Back from a long break.

[Cyberblade]

Hey, Im back from a long break, but I'm probably one of the more forgettable faces here.

So I just want some tips on playing these civs, as there the ones I seem to be frequenting after a weeks play. I always end up being destroyed by turn 250

But First! This is what I play on

Difficulty: Noble
Map: Erebus
Speed: Epic
Size: Small (8 civs including me)
Options on:
Blessings of Amathon, WildLands, Raging Barbarians, and Living World

Now the civs I want tips on.

Amurites
Svartalfar
Sidar
Luchuirp
and the Balseraphs

 

[Azhral]

I love the Luchuirp, so here's some pointers. At least its what I do.

First up, get Construction. Not after Agriculture or Mining. Construction, first, turn 1, now. Then build Baxter and get him killing barbs. Fairly often I get him to Combat V before first city even finishes its first wood golem. Once you have Woodys you're all set. Very difficult to crack, especially on Defense. Then start Rexing, expand till you can't expand no more and get out Gifts of Nantosuelta. You want as many hammers as quickly as possible. Move them all to cap (or holy city or wherever) and settle them all. Guild of Hammers is the most important wonder you can get, and Engineering and Sorcery (via Elementalism) are your tech goals as soon as you have Construction. Fireball tossing Gargoyles have your defense all sewn up, and hordes of Fireball Iron Golems backed up by Mages/Adepts with at least Enchant1 will win you the game. Use 1 or two of those popped GPs to construct the Tower of Elements for extra firebally goodness.

As for the Golems themselves...
Best Golems are Mud Golems. Throw in Nox Noctis, Blasting Workshop and/or Ardularia Chamber and they hold the title for best unit in the entire game.
Wood Golems are solid, but you want to replace them as soon as you can. But you'll be teching hard towards Engineering so thats not all that far away.
Gargoyles are the best defenders, and potent on the offense (better than Woodys anyways). These will be your main defenders for most of the game, possibly replaced by Arquebus.
Iron Golems are the workhorse. Tough, dependable, reliable, they will be your main unit. With the GoH you can build them in any city straight away. Use them, use lots of them.
Clockwork Golems are a mixed bag. On paper they are awesome, in reality however. They are expensive, collateral damage is pretty useless thanks to all your fireballs and can be killed on couterattack fairly easily (Easier than Iron Golems anyways). However that 15 attack strength makes them excellent spearheads to your golem army, and the tech is just one along from Engineering and gives a free GE as well as better windmills. For that reason, I usually have them running around before I have any Iron Golems.
Nullstone Golems are great. One of the best counters to Acheron or anybody with alot of magic, as well as providing a great spearhead along with the Clockworks.
Bone Golems are pretty meh. Immortals are cool, but Golems get no promos so a bit of a waste there, and getting the tech to build them is probably the most expensive tech in the game (especially if you're running CoE which means Theocracy is 15000 beakers of nothing). Cannabalize is useful if defending from a Counterattack, but you'll be fine without them.

Religions? Any work. RoK is one of the better synergies (Bambur teamed with Barnaxus is incredibly strong before you get any fireballs) but CoE is the best. Dwarven Shadows + Dwarven Druids + Gibbon (Twincast Earth Elementals with a spellstaff? Yes please) will complete your assault force. Hoard that Earth Mana and your repair mages will have free Earth2 for extra longevity and your Earth Elementals and Dwarven Druids will be even stronger for each source. Suffice to say, the Luchiurp need not spend anything on that expensive Religious tech line and still have one of the better fighting forces.

The biggest downside is Mobility, but Garrym Gir can use my Super Cavalry tactic, at least on the hornguards so that can give you a little extra punch at rage, but generally you can just fireball anyone/anything into submission from 2 tiles away so you're basically fine.

And be very nice to any Sheiam nearby, at least until you have Gargoyles. After that with Palace life mana and beeline to Sorcery your mages can wipe the floor with them.

Any questions just ask.

 

[Emptiness]

First up, get Construction. Not after Agriculture or Mining. Construction, first, turn 1, now. Then build Baxter and get him killing barbs. Fairly often I get him to Combat V before first city even finishes its first wood golem.

I tried that once. I'll never do it again. He takes a young city forever to build, and even once you get him he's not a guarantee against the Barbarians. I lost him at 99.9% odds and soon after lost the game. The economic damage from beelining Construction is considerable (Masonry and Construction do almost nothing to help your economy). I think it is better to use Warriors at the start, grow your economy normally, found a second city and then build Barnaxus. There will still be plenty of relatively easy foes around for him to kill and level up at this stage of the game.

 

[readercolin]

Balsferas are a mixed bag, and how you play them depends greatly on who your leader is (or in perpy's case, what your current traits are). I always play them as Keyleen. Important points to remember though are:

Freaks. 60 hammers for a strength 3 unit may seem like a bad idea. However, they can upgrade down any unit line (except priest/arcane), and for the teir 2's, it only costs 5 gold. They have two special abilities - the first, is they start with mutated. The second, they can settle in cities as a freak show, for a free hammer and a free culture. These guys are what makes festivals worth a beeline.
Puppets. Every mage can summon a puppet, which is basically a miniature version of itself with slightly reduced spell strength. Not very good - unless you have summoner. In which case, you can summon a puppet, that summons a wraith. Next turn, summon another puppet, and now you have 2 puppets, and, if you keep at it, up to 4 wraiths at a time. Fun times... Also note, this makes it possible to dominate units, without the possibility of loosing dominate.
Mimics. These are champion replacements, strength 5 units that don't have champions +25% vs melee (IIRC, they might have that though). What makes them special however is that they can steal promotions from other units that they win a round of combat with. Which makes me love it when I have mimics and the enemy throws fireballs at me... mimic wins, is now immune to fire - YAY. (on the balance, I really hate it when the AI does this to me however)

They have a few other things that I can't remember off the top of my head, but these three are the primary things that direct how I tend to play with them.

-Colin

 

[Azhral]

I tried that once. I'll never do it again. He takes a young city forever to build, and even once you get him he's not a guarantee against the Barbarians. I lost him at 99.9% odds and soon after lost the game. The economic damage from beelining Construction is considerable (Masonry and Construction do almost nothing to help your economy). I think it is better to use Warriors at the start, grow your economy normally, found a second city and then build Barnaxus. There will still be plenty of relatively easy foes around for him to kill and level up at this stage of the game.

Everytime I don't I get ruined since I have no wood golems. Naxy is a bonus, not the reason to get Construction. The reason is to get those woodys out asap. Catapults are nice too, makes an easy way to capture early cities (used to be an easy way to wipe out Acheron ~turn 100). And Marble from Masonry is a decent bonus, considering you want marble eventually anyways (Gargoyles & Nullstones)

 

[Cyberblade]

Thanks for the tips! Im going to start another game, with the Luchuirp. hopefully ill make it to the end this time! If anyone else sees this, i still want all the tips you can dish out.

 

[Cyberblade]

Well im to turn 100 I added the "All unique Features" option this round.

THis is my current status, Barnaxus is built, exploring to the south of my city, I already lost my starting scout and warrior to the animals. I have a worker golem. And two warriors on my city for defense. I Plan to found runes of kilmorph for now.

Spoiler THE KNOWN WORLD :

---------------------------------

I met Thessa of the Ljosalfar on turn 101, on turn 113 orthus came into existence along with Gilden Silveric.
At turn 125 Gilden was killed by something, And Thessa is south east of me. Barnasxus also was sold a healing salve through an event at the cost of 10 gold.

 

[Azhral]

Nice start, apart from the Guardians. Once you have Gargoyles yourself you'll be fine. Now just cottage or Aristo-farm the place up.

And giggle at your name, Sandalphon of the Luchiurp

 

[Cyberblade]

ahh yes, i forgot to change the name, the leader is actually Beeri
Heres a new map.

Spoiler The map :

I Got world maps From Einoin Logos and Thessa for Free!
Also The amurites were in the game and died shortly after my second update.

I have the ability to create catapults and have done so. Im going to attempt to take out Einoin with a small army of Barnaxus, 2 Catapults and 2 wood golems. Eliminate some early opposition. Thessa will probably be next.

One question, What tech enables Tech Trading? And should I get it and trade for techs before i crush the others. Or is it not worth it, because its so early in the game.

--------------------------------
Turn 186

Acheron came into play.... the picture scares me.... First time ive ever seen him. Tell me hes not as bad as i think he is gonna be.

Also Barnaxus has been taking attacks from bear, he has combat 3 now ^^

 

[Cyberblade]

Well ive been blocked in by culture, Im just gonna play my hand out, and see what happens i'll let you know if i need more help. Also i built Bambur, well trained. And well hes gonna be a big help in the war again einoin.

Spoiler new map :

 

[Emptiness]

One question, What tech enables Tech Trading? And should I get it and trade for techs before i crush the others. Or is it not worth it, because its so early in the game.

Trade. Unless you are close to researching it, it is probably not worth waiting until you have Trade before starting a war. If you expect to win the war anyway then you might want to have Trade so that you can demand techs for peace (before you then redeclare war and finish the foe off).

Acheron came into play.... the picture scares me.... First time ive ever seen him. Tell me hes not as bad as i think he is gonna be.

Unless his city appears close to one of your cities, or in a place where you would need a city to claim an important resource, you can ignore him if you want. Just be aware that barbarian units will occasionally move out from his city to attack you, so plan your defense of nearby cities accordingly.

 

[avalonnn]

Quick hint with the dragon -- don't attack him with wood golems! Follow advice earlier in the thread and get nullstones if possible. Acheron has stoneskin (immune to first hit?) and you'll need a stack to get him.

Also, do beware of those bears.

Once ROK happens, your economy will take off -- and Bambur has Repair, which is perfect for the Lui.

Oddly, the Lui also work well with AV because most units are not alive.

 

[Azhral]

Woodys used to be awesome against Acheron. 10 cats and 10 woodys could own him, and if Naxy got the killing blow he was suddenly a powerhouse. Now if those SoI's counterattack your entire stack will go bye-bye.

And Woodys have no problems against bears, especially if Naxy is a high level. But Nullstones are ages away. Pity them Fire Elementals are so beefy.

As for the other races.
Sidar - Wane everything. Be every religion and wane every religious hero. Fight constantly and wane your veterans.
Balseraphs - Freaks are the key. Used to be able to get super druids, but now your best bet is going down the metal line and using Mimics. If Keelyn go Arcane and get nice powerful proxy casters and better summons.
Amurites - Rush KotE and get some Death Mana. Beefed up Spectres are one of the best summons availible (fear and only 2nd sphere), and Beefed up Wraiths are one of the most powerful.

Haven't played with the Svalts much/at all, and I'll bet there are some much better players with better advice on the rest of these civs.

 

[Cyberblade]

I find this odd from what ive learned about the elohim

Spoiler Look at his state religion :

Also i couldnt take his closest city, and the Barbs founded a city south of Mutanbo, so I pulled out to take care of that. Im going to reload on units and come in again. Einoin was a bit better prepared than i thought.

 

[Cyberblade]

Im up to turn 517 now, Still at war with The elohim, havent even conqured a city, but he hasnt touched a single of min either.

Bambur is up to 140/145 exp, im slowly traini ng him up to get Brigit the shining from the ring of carcer later. Barnaxus died once around turn 380, but I got him rebuilt, and back up to 85 exp. I have 5 iron golems that just sit in position with barnaxus, and bambur, blocking the only way into my land. What scares me is that every turn or two im fending off 2-5 units. and He used his worldspell making it where I cant come in an wail on him. But Oh well, Ill just wait till it wears off. Thessa is also battling him so i have an ally, but I hate being blocked in. As soon as his world spelll runs out, im rushing his nearest city.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

do yourself a favour and don't play on Erebus mapscript

 

[Emptiness]

Bambur is up to 140/145 exp, im slowly traini ng him up to get Brigit the shining from the ring of carcer later. Barnaxus died once around turn 380, but I got him rebuilt, and back up to 85 exp.

Once Barnaxus has Combat V, park him someplace safe. His best use is as power augmentation for your entire army, and because any combat always has a small chance of defeat he should avoid all combat once he has reached maximum augmentation capability.

Also, you should strongly consider filling in every space available to you with cities, rather than trying to use 2 cities to defeat someone with more than 4. You should also develop the tiles around Mutanbo; having half your cities underdeveloped undercuts your economic potential and thus your chances of victory.

In future games I suggest that you first expand to fill up all the peaceful city sites available to you, then finish developing all those city sites (to lay the groundwork for vertical expansion of those cities), and only then consider expansion through conquest. (As you become more comfortable with the flow of the mod, as influenced by your map and game settings, you will know when it is possible to go to war earlier without disastrous results - but until then voluntary war should probably be delayed in this way.)

 

[Cyberblade]

well The reason my city was uhnder developed was the fact that my worked kept being killed by barbs while I wasnt looking. They are all fully developed for the most part now, and I have a third city. I Would give you a screenshot of what I mean, but im at work so no access till I get home.

 

[Emptiness]

No screenshot necessary. By underdeveloped I mean "with population working unimproved tiles"; I'm not talking about buildings in the city itself. If you had filled up your available space with cities then there would be no where for barbarians to spawn, and your workers/improvements would not be in jeopardy. I think this essentially goes back to the fact that you were researching Construction and building Barnaxus when instead you should have been researching Bronze Working (so as to be able to remove Jungle) and building Settlers. I'm not trying to insult or offend you, but rather point out a weakness of the strategy you pursued in this particular game.

 

[Cyberblade]

Ahh, I see. Thanks you for the help emptiness, you seem to be very helpful here on these forums.
Ill be continuing my game a bit later, but in all honesty, im just glad ive made it this far.