off Atlantis and Rlyeh in EA.

[VedalkenBear]

I'll note that I tend to be much more 'traditional' with MA Agartha and take a very high Dominion and prioritize spreading Dominion.

Claymen are actually quite nice in your Dominion, as the bonus HP raises their Regeneration. I wasn't aware that the Marble Oracle could gain Leadership from Items... I'll have to use them now.

And, of course, if you take a Monolith, I believe it is affected by your Dominion. Given Teleportation, you can use the 'damage reflection' strategy with it quite nicely.

[Sombre]

I wish caves and deep seas were 50% or 100% dark but it's been on the shortlist forever now and it doesn't look like it will be 'fixed'. Even if it was, it would really only be in scenario style maps that you got human controlled agarthans in caves. Admittedly in any map with caves defined you'll get some indy DV units though, making them interesting in how you can tackle them.