Greetings) well, as I said in the previous map, that I would definitely play this one, and that is exactly what happened)
There will be many screenshots, battle replays, maybe even some saves if anyone wants to try playing it better or just have a heartfelt fight)
I didn't pass it on the first attempt again, but let's go in order. I'll start with the failed attempt...
- The progression breakthroughs were going more or less okay, but then Giovanni arrives with Elemental Balance; I somehow built the guild, caught a phoenix there, and I'm defending in the Castle all happy that everything is easy since I repelled him once or twice, then an Orc and a Human start raiding in turns... And in the end, after several such raids on my Castle, the army is gone, there are no ideas on how to defend, and I realize I'm doing something wrong, although sometimes I managed to catch a moment where the Orc or Human killed Giovanni himself while I just watched)) but that didn't help me much, because here you need to do what I'm not very good at, namely tempoing))
Successful attempt:
1) From the start, you realize that none of the possible Necromancers for purchase have Raise Dead (there is one higher up under the same guards, but I found that out later), but I cheated a bit: at the start, I went left; I got lucky with starting levels, caught Riddle and Spiritual Link, broke through the fort on the hill, they give you a Lich there, you upgrade to an alt-grade, and voila, you have Raise Dead and you're already a much happier guy...
2) The path with ghosts is a cool idea, and I realized that you need to take the artifacts there as quickly as possible—the Cloak and Band for the Sorceress (I'll call her that)—rather than waiting for Giovanni to come and attack you with those goods (the stats are already normal there). Like a cockroach, using a quick-save abuse, I went through the labyrinth, bumped into the ghosts, and gave them to Arantir.
3) It seems like he doesn't even come—or rather, not that he doesn't come, but not as quickly as when I dug in at the Castle.... Well, over time he comes, and overall there seem to be no particular problems with him.
4) But everything would have been okay if the Orc (Kargrag) and Human (Benedict) hadn't arrived, roughly speaking, together, and I was like "rupupum," what do I do with you? I struggled to defeat you one by one in the Castle, and here you are both of you; but this time Arantir is more spirited, so I think I'll hit you in the field...
Kargrag - Good stats, suppression of Summoning, Darkness, and other things)
Benedict - Only suppression of Darkness (this was my main concern)
I thought I'd just slap them once and be chill and relaxed, but nooo; each time it seemed a bit easier than the previous one, but I wouldn't say I was catching vibes while relaxing, and then there's this Giovanni running around (with Logistics) but he can be reined in a bit...
5) To close Giovanni or not to close?
- For some time I thought about this question when I entered the witches' swamps (or something like that), they say "give us the cloak, and we'll still steal experience from you," surely I shouldn't do that with Arantir? Let's be smarter: let's turn the image into mentorship, leave a cockroach there to dump his experience on cooldown... And run for experience for Arantir, but it's not that simple; in my opinion, after 3 or 4 times, the witches are like "we are all ala-yula goodbye," and I think "holy cow, everything was going so well..."
6) The alternative to closing the portal is a strong cockroach... For me, that was Rowena on house from the library + all buffs. Arantir took units 1 3 4 5, and the cockroach took 2 6 7; and stupidly stood at the exit of the portal and he almost didn't move (Giovanni)
7) Having removed the interference, I moved further across the map, and mostly there were no problems: captured the human Castle, the human stopped raiding, then the orcs', and the orc stopped raiding, and everything is great, you can go for the scrolls; of course, in between all these things, running after those logisticians so as not to give up the main castle...
It's nice that even if the cockroach is killed, he can be bought without any problems, that's pleasant... And that the AI aggros on them if you lead them aside, so that old Arantir could catch up (at first on foot, then to the range of the portal to the city; when there was only one city, there were no problems at all)
8) Having done everything necessary on the map, I went to the Sanctuary to meet Vesel; since I thought it was the last fight, I didn't worry much (but how wrong I was)
Vesel - all schools and a charmer. But what surprised me more is that you're better off not playing with Subjugation against him, because then he casts some imba spell (I wouldn't refuse such a thing) mass vampire + something else, and blocks further subjugation... What kind of sorcery is this?))
9) After Vesel I think GG, but then Bertram appeared; I look at him and realize that I cannot defeat him... And I think I need to do things slightly differently: I'll gather an army and "re-mentor" Arantir a bit
Main build (probably most people did this): Summoning, Darkness, Image, Charmer Defense = The only thing I changed was Elemental Immunity in Summoning; in Defense, I took BDP instead of Grave Cold. In Image, I brought back the eagle to see how Vesel and Bertram are leveled up
10) Came with a large army) Vesel was handled with my left foot's right pinky finger; Bertram is harder because there are just too many combat stats there, but nothing, it can be done)
11) Imba horses that have double attack and infinite retaliation (just machines, with shock and a bunch of immunities, way too imba overall) but they can be killed... Griffins that hit without retaliation, and Heralds who don't have the ability to kill one unit((( Unfortunately, I didn't break through a single red Dragon Utopia, because by the time I crawled there, they were all cleared, and apparently they don't respawn?
P.s. Overall, I am very satisfied with the scenario; beautiful map, difficult, relatively always keeps you on edge, but at some moments, running after those guys exhausted me—of course, this is a question of my gameplay, not the map, but it was a bit "upikivalo" (I'll call it that)
- Side quests are cool: getting the key, sailing by sea, opening the passage; and that guy who throws things is also cool.
- All enemies have Logistics, and this is truly nightmarish—you really have to catch them, or they won't attack themselves, as there were moments when you run after them for quite a long time...
- Arantir should get Log somehow... But it's not needed for the finale, although again, if the final boss runs away, you won't catch him)
- Variability in build choice via items - I already thought maybe to hell with the Necromancer set (thankfully the cloak can be returned later), and maybe drop Charmer and take something else (Log attack or even Light) and instead of Charmer, use the staff and ring of Sar Isso?)
- Too few artifacts for feet - I mean travel ones... and there are no yellow boots; in a build without Log, I'd like to have them)
- To the left of the starting castle, there are three graveyards and Necromancers, and near the Sanctuary (conditionally) Liches with catapults—for map atmosphere? Is there any way to reach them?)
So, comrade author) you said there would be a sequel soon?) where is it, I'm waiting)) Thanks for the map)
I really wanted to slap Giovanni and capture his castle))
