Dud nations

Wish · #1 May 14th, 2007, 01:02 PM

well they are cheaper under conceptual balance. so i guess the community has already ceded that point.

I played an MP with them in dom 2. they can hold their own. (just not against qm)

DrPraetorious · #2 May 14th, 2007, 04:49 PM

LA Abyssia still gets warlocks, and warlocks still rock.

The Guardian of the Pyre compares fairly to most *late era* sacred units. His purpose is not to kill the enemy - with a 4N blessing he's a good shield wall to prevent the enemy from reaching your anathemants who are spamming fire magic.

LA Abyssia is an extremely poor sacred rusher - so if you evaluate all nations according to face-hugging potential, it stinks.

But it's in the late era for a reason - by the standards of late era nations, their magic is extremely powerful. Their military is uninspiring, but that's fair to balance their devastating magic. I'll admit that LA Marignon is better in most ways.

That said, I'm working on spells for every era of abyssia.

Evilhomer · #3 May 14th, 2007, 05:05 PM

LA abyssia has good battle mages, cheap blood mages (100 gold, sacred), decent infantery, they get 80 extra design points (due to heat 2) - probably among the top 50% nations.

Gandalf Parker · #4 May 14th, 2007, 06:58 PM

The reason that someone will always mention Abyssia on such lists, especially late Abyssia, is that its benefits dont appear to some players. Its particular to the playing style. Of course all of the nations are to some degree which is something I LOVE about this game. But Abysia seems like a good idea for using the fire auras in head-to-head combat, then when they try it doesnt seem to work out as well as expected. Finding its other benefits involves working in areas that might not be apparent to the kinds of players who try it looking for a super army.

I think thats part of any nation. Anytime there DOES seem to be an agreement about a weak anything (nation, spell, units, strategy) it tends to make me focus on it to try and develop a use for it. I think that many of the expert players do the same thing but being an expert player tends to go hand in hand with not telling everyone when you discover such things.

Evilhomer · #5 May 14th, 2007, 07:18 PM

I disagree on one point, most so called experts that you talk to do what they can to give constructive advice and their opinion in matters.

tromper · #6 May 14th, 2007, 07:38 PM

I'm sorry, but perhaps you're thinking that a mass of overly-expensive Guardians of the Pyre and some Falling Fires casting scared, err I mean sacred, units are going to take anyone down with anything but late to end game noise, Gandalf Parker? Go play LA Abysia in MP. You expect them to use blood to summon what? Their troops don't radiate heat, and everyone will know what's coming once they manage to research up to decent fire spells that utilize their fire resistance. I'm still not understanding. They suck.

In fact, has anyone ever been overrun by LA Abysia? Has LA Abysia ever won a game? Hmmmm.

Evilhomer · #7 May 14th, 2007, 07:49 PM

Have you even tried blood ? It is very strong in fact, and the ability to build blood hunters for 100 gold (and since they are sacred they cost half the upkeep) is a very nice trait. They have strong fire, astral and blood mages, and strong mages are pretty rare in LA, in fact there are dussins of worse nations out there. Sure they are not a powerhouse but they are not as weak as you think.