Doviello Domination

[Lone Wolf]

We didn't tech Engineering for nothing. We now have the only Tank in FFH! It's also amusing that it benefits from Nightmares.

That Sheaim assault fails. Meanwhile, our colonial governors expand to the barbarian lands (see the arrow on the minimap). That island was once Amurite, but Stephanos razed their settlements to the ground, allowing Orc barbarians to regain it once more.

We invade the Sheaim territory, but they still have a strong army. Note that the bonus from Citadels actually works (+15% from Tile Defense), in case you were wondering.

Beastmasters behind cultural defense are strong units. The Sheaim had formidably garrisoned and fortified Galveholm and Grottiburg. We Doviello usually mock the civilized obsession with fortification, but we have to admit that it stopped us this time.

Attempting to provoke the Sheaim into attacking, we fortify ourselves at hills east of Galveholm. However, as Arcane Lacuna ends, out army comes under the assault of Sheaim magic.

We remain on the grasslands east of Galveholm, attempting to provoke an attack on our fearsome War Machine, but the Sheaim, cowardly but wisely, refuse to do so. Finding our chances too low -

Our thinned army starts its retreat.

For some reason, the small Sheaim army next to Shazak doesn't attack the city, preferring to wait for magical reinforcements, but these are repealed.

That Sheaim army is destroyed with the help of our War Machine.

Soon after, Dentaro, the Machine's creator, figures out how to equip the Machine, so that it greatly improves its battlefield performance, while Mahala summons reinforcements all over the realm.

Yet again, Doviello hordes cross the small pass to Sheaim territory.

With relatively few casualties, they fell on Grottiburg and entered Grottiburg. However, Doviello scouts reported that Galveholm is still very well defended, and the Sheaim generals prepared another army of Beasts of Agares and Pyre Zombies... so the city was razed.

It was clear to everyone except the most hot-headed Doviello that any further progress on that front is impossible. So we had no choice but to cease hostilities with the Sheaim.

The war still damaged the Sheaim more then it damaged us. But they remained a great power.

 

[Lone Wolf]

The Academy at Torrolerial trains Mages skilled in destroying the Sheaim undead mostrosities.

We shall never forget our pale-skinned, backstabbing friends.

Huh. And we thought we already knew all the fauna in the Doviello tundra.

Pity we didn't have a Subjugate Animals Beastmaster nearby.

Sorodh becomes a military city, with each home-owner providing living space for the troops.

The soft Doviello of the south actually care about their orphans.

More and more troops pour into Sorodh. Apparently, Os-Gabella understood what it means.

The Sheaim had trained their Black Dragon (how many times have you seen the Sheaim hero in-game?) After our Shamen

weaken him -

Our War Machine enters the battle.

Old lore versus new invention, human appliances versus the creation of gods. Who will win?

We do. Had the Grigori been here, they would be proud.

 

[strijder20]

That must have taken a lot of fireballs to weaken a dragon which is immune to magic.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Strange, he was slightly wounded after I send my Fireballs. Maybe collateral damage done by the first Fireball, which battled the covering Manticore, harmed him?

 

[strijder20]

Strange, he was slightly wounded after I send my Fireballs. Maybe collateral damage done by the first Fireball, which battled the covering Manticore, harmed him?

Yup, that's probably it. Or I'm messing things up (in the current modmod I'm playing they have 0 strength and 4 fire combat and Abashi's immune from magic, but it might be different in the base game).
EDIT: Apparently 'immune to magic' only protects you from half of the elemental damage, which nicely explains it.

 

[Lone Wolf]

The Sheaim swarmed Shazak. But this left their northern front wide open.

Yeah, fireballs can kill units, if there's enough of them.

Hordes of Mages with FireII and LifeII, combined with Nightmared Chariots, highest-tier units like Bison Riders and Beastmasters, and, most importantly, the War Machine, which destroys strong defenders that get high odds versus everyone else prove to crush the Sheaim.

Their capital is now in our hands. Compared to the depravity of Sheaim rule, we are actually quite mild.

The Sheaim again split their army, with part of it remaining in Shazak, and part of it going east. (And yes, if you tick 'frozen animations', it becomes clear that the Succubi animation is based on the Sumerian Vulture).

Our troops suffer casualties, but they destroy the Sheaim forces.

While we receive more and more knowledge in trade.

Even we northern barbarians consider the Sheaim undead to be abominations and are only too glad to destroy them. Soon we enter Skadistad.

Good thing that Summoner trait now grants only a turn to summoned units. If these Wraiths lasted one more turn, as the Summoner trait worked some time ago in FFH, they would be much more problematic.

After initial fighting, Sheaim resistance collapsed.

We now advance freely, as Sheaim huddle under the deceiving protection of their stone walls.

Never forget the Svartalfar; it's dangerous.

Note that these tundra Horses are now Nightmares. Hell is spreading to the north, destroying our Ancient Forests. Starvation ensures in the northern tundra, not that it matters much at this point.

And the final touch:

She isn't entirely inaccurate, with hell spreading all over Erebus. But the southern part of our realm still manages just fine - we Doviello are adaptive people.

 

[trexeric]

Ha! Take THAT Os-Gabella!
Say, that makes me wonder... if Os-Gabella is immortal, what happens when she is defeated?

 

[Lone Wolf]

Probably she's encased in Nullstone. Or maybe she decided to found a Gothic band, spreading music all over Erebus. It's hard to know for sure.
--------------
Our Archmages walk around the hellish-looking countryside, causing strange mushrooms to grow everywhere.

The Vampires are very sophisticated and cultured. Too sophisticated and cultured, we dare say. No Doviello is going to stand all that decadent "culture".

The War Machine crushes some Vampires. The Calabim actually haven't got much of an army, possibly because they've just had an unsuccessful war with the Amurites and were focused on culture.

And more of that. Note the Heavy and Heroic Strength promotions on our Phalanx replacement.

We may be a brutish people, but even we have to admit: That Yersinia chap sure sounds like a jerk.

He didn't even make a single move before being grinded on the Machine's blades.

The experience gained by the Machine allows Dentaro to finally free Brigit. Too late to be useful, but still it's nice to see that ancient dream of our people fulfilled.

After leaving some enclaves to Calabim, we continue our advance to the Svartalfar territory. They resist bravely, though cold isn't the best way to scare us. And Flauros' Guild of the Nine allows us to recruit warm bodies for defence, allowing our elite troops more freedom.

Svartalfar Immortals, their last line of defence, still can't stop us at that point.

The end. The Amurites, with their lush grasslands and floodplains among all the hell, are the only significant nation that did not see our wrath.

 

[strijder20]

Congratulations

 

[trexeric]

Wait, so you won? Awesome! I'm awaiting your next story.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Wait, so you won?

Yes; I forgot to include the last screenshot, it's included now.