by The Kingmaker » Thu May 19, 2016 12:17 pm
Having played most of the factions again I won't make a new list, but there are some updates.
Armor is really cool. Probably cooler than Gondor. Why? 90% of their army is elves. Well, two units and two heroes, but they make the bulk of my army. Early stoneworker, wait until it's up then build a Lindon tower at one of the near built plots (Cirdan as my early game hero) and then a barracks and blacksmith. Creep with basic soldiers and some Lindons, build up forces, build farms at all plots beyond strategic ones, which get another Lindon tower. When economy and enemy are secure, but Imladris and get Glorfindel + Enchanted Anvil (-33% upgrades for only 500 gold). Upgrade barracks to get tier 2 swordsmen or vary Lindons from swordsmen. Fill base with blacksmiths and upgrade troops and finish. If that doesn't work, all the farms you're in the process of losing have lowered the cost of Wind Riders from 1500 to about 915. All three and Glorfindel finish off remaining creeps, outposts and resources, putting the enemy in a strangle hold to finish with the main, now upgraded, army. I don't even get many of their troops or heroes. Fun and effective, but of course Rivendell would be better.
Yesterday I was against Lorien, who put up quite a fight. I had found them back to the river in the map (giving me 65% of map), but they got an Ent Moot and Mirkwood at the side nearest their base and proceeded to fight me back. I replenished my lost army and Cirdan (who Thranduil killed, but he was spawned from the Citadel, not Mirkwood. Silly AI) to hold the base units and their Mirkwood reinforcements, losing hordes to the rather OP Ents. The newly Minted Glorfindel and Wind Riders did a clean sweep, destroying Mirkwood proper on their first charge, before Hobbits killed the enemy spearmen, they returned, destroyed the rest of Mirkwood, the Ent Moot, a second Mirkwood the other side of the river and all but one Mallon tree, crippling my enemy and winning me the game by putting Mirkwood and Ents out of commission
Still not sold on Mordor. Angmar is pretty cool, they move up a bit. Rohan down a couple, Gondor down a step. Lorien are cool but I still feel a bit bland with only 4-5 base units plus beornings. I enjoy fighting Angmar, as they have no chance of getting cavalry quickly, negating the use of spearmen entirely. Haldir's golden arrow one-shots Thrall Masters, which means he's really great against them.