Sorry this is long, but it has been a blast.
I started probably one of my best games last night. I typically do not use custom Sovereign's. However, I have tried to use Lady Irane the last couple times but have had quite a bit trouble. So I made a custom built based on her. She has the same magic disciplines, she is an adventurer, and is Brilliant. She is Lady Arina, Lady Irane's twin sister.
The game is set up with five random sovereigns on a medium map on normal difficulty. The game started off pretty good. Had a good location close to the northwest corner of the map. Found my starting city and got a second city started pretty early. They both progressed pretty quickly. The first city I elected to go down the town path, and the second city I chose fortress. I spent a lot of research time in civilization getting both the merchant bazaar and great mill. Lady Arina was also progressing pretty quickly. Moving into the Path of the Mage and really developing her magic skills. The one problem, there was only one hero in the entire northwest section of the map. However, Lady Arina’s party, consisting at first of a wolf, a sand golem, my fairly feeble hero, and Arina were able to defeat two slags, and a forest drake—with the help of an Air Elemental scroll. The cost was pretty high though, at first I lost Anna. She was replaced by a second sand golem. However, both golems were lost in the battle against the Drake, and the hero sustained his third battle injury. The first was just a scratch, but the second and third injuries were pretty severe. Lady Arina decided to let him rest.
Through exploration the greatest asset to the region was discovered, four air shards. A truly wonderful gift for an Air Mage, but there were also two water shards, a fire, and a life shard. I had researched some military advancement but now I am at a crossroads. Through expansion I have also met three of my neighbors. Magnar to the south, Verga to the east, and somehow Ceresa has gotten through the Magnar and Verga lines. Maganr and Verga are close my power score, but Ceresa is pretty far behind. The decision is at hand. I need mana for my spells, but since I have no heros I need some troops. Unfortunately my progress through the civilization tree has left me a somewhat vulnerable position. On top of that Verga decided to plant a city right next to the life shard that I wanted. Since I had built up some Mana reserves, and I at least had altars on three air and two water shrines. I decided to try and get some archers. Unfortunately soon after founding his city by the life shard Verga decided he was sick sharing Elemental and declared war. He was only 10 or 15 points higher but apparently that was enough for Warlord. I decided to strike first at the city that was just founded. I cast familiar and attacked the city. With a heavy dose of lightning and healing spells I was able to take the fledgling city. Unfortunately I use almost 200 points of my 550 points of mana. After absorbing the counter attack, I decided aggression was going to have be the best method of defense. I marched east with my familiar and attacked the next city which was right in between two mountain ranges. If I could take the city and hold it, I could have a chance. The best part was the type of city it was hadn’t even been chosen yet. The bad part was Verga was there with a pretty good size army, and a second hero. My hero was still taking a break since his injuries actually would have a negative effect on everything around him. No rest for the wary, I attacked the city. Again, with a heavy dose of Storm, Thunderstrike, and Healing (and running) I managed to take the city. Surprisingly the two cities had a devastating effect on Verga power and he offered truce which I gladly accepted. The two battles, and subsequent counter attacks dropped my mana reserves to lower than 50. Another attack and I would have been in real trouble.
The good news was, I researched the second level of archers and was able to design the Clan of the Hawk archers. They were on horseback, had better bows, and three attributes with much better initiatives. The second city I founded was a fortress with the best production. I switch the two enchantments to Aura of Grace, and Vitality. After shuffling the production queue was finally going to get some help. Unfortunately Magnar was tired of waiting. He declared war and was already in territory heading to the first city I took from Verga. I marched my meager army of Lady Arina and familiar to the city. A couple pluses had also happened. One was got the fourth air shard and the life shard, which had a significant bonus to the enchantments I had on Arina---dodge, courage, regeneration, and I think two others. But added damage to my battle spells was going to come in handy. In addition, all of the shards were now in shrines instead of altars---more mana. My reserves were up to just over a 100. Magnar’s first wave was good size, three archer units and three troops. My city had a militia of one archer unit and one militia unit. Thunderstrike came in handy, the first blast heavily damaged the Magnar archers. Good thing too, my militia swung and hit and did a whopping 4 points of damage. My archers did even less on their first shot. Lady Arina, was pretty handy with a blade, and with a minimum of mana use, about 50 points, I was able to keep the city. Magnar was not amused; he personal led the next wave, along with his best champion. Two more archer groups and two more troop units rounded out the battle. Lady Arina acted first with a thunderstrike into the heart of Magnar’s lines which again did significant amount of damage (thank you fourth air shard). My familiar launched a storm bolt. Magnar’s turn and he casts candlecloak, then the champion attacks Arina. Critical Hit, over 30 points of damage. My next action was to thunderstrike away from him. My familiar cast heal, and my troops prove to be ineffective. What could be considered the first round of battle was a toss up. My archers had one guy still standing and my militia unit was but did practically know damage. Since my thunderstrike got me out of the way except they decided to finish off my militia unit and my archers. I launched two storm spell, one from me and the other from my familiar. Mine hit the champion (thank god) and killed him. After two more turns the battle finally drew to a close. Mana reserves were in the 20s, but the city was held. I looked to my northern city as to when my archers would be done. I rushed what was left and marched them to the city. Another Magnar army was in my territory. Not enough money to rush the second archer group, perhaps next turn. My Clan of the Hawk arrived just before the next wave. About the same size as the first that did not have champion. With the added Clan of the Hawk, I was able to hold the city. Better yet, my second group of Clan of the Hawk archers was on their way. They arrived at the same time as a third wave from Magnar. The added archer was too much for them. I was able to minimize the use of mana and still hold the city.
Mana reserves are back above 100 and growing quickly. My new units are proving to be very effective against the armies of Magnar. I put two more in the production queue. Thunderstrike is doing significant damage to multiple groups, and storm is almost a one shot on any unit. I decided to take the battle to Magnar. I march to the south and take over the first outpost which had a monument, finally some political capital. Another outpost had a mine in it. The first city I come to is Imperium. Obviously the previous battles have taken a larger toll on Magnar than me. Only the city militia was in Imperium, along with the two champions and sovereign. All three were hurt. With a well-placed thunderstrike I was able to take out both Magnar and his best champion. The rest of the army fell pretty quickly. Magnar realized his error and soon asked for a truce, which Lady Arina denied. The floundering Empire had two more cities that quickly fell.
During the battle, Ceresa fell and Verga had regained quite a bit of strength. He was also growing more and more hostile towards me. Somewhere out there my twin sister finally made contact; however, I have no idea where she is at. The big questions left. My additional Clan of the Hawk archers has been trained. Even though I was fighting my mana reserves have grown back to 500 hundred. I have moved Lady Arina and her army back to the second city that was originally taken from Verga. My plans; get my injury ridden hero to explore the lands that were to the south of Magnar. I found the Asag to the southwest of my two conquered Yithril cities. I need to find my sister (Irane) and find out what type of family reunion that will be. I have also heard word that Relias might be out there somewhere. Unfortunately Verga looks like he will be an immediate threat which will slow my exploration.
It has been a great game so far.
