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07.11.13 Toganash (red, random Conflux, Labetha, Kyrre) def rebellious (blue, random Castle, Christian, Dressa), 6lm10a, 214.
I had one unused restart left, but despite my dislike of Conflux, due to the weak week 1 army and the later immunity to "Resurrection" of most Castle recruits, as well as Kalt, who came with water elementals instead of the needed air elementals, I didn't use my last chance. I didn't, because on my respawn I saw an external dwelling of air elementals, two experience stones, a Dwarf Cottage, a Medusa Hive. There was no money lying around on the respawn except for a couple of piles, but it should have been enough. Moreover, Kyrre was recruited from the tavern, and for XL size that's a decent bonus.
Week 1 results:
Losses: 4 air elementals (1 in a fight against 80 hobgoblins for the external dwelling of air elementals and another 3 for the external dwelling of fire elementals from 21 air elementals with a grand stack), about 30 pixies and 5 water elementals.
Respawn: I see 4 Dwarf Cottages, 2 Medusa Hives, 1 Naga Hive, 1 Cyclops Hive, 2 Crypts — all on my respawn and part in the Dungeon where I broke through. Near my respawn there's a roadless pass to snow with a village, but I didn't go there. Also in the Dungeon via roadless terrain I see a Conflux village, if I break through 50-99 thieves. One external dwelling each of air elementals, fire elementals, and earth elementals. Took all except the earth elementals, and only broke through the fire elementals, didn't have enough money to hire. No specials like cons or Dragon Fly Hives yet, let alone Dragon Utopias, although I took two view obelisks, above and below ground.
Town: Built levels 1-7. I didn't think to build birds, although I left 3 air elementals near the fire elemental external dwelling for a day for the mercury needed for birds. But on the last day Kyrre luckily stumbled upon 2 piles of gold and a leprechaun behind 20-40 goblins on her last moves. In the end I barely had enough money, like at a pharmacy, which decided it: better to have 4 birds with no money than 1-6 in the Citadel. I'll scrape up the money anyway, but it's so convenient with shooter guards.
Roads: From the respawn they fork into different corners and both hide in the metro. I break through the first, immediately see an exit behind grand harpies above, but don't go in. I don't hit the second metro from the respawn: orcs 20-49, I felt sorry for the troops. Right next to that an unpleasant exit from a red monolith.
Heroes: Hired 6, saved on the 7th, hoping birds would become available, which they did. Kyrre lvl 6 (Expert Archery, Basic Logistics, Wisdom and Basic Earth), Straker lvl 3 (Expert Necromancy and Basic Resistance), the rest aren't worth mentioning.
Week 2 ends with taking 3 Dwarf Cottages (2 pre-mini and 1 maxi), a maximum Imp Hive and a minimum Naga Hive. In one of the Dwarf Cottages I burned 8 of my air elementals with Phoenixes and gave up all the fairies. The dwarves there were cursed with moralizing luck. Just as I placed a Phoenix next to an air elemental, before I could even think that the dwarves would surely hit them with morale, burning the air elementals, it happened. Some kind of obsession. Broke through the lower metro into a Conflux village; along the upper road I reach a Dungeon village. No more roads lead away from me, except for an exit from a one-way monolith near the metro: a dead end. On 6lm10 I encounter a dead-end of roads for red for the first time; usually that fate is determined for blue on this template. In the Dungeon I set up a portal — air elementals. Kyrre only leveled up two more levels, somehow she didn't get chains going. Even Straker leveled better, getting Offense, but still without magic schools. A Necromancy Cloak was picked up for this purpose and Isra was bought, though on level-ups I got Literacy and Learning. Skeletons around 200, two Dragon Utopias are being prepared for them, one near each village.
On turn 133 Straker has 125 skeletons, Isra has 280, but in different ends. I could go for a Dragon Utopia, but I'm not rushing yet, no proper skills and stats are still low. Taken: a Pandora's Box with 20 grand medusas, 19 horses, a shield "+3+3" behind 8 green dragons. The bad side — no wood at all, I could have already started building the Conflux village up to birds this week, considering I'll break the Dragon Utopia by the end of the week as well. Week 3 ends with capturing a Tower off-road, home of a level 4 Mage Guild with Town Portal and Berserker. Skeletons on two sides 500+. Didn't reach the Dragon Utopia; with the combination of splitting and buying I simply didn't have enough money, and I still needed to get at least some meat. Kyrre was wandering in chains, not even fighting, so at the end of the week I decided to break a Pandora's Box on snow for experience: level 3. On turn 137 I stood in the Conflux village to take the Dragon Utopia on turn 142. Kyrre has Expert Earth, Labetha has 2 Town Portals per day, also a plus.
By turn 143 I take two Dragon Utopias with 1 and 2 black dragons respectively. In the first I luckily get КВ, and in the second a "Teapot" with a "level 5 cap". Kyrre, Straker, and Isra are all level 13-14, all have Air, only Isra doesn't have Earth, didn't get it at home yet. Then everyone scatters in 3 directions with the goal of gobbling up everything from nearby treasures as fast as possible and managing to attack blue on turn 147 or 211 — his respawn is neighboring beyond the mountains — a view obelisk spotted his wood mine.
On turn 147 we continue leveling heroes. I pick up a cloak "+2 speed", buy "Boots of Speed" and "Gloves" from a trader. Straker takes the Dungeon village underground. I gather all troops and on turn 147 take the opponent's main, killing a scout hero with an angel in it. I see three more Dragon Utopias, two of which can be taken next. The only thing I worry about is Dessa, the Logistics hero. Stats grew, became equal to mine. The opponent still has a double. I've always been amazed how the opponent can both build a Capitol and buy everything in the castle. I took 2 Dragon Utopias, didn't build a Capitol, and still don't have enough money to buy all the troops in the castle.
Then the running around for castle capture started again, so I won't describe it, except that Straker stupidly died in a castle with artifacts, the "level 5 cap" was there too. But then Dessa attacks Kyrre in the castle (I left her there too, god knows why, with a small army), but forgets to remove the "Cloak of Renunciation" taken from Straker a turn earlier. As it happened, Kyrre had no mana. But the power was about even, however Kyrre is leveled to the last skill, has all combat skills and Archery with a Golden Bow. Overall I blundered a bit at the end, but fate was merciful.
Thanks for the game.
