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"Machaka is a nation inspired by African kingdoms and the Shona in particular. The king, a sacred figure, reigns, but does not rule. He is served by vassal chiefs, and his priests, the Eyes, Ears and Mouth, keep constant surveillance over sub-chiefs and serve as a link between the people and the temple. The Shilluk concept of regicide and other unspecified ideas from African cultures have also made their way into the nation. Modern Oriental concepts and fantasy clichés can be found in the black sorcerers of the God Mountain, and the spiders. I admit to some obscure influences from the comic The Phantom as well. The Machaka of the early age is influenced by the old TTRPG Powers and Perils. In the fantastic campaign setting of this game there was a nation of African stock led by great men that were released from a great sleeping city. The notion of a released race of superior men was attractive. Various myths, tales, films and "African" fantasy concepts have been mashed together and mixed with the middle age Machaka ideas.
My first idea of clans based on body parts like liver,The nation evolved side by side with Berytos, but it took a bit longer to finish. Creating two nations together and intertwining their history gave them both additional life. It is probably something I want to do with more new nations in the future." - Illwinter
Machaka is an old sacral kingdom where the well-being of the land is thought to be dependent on the will of the king. The king is the highest priest of the kingdom, but should he fail in his duties, he is sacrificed and replaced by one of his numerous sons or brothers. The priests of the kingdom are the true rulers of the land. Religious ceremonies, judicial tasks and the gathering of intelligence are all performed by the Eyes, Ears, and Voices of the Lord. Only warfare is handed over to secular commanders. Machaka uses light infantry, archers and heavy hoplites second only to those of Arcoscephale. In the forests of Machaka, giant spiders are caught and used as mounts. One other area is left untouched by the priests: Magic. Simple witch doctors living outside villages grudgingly serve the priests. In the depths of the God Forest lies a lonely mountain filled with caves. Here resides the true power of Machaka, above even the priests - the Black Sorcerers, Sorceresses and their Spider Warriors
If you are considering picking this nation to play, what should you know?
Magic Access | Alt. Access | Unit Summary | Core Abilities | Buildings |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Hero ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Light Infantry with Tower Shields Archers Hoplites Spies Capital: Poison, Spies, Spider Riders, and Assassins | ![]() Wounded Shape | ![]() |
"Uncommon" here is 20%.
Capitol Gems: 12
1
1
Heat limit + 1
Prefers Heat Scale + 2
God Mountain: Boosts all ritual range in the capital by 1 province.
The Machakans are statistically unusual humans; they're still Size 3 (three-to-a-square), but most have 13 Combat Speed, and those who don't occupy themselves with the giant spiders have 2 Encumbrance. Both of these the baseline, modified by whatever armor they wear; the average Machakan wears none. Machakans also have
Forest Survival.
A lot of armourless troops with few wearing plates. Those without armour have an unusually high map move of 18, something most cavalry don't have. As this is paired with Forest Survival they can potentially move between 2 to 3 provinces a turn.
Sprite | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Machaka Scout![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Machaka Chief![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Machaka Commander![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Spider Lord![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Great Spider | ![]() ![]() ![]() Eyes (8) ![]() ![]() | |
![]() | Ear of the Lord![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Eye of the Lord![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Voice of the Lord![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Witch Doctor![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Sorcerer![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Spider Sorceress![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Wounded Shape(Great Spider, -1 path reduction) ![]() Female | Commentary here. |
![]() | Great Spider | Adds: Eyes (8) Pathboost: -1ALL Replaces: ![]() | |
![]() | Voice of the Hunters![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Hunter Spider | ![]() ![]() Eyes (8) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
![]() | Bane Spider![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Black Sorcerer![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 10% ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Wounded Shape(Hunter Spider, -1 path reduction) ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Hunter Spider | Adds: Eyes (8) Pathboost: -1ALL Replaces: ![]() | |
![]() | Anansi![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 10% ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Shapechanger(Great Spider, -1 path reduction) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Great Spider | Adds: Pathboost: -1ALL Eyes (8) Replaces: ![]() ![]() |
Outside of pygmies, most of Machaka's troops cost a lot of recruitment points, some also a lot of resources.
Sprite | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Commentary here. |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Pygmy![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Machaka Militia![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Machaka Archer![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Machaka Warrior![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Machaka Warrior![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() |
|
![]() | Machaka Hoplite![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Spider Archer![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Spider Warrior![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Spider Rider![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Great Spider | ![]() ![]() ![]() Eyes (8) ![]() ![]() | |
![]() | Spider Knight![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Black Hunter![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
![]() | Hunter Spider | ![]() ![]() Eyes (8) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sprite | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
![]() ![]() | Ainra - Lady of Spiders | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() female | Powerful Earth and Death mage with a second spider health pool. Best way to get to ![]() |
![]() | Abasi - Hero | ![]() ![]() | Inspirational leader for free, may also used in minor arena battles. Save for late game with morale boost items for a army that is hard to rout. |
![]() | Yasini - King Triumphant | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Throne claimer, and a better leader then Abasi. |
![]() | Mwaka - Crowned Ape | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Dominon attracts units (Great Ape) / 20 | Big 150 ld commander and gets some extra ape siege chaff. |
![]() | Mchumba - Ape Oracle | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Female | Only use is to have her sit around and prevent bad events. Worthy Heroes makes her ![]() ![]() |
Source | Unit | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
![]() ![]() | ![]() Great Spider / 20 | ![]() ![]() Eyes (8) ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
Summon Spell | Unit | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Pride of Lions (Conjuration 3) ![]() ![]() | ![]() Great Lion x 15+ | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
Herd of Elephants (Conjuration 3) ![]() ![]() | ![]() Elephant x 5+[1/2 lvl] | ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
God Brood (Conjuration 4) ![]() ![]() ![]() Capital Only | ![]() Hunter Spider x 6 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Commentary here. |
Note that your "thuggable" (extraordinary-in-combat) mages shapechange into forms without matching item slots when killed in their human forms, disables their items for the rest of the battle.
See Magic Access. These guides supplement the summaries at the top.
You are a Fire, Earth, Death, Nature, Glamour nation with all your wizards paying at least a premium to have a path in at least three of them or an elite Glamour stealth agent. While a better nation would pay less for a wizard that can be Earth 2, you get a spread of 1s. This does open your wizards up to multiple crosspaths. Lots of your stronger mages come about because you can forge a lot of the boosters (ie. Earth Boots, Dwarven Hammer, Skull of Fire, Flame Helmet, Thistle Mace, Skull Staff).
On Average you can get 5,
5,
3,
3, and/or
4 out of your Sorcerers, Black Sorcerers, and Anansi with items during combat.
With luck and boosting, you can get King of Banefires, King of Elemental Fire and King of Elemental Earth.
Summon Spectre can break you into Water and Astral, if you get lucky it may let you go further up in them and earth.
Faerie Couart Breaks into Air or Water with several crosspaths.
Various powerful Evocations, some useful battle items
Strength of Gaia (powerful self-buffing), Gaia's Blessing (all four Elemental Resistances at once), strong animal summons, Lamia Queen, Wild Hunt, The Kindly Ones, Blight, Venomous Death, Army of Gold, False Fire, Volcanic Eruption, Manikin, Mandragora, Iron Gryphon, Iron Dragon, Poison Golem, Shroud of Plendor, Horrible Visage, Faery Trod, Hidden in Sand, Hidden in Underneath??, Fields of the Dead, Unending Nightmare, Beckoning,
The Beast of the Savanna by Baalz
Different expansion options.
Early game options.
Mid game options.
Late game options.
Chassis: Awake Titan of Crossroads
Paths: 4
5
7
Bless: MW/Arcane Finesse, Invuln 10, Regen.
Scales: 6
2
0
3
1
2
3
What are the nation's weaknesses?
Add links to guides or other overviews for this nation here.