Clash Of Armies [Started]

[RonD]

Slow works for me.

I'll claim Marignon.

I do worry that the low gem setting will favor blood, but I'm sure the real number crunchers will weigh in on the topic before long.

[Ygorl]

The rich world might soften the blood advantage a bit, though, as the bloodhunters will have to sacrifice more income in order to hunt (this is my intuition, at least...)

[Oversway]

Low gem does favor blood, and very difficult research also gives a boost (since you only have to research blood and perhaps construction paths).

On such a small map, I think a higher gem setting might help. The idea is you won't get into high enough research levels to be summoning lots of scs before the game is over.

On the other hand, lots of gems may mean lots of spell casters and low level summons. Which may not be what you had in mind.

Another option is a mod that disables all the magic above level four. I recall there was an mp game with that, you can probably get the mod from that thread.

[archaeolept]

its hard to say how much having rich world will counteract the bias towards blood from having vd research and low gems... not enough, I would wager.

OTOH, vd research very much favours undead themes; however they will be hurt by not gaining the advantages of a rich world... so that part should balance fine.

[WraithLord]

@Ironhawk, I want SCs to be less common, by making their summons and equipping more difficult and less cost effective. Sorry this pace is not good for you.

@Oversay, Do you think this is a small map?- It does after all have 267 provinces.
I think low level summons and spells are ok. I want to limit the effectiveness of SCs, so that big, balanced armies are more common. I prefer not to limit the magic levels.
Maybe, to completely eliminate the problem, this game shall ban blood nations or themes?

EDIT:
Also, with low magic settings, wouldn't there be less gems for forging the items for blood nations SCs?- So that even if they do focus on blood and construction they should be hard pressed to equip their SCs.

[Cainehill]

Still definately favors the blood nations - their summoned unique demons don't need much in equipment compared to what anyone else will be able to put on the field. Blood hunting hurts their income, sure - but they have more income than a normal game.

Similarly, as archaeolept points out, VD research helps the death themes a lot, as the spells necessary to fight them effectively won't come into play before they can get huge hordes of undead going.

Might want to ban the blood nations / death themes, just to keep things balanced.

[castigated]

i'm definitely down for playing ulm.

[Nah27]

Hmm, I'd like to try playing as a broken empire (base theme) ermor, assuming there's still space.

[Oversway]

@Oversway, Do you think this is a small map?- It does after all have 267 provinces.

My mistake, I misread the map name.