Дегустация Horn of the Abyss

Well, so, I promised to be original next time, and here you go - first, Necro, second, Necro via Clavius. Opp took 1 rest on 111, I took one on 112, and we started.

It spawned in Dungeon, of course, but I spread out on day 1 to 6 heroes, popped an easy Griffin Conservatory two, two external skeleton dwellings, and passed the turn... And a second later I howled, cursing, because I didn't notice the block on the only road from 20-49 Monks for a -2 morale pendant. However, upon sober reflection, it became clear that it was no big deal; we'd break through with Angels on 121, and there's stuff to do on the respawn until then. My only doubts were whether there would be enough room on the respawn to develop at least up to Vampires in the Castle. Spoiler - there was.

On 112 we break through another Conservatory and realize our tempo problems are solved - a single one. On 113, bringing rags, we calmly break through with Haste, sacrificing all available growth and a few Skeletons. The same day, we chain-grab a prison with upgraded Harpies... Jeremy, level 5. Well, that's already a bit much... :o Oh well, not going to refuse. We immediately send him with a shooter and an Angel to clear the respawn. In the Black Tower we find Boots... In the Crypt, a Vampire's Cloak... Klev is leveling Offense, Armorer, Logistics, and Earth... I start to feel bad for the opponent. :o

On 117, not just Vampires but Cavaliers in the Castle become available, +7k for buyout. But it suddenly turns out that over a week of clearing the respawn, I haven't seen a single pile of Crystals. Even though I've scouted most of the respawn. But no complaints, so we don't get cocky and break the Conservatory on 121 without Vampires, just using growth. Though, of course, it's a pity that opening a free front got delayed indefinitely.

On 122 we send Jeremy on 2 Angels and a shooter to find and kill the computer, while we ourselves head to the center with the entire army. At the same time, we set up a chain from home to finally claim the found pile of Crystals.
On 123 we stall, getting confused by the buggy road network, and only on 124 does Jeremy run off in the right direction, while the main force on Vampires takes a couple of hives (14 Wyverns). On 126 Jeremy breaks his native computer (Conflux), while the main force pushes through to the corner against Orange (sic!) and Teal.
127 - I take another Conservatory 2, Teal's computer (Tower), find exactly Giants in their Castle, set up chains to unite the army and start taking scouted Dragon Utopias. Have about 400 Skeletons.

On 132 the first Dragon Utopia falls (max). Frenzied Dragons eat an Angel and 3 (!) Giants out of 7. Feels like it's not them with -2 morale and me with -1, but the opposite. I get demoralized in the first round with both of my main stacks, though at least 500 Skeletons can't be demoralized. :mad: However, after checking the Utopia's contents, the butthurt evaporates without a trace. Speaker's Hat, Shield +4 all, and a Helm for Mana (which had just run out, and there's a Well nearby).
On 133 another max Utopia yields a Sword +5 all, КЗ, Boots +2 all, and the Hat... :D

For the rest of week 3 I mess around with full control, snatching a junk Utopia from under the opponent's nose, and on 137 I rush in to take the main, but I utterly screwed up the timing and didn't quite make it. Titans became available. On 141 with 9 Titans, 20 Greater Liches, 9 Master Genies, 13 Angels, 910 Greater Skeletons, and 14 Dreads, I steamroll the opponent's main who overplayed his hand - it was all bad, and after the massacre of all the mages, there was a surrender.

Thanks for the game :smile02:

P.S. Yeah, at first glance there was a lot of candy, but if not for the complete lack of Crystals, everything would have been doable without the Angel from 112 and without Jeremy. Pure Liches could have broken through everywhere, and from 121 on Vampires would have done it all. Weak Necro, huh