Maretti
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Another 12-hour game happened. I took all restarts.
First one at month 1 week 1 day 1, second at month 1 week 1 day 2 - a respawn with a Dragon Utopia, taken with an external dwelling of bears on 111, and I also pulled Tyraxor level 5 from a prison with logistics and pathfinding, but the respawn had no objects and there wasn't much visible gold.
I won't describe the bugged spawn, but overall it was all good - on 112 Crag was already level 10, there's an external dwelling of bears, a Utopia, 3 Griffin Conservatories, and a КЗ behind the sharpshooters, but Miretti has no road to ГО. Technical restart.
The middle roads generated, to Miretti's delight, but I had Gunnar in the tavern and stables in front of the castle. On the first day I spotted three "Zephyrs", a Griffin Conservatory, and a Dragon Fly Hive near the castle. On 112 I freed Luna level 5 from prison with expert fire and air magic; she was supposed to take a verified minimal Griffin Conservatory and easily gather the "Zephyrs" without losses using wall.
But something went wrong because I forgot she was on a single goblin, not the usual fairies, so I couldn't take the conservatory without losses. I fled from it and decided to take the conservatory with Gunnar; the scout hero next to him would go take the external dwelling of bears with the leftovers. Luna stopped at the first "Zephyr".
In the end, by week 1 I took 2 external bear dwellings, gathered 20 cyclopes, found 4 Dragon Fly Hives, the Red Tower, Shackles of War, the Red Ball, and 2 components for the new Ogre's Club of the Ogre artifact set.
Luna on an angel runs to ГО, which consists of Hydras and 100+ Minotaurs.
I only moved out on 124 because I couldn't deliver the army earlier.
Gunnar took the Red Tower and visited stables; he also took a Pandora's Box with 20K gold and an empty Pandora's Box; Grechka took the Golden Bow, another "Zephyr", and max Dragon Fly Hives.
I lost troops here and there, but nothing too critical.
Before moving out, I took a Vampire Mansion with a scout hero - that cost me another 2 bears, but I wasn't too upset since I couldn't upgrade them anyway; however, the mansion gave a Tunic +4 to spell power, I just needed to find the Cudgel +5 for the artifact set.
124 - I break through the ГО with Luna, smash into it with Gunnar and Grechka, and run into the center. Immediately to the right is a passage to the Inferno respawn; further down the road, Black Dragons guard the desired Cudgel +5, a Medal of Diplomacy, and a Dragon Fly Hive. Bone Dragons nearby guard a Pandora's Box with 25 Pit Fiends, and since I had already taken another Pandora's with 25 demons, I attack 10-19 Black Dragons. I sacrifice all those demons there and send Luna to the respawn to burn nagas for the Shield +5 for the artifact set.
125 - I run Gunnar along the path into the center; with view spell I see the road is crooked and long, and halfway it hits a block of Titans and Black Dragons on a dirt wasteland neutral area. I break the Black Dragons and was already planning to run into that respawn, but I spotted a +5 all around artifact behind devils and a Griffin Conservatory behind 20+ Bone Dragons. I decided to go for the +5 sword and stopped in front of the dragons waiting for delivery of the Shield +5 for the artifact set.
But on my turn, Miretti attacks me with a superior army; I kill his grand elves, half of his unicorns, and some wyverns and flee without ransom because I have no gold.
Everything is sad - I only have 3 Phoenixes, no gold, the passage to the nearby Inferno respawn is guarded by a pack of Enchanters, and even the completed artifact set doesn't help.
And then Grechka enters the arena - thanks to expert pathfinding and basic logistics, boosted on a Phoenix, he runs onto the dirt wasteland neutral area with the artifact set, 3 Phoenixes, and 25 Hell Hounds from the Pandora's Box.
Meanwhile, Gunnar pulls a "ear feint" - buys himself back from the central town and runs into Miretti's visible area. This way I wanted to distract him from heading to the dirt wasteland respawn and ransom with tactics.
I hope Miretti has no scouting and didn't notice this move, and also that he'll be afraid to hit the Titans and scout that respawn.
And that's exactly what happened. Miretti chased Gunnar away, who after ransoming bought himself back in the dungeon captured by Grechka on the dirt wasteland respawn.
Next - maximum scouting of the respawn, while Kyrre was out of sight - apparently clearing the center. I find a Utopia, 2 Griffin Conservatories for just three angels, +12 spell power, and a Shield +4 all around.
Miretti sent two of his scouts to this respawn, but I managed to kill them with the Shackles and the artifact set; I deliberately revealed myself so he'd think ten times before making contact.
Also an important point - I dug up Alamar with Resurrection, and Luna has expert literacy; after studying Resurrection, I take the Utopia. It gives a useful +3 all around necklace, and now I have gold.
Scouts revealed a Dragon Fly Hive and a "Zephyr" below the Dungeon. Where there was one "Zephyr", there turned out to be two more, and I built up a decent stack of cyclopes - about 30.
At this time Luna is sitting in the dungeon, replenishing mana; Kyrre flies to the dungeon and kills a scout hero. I bring the army to Luna, equip the Cape of Silence, and attack with the goal of ransoming and transferring the army to Gunnar to take over the Inferno respawn.
Gunnar bursts into the Inferno respawn and immediately at the entrance - 3 Utopias near the castle.
I take the Inferno town, buy Luna there, and take the first Utopia with her.
They give Wings. In the second Utopia, they give the long-awaited КЗ and the Pendant of Total Recall for 5 magic schools. In the third Utopia, they give something for stats.
Meanwhile, Kyrre hops around +2 all around stat boosters and takes my already meaningless towns.
On 141 Kyrre took my Dungeon village from me and stopped there.
I upgrade bears, pick up the artifact for neutral morale, and attack.
After an Imp on 3K in 8 angels, the opponent surrenders.
Thanks for the game!
Added after 1 minute
After Twitch's fall, I streamed on GG
I confirm. I could and should have won that game, but I wasnt sharp enough. I made 2 crusial mistakes. First one I was going for boots and thought I was blocked by some flowers, but it turned out it just looked like I couldnt pass. Had I gone there I would have been slightly delayed but I would have gotten both boots and gloves and most likely would have been out at 124 anyway with aprox the same army. 2nd mistake was after the first FB where I didnt kill titans to check if Stinger had moved into a new area. I wanted to avoid the loses, kyrre only had water and no tactics or armor and I just hadnt seen it comming that he had moved in there. Unfortunatly I lacked adv view air. After this I was to slow and lost one day because time ran out. On the other hand stinger did very well to clear the map very fast and the game was lost.
Thanks for playing and good luck in the final.