Are land provinces with Shamblers unbalancing?

[Varangian]

In my past two games, I've taken provinces with access to Shamblers. The shamblers have good hit points and have very littl drain on resources (normally 1 resource per shambler). If you have cash, you can raise huge armies of shamblers each turn. I've been able to overwhelm the opposition once I get Shambler provinces. Are Shambler provinces unbalancced?

Varangian

[Shovah32]

no, the large gold cost and low prot+lack of shield evens it out imo.

[Edi]

I wouldn't think so. They are not too difficult to counter.

Edi

[Boron]

Shovah32 said:
no, the large gold cost and low prot+lack of shield evens it out imo.


Yeah this is exactly my experience too.

They are imho only attractive for conquering the seas.
But for the 30 gold you would get 3 shortbowmen e.g..
And those 3 shortbowmen only cost 3x4 resources. Or 4 Slingers, they cost 4x2 resources.

For me usually gold is the bottleneck though. So the 1 resourcecost of the Shambler is not a too big advantage.

[Loren]

You need them to invade the seas. They're pretty wimpy, though.

[NTJedi]

Varangian said:
Are Shambler provinces unbalancced?

Varangian



No, my guess is your opposition are average computer opponents or humans less experienced with the game. Shrambler units are good for moving into the water provinces.

[Agrajag]

I don't like shamblers. They are weak.
I only use them if I have no other way to go into the sea. And then recruit the more survivable indies I find in the sea.

[Blofeld]

I also think that shamblers are weak, ichtyids are IMHO a more viable choice for getting a foothold underwater. You might need some luck with resorce-rich prowince or a castle built though.
Basic shamblers have terrible survivability, not unlike cavemen, who also seems tough at first glance but, lacking protection, die in droves.

[FAJ]

but, late game, when you have high gold, the low reasource and high HP melds good with earth spells like army of gold, or even weaker prot-boosting items.

They seem to me to be a decently cheap chassis for troop buffing spells, no?

[Agrajag]

Shamblers wear no armor, which IIRC makes them "immune" to spells that increase protection from armor. (immune in the bad way, of course)

[Blofeld]

Legions of Steel won't work.
Bark/stone/ironskin and their AoE versions should work fine, but they buff everybody and other troops are better to begin with.

[B0rsuk]

Blofeld said:
Legions of Steel won't work.
Bark/stone/ironskin and their AoE versions should work fine, but they buff everybody and other troops are better to begin with.



However, if you're sure you'll have access to spells that increase natural protection, units without armor gain more from them.
High hp units certainly gain more from regeneration.

[NTJedi]

Agrajag said:
Shamblers wear no armor, which IIRC makes them "immune" to spells that increase protection from armor. (immune in the bad way, of course)



Not all spells which increase protection need units wearing armor. The late powerful buffs don't need units to wear armor for their protection to be increased.

[Agrajag]

NTJedi said:

Agrajag said:
Shamblers wear no armor, which IIRC makes them "immune" to spells that increase protection from armor. (immune in the bad way, of course)



Not all spells which increase protection need units wearing armor. The late powerful buffs don't need units to wear armor for their protection to be increased.


Which is why I said "from armor"