Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

Eador Genesis

william blake

Educated
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Messages
57
Location
moscow
how do alliances work in campaign? Is the alliance for the shard only or for the entire campaign?
afair you can get only one permanent alliance for the entire campaign-with orcs.from some negotiations with masters.
 

sser

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Mar 10, 2011
Messages
1,866,910
Man, ghouls tear it up. My necromancer found a fourth-circle demonic spell of corruption that absolutely ravages units morale, stamina, defenses, etc. The undead armies are just rolling with it now. And my start was nothing but swamps and goblins, utter crap, but it means nothing when your army replenishes itself out of the bones of fallen enemies.
 

Ashery

Prophet
Joined
May 24, 2008
Messages
1,337
And on a more general note, I've come to the conclusion that guards are pretty much pointless unless they're special tier 3+ stuff. Even tier 2 guards are nothing more than free xp for a commander or warrior in his teens. From now on I'm only using guards strong enough to hold off inquisitors and MAYBE the odd troll.I've spent thousands of gold trying to get defenses up strong enough to stop enemy heroes and it never amounts to anything.

Outposts are better for containing the enemy if you've got a hero that can take the enemy at full strength. This is especially true during the early part of the campaign when all you have are the shitty recruit guards that get massacred by heroes that aren't even in their teens.
 

DakaSha

Arcane
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
4,792
When do the campaign shards get challenging?

Ive only finished one but it was so incredibly mind destroyingly boring that i dread having to do this shit again. (I'm playing on expert).
Does it pick up quickly?
 

mondblut

Arcane
Joined
Aug 10, 2005
Messages
22,820
Location
Ingrija
When do the campaign shards get challenging?

Ive only finished one but it was so incredibly mind destroyingly boring that i dread having to do this shit again. (I'm playing on expert).
Does it pick up quickly?

Depends on difficulty. The harder you set it, the faster AI difficulty soars. Plus, the bigger shard, the more opposing players. No-name "local lords" are usually wimpy, a few shards later you're going to meet the first masters.
 

william blake

Educated
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Messages
57
Location
moscow
When do the campaign shards get challenging?
after 4 shards you will meet the first master,but he is dumb as a local lords.the second master is much smarter.so,shard 7 or something might be challenging.
(click on "statistics",when "opponents" becomes experts or higher-prepare to challenge.maybe.)
 

Bulba

Learned
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
518
Doesn't seem to be much point in wearing him down when he has infinite gold and just builds an outpost and replaces all his units the instant he captures the province.

Masters and even local lords don't have infinite gold, but they all have extra massive income that pretty much means unlimited gold. I've tested that a few times. Once I've taken all of the provinces of the local lord who had some very expensive defenders (some elephant shit) that his province could not afford to upkeep it on its own. about 10 turns later he hired his heroes and a bit later full troops to each as well (very expensive without resources)
The other time one of the masters had monsters defenders in every single one of his 20+ provinces (very expensive to buy and upkeep 25+ gold and some crystal), while I have slaughtered his heroes multiple times with him raising them with massive very expensive army each time.... so yeah he had infinite gold+crystal

Also AI cheats on battles, at least if they are at their high skill level. I've seen it kill 3 medusas (poisonous bitches that can stone your guys at a nice range) with lizards and some other shit as support with lvl 9 fighter (no special gear) and some peasants+ singers with those troops surviving this battle and the next battle VS orcs and 1 org (cannibal).

as for demonology, I prefer it to necromancy at early stages for two main reasons
1) skeletons+ zombies cost crystal to upkeep. even with nice crystal income of 10 undead will eat up most of it (2 crystal for zombie I think, so 10 for 5 zombie) where do you plan on getting crystal for spells? what am I missing here?
2) 2nd lvl necromancy is very expensive on crystal (don't forget that you are already using them on skeletons/zombies), especially if you don't have the resource, while demonology one is very cheap to get (2nd cheapest) and it's main expense is gold.
if your first hero is an evil mage demonology is a way to go. You may become a necromancer later on.
summoning fiends is much better that those dogs (they last much longer)
 

Malakal

Arcane
Glory to Ukraine
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Messages
10,701
Location
Poland
I dont see the point in keeping those skeletons and zombies actually so that cuts on the gem expense. Just have a shield of classic meat units and summon when some fall. Necromancy is viable starting with ghouls and by that point you should be able to maintain one army of undead. Also playing necro cuts your gold expenses so its a trade.
 

Bweil

Novice
Joined
Dec 26, 2012
Messages
8
Masters and even local lords don't have infinite gold, but they all have extra massive income that pretty much means unlimited gold. I've tested that a few times. Once I've taken all of the provinces of the local lord who had some very expensive defenders (some elephant shit) that his province could not afford to upkeep it on its own.
Why is that? The elephant guards is a pretty expensive indeed, but they need only 30/40 gold for upkeep. Even without the income from a province your castle buildings should generate enough money. Not to mention that he can still have a remains of gold in his treasury.

about 10 turns later he hired his heroes and a bit later full troops to each as well (very expensive without resources)
Well, looks like just few days ago I was in those shoes. The only things that was left to me by two enemy Masters was my castle, which was guarded by Golems and Berserker hero who's doing exploring in provinces near one of the enemy castles. At start of this madness I have 2000 gold and +150 income. After about 100 turns I've got 30000+ gold and +700 income (got schematic for Treasury in one of the locations). One of the Masters has animal guards which Berserker just can't clear (poison and spider webs it's such a pain for the lone warrior) so I resurrect my Commander and bought an army for him just to clear the path to enemy castle.

"I need some warriors for suicide.. I mean glorious battle. How much for bowmen? 200 gold? I'll take ten of them. And knights? 700 for each? Give me five of that."
In two turns:
"The battle wasn't easy, but I has conquered one province. It's a pity but I have some casualties in that skirmish, so now I need a few new recruits. How many? Well... Ten bowmens and four knights..."

It's take 430 turns and about half of that number in bowmens, but in the end the shard was mine.
 

Bulba

Learned
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
518
Masters and even local lords don't have infinite gold, but they all have extra massive income that pretty much means unlimited gold. I've tested that a few times. Once I've taken all of the provinces of the local lord who had some very expensive defenders (some elephant shit) that his province could not afford to upkeep it on its own.
Why is that? The elephant guards is a pretty expensive indeed, but they need only 30/40 gold for upkeep. Even without the income from a province your castle buildings should generate enough money. Not to mention that he can still have a remains of gold in his treasury.

about 10 turns later he hired his heroes and a bit later full troops to each as well (very expensive without resources)
Well, looks like just yesterday I've been in these shoes. The only things that was left to me by two enemy Masters was my castle, which was guarded by Golems and Berserker hero who's doing exploring in provinces near one of the enemy castles. At start of this madness I have 2000 gold and +150 income. After about 100 turns I've got 30000+ gold and +700 income (got schematic for Treasury in one of the locations). One of the Masters has animal guards which Berserker just can't clear (poison and spider webs it's such a pain for the lone warrior) so I resurrect my Commander and bought an army for him just to clear the path to enemy castle.

"I need some warriors for suicide.. I mean glorious battle. How much for bowmen? 200 gold? I'll take ten of them. And knights? 700 for each? Give me five of that."
In two turns:
"The battle wasn't easy, but I has conquered one province. It's a pity but I have some casualties in that skirmish, so now I need a few new recruits. How many? Well... Ten bowmens and four knights..."

It's take 430 turns and about half of that number in bowmens, but in the end the shard was mine.

I can't quite understand what are you trying to say in the bottom bit, but he had no other income but his castle where I've casted a bunch of spells like kill pop, reduce income etc his main province income was very small. he also had no gold left because he did not resurrect his heroes as soon as he could and when he did they had no to little army... than after the 1st hero full with expensive troops he resurrects second and later third filling them all with troops - so don't give me that castle income bullshit with troops on the 1st costing way over 100g a turn on the top of expensive guards.
 

Bweil

Novice
Joined
Dec 26, 2012
Messages
8
I can't quite understand what are you trying to say in the bottom bit, but he had no other income but his castle where I've casted a bunch of spells like kill pop, reduce income etc his main province income was very small.
The castle buildings which gives +income didn't count as a province income, so you can't destroy their bonuses.

he also had no gold left because he did not resurrect his heroes as soon as he could and when he did they had no to little army... than after the 1st hero full with expensive troops he resurrects second and later third filling them all with troops - so don't give me that castle income bullshit with troops on the 1st costing way over 100g a turn on the top of expensive guards.
Well, I didn't check his treasury and hasn't see your game, so I can't argue about that.
 

PorkaMorka

Arcane
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Messages
5,090
When do the campaign shards get challenging?

Ive only finished one but it was so incredibly mind destroyingly boring that i dread having to do this shit again. (I'm playing on expert).
Does it pick up quickly?

The first shard is the tutorial which is played on beginner (or something), no matter what difficulty you select. After that, the difficulty that you selected kicks in, at least for neutral monsters. The first few AIs are intentionally weaker than expert level. It is reasonably challenging when you are playing blind, but since you played a ton of skirmish games it will probably be too easy for you until the expert AIs show up, around maybe shard 7.

But none of them will be anywhere near as easy as the first tutorial shard.
 

Bulba

Learned
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
518
why do you have such a hard time accepting the truth? don't believe me do the same thing yourself... it's not hard just build forts around his last province and see for yourself. you can control where he will attack by leaving one provice free of powerfull guards, just move your heroes between those unprotected provinces to give him a few turns before letting him siege and killing his hero afterwards and you will see how ai pulls cash out of it's arse
 

Bweil

Novice
Joined
Dec 26, 2012
Messages
8
why do you have such a hard time accepting the truth?
Why? Because:
1. I don't care if AI has some handicap.
2. Also I already wrote about myself being captured in the starting province, yet it didn't stop me from collect gold and crush my foes.
So why should I think that AI can't do similar trick or at least didn't die in castle from the starvation? It's more like you want to believe that AI just can't play fair.

don't believe me do the same thing yourself... it's not hard just build forts around his last province and see for yourself. you can control where he will attack by leaving one provice free of powerfull guards, just move your heroes between those unprotected provinces to give him a few turns before letting him siege and killing his hero afterwards and you will see how ai pulls cash out of it's arse
Already did it few times. When I came to wipe him out after some time, he's only have heroes with tier 1 soldiers and one slinger in the castle garrison or full garrison without any heroes. It looks like he was short on money and didn't use much of cheat to me.

PS Let's stop this argument. I didn't think we can persuade each other. :)
 

Emily

Arcane
Joined
Mar 21, 2012
Messages
3,068
Bweil i had the same case. I destroyed his massive army once in a very close battle, and next time i saw him, he only had like 1 tier 3 unit, a bunch of cheap thugs and no sorcerer
 

Damned Registrations

Furry Weeaboo Nazi Nihilist
Joined
Feb 24, 2007
Messages
15,957
Yeah the last shard I played as a more of completionist attempt in search of keys (I should have screenshotted my level 30 warrior, his gear was pretty insane, 6 speed with floating, poison immunity, could 1v1 with a level 20 dragon without using spells even before getting all of that gear) and my enemy rather quickly had 4 heroes out on the map, which in and of itself is insanely expensive, never mind ressurecting them all with full troops 2 turns later whenever I killed them, while bottled up in his home province. The cheating to win random battles I pretty much expected, or there'd be no real challenge, but the gold/crystal thing is fairly annoying, since it significantly changes the usefulness of a lot of the strategic aspects like lowering enemy income or fighting him economically, or trying to rush aggressively for him before he builds up.

1) skeletons+ zombies cost crystal to upkeep. even with nice crystal income of 10 undead will eat up most of it (2 crystal for zombie I think, so 10 for 5 zombie) where do you plan on getting crystal for spells? what am I missing here?

Dark Ritual gives you a lot of extra gems if used every cooldown. And it's not like you need the gold from the population (especially if it's fucking orcs or something anyways.) I've also come to realize that alignment impacts what random events you receive (and even how they play out it seems, regardless of choices), and if you're not scrupulous you can rake in a lot extra with stuff like death crystals. Although it's honestly more effective to bring along militia and raise them on the spot if you can spare the crystals and spell slots to do so, having the extra corpses around is very helpful, while a team of just zombies can get wiped out by ranged units before a corpse shows up. But it IS cheaper to carry the same zombie through 3 battles than to raise a new one in each. If their lifespan isn't that long than you should use cannon fodder instead.
 

Malakal

Arcane
Glory to Ukraine
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Messages
10,701
Location
Poland
I can confirm that AI actually does run out of gold. I'm besieging that dude with mega garrison and he is throwing at me level 1 troops with his heroes.

BTW treasury building gives you 2 or 3% gold income based on your current treasury so in theory its possible not to run out ever with that. I guess thats what Bweil wanted to say with his example.
 

Malakal

Arcane
Glory to Ukraine
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Messages
10,701
Location
Poland
And I have done it, beat mega undead garrison with my level 2 troops. First had to sacrifice my mage and his army to remove three ghosts and most skeletons/zombies with his devil, who fortunately was able to one shot ghosts. Them my archer/commander went in and slaughtered the rest (two vampires three zombies with insane levels) then a hero and won the siege. Having level 17 three medals cavalry (my record so far, level 17 three medals, level 15 three medals and level 14 2 medals in one army) helps but ultimately it was that one spell I traded with AI that won this for me.

Vampires are just crazy, 50% life steal, flying, no retaliation, huge damage, 60+ hp. Fortunately they have shit defense stats and I was able to mob them with cavalry. Still managed to survive focused fire by my all army (without hero who finished the other vampire) and 6 cavalry charges.

Ghosts on the other hand dont have much dmg but their defenses are insane for level 3 unit and they heal when they kill enemy units. They are invulnerable to shooting and generally level 1-2 units.
 

Damned Registrations

Furry Weeaboo Nazi Nihilist
Joined
Feb 24, 2007
Messages
15,957
I hope they change some of these quests to be less impossible. Just ran another 200+ turn game scouring the map to try and form an alliance with the dwarves, just to see what they were like. Took me about 150 turns to find a single bandit lair, and it was the wrong one. Gave up after getting 4 heroes to level 10 and being generally invincible again.

Does anyone know of a good list of what impacts your alignment? Some stuff is fairly obvious, but other stuff, like fighting adventurers or good aligned units you're at war with, or fighting instead of negotiating or using abilities like soul steal or hex or getting a dark knight I have no idea about. And it's not easy to test since the games take forever and the alignment titles are vague as fuck. I just went from merciful to clever, even though my last shard titled me 'the pure' again. Wtf?
 
Joined
Mar 3, 2010
Messages
9,422
Location
Italy
there must be something i'm doing terribly wrong because i get my own ass constantly handed to me even on beginner.
i usually try to get some levels exploring the starting region, then as soon as i'm able to field pikeman+healer/anything that works or have enough money to buy out the best human regions (if i can't kill the guards) i begin to conquer.
i can do my best of the best, yet i'm barely on par with the enemy.
i won the first two shards i don't even know why, this third one feels impossible.
before i'm tempted to savescum my way out, can you direct me to some wiki, guide or anything which would help?
 

Emily

Arcane
Joined
Mar 21, 2012
Messages
3,068
read that manual i posted, however if you dont understand the game, listing stats is not really much a help.
Do note sometimes AI can get lucky(sometimes you get lucky too), find some epic loot and just steamroll. You might be doing ok, it is just that one map.
 

DakaSha

Arcane
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
4,792
When do the campaign shards get challenging?

Ive only finished one but it was so incredibly mind destroyingly boring that i dread having to do this shit again. (I'm playing on expert).
Does it pick up quickly?

The first shard is the tutorial which is played on beginner (or something), no matter what difficulty you select. After that, the difficulty that you selected kicks in, at least for neutral monsters. The first few AIs are intentionally weaker than expert level. It is reasonably challenging when you are playing blind, but since you played a ton of skirmish games it will probably be too easy for you until the expert AIs show up, around maybe shard 7.

But none of them will be anywhere near as easy as the first tutorial shard.


well i wasnt counting the tut :P
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom