Quote:
Originally Posted by SciencePro
Is there any way to counter fire storm?
or is it just the "WIN" button?
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You have entered the late game in MP for the first. I remember when that happened to me the first time in Dom2; the opponent cast Wratful skies (IIRC), and my amazing army was gone just like that, in one battle.
As has been pointed out, "traditional" armies become less and less useful in the end game. They are needed for sieges, but other than that, don't rely on armies after a certain point anymore. SC's and thugs rule the day. When you get hit by the first Armageddons, you will get the ultimate lesson in the value of traditional armies in the end game (which is pretty close to zero).
SC's with lots of health and a ring of regeneration are an easy way to counter battlefield wide spells. Such spells do little damage to an individual but to lots of troops, but if you have there SC's with 100+ HP who regenerate 10 HP per turn, who cares?
Fire spells especially are easy to counter (which is why nations like Machaka are IMO so weak late in the game; they have amazing fire potential, but late in the game fire is of limited use). There are several battlefield in wide spells which give 50% Fire resistance. Check the spell lists and choose what you should cast.
It's also good to notice that there are not that many mages who can cast Firestorm. Usually they are old and fragile. Bring the pain to them before they hurt you. Earthquake, Wrathful skies, fliers with "Attack Rear" orders, summon imps (the imps have often saved the day against fire mages; the imps are fire resistant, and if they get in contact with the mage scripted to cast some fire spells, the AI seems to quite often override the script (I guess the logic goes something like "Hey wtf! I am ordered to cast fire-spells, and I am attacked by totally fire-resitant demons... No way, Jose!") are all examples of things to mess up your opponent before they mess up you.
Also, if you get attacked by a mage ordered to cast Firestorm, it is time for you to send in the assasins. Especially "Vengeance of the Dead" works nice vs Firestorm casters, because VotD targets the greatest butcher in the province, and Firestorm casters tend to be great butchers. Spamming Seeking Arrows to the province is also nice if the Firestorm caster isn't a SC.
Then there is the strategic and psychological aspect. If you stuff your border province with the best of the best, and lots of them, and then get stampeded, it can be very dishartening. You thought you have an invincible army there, and it just got evaporated by whatever nasty tactics the opponent used. Personally I like to garrison border provinces with cheap chaff (you got those events giving you a ton of militia? Well, send them to patrol some border provincs; they'll catch lots of spies, and they will be the speed bump your opponent has to first destroy showing you what tactics they are using) or with heavy PD (20+ strength). You don't stop any real push with those, but you'll get an excellent view at what tactics the opponent uses.
In my opinion, in defense the idea is not to stop the opponent at the border (necessarily, if you are planning to attack them anyway, it is a good idea make them attack your defensive position and crush them there), the idea is to see what your opponent is using. Defense in depth is the key in "conventional" war; fall back, slow down the enemy if you can, while building up the counters. This also makes your opponent feel you are basically beaten. You know what they are using, they are spreading their efforts (victory disease is so easy to catch when things go smoothly) and retaliate with the perfect counter when the time is right for you.