Requesting a Pedantic Dom3 Guide

[Soyweiser]

No they are not at least certain tactics are not water or land only. (only the specifics are, underwater only certain units can shoot, but that is equal to fighting under storm, darkness and arrow fend (sure they can shoot, but no arrows will damage).

[Amhazair]

Originally Posted by shatner

What I'd really like is to just watch over a skilled Dom3 player's shoulders while they play but seeing as that isn't really possible[...]

Actually, it is (more or less) possible. Many (or at least quite some) players keep all turn and 2h files of their current game till it ends, and it's not uncommon for them to pass them on to intrested players after the game ends. Of course, watching that amount of turns does take a lot of time - especially going into late game, but if you really want to see another player play, it's quite possible to do so.

I myself still have the files from a recent Marverni game, (Troubling Times, 80 turns total) so if you want them, feel free to PM me your e-mail, and I can send them over.

[Gandalf Parker]

There are "tourist" games on Dom3Minions.
The games save is made available for download at a set time behind the actual game with the master password available for viewing all of the turns. Usually 3, 5, or 10 turns depending on how much crap the players are willing to put up with from backseat drivers.

OR you can watch for requests to SUB a game. You will be able to see what the player did. And even if they are jumping out not to see the horrible end they are about to face, that can be a learing experience also. Seeing what the player killing you is using, what formations, maybe what scripts. The other players appreciate subs because no matter how bad you are, you are better than setting that nation to AI. And you might even be able to surprise them

[TheDemon]

Originally Posted by shatner

What specific things do you do in the early game to expand, construct those first few forts and advance your early research? What are common early research goals? Around what turn would you consider the early phase over and the middle phase begun?

What constitutes a good combined arms army? Normally I get as far as a handful of bladewind or fireball casters hunkered down behind my wall of grunts and archers. What is the recipe for a good communion and when do you apply it?

Unfortunately it's difficult to write specific answers. You ask when to construct the first fort, I'll have to ask you when does your nation need it done: are your troops output gold or res dependent; are you using your mages to expand or to manufacture freespawn; if so do you need researchers recruited separately; do you need noncap national commanders or mages to defend yourself from a rush? Another example: As a first research goal, a nation with archers and F3 mages can go for flaming arrows at Ench 4 (or 5 with CBM). A nation with only F2 mages will also need Phoenix Power at Conj 3 to be able to cast Flaming Arrows. Wondering how a nation can cast Flaming Arrows at all without F4 mages? (an extra gem) Any guide that tried to cover all these little pointers would quickly swamp itself.

The During Action Report linked above is really good because he gives the reasoning behind his decisions.

I've another source for "over the shoulder" gamewatching. On the Something Awful forums we have two running Lets Plays of dom3, where the game admin is observing all the turns, and writing them up in a commentary/analysis form.

I have to warn you don't take what any of these players are doing as expert play. Some of the players are complete newbies, some are indeed experts, some are playing "for the crowd" rather than optimally, and all of them make miscalculations and mistakes.
This one is in endgame and is without mods:
http://forums.somethingawful.com/sho...readid=3302467
This one is still in early game and using CBM and a souped-up pretenders mod:
http://forums.somethingawful.com/sho...readid=3425051



I think the best way to learn though is to play multiplayer. You don't have to be super competitive to learn by playing.

[SsSam]

Originally Posted by TheDemon

All of them make miscalculations and mistakes.

I think that's true of most of us. It's part of the fun of multiplayer. Watching your plan get all bloodied and then trying to adapt.