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CTPAHHuK (Nature) def. Pashagreen(Order) - Ironman (Expert, 8 min), 146
From the very beginning, the plan was to create an Archer-Tactician, a Bard, two Druids for Phoenixes, a Lifewalker, and a Mage. I initially wanted to rush and spent a long time deciding whether to take 2 Lifewalkers or a Lifewalker and a Mage. I only made up my mind when I saw a level 4 altar of Order in the dwelling and decided to level up the Mage as a precaution against a failed rush.
The rush didn't work out. First, the Phoenixes on the bridge to the 3rd castle gave me a hard time. Second, the Phoenix spell was only available at the altar near the quarry. The Phoenixes on the bridge sent me back home after an attack with Magic Dragons from the dwelling, and then three more times after an attack with Phoenixes from the castle, with or without them. In the end, I only took the third castle on the 3rd week.
The north was conquered quickly and without unnecessary distractions, with only one Phoenix surviving after breaking through the bridge. Unfortunately, in the penultimate battle before the teleport, this Phoenix was defeated.
After teleporting home and leveling up my mages to Grand Master, I ran around the castles, taking 3 Phoenixes from the starting city. In the second attempt, I finished off the northwest and attacked the guard. Both guards fell on turn 145, and my army, without health or magic, stood near the last quest of Ironman, on Pasha's territory.
I slept peacefully through the night; no one came to attack me, so in the morning, my health was restored, and a new batch of alcohol was delivered to me. After sobering up, I defeated a couple more neutrals, ran into the +1 speed camp, and attacked Pasha, who was standing nearby.
The final battle was long and tense. In the very first round, we exchanged heroes. Pasha removes the immolation from my Archer-Tactician, then immediately hits him with 14 Titans and passes the turn to me. My main Druid didn't have many choices: either cast a spell and protect the half-dead Tactician from the enemy Mages standing in the same line, or go into wait mode and then cast Phoenixes. In the end, I chose the second path, and Pasha's Mage immediately finished off the Archer-Tactician. The second enemy Mage teleports the waiting Nagas, and two Lifewalkers remove the angels from my heroes. Coming out of wait mode, the Druids heal the Phoenixes, which, together with my three, kill Pasha's Master Mage. My Mage teleports the Nagas behind the enemy heroes, and the second round begins.
The Titans destroy my three Phoenixes, one of which revives and protects the newly summoned ones. The Nagas fly towards me again and fly behind again... The Phoenixes, meanwhile, try to take down one of the Lifewalkers...
At some point, Pasha stops teleporting the Nagas and manages to trap my newly summoned 12 Phoenixes under hypnosis. The turn is passed to my Druid, and again, there are two options: either cast Antimagic on the Phoenixes or give the turn to Pasha and hope that I can still bring them back, give them the power of the dragon, and defeat the Tactician. Pasha's General was very strong; to defeat him in one breath, I needed the power of 39 Phoenixes, so I had to take a risk. The Druid goes into wait mode, and "Pasha's" Phoenixes destroy this Druid, the Mage, and remove the immolation from the Bard. Then, the Phoenixes-traitors are hit by slowing and a song of peace from their new owner, and my Lifewalker comes out of wait mode. Hand of God + the revived Mage steals the enemy's immolation; everything is fine, everyone is in place, and the battle continues.
The decisive moment is interesting: Pasha's General, who moved to the side to clear the way for the Nagas from the corner where my Mage once teleported them, stood near the Titans; my Phoenixes are in wait mode with the Song of Peace and the morale +10 from the newly summoned Satyrs, the revived Mage, and the Druid are also waiting; Pasha's Titans are very strong, and I'm afraid of them, and the Hive can only be cast on them with 50% chance, and their speed is +17 with morale +10. An idea arises. And here it is: my Mage casts Berserk on the Titans, the Druid removes the immolation from the General, and the Phoenixes, with slowing and morale +10, move towards the General, but not too close to the Titan.
The beginning of the next turn. The Titans destroy the General, the Phoenixes stand on his corpse, and after Pasha's Lifewalker's turn, my hero throws acid on the corpse.
Then, the production of Phoenixes begins under the protection of the Hand of God... and that's it.
An excellent match, despite the connection problems during the game, the finale turned out to be very interesting; it's worth running around the map with heroes for 3-4 weeks for such battles :)
Thank you, Pasha, and good luck in the fight for 3rd place :)