Deep Blue's inexorable tide

Here is my Ram build that i've been testing which obtained so far 7 victories out of 7 (or 10 out of 10 if you consider past week) in the 400 AP bracket . This number is not impressive but it shows one thing: it is viable. It managed to defeat all three types of legendaries + other typical army setups (ie: aoe mage / wolf zerg etc...).

Here is the list in case you want to try it out:

1x Skull warrior lvl 4 - hard boiled / taunt / scourge: living
3x Skeleton warrior lvl 2 - hard boiled
2x Skeleton archers lvl 2 - Fierce + 1 with Crippling Shot OR vs ram 2x Skeleton archers lvl 2 - Ferocious
1x Gargoyle lvl 3 - Elusive / Sneak attack


You will like this list if:

-you like to play with high level elite and see high damage numbers
-you don't like to use golem
-you like to have an army able to face all enemies on equal ground
-you like to have some synergy in your army
-you like to play offensively
-you dont like to invest lot of time into levelling


Sinergies:

Skull warrior is the hero of the army and taunt plays a very important role. Using it correctly makes you win the game. PERIOD.

Taunt = -3 ACC and -3 DAM if the unit affected is NOT targetting your Skull warrior.

-Taunt indirect effect on HB skeletons: -3 DAM + Hardboiled is really amazing. Your skeleton warriors will need THREE golem hits to die as it will hit them for 17 damage. NUFF SAID.
-Taunt allows your gargoyle to be even more dangerous without getting hit back...for all the rest, sneak attack.

- Scourge: cowards + Scourge : living = +6 flat damage. Your skull warrior can suddendly bi-shot most units, congratulations. This is a HUGE advantage. For example engaging / hitting a lion archer will deal 20 damage...if it is NOT feared. His only option is to shoot in melee range as if he disengages he is dead (or you made them use 1 divine favor just to have him die the next turn!)

-Fierce and crippling shot: nothing is better vs wolven to have fierce and crippling shot. Preventing pursuit movements + shooting is very good as often you might have your units clumped together and you are denying damage.

General tips:

-I use the gargoyle because together with the skull it can kill the mage in 1 turn with offensive (ONLY if charged). You always need two threats on the mage or else it is gonna be hard.

-Taunt + HB skeletons will slow down the golem so much that your two ferocious archers will tear it apart. My suggestion...do not attack with any of your melee unit the golem (not even the skull) let the archers do the rest.

-use sideboarding tactics...ferocious is useless vs wolf or lion!

-The skull warrior is your strongest and weakest point at the same time. Archers are its bane...so be very careful. Do not be tempted by going berserker with it and use offensive unless your enemy has already finished them or you absolutely need to kill that mage.

- the three skeleton warriors are there not only for the taunt sinergy but to provide protection also to the skull warrior! Surround your enemy

- This build has to be played offensively, no turtling here! You do not fear that Worg

- The build is REALLY fast to level up. How? grind the first training mission with your skull warrior + 1 archer. Simply pass the activation of your archer and let your SW kill all those puny lions. BAM 28 exp per match....quite easy to level it up and much faster than playing vs an opponent. Skeleton archers can be levelled with this method also and it takes just ONE match to take them to level two if you make them do all the damage. Same for all the other units more or less.

yay - another company that can't be killed by lions...

yay - another company that can't be killed by lions...

working as intended also aoe mage is by far the biggest threat... you need very good unit positioning or else they will win.

Hi Deep Blue,

Thanks for sharing this company.

One short question : how exactly are flat damages calculated (if you know) ?

I think about the damage table post and if it is a bonus to the final amount of damage (and not diff), it is pretty huge indeed. I haven't see it like that .

Hi Deep Blue,

Thanks for sharing this company.

One short question : how exactly are flat damages calculated (if you know) ?

I think about the damage table post and if it is a bonus to the final amount of damage (and not diff), it is pretty huge indeed. I haven't see it like that .

it is very simple.

If i would deal 14 damage (calculated with the formula you refer to) the flat damage would simply add its value to the final result...so your 14 damage (i say damage not DAM!) will get increase by +3/+6 (regardless of enemy's TOU)

This is extremely brutal vs feared+living creatures as your skull would deal its normal damage PLUS 6.

Another example, if a unit with 90 TOU would exist which is feared and living, the skull warrior would deal 7 damage in total (1 minimum damage + 6 flat from the two scourges).

EDIT: i also wrote how this build is easy to create. Simply put, do training mission nr 1 and let the SW do all the damage. 28 xp per match is VERY sweet. This is a huge advantage as units such the necro/priest would really need more time to level while the SW can solo the training mission.

Thanks for sharing. Now I just wish I could give it a try. I have all those units, but not leveled the same. I got my Skull Warrior with Counter Attack and my Skeleton Warriors leveled to Martyr so I can use the Priest and the other ones at Lvl 1 for my Necro build as well as my Bowman at Lvl 1 for my Necro build.

This is really why I wish they had a rest item or something to allow you to try different things without deleting units you've spent time and money on just to buy another to try something new. Say I wanted to try this, I would have to screw my current Necro build, delete existing units to buy new ones and then play with an inferior version of this until I can get all the upgrades right. Well, at least thanks for sharing, I can use this as a model to see what I can do with what I have.

Thanks for sharing. Now I just wish I could give it a try. I have all those units, but not leveled the same. I got my Skull Warrior with Counter Attack and my Skeleton Warriors leveled to Martyr so I can use the Priest and the other ones at Lvl 1 for my Necro build as well as my Bowman at Lvl 1 for my Necro build.

This is really why I wish they had a rest item or something to allow you to try different things without deleting units you've spent time and money on just to buy another to try something new. Say I wanted to try this, I would have to screw my current Necro build, delete existing units to buy new ones and then play with an inferior version of this until I can get all the upgrades right. Well, at least thanks for sharing, I can use this as a model to see what I can do with what I have.

you know how much it took me from theorycrafting to create this army? i think between 1 and 1,5 hours. Ok i had the ducats to buy all and my gargoyle was already as i wanted but the rest? all levelled from 1.

Here is how to speed level (dont know if intended )

-Training mission with 100 AP (2x lion swordsmen + 1x archer)
- some ranged units so that they don't attack back if engaged + tank some hits.
- make deal damage ONLY to those units that you want to speed level. The XP you get in training is based on the damage they do and receive / turns you played (?).
- know that AI sprints to nearest enemy - this can be used when you need to level your archers.

some numbers to show you how fast is to level it up from 0

comp with 2x bowman + 1 gargoyle --> engage the bowman with your gargoyle and simply sit there. Use offensive stance with the archers and kill the 2x swordsmen then proceed to kill the bowman. 1 victory = 2x level 2 archers

the same can be done with 2x skeleton warrior lvl 1 --> 1 victory = 2x level 2 skeleton warriors.

the skull warrior needs a bit more grind, i would say about 15 victories - which come really fast in the training map.

The gargoyle i think would take 6 victories probably.

So all in all you can raise up your army amazingly quickly as you can grind 30 XP per match/unit in less than 5 minutes.

It's not the leveling I'm worried about. It's screwing with all of my other army compositions to make those levelings and having to deleting and buy new to go back.

It's not the leveling I'm worried about. It's screwing with all of my other army compositions to make those levelings and having to deleting and buy new to go back.

i see it still boil downs to what is your playstyle but you can for sure take some inspiration out of it

Counterattack could be worth testing as with scourge living if you parry an attack from a swordmen/fang you have probably killed it. My typical issue with that skill is that a good player will always play around it, attacking you either when you are surrounded (low parry chance) or when you still have to activate it.

Also, another issue is that with taunt YOU make the decision to use it....but with counterattack it is the other player that ultimately decides what to do (attacks you or not).

If i would deal 14 damage (calculated with the formula you refer to) the flat damage would simply add its value to the final result...so your 14 damage (i say damage not DAM!) will get increase by +3/+6 (regardless of enemy's TOU)

you sure about that ?

all Alahan skills don't give flat bonus but normal damage table result - so sometimes +3 STR gives only +1/2 damage.