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Vanheim is a land of misty moors and bitter forests inhabited by a tall and innately magical race known as the Vanir. The Vanir are mortal enemies of the giants of Jotunheim and since the beginning of time they have waged a great war upon each other. They are masters of illusions and are able to trick mortals with their glamour. In halls under the mountains of Vanheim live Dwarves, smiths capable of crafting fabulous items. Vanheim is a land of magic and even the horses are enchanted and exceptionally fast. Vanir are skilled shipwrights and navigators and can sail the oceans. Lesser beings are not held in high regard and their blood is sacrificed to sate the Awakening God.
"These are all nations sprung from old Norse myth. The Poetic Edda and some later tales, combined with general conceptions of Iron Age Scandinavia, are the main sources. Vanir, Aesir and Giants are ancient antagonists in these myths. The Aesir, being perceived as gods, have been made pretenders in Dominions. Not that Vanir weren't, but they seem less so than the Aesir in most instances. As with most nations of supernatural origin, it seems fitting that their magic fades with each passing age as humans become more and more numerous. Niefelheim, Jotunheim, and Utgård are part of the history of a single nation through the ages. Vanheim, Helheim and Midgård also share a common ancestry and development. In the middle era Helheim merges with Vanheim and disappears as an independent nation. Only the valkyries remain as reminders of the legacy of Helheim." -Illwinter
If you are considering picking this nation to play, what should you know?
Magic Access | Alt. Access | Unit Summary | Core Abilities | Buildings |
---|---|---|---|---|
3 (Rare 4) 3 (Rare 4) 3 (Rare 4) 2 (Rare 3) 1 (Rare 2) 1 (Rare 2) 2 | Hero 32222 2221 | Sailing Elf Vikings Strong Thugs No Cheap Mages Berserking Vanhere Sacreds | Stealthy Sailing Glamour | Standard Forts Trace income across oceans |
Capitol Gems: 231
Cold Limit + 1
Magic Limit + 1
Prefers Cold Scale + 1
Blood Sacrifice: Priests can sacrifice a blood slave at a temple to help extend the dominion.
Andvarian Dwarves: Vanheim has recruitable Master Smiths who can forge equipment one level higher than comparable mages, though only for magic paths they have. The smiths are slow to recruit, and not quite as flexible as the other mages of the nation, but they raise Vanheim's effective magic access for the purpose of getting items:
All of the smiths will at least have 3 in terms of forging, and the crosspaths they can get in conjunction with their smithing skill lets Vanheim make a wide variety of things… just not cheaply.
The nation is made up of mostly Elves, long-lived and glamoured beings with high defense skill. The majority of your armies will be invisible on the strategic maps of other players, making you an ever-elusive threat that can steal land at any moment.
EA Vanheim's mage lineup largely lacks "efficient" spellcasters; all mages aside from the cap-only Dwarven Smith are skilled elves on horses and thus cost a heavy premium.
Image | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Van Scout 55 15 1 | Stealthy (75) Glamour Mountain Survival Forest Survival | Commentary here. | |
Vanherse 235 17 2 | 1119 Sacred Stealthy (65) Sailing (Max Size 5) Skilled Rider (4) Glamour | Commentary here. | |
Vanjarl 440 19 2 | 211211 Sacred Stealthy (65) Sailing (Max Size 5) Skilled Rider (5) Glamour | Commentary here. | |
Fay Horse | Sacred Poison Resistance (10) Disease Resistance (100%) Stealthy (65) Smart Mount (100) Animal Glamour True Sight | Commentary here. | |
Dwarven Smith 195 2 4 Capital Only | 21100% 10%11 Darkvision (50%) Master Smith (1) Mountain Survival Prophet Shape: Dwarf Elder | Commentary here. | |
Vanadrott 595 20 4 Capital Only | 22121100% 10%17 Sacred Stealthy (65) Sailing (Max Size 5) Skilled Rider (5) Glamour | Commentary here. |
Image | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Serf Warrior 8 6 5 | Commentary here. | ||
Huskarl 25 10 21 | Stealthy (40) Glamour | Commentary here. | |
Huskarl 25 13 21 | Stealthy (40) Glamour | Commentary here. | |
Hirdman 30 17 25 | Stealthy (40) Glamour | Commentary here. | |
Mounted Hirdman 50 13 48 | Stealthy (40) Glamour Skilled Rider (3) | Commentary here. | |
Vanhere 40 16 28 Capital Only | Sacred Stealthy (40) Glamour Ambidextrous (1) Berserker (5) | Commentary here. | |
Fay Boar 100 1 30 Capital Only | Supply Bonus (100) Immortal Animal Trample Forest Survival | Commentary here. |
Image | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Vanlade - Vanadrott Earliest Arrival Turn (10) | 4222223 Sacred Resist Shock (5) Inspirational (1) Stealthy (40) Glamour Skilled Rider (5) Sailing (Max Size 5) | Commentary here. | |
Sölvis - Vanadis | 222117 Sacred Awe (3) Stealthy (40) Glamour Sailing (Max Size 5) Skilled Rider (6) Flying Spirit Sight Combat Caster Female | Commentary here. | |
Disahestur | Sacred Poison Resistance (10) Disease Resistance (100%) Stealthy (40) True Sight Flying Smart Mount (100) | Commentary here. |
EA Vanheim is heavily focused on air and earth magic, with a side gig in blood, fire and death.
Vanheim has access to the following paths for the purposes of rituals:
Elements
Sorceries
Summon Spell | Unit | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Summon Valkyries (Conjuration 6) 31 and 1 | Valkyrie x 7 | Sacred Stealthy (40) Glamour Flying Spirit Sight Female | Summons flying, glamoured sacreds. These can be useful for pressuring back lines in combat, but they can't be scripted (since they are summoned), making them equally likely to divebomb the enemy's frontlines or middle ranks instead. Blessing them is also tricky, requiring either a delay in casting Divine Blessing or a particular grouping of your other Sacred troops for the standard Blessing. |
Summon Spell | Unit | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Sloth of Bears (Conjuration 3) 2 and 6 | Great Bear x 15+ | Undisciplined Animal Mountain Survival Forest Survival | Commentary here. |
Awaken Draugar (Conjuration 4) 2 and 12 | Draug x 4 | Resist Cold (25) Resist Poison (25) Cold Aura (3) Fear (5) Undead Amphibious Need Not Eat Spirit Sight Shapechanger Below HP (25) (Draug) | Commentary here. |
Draug | Shapechanger above HP (25) (Draug) |
Note that only the Draug Ritual and the Valkyrie Combat Spell are natively available to Vanheim.
Your recruitable thugs are mounted mages that are really hard to hit. They may need not that much extra prot, but shouldn't but that much encumbrance on them as they will be casting spells. The better thing is giving them weapons to stab better (Fire Brand, or Frost Brand for AOE, Flesh Eater for anti thugging). Can make Earth, Blood, and even the hard to make air boosters (some rare Dwarven Smiths can forge Skull of Fire). Even make a Robe of the Magi for late-game magic boosting.
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.
Chassis: Awake Titan of Crossroads
Paths: 457
Bless: MW/Arcane Finesse, Invuln 10, Regen.
Scales: 6203123
What are the nation's weaknesses?
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