Why play Doviello?

[Calbrenar]

Maybe I'm missing something but what is the purpose of playing as the Doviello instead of say Clan if you really want to be nasty?

I remembe reading information in the wiki that they had some unique things as far as where they could upgrade and such but all that's gone now so I don't know how much of it applies.

The clan on the other hand can walk through fire get warrens have for the horde etc.

 

[Calbrenar]

Ok so I checked out the manual and I see they have no building requirements for units and can upgrade anywhere with a specific unit? So basically as long as they have the tech that unlocks say training yards they can build axemen anywhere and never build a training yard?

 

[Wyrmhero]

The Dovellio have no need for building requirements. They also cannot build these buildings. This means they can create Adepts, Swordsmen, Longbowmen, and the like, immediatly after researching the technology needed.

 

[Vehem]

Their Battlemaster (Champion) also upgrades any Axemen in the tile for free - once you've paid for one upgrade, you can get the others for free.

 

[seZereth]

and,.... they have a berserker wielding an opponent as weapon

 

[Mailbox]

This is also why the Doviello do really well with "AI No Building Requirements" turned off.

 

[Ur_Vile_Wedge]

They might have changed it in recent versions, but I recall the old Beastmen getting a 20% bonus to city attack, making them good warrior rushers. (Which is often before you have masonry to build warrens anyway) I once destroyed 2 civs, the Amurites and the Grigori, in a game before the first 50 turns were up. Twas cool

 

[Grey Fox]

They also start with some extra Beastmen, 2 or 3 extra don't remember, so they can practically rush from the start. Unless you play on a too high difficulty level (AI get free units).

 

[MagisterCultuum]

In my eventual modmod, I'll probably let all their units steal the weapons promotions from units they defeat. The promotions will be harder to get in the first place, so this could be a big deal.

 

[kidcarson]

I don't know,the lesser building requirement is a turn-off for me. the no training yard means loss of happiness with nationhood, no libraries hurts research ability(which is worse for charadon with his barbarian trait, and Mahala does not even have the barabarian trait), no mage guild means never has a chance on the galean event, no archery range and no bowyers means city defense is much worse for them in 031 than it was before. given that they like to start in tundra/snow with their more difficult worker-build times and playing the doviello is something i would recommend only for a skilled player, not a new player.

 

[marioflag]

About Doviello, are they going to get some new mechanic or features in Ice phase? Compared to other civs like Sheaim,Balseraph,Calabim they are quite bland to play, most of their flavour come from civilopedia entries of Charadon,Dentaro, AoI and the really nice art of their units.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I haven't heard any plans for them. I believe Kael said he doesn't envision them as having any special mechanics, like the ones I proposed.

 

[Senethro]

Mahala Doviello are pretty fun. Beeline Agriculture, City States then Bronze working while rapid expanding and spamming warriors.

Then declare war on as many weak opponents as possible and strip-pillage their territory. Its not too hard to be able to play for 100% research and regular warrior--> axeman upgrades. Opportunistic attacks against poorly defended cities just sweeten it further.

Pick up food/happiness/production techs as you like, but don't leave it too long before starting on working your way to Iron working and Battlemasters.

Its a bit braindead but hilarious once.

 

[Sarisin]

They also start with some extra Beastmen, 2 or 3 extra don't remember, so they can practically rush from the start. Unless you play on a too high difficulty level (AI get free units).

You're right, but that is a negative if you are into exploring and going for goodie huts. I find the odds of getting a hostile reaction with a Beastman/Warrior very high and that ends up with a dead unit if you are playing Mahala. It might create some trouble for other civs if you are playing Charadon as he is at peace with the barbs.

Your first build as Mahala should be a Scout, I guess, so you could at least get the goodie huts near your capital...but at the slower game speeds it could take a while to get that Scout, and, by then, many goodie huts are gone.

One other thing I liked about playing the Doviello was their hero - the War Machine has to be one of the most awesome-looking unit models.

They would need some promotions to take cities defended by Warriors, but you are right, the ai usually has one (or in the case of the elves zero) defenders, so you might be able to use 2 Beastmen to take out the capital and only city of a nearby civ.

 

[kidcarson]

One other thing I liked about playing the Doviello was their hero - the War Machine has to be one of the most awesome-looking unit models.

You are right, the Doviello have one of the coolest heroes, gamelay and looking on the map. However it takes Machinery to get them and with the barbarian trait and missing libraries and alchemy labs it is a very long time before the slow researching Doviello can get there. it would make more sense if they had a hero that came in sooner to fit in with their early game flavor.

 

[Amerigo Arturo]

Their world spell is also pretty useless, those wolves just serve to give enemies experience or choke your economy.

 

[Deon]

If only they were joinable to your troops...

 

[Sarisin]

Their world spell is also pretty useless, those wolves just serve to give enemies experience or choke your economy.

Amen to that!

Being on the receiving end of their World Spell is quite beneficial sometimes. Mahala sprung it during my current game and I had one Beastmaster who must have killed and subdued a dozen wolves in one turn. They went right to the cities where the extra culture was nice from the Wolf Pens.

 

[Grey Fox]

When I first read that spell help I was under the impression you would get stronger wolves the stronger units you have? Is it so? Cause the one time i used it I just got regular wolves.

 

[xienwolf]

You just aren't using the worldspell quite properly IMO. Wait until you are a turn away from completing Nature's Revolt.

The strength of each wolf is based on the of the unit which is appears on: strength: / 2) +1. Stack on Natures revolt after it and you wind up with a +3 instead.

Thus if you do it in the beginning of the game, with mainly warriors/scouts running around you will get a lot of strength 2 wolves. But if you wait till Nature's Revolt is available, most of your units are probably 6 and thus you will get wolves who are ALSO 6 for the most part (3 + 1 + 2)