19.11.2010 _golden_key_ (Blue, Conflux, Moner, Moner) def SEM_56 (Red, Dungeon, Shakti, Shakti) 2sm4d(3) 143
The opponent took all the restarts; I decided on principle not to take any, so there would be no complaints about a bad roll. The roll wasn't good, but not very bad either. Two roads – one to the GO (Archangels), the other to a secondary town (Rampart) leading to a dead end with no exits anywhere. There was also an exit to the swamp territory through the Sharpshooters, but I could hardly have taken them right away, and by week 1, day 15 the opponent was already in control there. As it turned out, the enemy bet on developing the swamp, especially since there was an external dwelling of Wyverns there. In the first week, I managed to build Phoenixes in the capital and construct a Town Hall in the secondary town. While clearing the Rampart territory, I found two scrolls with Armageddon. I build a Mage Guild in the Rampart, buy it out, and break through to the swamp, capturing it. Apparently, the opponent was not ready for such a maneuver from me, as Shakti approached the border of the swamp territory only a couple of days later. There, the first battle between Shakti and Moner took place. The opponent's hero had higher stats and a stronger army, with the strongest stack being 37 Wyverns. During the battle, the Wyverns and upgraded Swamp Cows killed 9 of my 11 Phoenixes. After casting Armageddon twice, I had to retreat with the remaining two Phoenixes and a few Elementals. Next, the opponent breaks through the GO and heads towards my capital. He was very unlucky – he literally missed getting there by two hexes. I ransom Moner; in the castle, I have a sufficient number of Earth and Fire Elementals, but I lack the money to buy them out. The opponent evidently understands that Shakti, burdened with slower units, cannot outrun Moner in one turn, and that the next day I will have the money to buy the army, so he makes a desperate attempt to storm. Everything was decided by Armageddon. After two blasts, only 10 Evil Eyes and a Wyvern remain from the enemy army, and a third blast would have been fatal; on my side, I lost one Phoenix and a couple of Elementals. The opponent was forced to surrender.
Thanks for the game!