Posts from Favorites, to battle! - 6 - The Battle of Favorites! - 6

If it were as you say, I would have seen this Vidomina with an expert Necromancer, and I would immediately have questions about whether he was using her or not, starting from the second week until, let's say, the second month on 8mm6a:confused: Should I check every day...?

Group C

11/28/2013 Volodymyr (Blue, Castle, Valeska, Sir Mulich/Isra) def Redsnow (Red, Fortress, Tazar), 8mm6a, 127

Group B
25.11.2013 wowa (red, Necro, Gosh) def Sevan_80 (blue, Fortress, Tazar, Crag) Jebus Cross@126

Opponent picked all the rest, I still had some left, but was tempted by the red color, ~150 Skeletons from the start (3 stacks from Gosh + 40 Troglodytes transformed right away), as well as a 3rd Necromancer and again 3 revealed XP pillars! For future prospects, there was also an external Dragon dwelling near the castle behind a pack of Mages (they also guarded a Cyclops pen and a +1 all-stats chest)
but the goodies ended there, only 1 Hive on the respawn was revealed, as well as a 2nd external Dragon dwelling and the only Griffin Conservatory double, something at least)) I take it on day 115 already with Haste, and Gosh leveled up wonderfully -- also got Logistics, and later Pathfinding :)
after the Conservatory I go into a Hive taken earlier, then into the 2nd external Dragon dwelling and on day 116 I break back home for mana, planning to hit the Mages and run to the GO
at home 1-2, 4-7 in Fort
on day 121 thanks to rich respawn and a surface market I manage to buy everything except Vampires and Zombies -- 8 Dragons, 4 Horses, 10 Liches, (there was an external dwelling), 2 Angels, 6 Wyverns, bone count was only raised to two and a half hundred due to the blatant scarcity of Hives and Conservatories and the complete absence of accessible Dwarf Cottages and Imp Hovels
GO in 2 directions -- either the left double pack of Hydras/bunch of Cyclopes, or down a pack of Angels
spent the whole game suffering without Earth View, but having decided to hit the double pack, I guessed the direction and reached the central road network (the road through the Angels immediately led into the GO of the neighboring respawn)
the Hydras went down easily, but had to suffer against the Cyclopes -- 98 with a stack, they killed 3 Dragons, and all the Liches and Wyverns, the Skeletons also took some damage -- I move Pathfinding and take Wisdom
well then a fail -- I run along the road, and see a Pandora's Box and a Cloak +2 Attack/Knowledge behind a pack of Ghost Dragons, and further on a Prison behind a bunch of Swans, with nothing lying around nearby
Wisdom is basic, I decide not to spend moves on the Pandora's Box, but to take the Prison and have the noob from there take the Pandora's Box, if a Mage
indeed Solmyr level 30 and with combat stats even better than Gosh, and also with Armorer, though that's the only useful skill, the rest is pure junk! but a Fortress dungeon is revealed, Gosh needs to be seated there, and moves are at the limit -- as a result Solmyr takes the town and the Pandora's Box is successfully beaten :smile04: turned out to be for nothing -- there was all the magic (:eek: !!!) and Blue Crag gobbled it up just before the FF
meanwhile I took another Castle/Fort, beat the Blue Cap, Torso +10 Attack, Shield +12, Speed Cloak and prepared to shut down the Blue boss at any moment -- the exit from his respawn had been revealed long ago
on day 126 I break Gosh into my own Dungeon village for double mana (and also took Intelligence in the 8th slot), and then into the central Dungeon taken earlier via Dimension Door and from there I reach Crag -- his stats are many times lower, army not great either, but with Haste-Mass Haste and a Cloak of Magic Resistance 2++
nevertheless the Skeleton stack with over 20 defense is unkillable and Gosh has 500+ mana!! if there had been more money, I could have bought him off and guerrilla'd with full control, but all the money went on noobs who ran off from the Dungeon, revealing complete nothingness, except that accursed Pandora's Box)))

gg, thanks for the game :)

Group B

27.11.2013 RoninHW (Red, Rampart, Kyrre, Kyrre) def Grisha=) (Blue, Citadel, Crag Hack, Crag Hack), 2sm4d(3), 143

Thank the generator, I've never rolled such a wonderful layout: 2 native heroes in the tavern, Griffin Conservatory, Dragon Fly Hive, external dwelling of horses on the native respawn + a double with a Griffin Conservatory and an external dwelling of elves.
On the first week I took the external dwellings and the Dragon Fly Hive, and built 1-6 at home in the Citadel. On the second week I collected the Griffin Conservatories (6 Angels) and went down into the treasure zone. On the third week I cleared the treasure zone: 3 Dragon Fly Hives (20+ Wyverns), a max Griffin Conservatory, a couple of Pandora's Boxes, quest artifacts, and a Dragon Utopia with a Shield +12, Armor +4 Attack/Defense, Sandals +2 to all, Blackshard of the Dead Knight. On day 137 I broke the GO (necropolis cone) and captured the Opponent's main. The next day, with a delivery, I took the home Dragon Utopia on Blue's respawn: Bowl of the Mystic, Titan's Cuirass. Through View Air I saw that Crag was in the treasure zone and ran there. After 2 turns the Opponent checked his main and surrendered.
Thanks for the game!

Group M
29.11.13 Sanin (Red, Tower, Neela, Dessa) def Piterius (Blue, Castle, Valeska, Mullich) 8mm6a 146

There was still some respawn left, but it was quite playable. Right under the castle there was a Griffin Conservatory, guarded by Manticores along with a scroll and resources, blocking one of the roads. But the better half of the respawn was still there, so I ran there. The roads were fast but long; Dessa ran far into the distance, there were a lot of experience crystals. There were also Clavius and Neela, but with such roads I needed a Logist. On the first day I built Nagas in the Citadel and took two Refugee Camps; in one I bought Archmagi, didn't make it to the Conflux dwelling. Dessa, by the way, leveled poorly, and after Expert Logistics and Wisdom I had to take Resistance.

On day 121, a scout hero takes a tier-1 Griffin Conservatory on the respawn; on day 122, two other scouts take two Dwarf Cottages, and Dessa breaks through the Manticores. The Griffin Conservatory turns out to be a max one; only Earth magic was given, nothing to go in there with. I take a Dragon Fly Hive with Greater Efreeti and run the other way. In one of the Refugee Camps, Unicorns were given; as a result, I burst into the computer's area from two sides, Torgrim with horses along the road, Dessa through rough terrain. I farm his respawn, build birds. Then I explored a dead-end treasure zone; there were two Dragon Utopias nearby, everything beyond that was somewhat bare. I grabbed a Pandora's Box for 10k experience and broke out from there. Defense and Pathfinding were given. By the way, from the computer's lookout point I can see a piece of the opponent's center; he has one exit via a one-way portal, the second is far away and over sandy rough terrain (I had broken in from another central zone back on the first day).

On day 131, Dessa, with Oil and a meager army, takes the max Griffin Conservatory near the castle and breaks into a Conflux. I visit the Stables, transport troops along winding paths, buy everything in the Conflux, and go to take the Dragon Utopias. The first one is a minimum; I lost three Nagas out of eight, birds, and a hungry eater. They gave K.O., Swift Steeds, and a Collar 3/3. Under K.O., I even grabbed Fire magic on level-up. For the second one (tier 2) I didn't take Nagas; I took it barely, not without help from Summon Fire Elementals, and came out with 4 Angels. The Dragon Utopia was a papal one; they gave Captain's Hat, Boots of Levitation, an Ore Cart, and an unnecessary pendant. The troops were 4 Angels, 5 Greater Nagas, 4 Wyrvens, and a dozen Mages + Arch Devils in one of the Refugee Camps. With Oil, I take a couple of Pandora's Boxes in the central zone; in the first one, all level 5 magic; in the second, 10k experience. Then I go to the next zone in the center, take a village; not far away is another Refugee Camp, a Shield +5, a Cyclops Dwelling; I start building a Mage Guild at home. The village, by the way, is a Conflux one; nearby there are 3 external air dwellings, another one near the Conflux dwelling, and there are two more Confluxes on the map. On day 137, I collect the 3 external dwellings near the village; Dessa rushes to the orange Conflux. In my own Conflux, I built a Castle; at home, a Castle and Mage Guild level 3.

On day 141, Dessa takes a Dragon Fly Hive, a mini Griffin Conservatory, and the orange Conflux; there are birds in the castle. I build Mage Guild level 4 at home; no Town Portal. So I build Mage Guild level 3 in the orange Conflux; the next day, Mage Guild level 4, and there is no Town Portal either. Instead, the computer built a University; I buy Air Magic. I move towards the pink Conflux, settle there on day 143. Then I grab a Dragon Fly Hive and a max Griffin Conservatory there and leave for an underground treasure zone. In the treasure zone, I spot a Dragon Utopia, but pass by it, as Mullich on Red Dragons appeared on the horizon. I take a Griffin Conservatory and a Dragon Fly Hive, settle in a village to restore mana, and build a chain for transport. In the third Mage Guild level 4, there's no Town Portal either... In the first Conflux, I built an Artifact Merchant hoping for Armor of the Wraiths, but they weren't there. Mullich runs towards one of the Confluxes. On day 145, I deliver 4 birds, 70 Air Elementals, and two Greater Nagas from a Refugee Camp, and Dessa catches up to Mullich. I have 8 birds, 11 Angels, 20 Wyrvens, 70 Air Elementals, 7 Greater Nagas with me. Mullich buys his way out with Tactics; on the next turn, a surrender follows. Thanks for the game.

Dimast (Blue Ramp Kyrre Gosha) def Kreg xek (blue castle Turis Turis) 124 6l10a
On turn 1 a Ciele came, I sent her with dwarves and native meat to beat everything that was lying badly with her arrow, it was very easy, Gosha immediately became the main and went to the basement, on the way he picked up gloves, there he leveled 4 skeletons, though very few, only about 70 turned out, got Earth and Offense, got cavalry in the castle, on turn 121 Shachti arrives in 3 stacks and Ivor with 10 elves, I take Griffin Conservatory 1, break through 2 zones, realize the opponent was here, I run with Gosha all the way, upgrade the dwarves, planning for next turn if the one-way correctly sends to bring 30 battle dwarves, boards, and the rest that is there, 100 Troglodytes are also not superfluous, on my turn Turris attacks, stats there 5-4 against my 3-3, my shooter Dispel, I only have Shield, 1 Angel, 6 cavalry, 24 Grands, 70 skeletons, 30 Centaurs, 1+4 Silvers against 32 Marksmen, 5 cavalry, 4 Swordsmen, 3+3 Griffins, 4 Snipers, and 60 Pikemen, I realize it’s going to be tough, but then a drunken wandering of the army across the map begins, 5 cavalry crash into mine without fear of Blind, I pile all on them and they get Blinded, the Pikemen run forward, get hit on the head, run back, the Marksmen were poorly covered, I didn’t even shoot them, I saw I’d close them in 3 rounds, having sacrificed all Grands and 2 cavalry, I kill Turris, cavalry with Blind can’t run away. Caught a couple more anti-morales against good morales, oops. GG Thanks for the game.

Group M
Dragon Utopia is papal; they gave a captain's hat, boots of levitation...

There's a strange inconsistency here: water has been removed from the maps, but artifacts, navigation skills, and spells for summoning and flooding ships, and walking on water remain. Maybe they should also be removed or somehow limited?

As local Heroes players explained to me in Minsk, junk artifacts in Utopia are needed to balance the game – if one player gets an Utopia and another doesn't, that's not necessarily an imbalance; maybe that Utopia contains a really good artifact...

As the local Heroes fans in Minsk explained to me, slag in Dragon Utopias is needed to balance the layouts—if one person was given a Dragon Utopia and another wasn't, that's not necessarily an imbalance; maybe that Dragon Utopia contains the Captain's Hat...