No more MP for Hinnom?

[Baalz]

Originally Posted by Kristoffer O

Now I wonder a bit about Ashdod. THey have been discussed a lot less, but they are portrayed as almost Hinnomish in power. The Zamzummim and summons are mentioned, but I have less to go on here.

I guess they have been less common in MP games?

Some things I consider:
- Lower PD, not horites though
- Fewer starting troops
- Chariot nerf (possibly size, possibly something else that might affect other tramplers as well)
- Dawn Guard +5g to original cost level.

Not sure about this, but I had an idea of switching Melqart and Ba'al blood magic lvl. Might need a slight rewrite of descriptions and events.

Main objective of nerf: reduce initial expansion power.

Sorry, I know I said I'd write a guide but I haven't gotten Ashdod in a game yet and I can't "get inside the head" of a nation until I've played them against people.

On your ideas I think they're all good, though I agree with others that nerfing tramping in general would have very wide reaching side effects that are a bit hard to assess the scope of. Reducing the size seems best, given the size of the other giants and the fact human chariots only increase the size by one.

A couple other ideas -

Remove Hinnom's ability to produce their best research & combat mage without a lab. Either change the mechanic which allows this, or give them a set path. It's kinda cool that other nations can recruit a weak mage if they haven't gotten a lab up yet, it's pretty much an exploit that Hinnom can crank out battle/research mages with no need to ever put up a second lab until it's convenient. Or maybe make those guys cap only? *That* would be a pretty big nerf.

Perhaps add a minor unrest effect to complement the population eating? Thematic and a tiny amount would go a long way towards reducing their ability to bloodhunt. Even a tiny amount would make it so you could really only use two blood hunters per province, thus cutting down their blood income by 1/3rd.