Malakim 0.31

[Gelvan]

They are nice

I've never ever played Malakim because they always seemed boring to me - but with Empyrium (which also seemed boring) they are really fun to play.

I made a pangaea map with deserts, because I thought that I'd swarm some sand lions. I was not able to do so, though, not sure what I'm missing there? Well, I did not need the deserts anyway. (edit: the sand Lions show up for Mages, but not for adepts). (And they are quite nice, immune to fire 6 )

In the beginning I had some trouble with barbarians, but not more than with every other civilization. The Light Bringer is quite helpful in the beginning, thanks to it's visual range of 2, the map is explored quite fast. I had built one scout in that game. Normally I build more. When I reached Honor (the tech for Empyrian) Radiant Guards appeared, at that point a bit expensive, but nevertheless great defensive (and offensive against barbarians) troops.

Quite interesting are the powerful Ratha which are available with trade which is discovered on the path to Empyrium, and Construction. With Iron Weapon they have an attack of 7 and with the temples of Empyrium (+10% military production) they are built quite fast. They don't need a building like chariots, so you can build them anywhere.

When Chalid Astrakein appears (Religious Law) it mean's basically game over for the rest. He's got a "built in" Meteor, and the abilities of a High Priest, plus an affinity of +2 for Sun Mana. The Shrine of Empyrian and the palace both provide you with that, so if you had only one mana node with sun Mana that means a 15 Arch Mage/High Priest in an early stage of the game.

Beside of the warmongering, the cultural trait (+2 ), in combination with the adaptive trait (at turn 172 I was able to change to Industrious trait to hurry most wonders) plus the temples (+20% ) and the culture trait's ability to build obelisks and carnevals faster, make a boom that puts OO in its ranks. Adaptive is also nice if you later on want to change to Charismatic and get free promotions.

Can't remember the last game where I've built 4 settlers - and that was enough to get rank 1 at landmass on the statistic screen!

If you're searching for a strong middle game civ which can make culture like hell along with some useful units - Empyrian Malakim is what you've searched for.

[jan030]

I hate Varn while playing against him. But being him is very nice. Funny thing is that i never use arquebusses except while being varn. Perhaps because of teutorix. You really are unstoppable with a couple of them, teutorix and chalid!!!!

[Slvynn]

Another Malakim only strategy : playing and beelining arcane path (mages, sand lions) resreaching divination .
The thing is that Malakim is ONLY civ that have all 3 starting manas from Divination Speres (1 of 4 sphere techs.) That mean that tower of divination is .... really easy for them to build. In that case i find order best religion, since shrine gives you Law, and by building only spirit node you can build Tower of divination, that mean any free tech - that mean You get free Strenght of Will in 0 turns by building tower.

[Zechnophobe]

As usual, I find that the malakim suffer from 'but what are THEY adding to the strat?'.

Anyone can play empyrean and get the majority of the effects you mentioned there. As is, they have a weak (per turn) hero and not much in the way of helpful early OR midgame buildings. I do like adaptive trait a lot however, and they do wonders with a strongly disciple based religion, due to their world spell.

I really just wish LightBringers were more generally useful. Maybe strength 3, or maybe cost a bit less. Seems like a heck of a cost just to get a bit of vision.

[Grey Fox]

Cultural is a pretty nice trait. I often look at it and think "meh". And I usually never pick a cultural leader (and I almost never play Varn), but when I do, its great. You can grab a larger territory early with less settlers and you don't have to build obelisks, or at least not as early as many other civs.

[MagisterCultuum]

IMHO, Cultural is the best early trait (especially in advanced start games), but its advantage decreases very quickly.

Varn is much better when Creative is his temporary trait instead of the permanent one.

[Zechnophobe]

Yeah no doubt creative is awesome for the first 75 turns. No need to build Obelisks in any of your cities, so you can focus much more on the development production you need to win.

However, Creative gives no long term economic bonus, nor military (Slightly higher defensive bonus' in cities) which means you get very little after the map is filled.

[Mailbox]

Creative is nice in combo with obelisks, OO, and OO temples. An extra 33% base culture in every city (to make + 8 instead of +6) can really add up in a tight cultural battle against someone you don't want to war against.

[Slvynn]

Also, as i said, only Malakims can rush tower of devination, and thats one of their early-mid game powers, that others not posess, cause malakims can do that waaaaaaaaaay earlier than any other civ. I was getting that way immortals few times. Divine Essence 0 turns.
And, u need only 2 nodes for that (1 even only if have Order holy shrine)

[Zechnophobe]

Originally Posted by Slvynn

Also, as i said, only Malakims can rush tower of devination, and thats one of their early-mid game powers, that others not posess, cause malakims can do that waaaaaaaaaay earlier than any other civ. I was getting that way immortals few times. Divine Essence 0 turns.
And, u need only 2 nodes for that (1 even only if have Order holy shrine)

I'm completely sure that science output is a much greater delimiter on getting that, then what mana types you start with. Especially if you are really trying to get Divine Essence with it, which is so far down the tech tree that, percentage wise, the cost of it is actually pretty small.

[Slvynn]

Yea, also i tested Malakim 0.32
I will post soon saves in Ecofarms challenge.
They have very powerfull (very) strat.
I'll not explain alot , i better represent some saves bit later.
Only will say best strat with Malakim = Varns mages + disciples. Sand lions + Law mana (hosts (einejars, ass-in-jars))+ Hight priests in best case.
Also best religion for this strat is Order (which is considered best relig for Malakim, even better than empy).
Mage = 4 base str, +1 from bless, + combat 5= 10 final str. << you can build those and upgrade immidiately to mages (theo, appent, conquest, form of titan (captured used lions), chm trait).
Build adept, upgrade to mage same turn.
At lvl 4 mage get 5 promos (3 for levels, 1 for being adept 1 for being mage).
That mean if you city is desert tile (scorched) - you build adept - same turn it become :
a. mage unit, combat 5, nomad, final str 9.75.
b. sand lion, str 6, empower 5 , desert str +60, - 25 desert defence = str 6 + 85% ~ 10 str.
pay attention = 1 adept and upgrade cost = 2 units in city defence , both with fact str = 10.
Then, because all mages are combat promoted and have final ster so hight you level them pretty fast in combat, and buble or Theo or Str depends of starting resource aviability, while teching 2nd one. You get arches much faster that you can get with any other civ, and then you won a game.
Now imagine 4 hosts, 10 base str, empower 5 (15 str final). If they kill , they stay (same as pit beasts), that mean if there enough stuff to kill you spawn 4 x 15 str unit per turn. And those also level by themselves (level very fast, really, esp with chm trait) and rech combat 5 very easy, and by few turns you have serious (more than 10) about permanent
walking army of hosts (ass-in-jars), that just wipe enemy empires before even your normal units can reach their borders.
Priors mostly used for buffing eco with UO spell. You can drag 1 with Sphener for healling needs, but, as i told , Hosts wipe anything just before that your normal units arrive to battlefield.
There also option to get Domination (what is overkill even), but that should be reasoned depending of current circumstances (lets say if you going to kill ai that have hunters, you better blitzkrieg him wit hosts, while if he have some nice crossbows you should try to get domi asap)
imo hosts > domi because few reasons: only few units worth being dominated compared to 15 str 4 move unit, that can be summoned per turn, also you can fail domi, and thats another con too.

[Slvynn]

Originally Posted by Zechnophobe

I'm completely sure that science output is a much greater delimiter on getting that, then what mana types you start with. Especially if you are really trying to get Divine Essence with it, which is so far down the tech tree that, percentage wise, the cost of it is actually pretty small.

Yuo can do that trick with Kurios too, but they have crappy mages. In fact malakim get free offencive spell, which just gifts them about like 2 promos. Playing malakims and ignoring such great advantage is waste, imo.

[Monkeyfinger]

Here's a much less complicated Malakim strategy.

Rush and adopt ashen veil, spread it as quickly as possible to all your cities while researching priesthood, cast your world spell once you've spread it to all your cities, and light the world on fire with ring of flames.

If you're more patient/want a bigger empire to do this with and can wait until Theology, use Empyrean instead and spam crown of brilliance from the high priests.

[Slvynn]

Originally Posted by Monkeyfinger

Here's a much less complicated Malakim strategy.

Rush and adopt ashen veil, spread it as quickly as possible to all your cities while researching priesthood, cast your world spell once you've spread it to all your cities, and light the world on fire with ring of flames.

If you're more patient/want a bigger empire to do this with and can wait until Theology, use Empyrean instead and spam crown of brilliance from the high priests.

sorry , though my strat is more comlicated, it much better , faster and effective.
You can say i am dork saying that my strat is best , but i played with malakim alooooooooot, and charm adepots and then 9 str (6 base, + empower 5 = from scratch) summons with combat mages pown all. priests of veil crap and waiting to theo it too much time. I'd rather buy theology from divination tower. (which is requires arcane path being reseearched.)

Malakims best unis is ... Mage. Period.
If you ignore it , you gimp yourself at playing malakim. If you go sorcery / arcane lore/ crown path you get ur best units, win game and get theo much faster.

i can get marching army of almost permanent up to 20 x hosts (6 +4 holy) with combat 5 mob 2 empower 5, that conquer and bring me conquest vioctory just before or at time you get theo.
Just try it - you will compare and will see yourself.

[Zechnophobe]

Seems like an interesting idea for sure. The XP gambit to get all that sounds a bit risky, but I guess if you change to those civics right before building your adepts it ought to work pretty well.

Onlly real question I have, is why Order? Seems for an aggression based strat like this that you'd like getting some Chalid mixed in there.

[Slvynn]

Originally Posted by Zechnophobe

Seems like an interesting idea for sure. The XP gambit to get all that sounds a bit risky, but I guess if you change to those civics right before building your adepts it ought to work pretty well.

Onlly real question I have, is why Order? Seems for an aggression based strat like this that you'd like getting some Chalid mixed in there.

law mana from shrine + +1 more str to all units, including mages ,that are in fact become 5 str unit with combat 5 right after you just upgrade them.
10 fact str > any axemen!

[Monkeyfinger]

The XP gambit to get all that sounds a bit risky

More like fatal

I can't imagine running all those civics and switching to charismatic (no spiritual to take out all those revolt turns, no fin/org to boost your economy, etc) and still being able to maintain any sort of decent sized empire, the kind you'll have after conquest. I also can't imagine getting the form of the titan.... ever... at least not on immortal. The AI prioritizes it pretty highly. I guess you could beeline warfare, thus ignoring economic/worker techs, meaning the road to sorcery will be a long and painful one... meh. This strikes me as a clan of embers type strat, where you score a quick, brutal knockout or two, then fall apart completely because you can't pay for your conquests. Nice on a duel map or something, but make it any larger and enjoy losing... hm, what settings did you use?

[Slvynn]

Originally Posted by Monkeyfinger

More like fatal

I can't imagine running all those civics and switching to charismatic (no spiritual to take out all those revolt turns, no fin/org to boost your economy, etc) and still being able to maintain any sort of decent sized empire, the kind you'll have after conquest. I also can't imagine getting the form of the titan.... ever... at least not on immortal. The AI prioritizes it pretty highly. I guess you could beeline warfare, thus ignoring economic/worker techs, meaning the road to sorcery will be a long and painful one... meh. This strikes me as a clan of embers type strat, where you score a quick, brutal knockout or two, then fall apart completely because you can't pay for your conquests. Nice on a duel map or something, but make it any larger and enjoy losing... hm, what settings did you use?

i will post saves as prove to my word. Its all done easily. you start with fin, and that boost ur speed getting worker techs.
btw i did belined writing and won great lib.
ur tech can be pretty decent (sages in cap, cottages) and then you switch to conquest mode.
I had in that save 3 civs (x5 of my score) declared war on me, and they all were dead.
in same situation i was dead many times with many other civs. This time i didnt. I did kicked ass to 3 civs same time, 2 fronts.
about titan - ias i told - i ddint built it, i just captured it, and meanwhile used adepts will less xp, but still that wont make big difference.
you theorycrafting while i just posting emperic, checked and proved facts. thats ok that you doubt it , but atm on job, check this place for saves later (immortal playnow standard map ) (gmt evening)
Also ur early defence is charm adepts. yuo have 2 and nothing cant hit you really.
Early eco is ok, and later being bayed through conquest and city captures. Very simple.
The only prob is war weariness, but you just should to be quick, and , as you will see, i survived with 3 civs, and killed them very fast.

[Slvynn]

Here we go , i posting my saves:
1st : sorry i didnt got more earlier save, its turn 168. I am in war iwth sando and alexis.
As you see i already have mages and order and nodes and building tower of divination while resereaching arcane lore.
Grigori have insane large empire and owns Titan.

(not much time after he declare on me and attack lodente and mainly Kartlost. )

Save 2: only 13 turns after save 1 : my mages imporving. When Cassiel attacked i lost few cities (Lodente, Kaltlost) then took them back, and managet to get peace with Sando and Alexis. The save is kinda right after peace declaration. As you see i razed already few cities of grigori with my 4 moving empowered lions 9just take look on them

save 3: As you see i got Str of Will dfrom Divi tower. My armchages a\starting to spwn not ending army of Hosts while on other fron Valin with prist by their own kill Alexis (yea just 2 units.)
I am about to get sphener.


save 4:

as you see this save is not much later ( mmm 31 turn !! later after 2nd save of Grigori war start., (44 turn from 1st one) ) - i killed grig, sando and alexis, buboes, ars moriendi and switched back from xp conquest mode to impove and heal my ill economy (war weariness + blight).
Short story : i blitzcrieged Grigori empire in few turns . Not more than 10 i think. Not ending Hosts and lions. Sando was killed by army of like 15 hosts in 5 turns. this is last save i have but my army unbietable. All what left ios to kill Kurios , and then to win Relig victory or kill Sabathiel as well, what is very easy task.

[Slvynn]

ah forgot p lease also check my host in jungle in save 4. You will see kind of units i killed sando with in 5 turns.

10 str , +130 % str, 4 move.
Rest i disbanded due they had not victims anymore and i need less upkeep to make some rest between wars.