Orcs on the March - high score/highlights/combat statistics

[ckdamascus]

I replayed my Mage Summoner build, this time using Demonologists to help out.

I dropped red dragons from the mix and only used one to help me out. I couldn't get the Emerald Dragon because I didn't have enough leadership to carry all 50/50/50 guys in one shot.

Black Dragons, Rune Mages, Demonologists were the primary mix. Later on, I would throw in Black Knights to help me with Ktahu, Baal, and the first round of the Arena of Death. Very early game, I used Engineers as well.

Surprisingly, I was able to beat my old score and do it with zero losses.

Some highlights

- beat Hagni the first time around, so I can speed up travel later and get the treasure on Umkas
- used Archmage Skill to great success with the new 1.3.1 Rune Mages
- used Slow more effectively
- freed the Skull of Pain, achieving a much higher intellect rating
- Used Holy Anger level 3 (Mind Tree) for once... wow it is a great skill
- Killed Gremlion with Death Star
- Killed Baal with Black Hole (still used Black Knights for easier recovery though)
- 9 Days to win, down from 14!
- I avoided Ogres the first time around, but later on, my Dragon of Chaos was able to tank them.

I don't think the way I play, I could achieve 7 days. Mostly because my build requires me to go to Verona fairly early to get the Call Phoenix scroll, then go back to sweep everything. I can probably drop it to 8 days, but it seems like a lot of work.

I would have to not dilly dally as much while on Montero's Caves and possibly kill some enemies at lower levels as well.

It is a little strange beating Ktahu so early on though. In a weird way, it makes everything else seem so much easier in the second half of the game, which is somewhat fun.

I used mostly Summons. Occasionally, some battles I would do Summons + mega debuffs.

I mean, no real point in achieving a godly army if you can't really use it, right?

[jake21]

Yea - but I want to know where the 93'rd quest came from

btw in my no loss games i was able to reach level 61 (though only 92 quests in each). The big problem is my days play tend to be around 18.

[ckdamascus]

Originally Posted by jake21

Yea - but I want to know where the 93'rd quest came from

btw in my no loss games i was able to reach level 61 (though only 92 quests in each). The big problem is my days play tend to be around 18.

Yeah, I'm not sure either. It has to do with the order of how I do the quests, which seems to be related to the "quasi-speed" run since I have gotten 92 quests before, and 93 quests.

The speed run forces you to engage in certain battles a bit early, so you need a very "overpowered" strategy.

For me to hit higher level, I would need to keep all my "experience items" equipped. It isn't so much that I couldn't do it, I just don't want to do it.

I love having a lot of intellect or doing nearly maximum damage, etc. Not to mention, I also need to farm for Ancient Knowledge scrolls, which to me, is brain numbing since I would have to save/reload a lot.

Yeah, the second half of the game forces a lot of travel time and makes those last few days jump up like nuts.

[Zechnophobe]

The 50/50/50 you are talking about is the pirates, bowmen and robbers yes? You can buy max amount you have leadership for, put them into reserves, and then repeat. You don't need the leadership for the full stack, just the coin.

[ckdamascus]

Originally Posted by Zechnophobe

The 50/50/50 you are talking about is the pirates, bowmen and robbers yes? You can buy max amount you have leadership for, put them into reserves, and then repeat. You don't need the leadership for the full stack, just the coin.

But you only have 2 reserve slots. There is still one last "50" stack. I think the robbers are the "lowest leadership" one.

You need at least enough leadership to hold a single stack to do it in one go. I'm a mage. So, not enough leadership.

Also, I need those slots eventually to stock up on certain units to bring along with me.

[Zechnophobe]

Originally Posted by ckdamascus

But you only have 2 reserve slots. There is still one last "50" stack. I think the robbers are the "lowest leadership" one.

You need at least enough leadership to hold a single stack to do it in one go. I'm a mage. So, not enough leadership.

Also, I need those slots eventually to stock up on certain units to bring along with me.

Well, just to be technical, you do not actually need enough leadership even for the third stack:

Buy, say, 25 Bowmen from castle. Place in castle reserve area. Buy 25 more, place in castle. Click on 50 bowmen in castle, get 50 out of control bowmen. Of course, you can't FIGHT with that, and you may need to be doing that .


So, that aside... I'm about to go to Shattera at level 43, and have to do it in one run. I hear that scrounger is a bit of a beast, but haven't seen her forces yet. So far against Orcs I pretty much always have to target someone so that the shamans don't use spells. I assume Shackles won't work. What spells does Scrounger get up to?

[ckdamascus]

Originally Posted by Zechnophobe

Well, just to be technical, you do not actually need enough leadership even for the third stack:

Buy, say, 25 Bowmen from castle. Place in castle reserve area. Buy 25 more, place in castle. Click on 50 bowmen in castle, get 50 out of control bowmen. Of course, you can't FIGHT with that, and you may need to be doing that .


So, that aside... I'm about to go to Shattera at level 43, and have to do it in one run. I hear that scrounger is a bit of a beast, but haven't seen her forces yet. So far against Orcs I pretty much always have to target someone so that the shamans don't use spells. I assume Shackles won't work. What spells does Scrounger get up to?

Oh yeah I forgot about that! Good point. I think my problem was I actually had to fight.

Oh man, that is pretty low level for Scrounger.

She doesn't use attack spells as far as I can remember.

Occasionally she will Teleport a stack to you. Most of the time, she uses Phantom.

Good part is, no Geyser or Lightning.

However, Phantom is very problematic because she is an all Orc army, those Phantom goblin shaman might regain Astral Attack. So you either waste a round dispelling, or hope it hits one of YOUR phantoms instead.

There is some randomness on what stacks she can call up. Sometimes there are more Orc Veterans (YUCK), other times, more Ogres (can be bad). Almost always, a large host of Goblin Shaman and Goblins. That is where I saw the Goblins do 5 attacks in a row.

My last game, I saw a stack of 1600 goblins.

My general strategies for it is either somewhat disable, or Summon Storm e.g. keep phantoming units that can summon.

You almost have to drop Ball of Lightning a few times to whittle the enemy down.

You could go Mystic Egg (she usually doesn't go for it, but the board can get crowded), but Ball of Lightning might work better.