Sauromatian units

[Baalz]

I'm just trying Sauromatia now, I'm using a 9e 4n 4w bless. Once blessed Oiorpata have 17 protection and 20 defense (more once they get some stars, which happens fast), and regenerate 1 hp per turn which is perfect for letting them mix with the Androphag archers who compensate for the Oiorpata's relatively low damage output (for elite units) and the reinvig gives them some serious staying power. That blessing also allows Warrior Sorceresses to become pretty effective thugs for real cheap. Give them a frost brand, script blessing, protection, (plus quicken self if they get a water bless), attack closest...pretty ridiculously effective for 160 gold and 5w, and recruitable anywhere so have swarms of them! Let them lead small-medium groups of Androphag archers for extra nastiness (cast resist poison if you do this).

Speaking of which, Enaries make better leaders for the hydras than Soothsayers, if you cast resist poison round one it'll go off before they get effected by the poison cloud so no need to use gems on a snake ring. Also, if you send extra Enaries they can skellispam which gives the ethereal hydras some serious staying power.

No use for production?!?! The units are not particularly resource intensive, but you do have several *very* good units which are capital only. I've found production-3 pays off in spades long term as it lets you recruit a steady flow of Oiorpata as well as a hoard of Androphag archers. The Androphag archers are not only just generally devastating, they're also an answer to most things which can threaten your Oiorpatas in EA (Jaguar warriors, Vans), but they need critical mass to work right. Obviously you can play it a different way, but I've found Androphags are far and away the best recruitable archers in the game and they alone justify production scales as I can never get enough. Even in your non cap fortresses the Lancers and Cataphracts are quite a good uses for resources.

[Dedas]

Nice tips Baalz!

Maybe I didn't play enough for production to pay off? Probably not as I had lots and lots of resources left once I used up all my gold.

Oh, have you tried using Androphags instead of Oiorpatas? On paper they seem pretty much the same but when the Androphag rider dies you have a nifty blessable lizard left with about 30hp. Quite nice for 60 gold I'd say! They are capital only of course, but that don't stop you from recruiting Oiorpatas everywhere else.

Sorry, I just noticed that Oiorpatas are capital only too. Anyway, I believe the Androphags are a bit better, not as fast but tougher and stronger.

[Dedas]

Someone found any use for Soothsayer and Hydra Tamer yet? They seem pretty superfluous to me.

[Dedas]

My current pretender (I'm quite happy with it):

Dormant Lady of Springs

Dominion 7

Magic: 9W; 5N

Scales:
Order 3
Production -1
Heat 1
Misfortune 2
Magic 1

[llamabeast]

Soothsayers are good communion slaves. Powerful in combo with enaries.

[Dedas]

Didn't think of communion. Good catch.

[Baalz]

Errr, I'm at work now and can't look at the stats, but it seems like when I looked at the Androphag and Oiorpatas the Oiorpatas had a little better stats for the money, and 1 or 2 points in defense and protection really make a difference when they're high. Plus they have higher movement which gives a bonus to the lance first strike (and easier flanking). I did, however, forget about the free lizard so maybe I'll have to take another look. Are they sacred?

For communion slaves I'd recommend considering Enaries over Soothsayers. If Enaries (or Witch Kings don't - forget sabbath master) are the communion masters you're going to end up with a lot of death spells cast (raise dead in particular after your scripting runs out), and the Soothsayers with no death paths are gonna pop pretty fast. You're better off having 2 Enarie communion slaves than 4 Soothsayers under those conditions...4 Enarie slaves and you can raise undead until the cows come home.