"Newcomer-2014. Winter"

Spent all restarts, there was even one non-standard, crookedly generated seed; for its analysis on 115 or 116 we turned to the judges, and in the end decided to take an extra re.

The final seed turned out not to be the worst: 22 archers from the start, Griffin Conservatory under the Castle, 2 roads, secondary grass, guards: 50-99 dwarves and 20-49 mummies. On 112 I break through the dwarves, don't touch the mummies, thinking for some reason that the passage is free, and run the main hero in a different direction. An external dwelling of archers is revealed, a stable, some money. On 113 I deliver and upgrade the archers from the external dwelling, break through the mummies, the secondary hero turns out to be native. It has 2 exits into different treasure zones, conveniently located. But the second road from the Castle leads to ГО, which is very bad. I decide to take a detour across empty road back towards the capital, simultaneously leveling up Gerwulf and using him to beat out goodies, which I do until 117. I'm given Log and Air. Scout heroes find another external dwelling of archers. Building tier 1-4 in the Citadel in the capital and tier 1-4 in the Fort in the secondary town.

Week 2: from the scout view I find on the respawn, albeit at some distance, another Griffin Conservatory, a Dragon Fly Hive, a chest for 50-99 grand. Opponent meanwhile captures the remaining secondary towns, Crag appears in the tavern, which cannot but worry. I break through the single Griffin Conservatory, upgrade swords, buyout, move out towards the two underground treasure zones. I break through the guards of both, send a scout into one, and go into the other with Gerwulf. From what's available, I take out the Dragon Fly Hive for 6 Wyverns using air elementals, as well as the chest for experience and a Breastplate +3 defense for 50-99 pits, turn around into the second treasure zone. There I immediately break through the chest for 70 wood, I carry them with an Angel, naturally morale, naturally minus Angel. In the chest - 30 ghost dragons. Next I break through 10-19 horses for the Refuge (nothing interesting in it), as well as 8 chaos hydras for a sword +6, helm +4, and a cart of wood. In the capital, a Castle was added to the build order, in the secondary town – a Citadel. I didn't build horses because the money on both respawns ran out completely. In the first treasure zone, which I ran away from, the scout finds 2 Dragon Utopias and 1 more Dragon Fly Hive, good.

Week 3: I take another Dragon Fly Hive for 8 Wyverns, split Gerwulf and send him home, replenish mana at the well, run to the chest for grands and the Dragon Fly Hive/Griffin Conservatory. Grands fall to mass Haste without problems, in the chest is entire level 3. Dragon Fly Hive for 8 Wyverns, Griffin Conservatory triple, Gerwulf is given Earth. Next I make a pope move: split Gerwulf and send him home, break through the guard off-road, expecting (a scout view mistake) a quick passage to the opponent, but there are cliffs. Fail, I take +1 attack and go into the treasure zone with the Dragon Utopias, thus stupidly skipping one turn for Gerwulf.

Week 4: in the treasure zone I take a Library, a mini Dragon Fly Hive, a Griffin Conservatory double, 2 Dragon Utopias: from the useful stuff, they gave a level 5 hat and Gladius. Also conveniently gave Tactics, which allowed me to take a previously inaccessible armor +4+4 for Archangels. From the treasure zone there is an exit to the opponent's secondary town, near which a Naga Bank and an Amulet of Lightning Reflection are visible. I set up chains to clear all this, preparing Gerwulf for splitting. The next day the Amulet is cleared, but with the Naga Bank there's a fail: it turned out to be blocked by terrain. Nevertheless, somehow finally on 147 I build Angels in the Castle, simultaneously bringing Gerwulf the previously cleared Boots of Speed from deep in the respawn, and sit down to replenish mana.

Week 5: not forgetting about the red rush, I bring everything possible to Gerwulf and run to beat ГО (125 thunder birds). Have mass Haste, mass Slow, stats 21 17, army: 150 Marksmen, ~40 Crusaders, 26 Drakes, 6 Angels. ГО falls without losses. Then, using Dimension Door, I capture the opponent's main town, as it turned out, right on time: there are 3 Gold Dragons and the rest of the growth. On the opponent's respawn, there is an external dwelling of Drakes. I buy out the main town's Gold Dragons + Pegasi on singles, buy Josephine, give her the Grands and single Pegasi, and send her on reconnaissance. Then scout view decided it: I saw a hero sitting on the external dwelling, the next turn I kill a Dragon on him, capture the secondary town, bring growth from my native Castle, resulting army: 8 Angels, 26 Drakes, 51 Crusaders, ~180 Marksmen, 50 Halberdiers, single Pegasus, 3 Gold Dragons. With Josephine, I stumble upon Crag on 4 single Pegasi and attack. The opponent had no options, so he kills both heroes with Death Wave. GG. As the post-game analysis showed: the main town was taken very timely; with the buyout and delivery from the external dwelling, Crag would have had 11 Gold Dragons, which was quite an unpleasant moment. It was also decided by the fact that until the end of the game, the opponent had no mass Slow.

Thanks for the game.