Posts from "Rookie-2009"

Erdam (Blue, Tower, Neela, Neela) def HeadHunter (Red, Stronghold, Dessa, Dessa), 2sm4d(3), 222

Started without restarts, slow roads.
Week 1. On day 111, two native heroes in the tavern, Solmyr arrived 4th. Near the castle, an external gremlin dwelling for free. To the north of the castle I see an external mage dwelling, to the south another external mage dwelling and gremlins, so no restarts. Had enough gold for 4 heroes, the striking force is decent — 136 master gremlins. :) On day 112, I free Rissa level 5 (expert Attack and Mysticism), send her to the castle, upgrade gremlins, pass them to Neela — now 170+ of them. I break through the passage to a swamp secondary town (many medusas with a griffin stack), lose 30+ gremlins, get Air Magic. On day 114, I take the swamp secondary, reveal the map, got a decent amount of gold, hire a hero to clear the swamp. Neela returns to the snow. The two penalty terrains cause certain movement problems, and no Pathfinding.
On day 116, I break through many orcs with Fafner, take the external mage dwelling, buy out. In the capital — nagas, in the secondary — vives. On day 117: I break through to the teleport through a hundred zombies and a pack of gold golems, end up in another swamp, see a Dragon Utopia near the road, guarded by a horde of orc leaders — they also block the path to the swamp secondary. I turn around and camp home. End of week: at home — citadel in towns 1,2,3,4,6; in the secondary — fort in towns 1,2,6, market.
Week 2. On day 122, I take the medusa dwelling, check the Griffin Conservatory: level 3 with a griffin stack. On day 123, I take armor +1 to all stats, advance Air Magic, get Wisdom and Resistance. On day 124, dwarf dwelling with 100 dwarves, 2nd external mage dwelling. On day 125, mini-dwarf dwelling, I head to the lift, a presumed treasure zone. Neela camps right in the lift above, on 1+1 stone gargoyles (nothing else to accelerate on). Meanwhile, Fafner loots crypts nearby in the snow and guarded gold chests. Then on day 127, a red scout pops out of the ground with one goblin, runs into Neela, and dies from archery. Immediately another scout attacks with some inferno army. Neela buys her way back to the capital, runs to the 2 medusa dwellings in the south (was going to split up anyway). Fafner kills the enemy scout and sends troops home. End of week: in the capital — market, castle levels 1-7, 2 floors of magic. In the secondary — towns 1,2,3,5,6 + citadel and town hall.
Week 3. On day 131, I loot two medusa dwellings, Expert Air Magic, get Pathfinding! On day 132, for 90+ nomads — a chest of 5k experience and a Dragon Scale Shield in a tomb. On day 133, I finally get Earth Magic, split up in the capital, head to the Griffin Conservatory. On day 135, I reach it and take, with mass Haste and an army of 193 master gremlins, 3 giants, 8 nagas, 34 mages — a level-3 with a griffin stack, losing 1 unit of stone gargoyle (taken for the first turn) and 2 stone gargoyles. On day 136, I loot cyclops stockpiles (6 each), split up back home, replenish mana. On day 137, I go to the teleport, break through the orc horde, head toward the swamp secondary. End of week: at home — town hall, Mage Guild level 4 (Frenzy and Water Walk :( ), but Neela's Wisdom is still basic. In the secondary — no changes.
Week 4. On day 142, I take the swamp secondary, free Nymus level 10. 3 scouts scatter across the swamp with gnolls, collecting gold bit by bit. At home, I build the Library hoping for Town Portal (but get Inferno). On day 143, I camp at the Dragon Utopia. At home, upgrade mages, drain resources. On day 144, I take the Dragon Utopia on 3 Winterlands with an army of 13 nagas, 5 giants, 3 angels, 100 master gremlins (for meat), 1+1 stone gargoyles, and 50 archmages, losing all gremlins, gargoyles, 2 giants, and 1 angel. Reward: Book of Earth(!), Angel Arrows +15%, Captain's Hat, Crown of the Supreme Mage +4, and 30k gold. I advance Wisdom. On day 145, upgrade nagas, buy 15 master genies, head toward the dwarf dwelling in the swamp. First thing: I plan to advance Earth for proper Town Portal use. On day 146, Neela is offered a choice: advance Earth or basic Logistics! What to choose… a minute of agonizing deliberation, but I still choose Earth for control over towns. On day 147, Town Portal to the swamp secondary, camp. A scout passes the Spirit of Oppression found in a chest. End of week: home unchanged. In the 1st swamp secondary — castle for towns 1,2,3,5,6. In the 2nd secondary — fort for towns 1,2,6 + market and town hall. I see in the tavern that Dessa's fighter stats are noticeably higher than Neela's.
Week 5. On day 211, I finally go to the underground treasure zone south of the swamp secondary (inconvenient location, penalty terrain — snow and swamp, lack of Logistics significantly slowed the pace). Pathfinding is only basic, so I move on serpents — nowhere else to go. On day 213, underground I get Blackshard +3 (first sword the entire game, still no shield), expert Earth Magic. Neela crawls very slowly at 5 speed (I start regretting not taking Logistics). No View Air, have to go blind, aided by a couple of scouts. On day 214, I take the max-hive. I see a Book of Air behind many cavaliers. For the 3rd time, an enemy scout — Calid — comes from the underground with psychotic psimes and minotaurs (probably took them from a camp), tries to scout the capital's location. I drive him off again with Nymus and 270+ cap wearers. On day 215, I take the Book of Air. Nearby is a Dragon Utopia — I approach and on day 216 check it — max-level. I take it with an army of 61 archmages, 5 giants, 2 angels, 15 master genies, 17 naga queens, 26 wyverns, 1 stone gargoyle. I lose all angels, 2 archmages, 1 gargoyle, 1 naga queen — too bad I didn't have time to rebuild angels. Reward: Titan's Set (without cuirass), Red Boots. I head north in the treasure zone. On day 217, I take the Resistance Cloak (Neela's total resistance reaches 45%). I check the teleport: it exits onto enemy Rampart territory. Town Portal to the swamp secondary, camp. End of week: at home — Capitol. In the 1st secondary — upgrade gorgons. In the 2nd secondary — towns 1,2,3,5,6 + castle. I buy all gorgons and vives in case of plague.
Week 6. On day 221, I see Dessa at the respawn border. With Town Portal, I buy all vives and gorgons, upgrade the gorgons, buy whoever I can in Tower, camp in the capital. On day 222, Dessa uses Dimension Door and comes just short of the castle. I decide to scout — attack with Fafner; he gets killed with morale without letting him act to look. I sacrifice Nymus — she gets through, I see no speed bonuses, morale and luck +2. I decide to strike with Lightning, but no: Dessa uses Sphere of Inhibition! I dump all resources, buy whoever I can, equip Spirit of Oppression to neutralize Dessa's high morale, and attack. Neela — level 19, 74 archmages, 32 mighty gorgons, 264 master gremlins, 38 wyvern monarchs, 5 giants, 20 naga queens, 25 master genies. Dessa — level 19, 14 royal cyclopes, 5 angels, 19 thunderbirds, 32 wyverns, 9 ancient ones, 45 wolves, 72 orc leaders. The enemy repositioned with Tactics, protecting the cyclopes and orcs. But Neela's ranged support was stronger, forcing the barbarians to move forward. The advantage in meat, native territory (snow), and Neela's specialty decided the battle's outcome: surviving — 71 archmages, 30 mighty gorgons, 32 wyvern monarchs, 6 naga queens. Thanks to Headhunter for an interesting game! :)

I am very glad that I will soon have to play against the best players; it will be a great honor for me! Unfortunately, at the moment I am not ready to choose an opponent, because my eyes are darting everywhere and I would like to play against everyone at once! :) But I still need to choose someone; I will write about this later or I am ready to give the right of choice to the Tournament Prize Winners!