Ashdod is a dry wasteland inhabited by the Rephaim, giants descended from the Nephilim of primordial times. The Rephaim have degenerated and lost the prodigal powers of their predecessors, but they are still mighty in comparison to other beings. While not as mighty as they once were, there are still a few Rephaim with pure blood. In the Twin Cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon live the Anakim, mightiest of the Rephaim, and the Anakite priest-kings. With the disappearance of the Nephilim and the pureblooded Rephaim, the Nephilim Cult has been replaced by ancestor worship. Malikum, Rephaite kings of old, are worshiped at sacred banquets for the dead. The Kohanim of earlier times have been replaced by the Zamzummim, priest-mages and shepherds of the dead, who fulfill their purpose in life by being devoured at the funerary banquets.

"Hinnom, Ashdod and Gath are heavily influenced by ancient Israelite, Canaanite and Philistine concepts. I have always been intrigued and fascinated by biblical mythology, and had long I wanted to include the Nephilim and biblical Genesis myths into the game. However, I was worried that I would not do the sources justice, so it took a while before I finally got down to finishing the nations. The Bible, the Book of Enoch, the Dead Sea scrolls and the Ras Shamra texts of Ugarit and interpretations of these texts are the main sources of the nations. Gath, … draws more heavily from Israelite and Philistine concepts. Early Israelite religion and history with a centralized cult at the temple and Israelite tribes, combined with the legends of David and Goliath of Gath are obvious sources for the late iteration of the nation. I wanted the nation to be an abomination, slowly becoming more civilized throughout the ages. Hinnom is perhaps more than any other nation in the game an evil nation. I'm not very fond of the concept of evil, but it would be difficult to claim that the cannibalistic giants of Hinnom are anything but." -Illwinter

If you are considering picking this nation to play, what should you know?

Magic Access	Alt. Access	Unit Summary	Core Abilities	Buildings
2 (rare 3) 2 (rare 3) 2 (rare 3) 2 (rare 3) 2 (rare 3) 2 (rare 3) 3	Heroes 34 Summons 33 (req. 41) 3 (req. 52) 44 or 44 or 44 or 44 (req. 73)	Gittite Infantry Several Human Tribes with different skills.	Sacred Fire Resistance Gluttony Wasteland Survival Fear of the Flood	Giant Forts Temples cost 1200

Capitol Gems: 112
Heat Limit + 1
Prefers Heat Scale + 1

Blood Sacrifice: May blood sacrifice to increase dominion. This ability is not transferred to disciple nations. Disciple nations with this ability can still use it. These nations do not have dying dominion.

• Strange Fire (Evocation 4)
  12
  Commentary here.
  

See Magic Access. These guides supplement the summaries at the top.

Call Merkavah summons a Chayot, an 44 mage. It can change shape to have 4, 4, and 4, but it cannot have crosspaths. It also requires a Pretender with the right paths to reasonably be able to summon.
Bind Heliophagus summons one of four mages with some combination of high paths in Fire, Death, or Blood.
Bind Demon Lord has a chance of summoning a mage with a high levels in any of the paths except Water.

Gaining four Astral boosters to get a Ring of Sorcery and then the Ring of Wizardry is tricky, but the hero, Sabba - Sibyl of Hermon, has 3. It's still tricky, but less so.

Highest Starting: 2 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3)

Skull of Fire
11 Yeddeoni (1 in 4)

Bind Arch Devil
22 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3) +

No national access.

Ether Gate
11 Yeddeoni (1 in 4) +
Ether Lord has a 1 in 4 chance of 1.

No national access.

Contact Lamia Queen
12 Abba (1 in 3) +
Lamia Queen has a 7 in 16 chance of at least 1.

Summon Spectre
2 Yeddeoni (1 in 4) +
Spectral Mage has a 7 in 16 chance of at least 1.

Highest Starting: 2 Yeddeoni (1 in 4) or Kohen Gadol (1 in 3)

Pebble Skin Suit Unremovable
22 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3) +

The Tome of Gaia Unique
12 Abba (1 in 3) +

Blood Stone
22 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3) +

Father Illearth
22 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3) +
Father Illearth has 4 but no feet for Earth Boots.

A Yeddeoni can have the right crosspaths for the Atlas of Creation (Unique) but it requires too many boosters to be practical.

Highest Starting: 2 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3)

Coin of Meteoritic Iron
11 Yeddeoni (1 in 4) +

Golem Construction
11 Yeddeoni (1 in 4) +
Golem has 2.

Oath Rod of Kurgi Unique
22 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3) +

Ether Gate
11 Yeddeoni (1 in 4) +
Ether Lord has 3

The Void Sphere Unique
22 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3) + It's a lot of Astral boosters, but potentially doable.

A Yeddeoni can have the right crosspaths for the Atlas of Creation (Unique) but it requires too many boosters to be practical.

Highest Starting: 2 Yeddeoni (1 in 4)

The Black Book of Secrets Unique
22 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3)

Highest Starting: 2 Abba. The hero, Sabba - Sibyl of Hermon, has 4.

Call Arel
12 Abba (1 in 3) or 11 Iassacharite Sibyl +
Arel has 33.

The Tome of Gaia Unique
12 Abba (1 in 3) +

Moonvine Bracelet
12 Abba (1 in 3) +

No national access.

Troll King's Court
2 Yeddeoni (1 in 4) or Kohen Gadol (1 in 3) +
Troll King has 1

Summon Spectre
2 Yeddeoni (1 in 4) +
Spectral Mage has a 7 in 16 chance of at least 1.

Forest Troll Tribe
2 Abba +
Troll Shaman has a 1 in 4 chance of 1

Highest Starting: 2 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3)

Tome of the Lower Planes Unique
22 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3) +

The Black Book of Secrets Unique
22 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3)

Tome of the Lower Planes Unique
22 Kohen Gadol (1 in 3) +

How to win as the nation. Feel free to use the following sections, or delete them, or change them.

Different expansion options.

Early game options.

Mid game options.

Late game options.

What are the nation's weaknesses?

Add links to guides or other overviews for this nation here.

Nations
Early Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Ulm • Pyrène, • Marverni • Sauromatia • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Mictlan • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Agartha • Tir na n'Og • Fomoria • Vanheim • Helheim • Niefelheim • Muspelheim • Rus • Kailasa • Lanka • Yomi • Hinnom • Ur • Berytos • Xibalba • Mekone • Ubar • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Therodos
Middle Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Sceleria • Pythium • Man • Eriu • Ulm • Pyrène • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Asphodel • Vanheim • Jotunheim • Nidavangr • Vanarus • Bandar Log • Shinuyama • Ashdod • Uruk • Nazca • Xibalba • Phlegra • Phaeacia • Ind • Na'ba • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Ys
Late Ages	Arcoscephale • Pythium • Lemuria • Man • Ulm • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Jomon • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Midgård • Utgård • Bogarus • Patala • Gath • Ragha • Xibalba • Phlegra • Vaettiheim • Feminie • Piconye • Andramania • Pyrène • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Erytheia