How difficult is this game?

[VedalkenBear]

1) Like to out-tech people. This generally means good magic (since it's the 'tech tree')

2) Rather like RPing.

3) Smaller, more Elite armies.

4) Ranged units.

Well, I guess the obvious response is 'MA Caelum'. They have excellent ranged units, but don't really use them. They have very good mages, and good _battlemages_ at that. The only sticking point is that their initial army is generally almost required to be Mammoths intermixed with high-morale troops and just stomping everything flat. Dunno if that appeals to you.

[Fenris99]

I'll give it a try tonight... just reading through the manual right now. There's so much to do here. It's awesome!

[llamabeast]

I like MA Marignon for a starting nation. They are human, so quite familiar. They have powerful crossbowmen, and elite knights. It rapidly becomes obvious that magic is powerful as they can lay down some serious firepower with easy access to fire magic. And later on in the game they can do interesting things like summon angels.

Also they have interesting options in that any of a strong bless, a rainbow pretender or excellent scales would be a reasonable tactic to try out.

[Fenris99]

Those guys sound even more interesting.

[VedalkenBear]

They _are_ pretty 'traditional'; I guess my issue with them is that they are virtually the only nation he ever plays. So I'm overloaded on them.

[Fenris99]

Oh, when I play RTS I'm kind of a turtler. I like to build up and research and then attack with a fully upgraded army.

[Fenris99]

ok, question: How do you raise the spell levels of your mages? Do they go up automatically when you research magic?