Posts from “Summer 2013” experimental season. Online ranked games (reports, discussions).

08 07 2013
Javdet (blue dungeon, Malekith, Valka) def cuc9ctblu (red barbarian, Yog, Galtran) 125 minibalance

A slag heap of a setup, no thought of optimization whatsoever. 1-3 in the Citadel and go break ГО with Valka. That mama wasn't too hot, but under ГО with Buratins it worked perfectly. Fumbled a day by forgetting the army, ended up giving away the Dragon Fly Hive. In the finale, +3 morale against total screwery decided the match. Thanks for the game.

08 07 2013
Javdet (blue Dungeon, Malekith, Walka) def cuc9ctblu (red Barbarian, Yog, Galtran) 125 minibalance

a slaggish layout, no thought of teching at all. 1-3 in the Citadel and go smash with Walka’s ГО. That mama wasn’t too hot, but under ГО from the Paperas it fit perfectly. Lost a day forgetting the army, ended up giving up the Dragon Fly Hive. In the finale, +3 morale against total screwjob decided it. Thanks for the game.

And what is this minibalance? :) M-U?

07/08/2013. Roger-ua (blue, Stronghold, Crag, Crag) def. Simon5760 (red, Fortress, Tazar, Tazar). 2sm4d(3). 126.
On turn 111, with orcs and goblins holed up, level 2 built, and 4 roads available, the game begins. On the first turn, I built 12345 in the castle, painted 3 orc and 2 goblin dwellings, took a secondary Inferno town, and Crag is on control point 1. There's no money on the secondary town, and nowhere to move. No bears, 5 heroes. On turn 121, I barely buy 6 birds, take a consultant, and lose a bird. On turn 122, I take a minor Naga bank, and a Medusa lair 8. On turn 124, I take a secondary Tower town, buy Crag a book, and head to the snow control point. Tazar shows his stats - Tazar 5 12 8 7 vs. Crag 9 6 1 1. I realize that things are still worse than I thought. Two treasures that I see through the snow - one is sand, the other is snow. On turn 125, I buy 12 Ogres, take a consultant, 2 losses, 5 Ogres, and several orcs. Crag runs home; Pandora and the Naga bank haven't been taken for building bears. On turn 126, the good news arrives: the opponent has surrendered. Looking at the saves, I realize that the opponent's surrender was clearly premature. By losing his troops, the opponent has only leveled the playing field for victory. Once again, I note that the option with one secondary town (which seemed unpromising) is quite effective.
Thank you for the game! And for the gifted victory!

08.07.2013. Roger-ua (blue, Stronghold, Crag Hack, Crag Hack) def Simon5760 (red, Fortress, Tazar, Tazar). 2sm4d(3). 126.
On day 111, external dwellings of orcs and goblins, built level 2, 4 roads – we play. On day 1, I built 12345 in the castle, painted 3 external orc dwellings and 2 goblin dwellings, took a secondary Inferno hero, Crag Hack stands at the Griffin Conservatory 1. No money on the secondary and nowhere to go with him, no bears, 5 heroes. On day 121, I barely buy 6 birds, take the Conservatory – minus one bird. On day 122, I take the mini Naga Bank, Medusa Hovel 8. On day 124, I take a secondary Tower hero, buy Crag Hack a spell book and go to the Conservatory on the snow. Tazar scouts stats – Tazar 5 12 8 7 vs Crag Hack 9 6 1 1. I realize it’s even sadder than I thought before. The two treasure zones I see through the snow – one is sand, the other is snow. On day 125, I buy 12 ogres, take Conservatory 2 with losses of 5 ogres and a few orcs. Crag Hack runs home; the Pandora’s Box and Naga Bank are not taken there for building bears. On day 126, the joyful news arrives that the opponent surrendered. After looking at the saves, I realize the opponent’s surrender was clearly premature. The opponent’s loss of troops only equalized our chances of victory. Once again, I note that the option with one secondary (seemingly unpromising) works quite well.
Thanks for the game! And for the gifted victory!

It was roughly like that.
Week 1:
The initial setup wasn’t bad: gold lying around, I see a reception area for mummies from the start, a ballista comes in, I see 2 Dwarf Cottages, a helmet +3 behind ridiculous guards, a Griffin Conservatory, a shield +3 (though behind a horde of lizardmen), but there were few archers, no external dwellings visible (turns out there are none at all) – I decided to play!
In the camp, I took 3 monks, which compensated for the lack of lizardmen, visited stat-boosting spots (luckily there were quite a few and all near the path), took 2 Dwarf Cottages, lost all gnolls and a couple of lizardmen on the morale checks, but got a huge boost in gold, built the Wyvern and Behemoths immediately, broke through to the secondary, not without losses, captured the Necropolis secondary, gave Tazar Air Magic and a spell book (I have Slow, I have Haste), scouted the entrance to the treasure zone, broke some obstacles, and set up for the Pandora’s Box!

Week 2:
I bought out, but not everything; the camp gave 2 upgraded Elementals of Mind, I was so happy that while clearing the Pandora’s Box from 99 mummies, I lost a duck and a few gnolls; it gave 10k experience, I took Expert Air Magic, Attack, and Logistics (excellent). I broke obstacles, bought out at the Necropolis secondary, ready to conquer the treasure zone (but here a dilemma arose: go around through the unicorns and take the Dragon Fly Hive, or break through the horde of Evil Eyes and take the Dragon Fly Hive directly and visit the Well). Well, I’m strong and have Mass Haste and all that. In parallel, the scout hero sees boots of speed, I decide to take them and the shield behind the lizardmen; as a result, I messed up the hero chain, returned Tazar to take the boots and boost him on the fly, and forgot to pass them on (( in the end, I wasted a day and didn’t boost Tazar! And then everything went wrong! To not lose tempo, I decided to go through the Evil Eyes anyway. I suffered heavily from them, losing 4 Wyverns, all Elementals, and all the meat, leaving 7 Behemoths, 20 lizardmen, and 1 Wyvern (I was terribly upset)! I moved on, broke through the unicorns, took the Dragon Fly Hive for 8 Wyverns, losing 1, burst into the treasure zone with full mana and a thirst for revenge!!! I reached the Archmages, nothing guarded them except a Pandora’s Box and 1 resource, I attacked. It turned out to be a ton (as always)! I cast Haste, charged in, and then a complete failure! They cast Haste on themselves, kill units, and on the next turn simply shoot the Behemoths and Wyverns! While they were doing that, I went a bit bald tearing my hair out!)) in the end, I barely finished them off with lightning, leaving 2 Behemoths and about 15 lizardmen. My only hope was the Pandora’s Box, which contained NOTHING!!! Upset, I wrote GG!((

Lessons have been learned and I am ready to fight again!!!
Thanks to the opponent for the time spent.

09/07/13 Tovariщ (Blue, Castle, Valya, Shakhthi) def Iamsamstan (Red, Stronghold, Gurni, Luna) 2sm4d (3) 125. Thank you!

09/07/13 Tovariщ(Blue, Castle, Valya, Shakhthi) def Iamsamstan(Red, Stronghold, Gurni, Luna) 2sm4d(3) 125.

Thank you!

It was! And all the money was somehow put in the wrong place) Thanks for the game!

07/09/13 amigo-sasha (Blue, Stronghold, Kreg-Hak) def Browser (Red, Rampart, Ivor) Jebus, 114
The rest of the resources were not scarce. On turn 112, he managed to light up 4 hives.
On turn 114, the opponent surrendered, failing to break through the defense and lost.
Thank you for the game!
Opponent's password: 1111

07/09/13 amigo-sasha (Blue, Castle, Kreg-Hak) def Browser (Red, Rampart, Ivor) Jebus, 114
The restart didn't give much. On turn 112, I managed to get 4 hives.
On turn 114, the opponent surrendered; he couldn't break through the defense and lost.
Thanks for the game!
Opponent's password: 1111

Started with 7 hives in Ivor - by turn 114, I had level 11 and 3 boxes. I took the consulate, but 2-4 hives is too far away. I went after the 20-49 pegasus, but there were 48 of them with a large stack, so I couldn't take them. I saw that the opponent was level 2 Kreg - well, whatever. Thanks for the game.

09.07.2013 aka.Ward3n(red, random, Dungeon, Gunnar, Klavius) def Caution(blue, random, Conflux,Labeta,Luna) 1.2.4 on 2sm4d(3)
Started in Dungeon, played Conflux))) on the first day I break through to the secondary zone, on the second day I capture the Conflux. By week 1, day 1,7 birds are built. On week 1, day 2,1 I gather the birds and bring them to Klavius, week 1, day 2,2 I'm standing in front of the Griffin Conservatory, didn't attack because I had 4 mana and not enough for oil))) on this turn the opponent attacks my 4 birds. He kills 2 of my psychos and fairies, I surrender with 2 birds remaining, but the opponent has only 13 mana left. He attacks a noob with a mighty gorgon, kills everything, but is left with 1 psycho, 5 fire elementals, and 9 water elementals. On my turn Klavius reaches Luna, kills the psycho, the opponent surrenders. Meat that wasn't bought is delivered and on week 1, day 2,4 I head to the opponent on snow. 1 turn short of entering the tower, but the opponent writes GG. Thanks for an interesting game.

09.07.2013 aka.Ward3n(red, random, Dungeon, Gunnar, Klavius) def Caution(blue, random, Conflux,Labeta,Luna) 1.2.4 on 2sm4d(3)

Confirmed)
We chose all restarts, played for luck. The draw wasn't bad, the only downside - shooter blocks on secondary, which I regretted not breaking with faeries. Had to go through wasteland on snow past nomads. Phoenixes didn't quite align with the gold, but 1-6 in the citadel fit well enough. The scout reveals a piece of the opponent's spawn, with a Griffin Conservatory and a Dragon Fly Hive right at the entrance to the adjacent zone. On my side, the block is also a Conservatory on the second. Just as I'm about to take it, slowly bringing in growth, the opponent appears on the horizon. Klavius shows 1-4 phoenixes, and being confident there were only 1-2 purely for tempo, I break the block, attack, and am slightly stunned to run into as many as 4 birds. Okay, opponent buys back, I attack a noob with a power stack, there are almost a hundred troglodytes and 100+ skeletons. I kill them with moderate losses. And on the next turn, the remaining phoenixes swoop down on me, this time I buy back, thinking of building GM2 and zapping with lightning. But my finances didn't agree with such plans. Phoenixes at the castle, no gold, no army, GG.
Thanks for the game, it turned out interesting.

9.07.13 Pridu (Blue, Conflux, Eradon) def kesa (Red, Inferno, Marius) 2smd(3) , 225
Day one.

No air elementals. But there is Eradon with Tactics and +125 gold per day. Well, a walking gold mine will come in handy, though after taking the chest

for experience +1000 XP, got Advanced Tactics.
+ bought Kestrel for +350 gold. It's playable. Nothing scouted at the respawn, roads are slow. Got Knowledge +2 Attack or Defense.
Since I stupidly wasted my second restart, I'll have to play.
Prospects include a Crypt (unguarded), a Naga Bank (cleared, didn't check) and a Dwarf Cottage guarded by 100-250 Troglodytes. It's a shame I didn't get

Necropolis, there are very many first-level guards.

Day two.

Built 15 Air Elementals +60 Sprites. All Goblins lost. Found an external dwelling of Water Elementals.
Everything is slow without roads.
Found a second Crypt, money will come in handy soon )

Day three.

Well, no ore at all, scouting the ground found the mine immediately )) Got ore, though it's scarce and might not be enough for Birds!
Found an external dwelling of Earth Elementals guarded by many Harpies (I'd like them but no way) and in another part of the respawn an external dwelling of Air Elementals (during the path from Water ones) and

Speed Gauntlets. I decide to rush there. Haven't decided whether to upgrade the Air Elementals yet. Hoping for Birds, I won't upgrade anything

- decided!
Also, two Statue of Defense shrines, also good, the third one is guarded by a stack of Monks.

Day four.
Two chests, both +1000 gold, I'm unlucky.
Found a Griffin Conservatory, it's one step away from the Water dwelling. I think I'll clear the Earth ones after all (after all, I'm a specialist in Earth Elementals and without them, it

wouldn't work as well). Ore left: 6 (enough to build Fire Elementals, but for Psychic Elementals, let alone Birds, there's none left, and no

ore is visible on the map )

Day five.

Ore found. Captured the Water dwelling. I'm standing next to the Air dwelling, that scoundrel Eradon is heavily leveling Tactics. The opponent's second

castle hasn't been spotted, so maybe he's doing badly too.
Estimated that I might not have enough money for Birds.

Day six.
I clear the Air dwelling, but don't even capture it. Another chest with 1000 gold, and one with 1500. Barely enough money for Birds, but they

will be there. I probably won't buy Air Elementals. I won't even enter the dwelling this week.
The opponent has a secondary hero now and more than five heroes.
Eradon 6-2-3-2. with Expert Tactics and +250 gold.

Day seven.
Birds built. Another chest with 1000 gold, I'm really unlucky.

In the tavern, Labetha and Pasis.
Plans will probably be to split the army into two parts and go level Eradon and Ithnius, because there's a Sphere boosting Fire and

Earth magic, not cleared yet, but they're lying on the respawn.

121 - buying Birds, upgrading Earth Elementals. 1 step away from the Dwarf Cottage, 4 Birds didn't kill 63 Troglodytes, I don't even know what to do if it's a

max Dwarf Cottage. Without shooters, I'll have to skip it.

122 Dwarf Cottage size 15, Eradon gets Logistics. Pondering what to do next.

123 - I split the army after all, Birds go one way, everything else the other way.

124 Eradon finishes leveling Logistics, maybe go back to the castle and build a University to learn Air, Earth? though I have neither Haste nor

Slow. Everything is so slow without roads. I think by the end of the week I need to run back to the Conservatory. Anyway, nothing is clear yet. Captured the Earth dwelling, now I have 12 of them.

125

Kestrel is being leveled in parallel, Earth Logistics.
Eradon rushes out of the underground, finally found time to take the Gauntlets.
Opponent 8-8-2-3
Captured a Necropolis castle. Equal number of castles. No money again. Citadel and Castle not built yet, planned for the last two days.

Russians always leave everything for later.

126
Opponent only has upgraded Pits visible, so it's Demoniac. Well, fine.

127

Finish - on 9th level, Eradon gets either Diplomacy or Ballista - I take Diplomacy.

Kestrel - spent a whole turn (with Advanced Logistics) running along the path to the Tower secondary, but never made it.

131 Another day going to the Tower secondary, still didn't make it. Eradon goes to take the Conservatory.
Still not clear where the treasure zone is. ))

132 Opponent has an Archangel visible - scary now

Conservatory size three, I lose 13 Water Elementals, a couple of Air Elementals, and a dozen Sprites. My army power shows higher, but that's for now.
Captured the Tower secondary. Kestrel almost maxed Earth, just need to find Slow and probably it's time to build the Mage Guild. Found a couple of

Dragon Fly Hives, but they're all very far.

133 The treasure zone is underground.... what to do, turn around again??? In principle, then I could run into the castle,

build a University, and learn magic for Eradon, maybe. By that time, the second part of the army with Kestrel will return.

Running around somewhere.

137 I disagree with losing one Water and one Earth Elemental at the Naga Bank. Go fight yourself and lose an Angel! That's our motto.

141 Use Town Portal with basic Earth, go back to the castle, lose a third of a turn )) also our method. I'm running to the treasure zone.

142 Almost at the treasure zone, captured a max Dragon Fly Hive, got 12 Wyverns in the army. Almost at the Fortress castle, but the army there is just one Sprite, might

not be able to capture it

143 Conservatory size one (( Pandora's Box with 25 Evil Eyes (but no room). Opponent revealed, 50-99 Demons, 5-9 Pits, Archangel and 4 Efreets

probably. Advanced Earth, need to build the guild in the Necropolis castle, grab the Dragon Fly Hives, and go to the СС (or КО?) before the opponent finds something

serious. Should I attack 20-49 Greater Efreets for the Cape of Speed +2? Probably not worth it.

144 No Slow in the Necropolis castle, none in Tower either... Earth is still only Advanced. Reached the Fortress, the hero with the Water Elemental

army is rushing there at full speed. Two more Dragon Fly Hives ahead. As soon as we finish the treasure zone, immediately TP home and charge to the СС (or КО?) or to the Fortress for the Conservatory

and Wyvern upgrade. Meanwhile, the opponent is clearing an external dwelling of Devils, can't delay any longer.

145 3 Dragon Fly Hives for 28 Wyverns, a 4th is visible + next turn should capture the Fortress. And we'll build more Wyverns there, Expert Earth + learned

Archery (no Attack, no Defense), I won't level Eradon further in games as main. Hope the Fortress castle gives Slow.

Lightning with an orb for 315 damage, probably need to learn Air at the University. Yes, lost an Angel to 89 Gold Golems )) Well,

Angels just don't survive with me.
Opponent asked for an autosave on his turn, well, of course we give it. What, we've been playing for 4 hours for nothing?

146 Another Dragon Fly Hive for 5 Wyverns, Pandora's Box with 25 Medusas, again no room for them. Heroes are running to all first-level Shrines, looking

for Slow. There's also the option with the Library in Tower.

147 Found the Golden Bow, Slow at a Shrine, but no Scholar and it's about 3 days' run to the Shrine probably. I wonder, do I need it? Yes, because

there's a quest nearby for an artifact +2 mana per day, need to complete it. 48 Wyverns and three in the Fortress not bought. Set upgrade for Wyverns, just need to

scrounge up some money by portaling out of the underground - ended up one and a half turns short of the Dragon Utopia ((

2-1-1 Running to the Shrine with Slow + I'll sack the Dwarf Cottage on the way.

2-1-2 Scholar gives Dimension Door ) great! But the Dragon Utopia is right next to the opponent (( my scout came out right onto his territory, next to the

Refugee Camp. One step away from the Slow Shrine!!!

2-1-3 Upgrading Wyverns, standing in the castle to rest and regenerate mana (quest for 10k XP). I think I need to buy Air magic.

2-1-4 Bought Air, maxed Archery, Advanced Air.
Opponent is going for the Dragon Utopia. Our stats are equal for now, destroyed 3 СС out of 4 (or КО). Hope the opponent's Dragon Utopia is size one with a Captain's Hat
If so, I have Diplomacy + a Diplomacy artifact around my neck, I'll negotiate and buy him off ))

2-1-5 Opponent leveled up to 28-18-19-13, damn! on my 19-11-9-8, and before the Dragon Utopia we had equal stats. So that's what early TP from the treasure zone brings. How I regret

it now. I'm one step away from his castle.

2-1-6 Captured Inferno, no one there. Everything bought out completely. Has Mage Guild level 2.

2-1-1 Running to the opponent's secondary castle.

2-2-2 Opponent is running fast towards me. Fine, I have control, I'll stall a bit, we messed around in the treasure zone, I'll try to boost stats,

or try to find a red orb.

2-2-3 Max Dragon Utopia. +12 Knowledge. Boots of Waterwalking, +1000 gold and Wings. I find the Library. I realize I was dumb leaving the army in

the opponent's castle, I could have given it to a weakling and hidden in the Sanctuary, but good ideas come after the fact.

2-2-4 Opponent is running to me, something like almost 90 Demons + 10 Efreets and 14 Wyverns, and about 30 Pits. I have a bigger army, in the

built Artifact Merchant out of artifacts there's only the Shield +3+3 which I already have. Next turn I build Mage Guild level 5 for the found

IMPLOSION scroll.

2-2-5 Running at the opponent. 1600 damage from Implosion, Mage Guild 5 gave Dimension Door.
Without any fancy tricks, I just hit with Implosion. It turned out to be a one-sided game.

09/07/13 Tovariщ (Red, Castle, Valya, Kirya) def darkello (Blue, Rampart, Ivor, Moner) 2sm4d (3) 143. There’s not much to describe; the good part was finding 2 hidden Angel units, and the bad part was having absolutely no resources. There was nothing left to do but attack the opponent. After breaking through the defenses, there was a long, pointless chase. On turn 143, Moner hit and wounded. GG. Thanks for the game!

9.07.13 Pridu (Blue, Conflux, Eradon) def kesa (Red, Inferno, Marius) 2smd(3) , 225

Confirmed

07/09/2013 Juristis (blue, Conflux, random, Ciele, Mephala/Passis) def MuLLIyTa (red, Rampart, Ivor) 141 Diamond
On [day] 111 took Pandora's box for 5k experience and 50 blue fairies with Mephala. Expert water magic, further leveling was just awful, scouting, luck, etc.
First external dwelling of fairies and air elementals, took out the Inferno computer player, have 2 Griffin Conservatories. Home has 1-3,5 in the citadel. Found a bless scroll. Revealed the earth book and a couple of hives.
122 - Griffin Conservatory tier-3 on the grass, fairly confident with mass bless.
123 - Griffin Conservatory tier-3 in the underground.
125 - an angel [killed] with a weak stack in a max hive.
126 - with the loss of 4 [water elementals?] I take the earth book.
At the start of week 3, took a couple of hives and a Pandora's box for 10k experience with Passis on a roadless adjacent tile, ideal leveling, offense, tactics, logistics, bought earth magic. Then took Dragon Utopias and hives, in the first Dragon Utopia I got the air book, which greatly eased the rest of the game.
On day 136 captured the swamp computer player, planted water elementals there.
137 - I capture the opponent's unbuilt Rampart and a built citadel with centaurs. Not enough time to kill the hero; on the next turn the Rampart is taken back, and my Mephala is killed. His stats are higher, a lot of troops, but +3 speed and a powerful stack of monarchs give confidence.
141 - I equip the Red Sphere, Shackles of War, attack Ivor, the monarchs killed everything. Thanks for the game!

09.07.13 Tovariщ(Blue,Dungeon,Mines,Isra) def Iamsamstan(Red,Castle,Valeska,Valeska) mini-nostalgia 122.

My towns: Swamp, Necro, Inferno. Opponent's towns: Ramp, Conflux, Citadel.

111. Start in the underground, Harpies not built, fast roads, Isra in the tavern. Mines and Isra immediately enter the experience stone, Mines gets Log, Isra gets Offense. Decided to level Isra, since there was an artifact +5 to Necromancy, so I gave her the Pandora's Box behind 19 flies, but it turned out to be 5 thousand gold. 5 heroes.
112. Captured an artifact, also captured a shield +4, broke through to the Necro town, took a chest with Isra, get Fire Magic, see the Scout's Scope. Placed an Eye and bought them out.
113. Open the Scout's Scope, see the center, quite decent (ГО 20-49 Gorgons), at the Griffin Conservatory and Dragon Fly Hive resp. Moving towards the Necro town, making Skeletons. Isra also gets Defense.
114. The town turned out to be blocked, 20-49 Basilisks for the Gauntlets and a bunch of junk, break through and kill the town. Apart from a thousand, it hadn't built anything.
115. Clearing the Necro resp, decided to build specifically that one, broke through the Arena, sent Mines and Isra there, the second gets Wisdom, bought a 6th hero. Built Liches.
116. Beat Isra in the Dungeon, sent her closer to the Griffin Conservatory and Dragon Fly Hive along the road, upgraded the Harpies, distributed them to scouts, in Necropolis I'm building Vampires.
117. In Necropolis I built Cavalry, took the external Skeleton dwelling, Isra replenished mana and is ready to check/take the Griffin Conservatory and Dragon Fly Hive.
121. Bought Cavalry, Skeletons, Troglodytes and chained them to Isra, she takes Griffin Conservatory 3 and Dragon Fly Hive 8, Isra gets Learning Earth Magic and Learning.
122. Breaking through to the Inferno town, take Dragon Fly Hive +6, already 200+ Skeletons, but my opponent didn't get going.

Thanks for the game.