Diamond Monster

14.08.2013 WiZarDX_576 (red, tower, neela, galthran) def twaryna (blue, fortress, tazar, tazar) Diamond 145

We picked all the rests and went.
Tough start, because the 2nd hero came as pikeman with one stack, resulting in a starting army of 50 gremlins and 10 gargoyles. One road led to the sandy treasure zone for orcs, another went through boars and dwarves into the underground.
On the first week I scouted the sands a bit. In one underground I quickly found a comp that cut down my scout, in another - a block of golems and inferno dogs for a Dragon Fly Hive (which I went for later). Nearby, wings for 20-49 horses. I pushed through off-road into a grassy treasure zone, where I found an external dwelling of gremlins and several Dragon Fly Hives. I also found a strategic lookout that revealed half of the opponent's spawn. Little money, so nagas in the fort and 5 heroes on the first week.
I started the second week with a Pandora's box for 5k experience for Gosha. Gremlins and skeletons were being gathered. By week 2 day 4 I took the first Dragon Fly Hive with 6 Wyverns, a Dwarf Cottage with 20. Earth magic was leveled up, but there was no Slow.
The opponent appeared in the nearest teleporter, which led towards the Rampart comp captured by Twaryna on the first week. This forced me to play on constant edge.
Week 3 day 5 - a tough fight with 50 cows with Haste for a prison. Minus morale on gremlins, resulting in losses of half the skeleton stack, a naga, and golems. The lookout reports that the opponent has Luna, who ran through a Griffin Conservatory. And Tazar was showing in the tavern with better stats.
In the underground I found another trio of Dragon Fly Hives, decided to hang around there a bit and start gathering everything with the delivery on the 3rd week.

No tempo, the opponent has everything better according to the tavern, but we don't give up.
Found a scroll of Slow, and through a well, Gosha by week 4 day 1 near the wings.
Week 4 day 1 - with Slow, a warmachine, and a decent stack of blue horses fall without much trouble.
Week 4 day 1-3 - gathering Dragon Fly Hives. One guard was arch devils, who kicked the Wyverns and gremlins pretty hard. But the last Dragon Fly Hive in this zone was rewarding - max. Total: 26 ducks, 200 gremlins, and about the same number of skeletons.
Week 4 day 4-6 - clearing the grassy treasure zone, with 3 Dragon Fly Hives and a Gladius.
Week 4 day 7 - a chain through 2 Dragon Fly Hives and Gosha finally stands before one of the revealed Dragon Utopias, where nearby is a cloak +2 to speed. Gathered a stack of 60+ ducks, but according to the tavern, the army power there is better.
Week 5 day 1 - delivery, Dragon Utopia (+4 all, hat +4+4). Nearby a grave and a Pandora's box for 10 angels. We take it and... all 4th level magic. Exactly 12 mana to cast Town Portal to refill mana at the castle, and I target the next Dragon Utopia.
Week 5 day 2 - I check the grave - a bronze hat with ears, or in common terms - a teapot! I pass it to the main hero and dive into the next Dragon Utopia - a book of air. A plan emerged to run over to the swamp and upgrade my Wyverns.
Week 5 day 3 - the last Dragon Utopia in sight, a red orb and 2 books of water. Also a nearby Pandora's box for a hundred archmagi on all earth magic and a cuirass +12 to spell power. Tazar runs into the grassy, already cleared treasure zone. There are 7 angels, 60+ griffin ducks, and the rest is meat. At least we've matched in parameters. Now definitely to the swamp.
Week 5 day 4 - through a break and the nearest external tavern, Gosha on the last moves reaches the opponent's capital, not enough mana for Town Portal home, and only 18 mana. Didn't manage to scatter in time, time was tight, so just upgraded Wyverns, bought 20+ basilisks and 30 dragon flies, and held my breath waiting for what happens. Tazar disappears from sight. The opponent's turn drags on for long minutes. Phew - not caught.
Week 5 day 5 - strategic lookout and we see Tazar nearby. Debated what to do, attack or keep running, but didn't really want to keep grinding, have money to buy peace, so I decide to attack. The opponent had no anti-magic, nor any offensive magic. I had Implosion for 2400 and Lightning Bolt for 1000. Magic decided it.

Thanks for the game!