From: bruno@cerberus.csd.uwm.edu (Bruno Wolff III)
Subject: Re: Marsh/Plains
Originator: bruno@cerberus.csd.uwm.edu
Reply-To: bruno@cerberus.csd.uwm.edu
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 18:57:16 GMT

From article <wegAIyO00awEM4Kkwh@andrew.cmu.edu>, by "Timothy C. Worsley" <tw1r+@andrew.cmu.edu>:
> 	Normally, I don't like to post personally mail, but I can hardly see
> how it would hurt this time.
> 
> Excerpts from mail: 11-Sep-92 Re: Titan -- non-game-alter.. David
> desJardins@ccr-p.i (491)
> 
>> In article <QefwtSG00VpEA_C1gq@andrew.cmu.edu> you write:
>> >1) Rather than rolling for tower and turn randomly, we have a set order
>> >(some towers are better than others.).  Even towers get "extra" marshes
>> >instead of plains, while towers 1 and 4 get one less jungle.  
> 
>> I'm curious.  Is this supposed to imply that marshes are better than
>> plains?  If this is what you mean, I would be interested to hear the
>> argument.  Write or post.
> 
> 	I'm going to start by saying that equal point creatures of different
> skills are not equal.  Because of the hitting system, skill 4 peices are
> best*, then skill 2, and then skill 3.  Movement favors the higher
> skilled creatures, or course, but hit factor is almost always the most
> important.  
> 	When this is combined with the fact that Lions are smaller that Trolls
> anyway (15 vs 16) it's pretty clear that Trolls are better.  Both bet
> rangers, of course, but Trolls get Warbears, which are generally better
> than Minotaurs (The rangestriking can swing the difference sometimes,
> but not always.).  The Troll path then leads to Giants which are not
> only bigger than Dragons, but skill 4 to boot (Flying is nice, but not
> generally enough to make up the difference.).  On the hydra rout, the
> lions have the slight edge.  Griffons, while worth one less point than
> Wyverns, actually fight better (skill 4 vs skill 3).  However, the
> advantage of the Trolls is generally bigger than the dissadvantage, so
> the marsh rout is better than the plains rout.
> 
> *  For example, I'll use 3 24 point creatures, because the rounding
> works well moderately well.
> 
> 6-4 vs 12-2
> 6-4 gets 5 hits on average  42% damage
> 12-2 gets 2 hits on average 33% damage
> 
> 6-4 vs 8-3
> 6-4 gets 4 hits on average 50% damage
> 8-3 gets 2+2/3 hits on average 44% damage
> 
> 12-2 vs 8-3
> 12-2 gets 4 hits on average 50% damage
> 8-3 gets 5+1/3 hits on average 44% damage
> 
> ZZnew guy

Actually speed and rangestriking are much more important than you think.
Stacks that are fast and can do a lot of rangestriking can pound stacks
that have significantly more points in them.
The speed allows you to get to enemy units quickly so that your angel can
be brought in early and that the battle can be ended before the defender
recruits. The attacker will get the first rangestrike and can significantly
damage the defending stack before it can attack back.
We have found that Minotaurs are better than Warbears (woods natives are
hopeless in their home terrain, while minotaurs are good in theirs).
Rangers are definitely better than Lions and Trolls. They don't have the
long term potential that Lions and Trolls have, but they can keep the game
from ever going to the long term.
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