"King of the Hill"

15.02.2013 GoD(Red, Dungeon, Shakti, Shakti) def Captain(Blue, Rampart, Ivor, Straker) 2sm4d(3) 123

I took 111 and we started.
Fast roads, GO not on the road.
Spawned at the top, 2 stacks, scout hero without Harpies + Vidomina with 3 stacks, Haps not built. The nicest part - bonus artifact - Spirit of Oppression. Not much gold given.
Scout hero reveals the view - 2 roads - to the surface for 50-99 Castle Dwellings and to the basement for 50-99 white Centaurs, Dwarf Cottage, Troglodyte external dwelling near the town and for dessert an external dwelling of Cats + a scroll for 20-40 Basilisk. Seems not bad - let's play.
First went to the basement hoping for a double - thanks to Necromancy Troglodyte losses are minimal, the hope for a double was justified - on 112 already Dungeon - now thinking where to get gold for Cats at home and 2 portals with Cat ransom. From my secondary in the basement there is another road to the metro - that's towards the opponent, but guarded by 50-99 Harpy Hags, so we're not particularly afraid of meeting on day 1, near the town a Dragon Fly Hive for 50-99 Evil Eyes.
We clear everything we see, on 113 we put 1000 everywhere.
Miner in the basement destroys the Dwarf dwelling on 75, clears the Necromancer's Cloak - but there's nowhere and no time to raise Necromancy.
115 - Miner already has Expert Earth Magic - not bad at all))
At the entrance to the basement on the surface we destroy a Crypt on the dirt for 5 Vampires and clear everything we see, including resources, because apparently we'll have to trade - gold is very much needed.
116 - Vidomina kills a couple of pedestrians, destroys a small Dwarf Cottage, raising 30 Skeletons, on 117 - + another 10 Skeletons, Miner attacks the Basilisks - there are 38 of them - I regretted holding back for a round - retreating the Harpies back, although I should've pushed forward all the way - naturally, the Basilisks like bees to honey rushed to the bottom left corner, where 14 Evil Eyes, 2 Cats and 95 Troglodytes stood - as a result I lost 30 Troglodytes, annoying and frustrating, but oh well...we take the Cat external dwelling - through trade we ransom everywhere, Cats at home in the Fort - where to get gold to ransom such a force by week 2 I don't even know...Miner also got Air Magic.

121 - we go out to the surface - we spot a Dragon Fly Hive for 20-49 Ice Elementals, the scout hero runs to the secondary - there's Rampart, the opponent already has 2 secondaries, the tavern shows complete superiority of Blue in all indicators. Sadness. I almost wanted to run through Harpy Hags to visit with Oil, but lacking information about the opponent's army, I didn't really want to expose myself - I decide to first enter 2 basement Treasures.
122 - scout hero takes Rampart, ransoms there 7 Centaurs and 4 Dwarves, Miner destroys 40 Ice Elementals, didn't take Troglodytes and Evil Eyes - but the Hive is 50-99, and the scout heroes have no movement left to bring the meat - Miner kills Wolves for +1 to Spell Power and a treasure chest, visits a Spell Power well. On his turn in the metro with Harpy Hags appears Straker, breaks through them and runs to my secondary - stops at the Dragon Fly Hive guarded by Evil Eyes.
123 - on our turn we look what's there - 20-49 Grand Elves, 50-99 Centaurs, 1-4 Unicorns, 1+10-19 Silver Pegasi. We decide to attack. Miner fights against Crystal Elementals, Jeddite with archery and losing 20 Centaurs, 4 Dwarves and 25 Skeletons takes the Hive on 8. By Yova's chain takes the Medusa dwelling on 40, the force is transferred to the basement - with ransom of all Cats in the capital - Miner ransoms in the basement, learns Slow in the Mage Guild and makes a Vortex - 140 mana, we destroy 65 Evil Eyes, we dive into the Hive without checking - and it's max - we lose 35 Troglodytes and attack.
Miner 5 4 5 7(140) - 17 Cats, 20 Basilisks, 90+1+1+1 Troglodytes, 12 Cats
Straker 4 3 3 2 - 49 Grand Elves, 50+1+1 Centaurs, 12+1 Silver Pegasi

On Tactics I position for killing the Grand Elves - both Basilisks and Cats can reach. Only afraid of Oil, but Haste is cast on the Grand Elves - they wipe 2 Basilisks twice - funny - in response 17 Cats take out 29 Grand Elves, and 16 Basilisks remove the Centaur stack. GG.
The opponent rushed very much - managed to place Bears in the Citadel, had a Griffin Conservatory and a Dragon Fly Hive, though not on the road, and plenty of gold with a Stable.

Thanks for the game!