Posts from Storming the Dragon City

I just noticed that this topic has been unfairly forgotten. After all, such an event is a significant one in the game! I suggest sharing some cost-effective tactics for capturing. Playing as Warlocks (Sorcerers), I take 4 archers (or 4 gargoyles) + at least 7 hydras. While the dragons burn the archers or birds, the hydras do their dirty work + gain experience through spells. Any magic is very helpful. The most popular ones are: Healing, Blessing, Stone/Steel Skin, Dragon Slayer, and Rage.

In addition to this, true resurrection (or raising a corpse for Necropolis troops) and summoning elementals are quite helpful.

Besides the aforementioned tactics, you should also use the "kiting" strategy, i.e., attacking a dragon in such a way that the retaliatory attack hits another dragon.

However, the situation with hydras is not so clear-cut. I prefer to use a single-unit in a corner. In this regard, wamp lords, ogre lords, and even golems are quite good in a pinch.

I meant economically viable strategies in the early game.
When you have True Sight or a large number of high-level units, capturing a location is no longer that important.

It's a different story when you're still in the process of building up your forces.
Regarding the justification for using Hydras:
- Each one costs $600
- HP = 75 (higher than other units that could take its place)
- At the same time, it has an unprecedentedly high Defense Skill (DS)
- It can attack all dragons at once (and without retaliation)
- Losses per battle are within $2,000, i.e., the attack more than pays for itself!

Initially, I played it safe, gathering 10-12 of them to ensure victory. Then I started experimenting with magic and support units, choosing a hero with higher Attack Skill (AS) and DS: I reduced the requirement to 6-8.
Basically, I use the following tactics:

1) Hydras + 4 Archers: The archers attack the dragons, and two of them end up next to the Hydras, which move last. Before their turn, they receive a magic buff and attack two dragons at once, and on the next turn, they attack 3-4.

2) Hydras + 3 Archers + 1 Gargoyle: Thanks to the Gargoyle's speed, I go first - I immediately cast magic on the Hydras, the Gargoyle flies in and "takes out" one dragon (it dies immediately, of course). Then everything is the same as in the previous scenario, except that the last dragon attacks the Hydras first, and they retaliate, hitting three at once + then they get another turn (hitting three more).

3) Hydras + 2 Archers + 2 Gargoyles: The principle is the same, just two "take-outs" are performed.

4) Then I reduce the number of archers (just in case there aren't enough of them right now). The options are slightly worse because the Hydras take a lot of damage on the first turn.

If, by this point, your Sorcerer has developed SP to around 10, you can go for a defensive approach: on the first turn, cast Steel Skin, and then Healing. Once, I even saved the Hydras this way (without it, 1-2 would die anyway).

Yes, I also rarely attacked it before - because of the inevitable large losses in manpower.
But one day, I realized that it's actually a great investment (if I remember correctly, it gives 15,000$). So, I bought troops for 4,000, put most of them in, but quickly used the profit to build level 6 buildings + finally hired all available units and finished the game much earlier!

By the way, with the Knights, I use a wedge formation tactic: a dense formation, rangers between the pikemen and swordsmen, and cavalry fills the gap. Another unit is used as a distraction or to further barricade the approach.
In general, losses in infantry are inevitable, but it's possible to save the archers!
Blessing magic helps a lot!

A fairly economical option is to buy simple ogres for 300 gold and upgrade them for free in a fortress on a hill.
Of course, it all depends on the game castle: Barbarians - ogre lords, Dragons - hydras, Necropolis - wamp lords, Fortress - golems (quite problematic), Haven - it's not easy here. Phoenixes - ideally, they should be free and upgraded gnomes. You can defeat almost everyone.
By the way, I rarely take Dragon-grad at all...

Yes, I also rarely stormed it before – because of the inevitable large losses in manpower.
But one day I discovered that it is actually a great investment (if I remember correctly, it gives 15,000$). So, one day I bought troops for 4000, put most of them in, but quickly built level 6 buildings with the profit I received + finally hired all available units and finished the game much earlier!

As far as I know, in the Dragon City, for defeating 3 stacks of one green dragon, one red, and one black, you can hire 1-2 creatures per week (not for free ;)).

By the way, with the Knights, I use the tactic of building a wedge: a dense formation, rangers between pikemen and swordsmen, cavalry closes the gap. Another unit – distracting or also barricading the approach.
In general, losses in infantry are inevitable, but it is possible to save the archers!
Bless magic helps a lot!

What are you talking about? What kind of wedge formation in a battle with dragons? They will pierce everything...

Maximix, you are right, money and artifacts are indeed given in Heroes III, I haven't played it in a while. As for building a wedge formation – in such a way that archers are protected by a "double layer" from the side of the direct attack, and the AI in Heroes II cannot flank from the other side. So, it is quite possible to hold out for a few turns!

Maximix, you are right, money and artifacts are indeed given in Heroes 3, I haven't played in a long time.

And building in a wedge shape – so that from the side of the direct attack, the archers are covered by a "double layer," and in Heroes 2, the AI doesn't have the intelligence to flank from the other side. So, it's quite possible to hold out for a few turns!

I understand. I didn't say that the dragons would immediately reach the archers ;)
They will attack two warriors at once, which will result in huge losses. In addition, the dragons will not be able to hit each other (except for one point). In speed tournaments, in 99% of cases, this tactic

Yes, there will be significant losses in any case – the Knights have to sacrifice more than anyone else.
But I was considering the prospects for a single-player game.
Because after building only 4 levels of troops and gathering an army in 2-3 weeks, you can already aim to conquer.
And then – every week, 2 cooldowns – only 5000 gold + 2 sulfur (I think that's right).
Basically, in the Castles, you can only develop magic. And the army will be regularly reinforced with dragons!

I don't disagree. In online or "single-player" mode, the Dragon Castle (if it exists) must be captured by any means, as the +2 creatures per week it provides strategically will offset any losses. But against a serious online opponent, you still need to build level 6 troops in your castle, as you can't win with just two dragons per week. ;)

However, the situation with Hydras is not so straightforward. I prefer a single-unit in the corner. In this sense, Vamp Lords, Ogre Lords, and even Golems are not bad in a pinch.

It doesn't matter whether it's a single-unit or a two-unit. Both will be taken out by only 2 dragons.

In addition to the aforementioned tactic, you should use the "blow-through" ability, that is, an attack on a dragon, as a result of which the counterattack hits another dragon.

Not only with a counterattack - dragons can attack the archers in the middle themselves during their turn, killing their own kind.

By the way, a Hydra costs 800, not 600, as mentioned above, and you'll have to pay 7000 rubles for 2 cooldowns.

Then, every week, 2 Key Dungeons - a total of $5000 + 2 silver (I think).

Immediately after capturing 2 Key Dungeons, then +1 each week. The cost is 7000 + 2 silver.
I also used Hydras, but there's nothing better than Djinns for this. A few minutes of figuring out the tactics, and there they are, capturing Key Dungeons in the first week :)
It's harder on the online map, but I remember how my 4 Liches and five Skeletons took down the dragon nest, losing all the Liches and 1 Skeleton.

So, if Halve affects a stack containing only 1 monster, does it kill it completely?

So, if Halve affects a stack of 1 monster, does it kill it completely?

Yes.

In general, with a Barbarian, four Centaurs, five or six Hydras, and, most importantly, the BloodLust spell, Dragon City is easily conquered. Fortunately, BloodLust works for 3 rounds regardless of SP, which gives the starting Barbarian a huge advantage. An attack of 6 for nine rounds is significant.