Posts from Favorites, to battle! - 7 - The Battle of Favorites! - 7

We agreed to play tomorrow at 11, but we won't be playing for too long (about 5 hours).

The question is only tangentially related to the "Favorites" topic.

The question is, are we writing reports for all site users (the site is Russian-speaking, so we write in Russian) or for the opponent?

Or should we write in our native language, like Faria (in Moldovan)? I couldn't find an online translator for Moldovan on the internet.

I just wanted to understand why and what the purpose is, and to have some clarity from the organizers.

Well, what's stopping you from learning English?

Well, what's stopping you from learning English?

That's quite an ironclad argument...

Well, what's stopping you from learning English?

In all of Europe, English... why?

In Europe, English... why?

We were taught that an educated person should know at least one foreign language besides their own.

I used 2 111 restarts. The final map didn’t seem good, but it worked well.
On 111 I visited observatory. It showed that I had 1 hive (1,5 days off-road) and 2 lich dwellings. That’s all. But I had a red color and Galthran as a starting hero, so I couldn’t use my last restart. I was expecting opponent to do this, but it didn’t happen. That could only mean a perfect map there, so the first days I felt I was in a deep trouble. Hopefully, the map there was just good. Also that tower scouted a part of a desert. There was an Earth Book and a conservatory, also utopia and 2 titan artifacts (sword and helm) guarded by Cyclops Kings. The block was black knights. The desert was nice, but it was completely uncertain how to get there and how to fight there.
On 112 I took Gelare from prison. That gave some speed for the heroes and also that allowed to take lich dwellings with 7 single units (Gelare was 5th level).
On 113 I found a few interesting objects, but most of them would be ignored (+4+4 helm guarded by snipers, dragon dwelling, Pandora + 4 shield guarded by up. nagas).
By 114 I took both lich dwellings, killed 20+ gorgons and got Earth and Attack. Charna reached a Castle village, but there was absolutely nothing interesting nearby.
On 115 I finally found something made me optimistic. It was 3 comfortable hives and boots of speed. I decided to start the next day.
On 116 I took a second village (Inferno), 10 wyverns and boots.
Last hive gave 6 more vyws on 117 and also I decided to eat Pandora guarded by 80+ wights. It gave 15k exp, so I got expert Earth and also advanced pathfinding. Galthran retreated to fill mana (to 60).
On 121 I took the last hive that gave 8 vyws, Galthran was near the Block.
On 122 I had a few difficult fights, lost some skeletons, but finished this day in the Inferno castle with Earth Book, 19 power liches, 29 wyverns, 5 black knights and 300 skeletons. The parameters were just 7-5-8-6, but utopia nearby gave hope to increase them. Also there was a blue hat nearby.
I started 123 with an utopia. It was 3 blacks and it was perfect. I got +6 all helm, titan armor and wings. So I killed behemoths for a blue hat and returned to the castle. The same day Charna took imp bank, another scout – 15k exp Pandora, that opened the way deeper where I found opponent. I decided to do a few things more. Moandor freed a prison with Alamar and took 2 imp banks. Alamar killed 90+ trolls, got +5 shield and 4 wyvs. I could obviously do something more, but was quite short of time, moreover opponent looked weak. So I finished this day in a castle with 13-16-25-12 (23).
Opponent took one remaining Pandora, killed 100+ minotaur kings and decided to attack:
Clavius (10-9-5-9 (60)), 500+ skeletons, 27 wyvs, 3 death knights, 7 power liches, 6 vampires, +2 speed.
I did this battle quite carelessly, so opponent killed my liches, knights, half of wyverns and some skeletons. Clavius surrendered with liches, vamps, dozen of wyvs and a few skeletons. As a winner of tough battle I also raised almost 200 skeletons.
The next day wasn’t played very well. Galthran took 2 angels con and a prison. After that I decided to attack angels with 1st level scout with 20 mana (for one animate). The angels were angry and killed me. All skeletons were lost (almost 500). I still killed remaining 4 angels with wyverns and took that lion shield and good necro hero, but my resulting army was just 14 wyvs, 2 angels and 27 skeletons.
On 125 I realized that further cleaning of a desert could lead to disaster, so I went to attack. Also made some skeletons and took a hive on the way. So it was 22 wyvs, 165 skells, 2 angels and 1 bone dragon. Galthran got logistics as a final skill that was very nice.
On 126 I reached a blue capital and even took one village using outer tavern. There was no signs of opponent’s main…
Actually, Clavius hid himself in a darkness and had exactly enough MP to reach the central Inferno.
Hopefully, basic logistics and full speed with angels was just enough to reach Clavius from my starting town on a last step on 127.
Thanks for playing!

Seriously, almost no one among Russian speakers understands English well enough to read these things without using Google Translate.
What's the point?

Well really, here almost no one among Russian speakers understands English well enough to read these battle reports without Google Translate.
Why?

Is anyone other than the opponent even reading the reports?
Well OK, here's the translation for you:
Pit def Maretti.
We started after my two restarts on 111. Red color was in the queue, Galtran from the start - can't restart. Almost certainly the opponent would do it, and I didn't really want to waste my last one and end up with who-knows-what heroes. Although there were reasons for a restart - I scouted the overview - nowhere to level up, nowhere to farm skeletons, only two external dwellings of liches and one Dragon Fly Hive 1.5 days away on no-road. Only the center was pleasing - at the entrance a Dragon Utopia and a Dragon Fly Hive, a Griffin Conservatory, a bit further - a Dragon Utopia, a couple pieces of Titanium behind greater cyclopes. Nevertheless, the opponent didn't take the restart. It got sad, because I really didn't want to play my deal against another mega-nuts. Fortunately, it turned out to be just a good map, nothing super-outstanding.
On the second day I freed Gelare 5th level. Fairies for speedboost helped a lot (Neela didn't bring a single gargoyle), also the hero turned out to be very useful for taking the lich external dwellings.
On 113, Charna found several interesting objects, but we won't get to them (crown +4+4 behind snipers, dragon external dwelling, Pandora's Box and shield +4 behind greater nagas). Galtran experted Necromancy.
By 114 both lich external dwellings were cleared, and with 9 liches I broke through a mini-block of 20+ minotaurs. Got Earth and Attack. Getting somewhere. True, no Slow anywhere, I was afraid it would be like last time with Haste, but it worked out, Neela will later find both the scroll and a chapel in the corner of the spawn. Charna reached the Castle village, but found absolutely nothing else.
On 115, finally, I found a section of the map that pleased me and revealed how and with what to fight in the center. It turned out to be 3 Dragon Fly Hives along the road with simple guards. And Boots nearby behind 11 monks.
From 116 I take the Dragon Fly Hives. Thanks to the level up from the Inferno taken the same turn, the first one falls without losses on day 6. The second - minimal, easy. I take the Boots.
On 117 I grab the last Dragon Fly Hive, forced to fight 50+ greater ghosts for the Pandora's Box. I really needed to level Mass Slow, but I was afraid of magic. The reward was very lucky - 15k experience, thanks to which I leveled Advanced Pathfinding. I town portal home to replenish mana to 60. Knights are in the Citadel at home.
On 121, Korbac collects the Dragon Fly Hive above the castle, it gives another 8 Wyverns. Galtran - at the Dragon Utopia.
On 122 I gather everything, take the Dragon Utopia without losses, then - the monsters for the Dragon Utopia and Dragon Fly Hive, again without losses, I free the prison with Clancy (here 50 skeletons and 1 Wyvern died, a scout hero unsuccessfully fought with 18 Harpies in one stack), he helps gather the small stuff, which allows me to end the day with Galtran in the Inferno town in the center, where I build a Mage Guild.
There I discover another Dragon Utopia and a Blue Keymaster's Tent. Army's OK - 19 greater liches, 5 black knights, 29 Wyverns, 300 skeletons, but stats aren't pleasing yet - only 7-5-8-6.
The opponent doesn't manage to cover it, and on 123 I grab a nuts level-3 Dragon Utopia with a Grail, Titan's Plate and Wings. I also take the Keymaster's Tent and sit in the town. With Charna I take a cache of Imps, with another scout hero - the Pandora's Box for 15k experience, which opens the passage to the opponent. I can see Clavius there, but not very impressive. Also with Moandor I free the prison with Alamar and a couple of Inferno towns, with Alamar - the Pandora's Box for experience, a shield +5 and a mini Dragon Fly Hive behind 90+ trolls. In these small fights, the raise dead from the Dragon Utopia helped a lot - thanks to it I fought without losses. I could have done something else, I wanted to take the shield +4 all behind 20-49 angels, but the timer was pressing, the opponent wasn't bothering me, so I put it off for now. Fortunately :)
On his turn, Clavius grabs the Pandora's Box, kills 100+ greater minotaurs for another Pandora's Box and the Sphere of Permanence (not enough movement to pick it up) and attacks me in the town (the battle was in the field, I pinned myself just in case):
Clavius: 10-9-5-9 (60), 500+ skeletons, 27 Wyverns, 3 death knights, 7 mighty liches, 6 vampires, +2 speed.
Me: 13-16-25-12 (23), 360 skeletons, 31 Wyverns, 19 liches, 5 knights.
I spent mana on Shield, Meteor Shower (-100 skeletons -10 Wyverns) and Haste on Wyverns. I played the battle somewhat relaxed, shot in the wrong direction with liches, as a result I had to endure about 20 rounds under Slow from the opponent's vampires and liches :) However, they couldn't kill much. I lost a few skeletons, half the Wyverns and the rest. Considering the skeletons raised, even ended up in a small loss. The opponent bought back with a dozen Wyverns, liches, and vampires, but didn't surrender.
The next day I make a genius move. With Galtran I blunder, taking an unnecessary prison and a level-2 Griffin Conservatory. Then I give the troops (almost 500 skeletons) to zero-level Sanya and attack the angels. I get wrecked. Had to flee, not finishing off 4. I finish them off, pass the shield. Remaining - 20 skeletons (there was a decent necromancer in that prison), 13 Wyverns and 2 angels. Not much. Though the opponent has no more.
On 125 I decided it was dangerous to stay in the center any longer, could lose everything completely, so I went on the attack after portaling a bit and farming some skeletons. Along the way I took a Dragon Fly Hive for 8, and with 21 Wyverns, 160+ skeletons, 2 angels and 1 bone dragon I felt confident.
On 126 I took the opponent's capital. Also, thanks to 2k-movement heroes from the tavern and an external building, I managed to reach the Tower village as well. Empty everywhere, no sign of Clavius...
It turned out he had hidden in the darkness just so he could reach the central Inferno. Which happens, I lose the town.
Fortunately, last turn I was given Logistics as the last skill. With speed on angels and Dimension Door, I teleport tile-to-tile from my capital after Town Portal to the town with Clavius. GG.
Thanks for the game.

Thank you very much for such a detailed report – I think many people read them. I believe translating into Russian is a double effort for a player, so it's perfectly acceptable to use translators. Pyotr writes well, but he's still not Nabokov, so it's understandable.

I used 2 111 restarts. The final map didn’t seem good, but it worked well.
On 111 I visited observatory. It showed that I had 1 hive (1,5 days off-road) and 2 lich dwellings. That’s all. But I had a red color and Galthran as a starting hero, so I couldn’t use my last restart. I was expecting opponent to do this, but it didn’t happen. That could only mean a perfect map there, so the first days I felt I was in a deep trouble. Hopefully, the map there was just good. Also that tower scouted a part of a desert. There was an Earth Book and a conservatory, also utopia and 2 titan artifacts (sword and helm) guarded by Cyclops Kings. The block was black knights. The desert was nice, but it was completely uncertain how to get there and how to fight there.
On 112 I took Gelare from prison. That gave some speed for the heroes and also that allowed to take lich dwellings with 7 single units (Gelare was 5th level).
On 113 I found a few interesting objects, but most of them would be ignored (+4+4 helm guarded by snipers, dragon dwelling, Pandora + 4 shield guarded by up. nagas).
By 114 I took both lich dwellings, killed 20+ gorgons and got Earth and Attack. Charna reached a Castle village, but there was absolutely nothing interesting nearby.
On 115 I finally found something made me optimistic. It was 3 comfortable hives and boots of speed. I decided to start the next day.
On 116 I took a second village (Inferno), 10 wyverns and boots.
Last hive gave 6 more vyws on 117 and also I decided to eat Pandora guarded by 80+ wights. It gave 15k exp, so I got expert Earth and also advanced pathfinding. Galthran retreated to fill mana (to 60).
On 121 I took the last hive that gave 8 vyws, Galthran was near the Block.
On 122 I had a few difficult fights, lost some skeletons, but finished this day in the Inferno castle with Earth Book, 19 power liches, 29 wyverns, 5 black knights and 300 skeletons. The parameters were just 7-5-8-6, but utopia nearby gave hope to increase them. Also there was a blue hat nearby.
I started 123 with an utopia. It was 3 blacks and it was perfect. I got +6 all helm, titan armor and wings. So I killed behemoths for a blue hat and returned to the castle. The same day Charna took imp bank, another scout – 15k exp Pandora, that opened the way deeper where I found opponent. I decided to do a few things more. Moandor freed a prison with Alamar and took 2 imp banks. Alamar killed 90+ trolls, got +5 shield and 4 wyvs. I could obviously do something more, but was quite short of time, moreover opponent looked weak. So I finished this day in a castle with 13-16-25-12 (23).
Opponent took one remaining Pandora, killed 100+ minotaur kings and decided to attack:
Clavius (10-9-5-9 (60)), 500+ skeletons, 27 wyvs, 3 death knights, 7 power liches, 6 vampires, +2 speed.
I did this battle quite carelessly, so opponent killed my liches, knights, half of wyverns and some skeletons. Clavius surrendered with liches, vamps, dozen of wyvs and a few skeletons. As a winner of tough battle I also raised almost 200 skeletons.
The next day wasn’t played very well. Galthran took 2 angels con and a prison. After that I decided to attack angels with 1st level scout with 20 mana (for one animate). The angels were angry and killed me. All skeletons were lost (almost 500). I still killed remaining 4 angels with wyverns and took that lion shield and good necro hero, but my resulting army was just 14 wyvs, 2 angels and 27 skeletons.
On 125 I realized that further cleaning of a desert could lead to disaster, so I went to attack. Also made some skeletons and took a hive on the way. So it was 22 wyvs, 165 skells, 2 angels and 1 bone dragon. Galthran got logistics as a final skill that was very nice.
On 126 I reached a blue capital and even took one village using outer tavern. There was no signs of opponent’s main…
Actually, Clavius hid himself in a darkness and had exactly enough MP to reach the central Inferno.
Hopefully, basic logistics and full speed with angels was just enough to reach Clavius from my starting town on a last step on 127.
Thanks for playing!

I confirm. Saw some good stuff and gave Gosha with red to opponent. Turned out to be a mistake. I could break with a decent army and max speed at 122 but I came one day to late to the middle. TFP.

They didn't put anything good on my three training grounds and center.
Thanks for playing.
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It was a long and interesting game.
The Treasure Room wasn't explored much, but by turn 127 in the second game of GM5, I managed to get Dimension Door.
Then, unexpectedly, he came as a visitor. There was Clavius with a bunch of skeletons. I found an Amulet of Death, but there were no powerful units and nothing to kill everything with. I made many mistakes and could have played better, but the timer from week 2-3 was at zero. I got lucky with a Treasure Room where there were a lot of Dragon Utopias, which gave me stats; however, I had to take the Dragon Utopias through summoning fish (in one of them, I even lost a Celestial). After Alamar retrained Resurrect to Luna, it became clearly easier. In one of the Dragon Utopias, I got КЗ, and after that, things started going well. I killed Clavius without artifacts on a rush, but Tant with 1.8k skeletons somehow found a red orb and kept running around with it all the time.
In the Dungeon, I dug up Gunnar level 10 with offense, shooting, and catapult skills, and gradually switched to him.
Tant ran around with two Dimension Doors and continued to summon skeletons and created Archons towards the end of the month, but he didn't have Town Portal.
I already gathered several ranged stacks, upgraded angels, and prepared to attack Tant in some Castle. The plan was to lock the gates and shoot down the skeletons with a war machine and golden bow, but Maretti decided not to waste time because he saw that I had three heroes with full control running around.
Thanks for playing.
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They didn't put anything interesting on my three dwellings and the center.
Thanks for playing.
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I confirm. TFP.

It turned out to be a long and interesting game.
I didn't scout much of the treasure, but by 127 in the second gm5 I caught a DD.
Then suddenly someone came to visit. Claudius was there with a bunch of skeletons. I found AoTD, but had no power and nothing to kill all that with. I made a lot of mistakes and could have played better, but the timer from the 2nd-3rd week was at zero. I got lucky with treasure where it turned out there were a bunch of Dragon Utopia, which gave stats; though I had to get the Dragon Utopia through fish summons (in one of them I even lost a citadel). After Alamar retrained resurrect for Luna, it became clearly easier. In one of the Dragon Utopia I catch КЗ and after that everything becomes fine. I kill Claudius without artifacts on acceleration, but Tant with 1.8k skeletons finds a red ball somewhere and runs around with it all the time.
In the prison I dug up Gunnar level 10 with offense, shooting, and catapult; I slowly started switching to him.
Tant ran with 2 DD and continued to power up skeletons and made archs by the end of the month, but he had no TP.
I had already gathered several ranged stacks, upgraded angels, and was preparing to attack Tant in some Castle. The plan was to lock the gates and shoot the skeletons with a cart and golden bow, but Maretti decided not to waste time since he saw that I had 3 heroes with full control running around.
Thanks for playing.
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Maybe I could have won or forced a draw. But chances seemed small with opponent having full control and 3 fast heroes and me lacking TP. So I decided to give up. TFP.

They handed out a pretty interesting setup.
On day 111, I killed the Inferno computer, reaching it with Moner on the last moves, and an external dwelling of Pits and Demons was revealed. Money is decent, so I'm thinking about an upgrade for Pits and the bird.
I burst into the swamp and leave almost my entire army there.
I found a bugged passage from Inferno to Castle and an external marketplace there.
Using scouting, I revealed part of Inferno's treasure on the grass. A teapot behind the wood, a Dragon Utopia, and a couple of beehives. I also had a Griffin Conservatory and a beehive at my own respawn.
By day 115, Moner had specialized his skills and also Earth magic.
Money-wise, things got tough, and by the end of the week I could only build birds and ducks. I took the Pits' external dwelling but didn't build it up, so I'm forgetting about demoning.
A couple more annoyances: GO was blocking the 3rd computer, and the treasure from the swamp was on sand :(
On day 121, I buy birds and psychos and burst into the treasure. I took the beehive and was 1 move short of reaching the village.
Day 122: Moner, through Geon and the Scribe, learns Slow and runs to his big home Griffin Conservatory.
Day 123: I took the Griffin Conservatory and the beehives, totaling 26 ducks + 3 angels + 4 birds + 4 psychos. I set up a chain for 2 more beehives in the treasure, and Moner prepares to break the teapot and Dragon Utopia.
Day 124: Mini Dragon Utopia, with KZ, a Necklace of Swiftness, and Gauntlets :eek:
I camp in the swamp to replenish mana, and the losers took the village in the sands; another Dragon Utopia was found.
Day 125: Beehive + level 3 Dragon Utopia, Titan's Cap, +4/+4 armor, Boots of Resistance; another Dragon Utopia and a beehive in the sands were revealed.
Day 126: For some reason, I went for it with Moner anyway — +4 all, +3 all, and a black orb. I sit down to replenish mana, and the losers are ready to take another Griffin Conservatory at the Castle respawn. I upgraded 40+ of my ducks.
Day 127: I returned the army, break the GO without issue and run towards Maretti. A Dragon Utopia was found on the roadless terrain. I decide to skip the main and take it since there's no air control.
Day 131: In the level 3 Dragon Utopia, they give a level 5 cap and junk. I bring up birds, ducks, and gruesome flies and run to the main.
For the rest of the week, I captured castles, placed Archers in the Castle, and took another Dragon Utopia. Suddenly, Maretti shows Dess, with wild stats almost like mine. Then he captures his own main with a loser and AotD.
Aside from 1k skeletons, there doesn't seem to be anything scary there, but still.
Meanwhile, I collected the elixir and wanted to visit the Ramp computer (which had 2 Griffin Conservatories for 5 angels + max beehives, but the treasure was junk), but the opponent misjudged the moves and timer, leaving the entire army with artifacts on a loser.
After which he surrenders.
TFP!
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