AAR - EA bless (Helheim) owerpowered on med+ map ?

[CharonJr]

Hello,

after having solved my FTP-problems here are the first 2 turns .

"Cry Hovoc and let slip the Dogs of War!"

Turn1

This is my initial position, with a mountain close and some nice looking plains I cant complain.




With my meager ressources I buy 4 Helhirdings (HH) and have 100gold and 8 ressources left. In addition my scout is turned into the prophet.

Turn2

Arco, Ulm, Caelum, Vanheim, Niefelheim and Atlantis declared their prophets in addition to me doing so. Nothing else happened this turn.

The fairly light defended province to my southwest looks like a suitable target and I will send my initial army and the 4 newly recruited Herhirdings there.



The province to the northeast looks quite juicy incomewise (about 250 gold/turn), but I am not sure if my 4 HHs would be enough to overcome the defenders.

In addition 1 Helkarl and 3 more Helhirdings will be bought this turn.

CharonJr

[CharonJr]

Quick add concerning my army setup and my reasoning for going after Carnag.

With me having only been able to recruit 4 Helherdings I felt that I could not make a squad of only HHs since they would be subjected to morale checks. Due to this I grouped them with the spearmen from my initial army and put them to the front/middle with orders to attack closest.

Spearmen losses are a danger there since this could lead to morale checks when too many of them are killed, but I hope with the HHs being fast they will take the brunt of the attacks.

But due to this weakness I will try to send my first division only after fairly soft targets. And since I wanted a mountain province for the ressources Carnag fit the bill

The javeliners are put close behind the 1st squad with orders to fire.

The scout/prophet will Divine Bless and cast Seremon of Courage followed by smites and a cast spells order. My commander has orders to stay behind troops.

Depending on what kind of forces will show in the provinces adjectant to Carnag I will decide on either press ahead with the 1st division with their current setup or might pull them back to the capital in order to turn them into a full-helhirding force (which would stop my expansion) or send the newly recruited Helkarl with his 3 Helhirdings in support of an attack on the western plains province (facing the morale problems with this squad, but hoping that the fight would be over before they might break).

If I am able to contine my attacks vs. "weak" independents the Helkarl will start some research (likely into Thaum for finding magic sites, but Conjuration and Evocation look interesting, too) till the next batch of Helhirdings (hopefully 5) is ready. Then this 2nd "pure HH" Division would start to conquer indies and look for the AIs.

CharonJr

PS: Any ideas which research path is the most important for EA Helheim ? I tend to favour Thaum here due to my magic focus and the strength of the sacred units (hopefully not much need for Evocation in the beginning). Conjuration with its summonable additional mages/researchers looks strong, too.

[Nerfix]

Sounds like you have a plan.

Thaumaturgy/Enchament/Conjuration/Alteration is the staple of Death nations I think. Evocation is good for Air and Earth. Alteration has some very, very good buffs for the Helkarlarlalrkarlarkalrlkalkra whatevers and later on there's stuff like Drain Life, Disintegrate and *boom boom boom* SOUL VORTEX *boom boom boom* there. There's also Earth Meld and Destruction which the dwarves can cast for the lulz.

Conjuration has all sorts of Death goodies.

Construction is also important for kitting out killing machines.

[CharonJr]

Grrr, am I right to think that it is not possible to restore any old save-game ?

I did turns 3 and 4 and looked at the results for turn 4. When I wanted to save and exit I pressed "end turn" instead (without having issued any orders).

CharonJr

[Nerfix]

I'm sorry, but I don't think there is. Think of it as an extra challange...

[CharonJr]

Thx, oh well, will try to have to recall what happened during those 2 turns, but I DO remember that Atlantis DOWed me on turn 5...

CharonJr

[CharonJr]

Turn 3

Carnag was taken without any problems and the 1st Division will turn northwards into the (hopefully) rich plains province of Fenica.

More Helhirdings are recruited in order to set up a 2nd division which should speed up my expansion. For the moment I trust my 1st division with being able to take out the independents it faces.




Turn 4

Atlantis declared war on me...

Fenica was taken without too many problems and the 1st division will continue northwards. Especially since I can see some enemy dominion to the northwest.

The 2nd division is formed and will move into Summerlands this turn which should provide a nice boost to my income.




1 Helkarl and some (4 IIRC) Helhirdings are recruited as the nucleus for a 3rd division.

Some research into Thaum has been done, but since the Helkarl will move now I don't expect any breakthrough soon.

Turn 5

Mictlan declares war on me (seems like at least 2 AIs are aggressive) and in order to show them my contempt for their actions I decide to do nothing this turn (geez, I hate to hit "end turn" due to my own stupidity)

Silver Fangs and Summerlands were taken (number of my own casualties in unknown, but both divisions are still in fighting condition). Most of my initial army and 3 Helhirdings are in the 1st division and 9 Helhirdings in the 2nd division.

Arco and Niefelheim showed up on my borders, but since neither had declared war on me yet I decide to leave them alone for now.

In order to make some progress with my magic research I will recruit a Hangadrott for 400g this turn in addition to 7 Helhirdings. The 3rd division will be fairly strong with 12 Helhirdings at its call.

In order to bolster my forces in the southwest I recruit 1 commander and 5 heavy infantry in Carnag in addition to archers in some of the other provinces.

With moves to Citala and Greater Woods I try to prevent Arco from making further progress into my sphere of influence. In case Niefelheim is looking for trouble I will have my 3rd division ready. But facing 20 Giants might be interesting if Niefel took a decent bless, even with 12 fully blessed Helhirdings.




It will be interesting to see what effect the impossible AIs combined with me missing one of the important early expansion turns will have in the long run...

CharonJr

[Nerfix]

All that with 12 horsies? Goodnes. o_o

[CharonJr]

I hope that I wouldn't come to that And I saw that some of the giants are hurlers...

CharonJr

[CharonJr]

Turn 7

Great Woods was taken without casualties, but I lost 2 Helhirdings in the successfull attack on Citala.

Commoners raised the defenses in Fenica by 15 PDs to 16.

Sauromancia showed up with about 40 lancers and archers to the SW of Carnag, but at the moment I have to focus my attention on Arco with only newly levied troops from the provinces and the beginnings of my 4th division as guardians vs. any attack.

My 1st division found the lightly defended Arco capital and will try to take with province and lay siege to it.

The 2nd division will try to cut off the Arco force in Rotmarsh by an attack into the Marshlands in order to join the siege on the following turn.

The newly formed 3rd division with its 12 Helhirdings will strike south into Feldan Forest vs. approximately 50 woodman/blowpipers in order to join the siege later on.





Another Hangadrott and 7 Helhirdings are recruited with hopefully 7 additional HHs (limited by my dominion here) on the following turn. In addition some heavy infantries and archers are recruited throughout the conquered provinces.


I am a bit too aggressive for my own taste, but am afraid that I have to be in order to make up for my earlier blunder. A lightly defended Arco capital is just too sweet a target...

CharonJr