Mictilian Mages

Treebeard · #1 December 26th, 2003, 10:10 PM

Does the Mictilian mages have special powers of any kind when sacrificing blood slaves, or their description are just fluffy text? And if not, why are they so expensive? I mean, 230-250 for a level 3 priest with four magic picks is much more than what pythium pays (150), and the fire mage is just obscenely expensive at 390 with just 5 magic picks (the arch-theug has 7 at a slight lower price).

Gandalf Parker · #2 December 26th, 2003, 10:16 PM

The Mictian nation doesnt pray to raise the strength of its dominion. To "spread the glow" of their god they have to sacrifice. (its based on the Aztecs)

Treebeard · #3 December 26th, 2003, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
The Mictian nation doesnt pray to raise the strength of its dominion. To "spread the glow" of their god they have to sacrifice. (its based on the Aztecs)

That much I know, what I was asking is if the mage/priest doing the sacrifice to increase dominion has any other effect, as per their description (i.e., the rain priest and the rain for crops).

apoger · #4 December 26th, 2003, 11:58 PM

I suspect that the thinking behind the high costs of the Mictlan mages was due to the ease with which they can be upgraded into summoners of the big blood summons. At least that's my guess, because they are overpriced to the point that it makes life tough on the nation.

Treebeard · #5 December 27th, 2003, 12:22 AM

That would explain why no mage have a random magic pick (I hate the lack of versability of such mages), but that doesn't quite add up - you only need one mage to get the summons, the problem is getting enough blood slaves.

apoger · #6 December 27th, 2003, 01:06 AM

>the problem is getting enough blood slaves

You can use the blood-1 mages, and scouts. However, yes I agree that blood hunting is strangely hard on this blood oriented nation. Frankly I get better blood results with Abysia, and they have access to decent heavy troops (although they are very production heavy).

Keir Maxwell · #7 December 27th, 2003, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by apoger:
I suspect that the thinking behind the high costs of the Mictlan mages was due to the ease with which they can be upgraded into summoners of the big blood summons.

Are Big blood summons the terrors they were in Dom1?

I don't get to the late game often in testing (ie singleplayer) so I find this hard to judge.

When it comes to Mictlan my eyes are looking towards the patch. Its the race I have had least success with in dom2.

Cheers

Keir

apoger · #8 December 27th, 2003, 07:45 AM

>Are Big blood summons the terrors they were in Dom1?

No.

Frankly the spell paralyze has (at least for now) changed everything since it stops damn near anything. That, and many of the blood summons don't gather free allies/gems anymore.

The spell Hordes from Hell has taken over as "best buy" for blood magic. At least as far as I can see.

>When it comes to Mictlan my eyes are looking towards the patch. Its the race I have had least success with in dom2.

Agreed. The only technique unique to Mictlan that I have been able to cultivate has been using many blood-1 mages for hunting, and then making blood-2 mages as needed to summon Fiends of Darkness. Masses of fiends is fun and effective... but a bit slow compared to other nations abilities.

Treebeard · #9 December 27th, 2003, 01:56 PM

Mictian surely is hard to play with. They appear to have no redeeming qualities. They can't preach, and they need a temple to perform a blood sacrifice, their military are focused on light units and in spite of it, most of their better units have a strategic movement of 1. Their mages are hideously expensive. You have to rely on independent units and mages, and probably the sacred units (my most sucessful attempts rely on massed eagle warriors with fire 9 and water 9 or astral 9). They are also quite slow on expansion, rarely I managed to capture another province before turn 5.

apoger · #10 December 27th, 2003, 05:45 PM

>(my most sucessful attempts rely on massed eagle warriors with fire 9 and water 9 or astral 9). They are also quite slow on expansion, rarely I managed to capture another province before turn 5.

I use the eagle warriors a lot as well. For expansion I rely heavily on a strong combat pretendr.

In fact my "formula" to squeeze any effect from Mictlan has been:

1: Strong pretender for expansion. Option available to anyone, but needed by Mictlan since you can't expand well with own troops. I take a dragon with fire-9. This is usually good for fast expansion, and gets me good effect for the eagle warriors.

2: Quick building forts. This is needed so I can pump out blood-1 mages and tribal kings.

3: Blood-1 mages go heavy on hunting.

4: Tribal kings make slaves (junk troops). Slaves good for patrols (while hunting) and marginal for a free combat boost. Can't complain too much about "free" troops.

5: I take a high dominion and crank Eagle Warriors. I also take fire-9 on the pretender. Since the Eagle Warriors fly in battle, and now do good damage, they can slam through enemies as long as they have superior numbers. Take care, if you attack enemies that are more numerous that you, it can lead to heavy losses.

6: I make blood-2 mages as needed to summon Fiends of Darkness.

7: I try to exlploit troops from captured provinces. Archers and 15-prot HI make passable armies. I look hard for "raptor" provinces so I can get harab seraphs who can command/fly my fiends.

8: As soon as I can spare it, I put together a squad of each level-2 mage and send them site searching. They cover fire/water/blood/nature/astral/holy. Not bad, just expensive to get started. This will have a good chance of uncovering sites that can expand the nations potential.

9: If I find sages I makes some and research blood magic and thaumaturgy. The blood magic is for Hordes from Hell. The thaumaturgy is for Paralyze.

10: If there are good mercs available, I hire them. Even if it costs me mages/forts. Mictlan needs the expansion boost.

So for expansion:

- The dragon takes a province a turn for a while
- Every 4-6 turns I send out an army of Eagle Warriors
- Once the blood magic is in gear, I send out armies of Fiends.
- When possible I mass "conventional" armies from new provinces that I have conquered.
- When possible I hire merc armies.

In total, I have found Mictlan somewhat slow to ramp up. If cultivated with care it can make a showing, but it's hard work that makes other nations look easy. IMHO.