Balseraph Mutations

[Sarisin]

Take a look at the two attached thumbnails.

You'll notice that EVERY Balseraph unit is Mutatated. I can assure you that although these just show the units in two cities, that every Balseraph unit I have come across has been Mutated.

I mentioned this before in an earlier version of .40 that it appeared that somehow all the Balseraph units were getting mutated in the game. There are no Mages in the game and I cannot believe that Perpentach's Chaos Mana has a 100% Mutation rate on units built. You can see these aren't just Freaks, but Hunters, Archers, etc.

Has anyone else seen this? Has anyone who played the Balseraphs noticed all his units getting mutated somehow?

I wanted to see if I missed a change that caused this 100% mutation rate and ask a few questions before I posted this in the bug thread again.

Your feedback is appreciated.

BTW, I've noticed some absolutely unbelievable mutation combinations on the Balseraph units - how come I never get those?

 

[Humakty]

I've spotted the same strange thing. It also has the side consequence that Bals tend to crush almost anyone, thanks to truly uber units. I've even seen Tasunke bite the dust, yet he had all hippus can ask for (chariots, comfortable tech situation..etc.

 

[Falc]

Perpentach's AI is hardcore: it deletes all units that aren't mutated

 

[kumquatelvis]

Maybe the AI is building a lot of freaks (start mutated), then upgrading them?

 

[Sarisin]

Maybe the AI is building a lot of freaks (start mutated), then upgrading them?

Can Freaks upgrade to both Archers and Hunters? How much Gold?

This is the kind of thing I don't know because I haven't played them.

 

[Humakty]

Blahblahblahblah (ten chars)

 

[loocas]

Freaks can upgrade to swordsman, hunters, and archers all for 5 gold, and they start with mutated. What you're looking at is what I see when I play as the Balseraphs.

 

[[NWO]_Valis]

To archers and Hunters? Since when?

As far as I playiend with them only swordsmen were available.

I assume that it is a bug from the Moumus scenario, it is leaking chaos mana Should be reported in the bug thread.

 

[Sarisin]

Well, that kinda explains it, but I still have to put this under the category of Strange AI.

The AI builds ONLY Freaks and then upgrades them @ 5 Gold each?

I never did see any Swordsmen, so they are keeping the Freaks as their melee units, but upgrading some to Archers and Hunters. Of course, they could be deleting the badly mutated Freaks and upgrading only the ones with 'good' mutations. Maybe that is why I am seeing such good mutation combinations.

Nah, the AI would NEVER be that smart, would they?

Really bizarre.

 

[Sarisin]

To archers and Hunters? Since when?

As far as I playiend with them only swordsmen were available.

I assume that it is a bug from the Moumus scenario, it is leaking chaos mana Should be reported in the bug thread.

Ahh, please disregard my last then.

I feel all is right in the world again after reading your post!

 

[hbar]

That looks about right for the Bals. There were quite a few Withered, Diseased, and Vulnerable to Fire promos in there, so they definitely were not all good. And the 5 gold upgrade trick is a great one - getting a heroic defense strong archer before turn 100 can be a gamechanger. Good to see the AI learning these things.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

When did they gain the ability to upgrade Freaks to Archers? It used to be only Hunters and Swordsmen.

 

[Methuselah]

When did they gain the ability to upgrade Freaks to Archers? It used to be only Hunters and Swordsmen.

A while ago I believe.

 

[mortus]

You don't know the power of Balseraph mutations until you couple it with mimics with mutations + promotion stealing + iron.

 

[cabbagemeister]

Yeah I see some Weak guys in there as well, which are the units I usually delete or send to the arena. I think their spread of mutations looks reasonable.

I've been dismissing Freaks as useless because I had no idea the upgrade cost was only 5 gold. Now I want to try them out. To the carnival I go!

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Upgrade costs are based on the difference between the hammer costs of the units, with a minimum cost of 5 gold even if the unit is upgrading to something of the seem cost of cheaper. Freaks, Hunters, Archers, and Swordsmen all cost 60 , so the upgrade cost is just equal to BASE_UNIT_UPGRADE_COST from GlobalDefinesAlt.xml without the added UNIT_UPGRADE_COST_PER_PRODUCTION * cost.

 

[zup]

Just gotta love em strong, heroic strength and defense, cannibal mutants. Or maybe I should not have used plural as I only got one once, ever.

 

[Sarisin]

Yeah, I'm starting to see Swordsmen too now...and, guess what?

They are all mutated too!

I have to say, though, the way the AI plays, I am a little surprised they can afford even the 5 Gold each for all those 'upgrades.'

So, then, everyone sees this as an expected strategy for the Balseraphs rather than a bug?

IMO, they can be damn tough now with some of the mutations I am seeing!

 

[zup]

Yep. My demons were getting hammered once by Perpentach. Fortunately, horsemen kicked in and wiped him out.

 

[notque]

Well, that kinda explains it, but I still have to put this under the category of Strange AI.

The AI builds ONLY Freaks and then upgrades them @ 5 Gold each?

I never did see any Swordsmen, so they are keeping the Freaks as their melee units, but upgrading some to Archers and Hunters. Of course, they could be deleting the badly mutated Freaks and upgrading only the ones with 'good' mutations. Maybe that is why I am seeing such good mutation combinations.

Nah, the AI would NEVER be that smart, would they?

Really bizarre.

As a player, I build only freaks and upgrade them. Why shouldn't the AI?