am i just a really bad player...

[rdonj]

Oh, it only goes up to level 4? I thought you could get to 6 :/ That makes things pretty rough, yes.

[Knai]

Originally Posted by rdonj

Oh, it only goes up to level 4? I thought you could get to 6 :/ That makes things pretty rough, yes.

There are a lot of very useful spells for Arco that are completely cut off. Mind Hunt, for instance, is among the best spells Arco has access to. Moreover, Arco's healers support use of it, and as such Arco probably uses it better than any other nation. Under a 6 cap, it is a viable useful spell - under a 4 cap, it is locked away entirely.

[krpeters]

Regarding AI opponents:

Quantity of AI opponents is a major factor. If you're playing against 2 or 3, with superior tactics you can wear them down and then start moving into their territory and taking over. But if you're playing against 6 or 9, if you demolish an AI opponent, you find one of his rivals moves in. Pound him, and the first has grown in strength to take over. Actually expanding is *very* difficult; you will find yourself spending most of your time fending off his offenses.

Focus your efforts on preserving your forces while demolishing his; don't waste troops trying to defend territory when a larger AI force shows up. Retreat, smash it when your forces have concentrated, then move back.

BTW, if you're playing the demo, you're at a huge handicap. You can't go thugging with research 4