War Strategy Thread

[TheDemon]

Speaking of squishing noobs tho - we've talked tentatively about plans to attack CTis, Abysia, and TC. I suggest that we begin formalizing these plans and recruiting and coordinating our armies. We really need to strike hard and fast (as possible) once the NAP is up to keep the initiative and break the morale of the other team.

Southwestern front:
C'tis and possibly Sauro vs Niefel, Helheim and Atlantis

C'tis's lizards vs Niefel's jarls, we'll need snake rings, but we should win that matchup. This is IMO the most promising front, as there's some space between Helheim and Sauro right now anyway.

Northwestern front:
Abysia, Lanka and Sauro vs Caelum, Niefel, and possibly Atlantis

The trick to this matchup is not allowing Abysia to engage Niefel, while marginalizing Sauro somehow (Helheim raiding perhaps).
https://2img.net/h/oi39.tinypic.com/15q8as7.jpg here's a shot of the northwest as it stands. I don't think the borders will change much between now and turn 10.

Eastern front:
TC, Fomoria, Vanheim and Mictlan vs Hinnom and Caelum

We seem to have a little more space on this front, as I've pushed hard this direction and still don't have a border. I'm hoping that we can take at least one of the enemies in the Northwest out of contention before I have to switch focus to Vanheim. On the other hand, out of the enemies here, only Vanheim seems dangerous, and perhaps Mictlan with his bless.

So that's the overview. What specific attacks should we do on D-day? Any specific spells to suggest?

[lingchih]

Here is a shot of Niefelheim as it stands now. As you can see, I have many indies still to take, but also feel the need to get my hitters in place for an invasion. I'm quite open to suggestions.

https://i.servimg.com/u/f86/13/76/96/87/niefel12.jpg

[quantum_mechani]

The eastern front will probably involve Agartha as well.

[TheDemon]

Niefel needs to be able to hit c'tis hard on D-day. I would suggest taking Atlantis's land territories soon. We get the gold from them regardless of who owns them.

In terms of strategy, I think the best choice is to gang up on and annihilate the noobs one by one while playing scorched earth on other fronts. If we're fighting them 5 vs 10, we'll get our asses kicked. If we break it down into a bunch of 2 vets vs 1 noob fights and ignore the territory war the other noobs will be waging on us, it'll go much easier. I suggest we focus on killing armies (and cutting retreats) and crippling production rather than taking territory and sieging forts. After all, each player's army is individual and can't be combined with another player's. Once one player's army is dead, move onto the next.

In the Northwest, this means Lanka's monkey army is probably the first target, as well as abysia's army. Then cripple abysia's production by hitting resource provs. Harass sauro if possible but we'll probably have to take the hit until the other 2 are dealt with.

In the Southwest, C'tis is such an easy target that we'll be able to wage a conventional war there. Again, I would kill his army, leave chaff to siege the cap and move on. Niefel against Sauro isn't the best of matches but his jarls will already have poison rings. Sauro isn't that mobile, so if we can get him to run around putting out fires thanks to Helheim raiding he'll be manageable. If he's on the offensive, we have problems.

In the East, unfortunately it'll be Hinnom standing alone for the most part. If we can get intel on what armies the enemies are using, set up to counter, rout as many as possible and I'll support with retreat cuts. Again, I recommend focusing on army-destroying. I know the odds here are not great, but if you just "hold the line" I'll fly in backup as soon as it's available.

I think Atlantis should play a support role on all fronts, cutting retreats, sieging forts, snatching poorly defended coastals, putting out fires. He's well positioned to be engaged on all sides of the water.



That's my take on strategy. We put the noobs out of the game without going through the long slog of actually killing them, get as many of them to go AI as possible, and we can shift fronts quickly.

[TheDemon]

Turn 9 northwest front update
https://2img.net/h/oi43.tinypic.com/jb02mu.jpg

Turn 10 will be interesting as I'll see who puts their army on the front. I'm considering hitting all known sauro provs on D-day to keep him on the defensive. That way I get to read Lanka's and Abysia's moves first so I have defender's movement advantage.

[Ironhawk]

Amazingly, I still have no fronts, tho perhaps on turn 10 that will change. Regardless, I stand ready to assist fighting both CTis and Sauro. In fact, if Sauro gets tied down in some fighting with Caelum, I can probably crap all over his extended holdings.

[atul]

In the Southwest, C'tis is such an easy target that we'll be able to wage a conventional war there. Again, I would kill his army, leave chaff to siege the cap and move on. Niefel against Sauro isn't the best of matches but his jarls will already have poison rings.

It would seem that C'tis has started recruiting City Guards too. It might indicate that C'tis is preparing to sit inside his fort for others to come to his rescue. So killing his army might not be as easy as just sending in the Jarls. :-/

Ironhawk made me think some alternatives, and going out of support mode would enable me to field 200+ unit army that is supported by Blade Winds and Acid Rains in 3 turns or so (that army without Evo4 in 2 turns, given money I can recruit 140 deep ones per turn so numbers stretch). I don't know what Niefel's schedule is at the moment, but if I'm to commit on killing C'tis that's mine.

Sound worth it?

[Ironhawk]

You know my opinion, but for the record: I say go for it. If CTis is smart he'll turtle inside his capital while Niefel and I make mincemeat of his territories. Once that happens we will have, IMO, about a 5-6 turn window to kill him before the other noobs can bring realistic armies to bear to try and rescue him. So, if we assume that taking control of CTis lands is a given, then you will need an army that is capable of breaking high defense walls and killing a solid CTis defense within 5 turns or so.

Its something of a tall order, but if we plan for it now, it should be doable.

[atul]

It seems the proposition got voted out by numbers 3 against - 1 for.

Oh well, forge forge forge. Let me know when you need me sieging castles a bit in advance so I can get relevant stuff researched in case people hole up.

[TheDemon]

I think it's a good idea, but we need your support on other fronts more. Abysia is going to be dangerous in the north, and with fire res and fire crafting you're best equiped to help us out there. Hinnom will need item support as he's going alone against 3 right now.

Oh and personally, I like the idea of Alt 4 support better than evo 4. Evo 4 might be better vs C'tis, but we'll have to take on Abysia and likely Ermor too and Destruction (and Earth Meld) will work wonders there, plus you can thug out the Basalt Kings pretty well with self-buffs.

If C'tis's idea is to sit and wait out a siege, then we'll just have to use Niefel and Helheim to make sure that support never comes.

[atul]

Yea Evo4 was mostly against C'tis, figured Alt wouldn't be as effective against him. Vice versa with Abysia though.

[TheDemon]

Everything he has is str 10 or 11 so Earth Meld will be very effective, especially against serpent dancers as they rely on defense. As for Destruction, C'tis has some of the heaviest infantry in EA if he chooses to build them, although he hasn't yet. City Guard have 12 prot, and Elite Warriors 10 prot, and against regular deep ones that'll still matter.

I think Alt 4 will work fine vs C'tis, but Evo 4 won't work fine vs Abysia or Ermor.

[TheDemon]

Looks like I'm up against Fomoria in the east, and he's using Unmarked. I'll know his bless soon. So what's the best strategy against him? Thunder strike spam is good, but I need more than one trick.

edit:
My current idea is False Fetters spam. They have an MR of 13, and my research mages can cast it no problem. That plus a little armor of achiles/destruction will take care of them in short order with lightning and fliers for damage.

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