13.01.2011 Neverminder (Blue, Dungeon, Shakti, Shakti) def R55Max (Red, Stronghold, Crag Hack, Crag Hack) jebus cross 142
A very difficult game turned out. At first the layout was kind of sad. Hives exist, but behind shooter guards, though a bunch of Dragon Utopias on the respawn, meaning there's no rush to the center. However, on day 4 a scout reveals an external dragon dwelling, which changes the situation drastically. Shakti in a hurry breaks back home, eats a lot of chests for experience, visits the tree, on the seventh day takes the coveted external dwelling, ends the week at level 8 (advanced Earth and Fire) not far from the stable. A portal is built right away, and there's a dragon there, of course. True, there were no harpies from the start, so the result of the first week is 1-6 in the fort. But 4 dragons on day 121 warm the soul. On the second week I took five hives for 32 ducks and on day 127 broke the first two-star Dragon Utopia, which gave nothing at all, but at least money. On days 131-133 I broke three more Dragon Utopias (two three-star and a max). Dragon Utopias without Armorer are painful, all the ducks died in the end, and stats-wise I can't say I improved much, plus the spell book only had Water. Angel Wings were the only truly excellent item. Well, you can't predict that. But I had 130k gold. Got Shackles of War in one of the Dragon Utopias. And here comes the well-known noob move: fighting with shackles on. I die, because I have no mana. I want to write "gg", but then I thought: plenty of gold, time for the turn still left, devil may care, maybe luck will smile on me and I'll dig up Shakti. And I did dig him up! With about the 17th hero. And he again with full movement points, ran to the enemy's Guardian Object, didn't quite make it, as time ran out. On day 134 I entered the center, Andrey is not visible. Over the following days of the week I killed many various creatures for Pandora's Boxes. The rewards were: all Water spells (I already had the book), all spells in general, 25 Evil Eyes, 15 Manticores, 15k gold. On day 136 I killed Andrey's Guardian Object (108 Wizards), but I only had 32 mana points, so I didn't go yet. Took a dungeon in the sands, built a Mage Guild there, settled in. On day 141 Town Portal home, Magic Doubling (480 mana points now), Town Portal to the dungeon, and rushed over to visit. Stats-wise I'm slightly superior, but there's Crag Hack, and the lack of Armorer worried me a lot. On day 142 Crag Hack 18-23-12-8 (50) attacks Shakti 22-28-15-16 (468). No Red Orb, but there is a Cloak of Reflection (meaning farewell to Summon Elementals, Resurrection, and Armageddon), but there was still something to surprise with: in the first round I cast Mass Curse! I was very afraid of Expert Water (blessing or cure — and my plan B would also go to hell), but it wasn't there. In a tough Featherweight Bout thanks to this non-standard move, as well as a Bolt for 400+ HP, I managed to secure victory. With the Red Orb, Crag Hack would have won for sure. On the other hand, without the orb and without the cloak, he would have had no chance. With the cloak, but without the orb, it turned out hard and interesting, but the scales tipped in Shakti's favor. Thanks for the interesting game, Andrey!
From the start of the game, 2 roads were unfortunately blocked by 10+ Scorpicores, behind them were gold and stat boosters and a secondary hero, so all week I'm gathering and clearing small stuff, I manage to place Cyclopes in the castle.
On the 2nd week the Scorpicores grow and become 20+. Not enough gold to buy everything out, Crag Hack, without Earth. Well, I poked around Naga Banks, threw noobs around the hives.
On the 3rd week the noobs take all hives and a max-level Griffin Conservatory, Crag Hack takes 2 mini Dragon Utopias — they only gave Shield +12-3 and a Blue Panama Hat, nothing else special.
I see Shakti in the center, he breaks my Guardian Object and withdraws, I approach as close as possible to my Guardian Object, move through the mountains and camp out in front of the Cloak of Reflection in the sands. Well, Dima enters my respawn, I break 100+ Thunderbirds for the cloak and instead of gathering more ducks I attack the miner. Basically, the only striking stack of ducks couldn't compete with the Black Dragons and K (Mass Curse, and the Bolt was cutting them down significantly)
thanks for the game
