Reports on online games and their confirmations (Summer 2009 season).

numOne (red, Stronghold, Gunnisson, Gunnisson) def Van (blue, Castle, Valeska, Valeska) 2smd4(3) 143

It turned out to be an interesting game.
Roads are slow, one direction (presumably ГО) is blocked by pegasi guarding a Dragon Utopia, there is an off-road exit to grass and a descent into the underground. On the first week I took a mini Dwarf Cottage, an external dwelling of ogres and cyclopes, and cleared the dungeon in the underground. Gunnisson runs around various stat-boosting locations intensively. Home: 1-5 in the castle, in the dungeon - a portal.
On the second week I regretted spending on the castle, since there is no money for buying troops and none is expected. There are no money-producing buildings whatsoever, and gold is scattered rather sparsely. I go into the underground treasure zone next to the dungeon, buying a spell book on the way and taking a mini Dragon Fly Hive. In the treasure zone - a chest for 10000 experience (guarded along with a cartographer by almost 100 dendroids - I barely killed them, losing the ballista), a +4 hat, a +5 cuirass. Still no money. Gunnisson is already fairly well leveled, but my opponent's primary skills are visible from the first week. I clear the dungeon, double my mana and go to another wing of the treasure zone. There is another chest for 10000 experience, 2 Dragon Fly Hives with 8 each. And then Valya shows up, having broken through the pegasi. Can't teleport home, so I clear the dungeon, build the second level of the Mage Guild - there's Lightning Bolt, excellent. Valya takes my capital on day 137 with about 80 Marksmen, and Ivan offers me to surrender :). But I don't give up so easily! :smile19: I go to retake the capital, taking another Dragon Fly Hive with 8 on the way. I stand near the castle, while Ivan brings all the growth he could buy and attacks himself.
I had Lightning Bolt for 300 and 90 mana in stock. From troops: 25 Swarms, 30 Ogres, 9 Cyclopes, 6 Harpies and some fodder.
Ivan had almost 100 Marksmen, about 50 Griffins, 15 Monks, about 20 Swordsmen, almost 100 Pikemen and 3 Cavaliers. In terms of stats, I was noticeably superior.
On the first turn, the Marksmen get hit with Lightning Bolt, but in return (with two consecutive luck procs) they kill almost 10 of my Swarms :). And then everything went smoothly: the ballista works, the Lightning Bolt mows them down, and Ivan, frustrated, surrenders.
After the game, on edge, he starts accusing me that it's not realistic and something is fishy. He even demanded daily saves, but after watching them, he seemed to calm down. I know myself how painful it can be to throw away what seemed like a winning game, but in such moments it's better not to lose your temper, but to work on your mistakes.

Thanks for the game!