EA Caelum – Ride the lightning - Page 2

AreaOfEffect · #1 January 13th, 2009, 04:36 PM

Another great guide Baalz.

Thanks for the shout-outs as well. I'll be sure to direct people to this guide if they have any more questions on how to deal with cold and shock immune units as a lot of the tactics still apply. Nicely handled.

KissBlade · #2 January 13th, 2009, 08:43 PM

Ah False Horror spam. Brings a tear of nostalgia to my eye. =) And kudos on actually finding a use for /shockwave/?!

Executor · #3 January 13th, 2009, 09:05 PM

Shockwave is an excellent spell.

Baalz · #4 January 13th, 2009, 10:06 PM

Yeah, once you put on something like a robe of shadows & summon earthpower plus the blessing you're reinvigging much more than the fatigue you get for shockwave - and if you should happen upon a lightning immune opponent your eagle king will thoughtfully switch to frozen heart or fall back to fists of iron in a pinch (it packs a considerable whallop at E3 doing 3 attacks at 30 damage). Who wants a frost brand when you're laying AN damage out with an AOE of 6?

MaxWilson · #5 January 14th, 2009, 02:10 AM

I never knew how fun Shockwave could be until recently I summoned the Queen of Clouds and was too cheap to gear her up; remembering something I had been told once upon a time about Helheim Vanjarls I set her to . Hilarity ensues. Shock wave is actually pretty neat for shock-resistant casters who can survive melee.

-Max

Carpetbagger · #6 January 14th, 2009, 02:33 AM

Ive been playing EA Caelum in Byleswars and I gota say they are my fav EA nation. I love being able to cloud trapeze. Messed up and picked a fight with Yomi. Demons with just enough air...

rdonj · #7 January 14th, 2009, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carpetbagger

Ive been playing EA Caelum in Byleswars and I gota say they are my fav EA nation. I love being able to cloud trapeze. Messed up and picked a fight with Yomi. Demons with just enough air...

*looks innocent*

WraithLord · #8 January 14th, 2009, 06:00 AM

The guide is full of good ideas. For the sake of fairness I'd say that most were presented in the past by Warhammer and in disparate threads. This is the last time I'll give such a comment b/c I think it should be fairly obvious to all that this is a state of things and that there's no need for guide writers to apologize or give account when making a guide. Its only natural that good ideas would circle around in the collective knowledge of the community.
Of course that doesn't take away from the great presentation and additional ideas that you've added.

This is the first time however that I don't like the center piece of your strategy. Don't like rather than don't agree - b/c it is workable and efficient. Its just that personally I hate to rely too much on one trick and basing all my game plan on capital only eagle kings is too much depend. for my taste. It is very plausible to play Caelum with no bless and still rely on its mobility and air magic prowess. I can personally attest to doing so successfully in MP games.

Anyway, keep up the good work and if you ever manage to find a guide to MA Oceania then you'll formally become the dominions guides genius

Baalz · #9 January 14th, 2009, 10:58 AM

I think it's a mischaracterization to describe this as focusing on one trick. Eagle kings are so versatile, performing superbly at air raid thugging, buffing, blasting, and rituals...in a very real way your nation is tied up in them regardless of what design choices you make. Investing in an earth bless makes a whole lot of sense as it supercharges eagle king thugs *and* casters, and lets be honest what are you going to spend your points on that gives a better payback? More Caelum infantry? A single SC god not terribly better than a decked out eagle king? Sure you can play EA Caelum without a blessing but you're going to be focused on the eagle kings no matter where you put your design points and my philosophy is to focus on your strengths and circumvent your weaknesses. Additionally, this build does not focus exclusively on the eagle kings, the rainbow pretender greatly contributes to your magic diversity, without your pretender you've got nothing above level one mages in anything other than air (eventually squeeking into level 2 water). I'm curious, what do you suggest that gives a competitive payout?

WraithLord · #10 January 14th, 2009, 11:40 AM

A setup that worked well in a previous MP game (IIRC was called WOOF, hosted by Pasha) was a dormant Deva. Dom 7, O3 S3 C3 G3 M1, F4 N4 D4 B4 semi SC/rainbow.

I expanded early with Mammoths then while researching alt-2 (phantasmal warrior) and spamming cheap castles. The castles were used to recruit many spire horn seraphs.

At that point I encountered a Kailasa with an A9 (and maybe more minors) bless meant to counter Caelum. At this point raiding groups of 6-10 spire horn seraphs all spamming PW were sufficient to counter the blessed armies of Kailasa. I'd spread them to raid PD and concentrate them to kill armies. Kinda like a deadly dance, every time I missed a step a raiding army got annihilated

Mid game was your usual super mobility Caelum, flying and cloud trapezing armies spamming thunder strikes, and setting up the mood with storm, fog warriors etc. The game didn't last enough for end game to start in earnest so I don't know how Caelum would have fared there.

Oh and It was much as you described. I would wait for a time and charge up on A. gems and then explode on a nation virtually capturing most of its provinces in a few turns.

Looking back at this setup I think its much less efficient than your suggestions.
I'd change it add astral on pretender (for spentas) and E4 for minor reinnvig. On blessed.
AoE's MA Caelum guide is closer (where applicable) to the way I'd play EA.

I'll say it again, your suggestions are good. Eagle kings are worth the bless. Its just me that don't like to rely on capital only commanders to make up my game plan.