So I have played it a few ways, but every time by turn 100 there are unstoppable armies of barbarians and Doviello pounding me. This last time I even had the eagle killing my best units.

I have 4 cities in the starting valley, but once I lose the barbarian city I took they just keep coming and I get wiped out.

I am apparently doing this completely wrong. Suggestions?

Help!

A lot of people focus very heavily on defence for he first 100 turns, just build archers and place them at chokepoints. Eventually you should be able to break the offensive.

Thanks. I will try that again.....just tend to get behind in tech and over whelmed.

I can hold two cities with a few warriors in each easilly untill I have finished teching through most of the science tree..

As others have said, it is important here to avoid the normal Civ technique of producing buildings and get troops out. You have to survive the initial waves, get scouts out, and then build the cities up later.

Best wishes,

Breunor

I, too was having quite a bit of difficulty. As Breunor pointed out, the thing that saved me was going W-W-W-W-W-W in my first city before building even a worker. Then on my tech tree, I focus on getting to archery so I can bombard with my archers. After that, I usually go settler, settle the southern choke point, and move on from there.

I usually pick Ephona as a hero unit and send her out to fight frostlings to get some combat promotions so I could upgrade her to sorceress, then she really kicks ass. Keep churning out warriors, with Ephona's help you'll have no problems taking away cities from Dovielo and making him your best friend. After that it's just a mop up, especially if you act nice with the ogre event.

I kept getting wiped out using a Civ mindset. Instead of assuming the game should be almost over by the end of the tech tree, try focusing on not seriously going out till the tree is complete.

I put cities in the choke points, and just slipped recon out. By the time tech was done, had explored the map, and built a powerful well equipped army. Just left the little matter of flattening the Dovellio/Illians, which went smoothly then.

I still say that the best way is to turtle up and send recon units (including Caerbulin) straight for the Chancel. That gives you KotE for free, so once Caerbulin is killed off you can get Epona and instantly upgrade her and use fireballs.

I send out the scout hero early on to gain xp and capture animals. If he has enough promotions capturing Fiaca (the giant eagle) isnt too difficult.