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naaira-expansion-guide [2021/01/04 21:16]
naaira [Eyeing the competition: Independents] 		naaira-expansion-guide [2022/08/04 23:06] (current)
lurch
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 ====== Naaira’s Expansion Guide====== ====== Naaira’s Expansion Guide======
 ~~NOTOC~~ ~~NOTOC~~
-**Note:** This is a work in progress.+**Author:** Naaira
 [[https://discord.gg/GZDmhBVdHw|{{ :guides:clippy_discord_link.png?300}}]] [[https://discord.gg/GZDmhBVdHw|{{ :guides:clippy_discord_link.png?300}}]]
  
 +Expansion is a fundamental and often-discussed topic amongst Dominions players, yet few actual guides exist. This is not a guide for the pros, the true masters of the multiverse, the expansermancers. 
 <WRAP box round quarter right><WRAP centeralign>**Other guides**</WRAP> <WRAP box round quarter right><WRAP centeralign>**Other guides**</WRAP>
-Not-Lola has written [[https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1987330995|this guide]] to expansion. It is definitely worth reading. </WRAP> +Not-Lola has written [[https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1987330995|this guide]] to expansion. It is definitely worth reading. </WRAP> Rather, it is a tribute to mediocrity, to the enthusiastic amateurs who know somewhere deep down inside that they can become better at expanding.
-Expansion is a fundamental and often-discussed topic amongst Dominions players, yet few actual guides exist. This is not a guide for the pros, the true masters of the multiverse, the expansermancers. Rather, it is a tribute to mediocrity, to the enthusiastic amateurs who know somewhere deep down inside that they can become better at expanding.+
  
 Put on your expansion shoes, tighten that corset a notch and be prepared to learn a thing or two about expansion. Without further ado. Welcome to the first ever season of: Put on your expansion shoes, tighten that corset a notch and be prepared to learn a thing or two about expansion. Without further ado. Welcome to the first ever season of:
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 The ??Earth Serpent?? is infamous for being a good, but **very** expensive, option for expansion. While it brings no path diversity it does bring a few other things to the table: The ??Earth Serpent?? is infamous for being a good, but **very** expensive, option for expansion. While it brings no path diversity it does bring a few other things to the table:
   * A {{:abilities:fear.png?16&nolink|}} Fear aura to rout indies.   * A {{:abilities:fear.png?16&nolink|}} Fear aura to rout indies.
-  * It begins with NatProt 20 and {{path>E2}}. Once you boost its Earth path to {{path>E4}} or higher you get this as a bonus to your NatProt. So it can easily reach 25 prot unbuffed.+  * It begins with NatProt 20 and {{path>E2}}. Once you boost its Earth path to {{path>E3}} or higher you get this as a bonus to your NatProt. So it can easily reach 25 prot unbuffed.
   * It has {{:abilities:recuperation.png?12&nolink|}} Recuperation that lets it heal afflictions   * It has {{:abilities:recuperation.png?12&nolink|}} Recuperation that lets it heal afflictions
   * It is {{:abilities:amphibious.png?12&nolink|}} Amphibious so can expand underwater   * It is {{:abilities:amphibious.png?12&nolink|}} Amphibious so can expand underwater
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 <WRAP group><WRAP column third rightalign>**//Elephants, Troglodytes//**</WRAP><WRAP column twothirds> The units do trampling damage, 16-20 armor-piercing damage (-50% prot)!  These independents are especially damage to smaller densely-packed units or units that rely on Glamour for protection.  <WRAP group><WRAP column third rightalign>**//Elephants, Troglodytes//**</WRAP><WRAP column twothirds> The units do trampling damage, 16-20 armor-piercing damage (-50% prot)!  These independents are especially damage to smaller densely-packed units or units that rely on Glamour for protection. 
   * Bring units that are too large to be trampled (4-6 size).   * Bring units that are too large to be trampled (4-6 size).
-  * Shoots them with arrows or bring magic like ??Sleep??, ??Paralyze??, ?Charm Animal??, ??False Feathers?? or ??Bonds of Fire??. ??Body Ethereal?? can negate trampling damage.+  * Shoots them with arrows or bring magic like ??Sleep??, ??Paralyze??, ??Charm Animal??, ??False Feathers?? or ??Bonds of Fire??. ??Body Ethereal?? can negate trampling damage.
 </WRAP></WRAP> </WRAP></WRAP>
 <WRAP group><WRAP column third rightalign>**//Zotz//**</WRAP><WRAP column twothirds> Shitty flyers in caves. Just remember to position your commander in the middle of your troops or they might accidentally kill him and rout your expansion party.</WRAP></WRAP> <WRAP group><WRAP column third rightalign>**//Zotz//**</WRAP><WRAP column twothirds> Shitty flyers in caves. Just remember to position your commander in the middle of your troops or they might accidentally kill him and rout your expansion party.</WRAP></WRAP>
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   * **Unscripted squads:** By not scripting you hand over your faith to the Dominions AI, and if there is one thing you should never put your faith in, it is the Dominions AI. Learn those hotkeys so you quickly script your units for action!   * **Unscripted squads:** By not scripting you hand over your faith to the Dominions AI, and if there is one thing you should never put your faith in, it is the Dominions AI. Learn those hotkeys so you quickly script your units for action!
   * **Too few or fragile commanders:** Think of your commander as your weakest link - if you lose your commander you most often lose the fight. If you are using fragile commander types bring enough, or protect them with sturdy bodyguards.   * **Too few or fragile commanders:** Think of your commander as your weakest link - if you lose your commander you most often lose the fight. If you are using fragile commander types bring enough, or protect them with sturdy bodyguards.
-  * **Unscripted commanders:** Nothing is worse than a commander who decides to play Rambo and take on the Barbarian horde all by himself. Often you want a basic script of Hold x 5, Stay Behind Troops saved to Ctrl + 1 and make sure you script your basic commanders with that before a fight.+  * **Unscripted commanders:** Nothing is worse than a commander who decides to play Rambo and take on the Barbarian horde all by himself. Often you want a basic script of Hold x 2 or x3 (//thanks melficebelmont//), Stay Behind Troops saved to Ctrl + 1 and make sure you script your basic commanders with that before a fight.
   * **Unblessed sacreds:** If you expand with sacreds make sure you bring enough holy commanders to bless your sacreds. Depending on your bless and sacreds, an unblessed sacred may be more likely to die, incurring unnecessary casualties and potentially losing you the fight. When blessing with priests with {{path>H1}} you almost always want your sacreds scripted to Hold and attack to give the priest time to bless them. You also want to be mindful of Bless' low range of ten squares, so place your priests close to your sacreds.   * **Unblessed sacreds:** If you expand with sacreds make sure you bring enough holy commanders to bless your sacreds. Depending on your bless and sacreds, an unblessed sacred may be more likely to die, incurring unnecessary casualties and potentially losing you the fight. When blessing with priests with {{path>H1}} you almost always want your sacreds scripted to Hold and attack to give the priest time to bless them. You also want to be mindful of Bless' low range of ten squares, so place your priests close to your sacreds.
   * **Using squads with <5 units:** Any squad with less than five units takes heavy morale penalties. Never use less than 5 units, unless you are using elite units lead by an elite commander. In that case set the elite units to bodyguard the commander and script the commander to attack (or buff and attack).    * **Using squads with <5 units:** Any squad with less than five units takes heavy morale penalties. Never use less than 5 units, unless you are using elite units lead by an elite commander. In that case set the elite units to bodyguard the commander and script the commander to attack (or buff and attack). 
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   * You want your commander to not run ahead and die. Script them to //Hold x 4, Stay Behind Troops// for their own protection.   * You want your commander to not run ahead and die. Script them to //Hold x 4, Stay Behind Troops// for their own protection.
  
 +<WRAP box round>**Spellcasting non-mages** \\ 
 +**Lurch** shares this useful tip: Instead of scripting //Hold x 4, Stay Behind Troops// you can script non-mages to //Cast Spells// by using the **c** hotkey - even if that option is missing in the UI as it is for all commanders with no magic paths. By doing this you make sure they remain in the same spot throughout the fight without ever moving forward. This can be used to set up stationary commanders with bodyguards around your mages later on in the game.
 +</WRAP>
 Your troops' positioning and scripting should differ depending on what you are up against. For example: Your troops' positioning and scripting should differ depending on what you are up against. For example:
   * Against a group of Heavy Cavalry and Heavy Infantry you might want to place your army all the way to the back to split apart the fast cavalry from the slow infantry. Your troops should be scripted to //Hold and...//   * Against a group of Heavy Cavalry and Heavy Infantry you might want to place your army all the way to the back to split apart the fast cavalry from the slow infantry. Your troops should be scripted to //Hold and...//
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 Prophetizing one of your starting commanders can give your initial expansion party a lot of extra firepower. All prophets are at least {{path>H3}} and can Smite your enemies. The name and effect of that smite will differ depending on what the highest path is on your pretender god. Prophetizing one of your starting commanders can give your initial expansion party a lot of extra firepower. All prophets are at least {{path>H3}} and can Smite your enemies. The name and effect of that smite will differ depending on what the highest path is on your pretender god.
  
-A standard script for your prophet would be //Divine Blessing, Smite x4, Cast Spells// or //Smite x5, Cast Spells// if you brought no sacreds with you and the prophet does not benefit from your bless.+A standard script for your prophet would be //Divine Blessing, Smite x4, Cast Spells// or //Smite x5, Cast Spells// if you brought no sacreds with you as the prophet is always blessed.
  
 Make sure to take into account the range of your Smite. E.g. ??Word of Stone?? and ??Watery Death?? both have range 25 for instance, so your prophet might not be in range if they remain on the backline. In that case script //Advance and Cast Spells//. Make sure to take into account the range of your Smite. E.g. ??Word of Stone?? and ??Watery Death?? both have range 25 for instance, so your prophet might not be in range if they remain on the backline. In that case script //Advance and Cast Spells//.
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 With all these objections in min there are several nations with access to assassins where their cap recruitment is throttle by something other than gold. In that case assassins can be an effective additional expansion party. Marignon and Vaettiheim are examples of nations that might consider complementing regular expansion with assassins. With all these objections in min there are several nations with access to assassins where their cap recruitment is throttle by something other than gold. In that case assassins can be an effective additional expansion party. Marignon and Vaettiheim are examples of nations that might consider complementing regular expansion with assassins.
  
 +<WRAP box round>
 +**Lurch** adds this piece of advice: \\
 +As for assassin expansion, there's a way of speeding up the process between killing commanders and taking the province, if you're willing to ping it the same turn with the cheapest possible unit you can muster (indy scout or commander). Since assassinations take place before the battle, if you're lucky you can kill all the commanders right as the lone commander moves in to attack it.
 +
 +Script //Hold x2-3, Retreat//. Hopefully that gives time enough for the indies to vacate the battlefield, or if their commander is still alive, time for your commander to book it before dying.
 +
 +Obviously if the province contains both fast and slow units, it's unlikely you can script it so that you're out of dodge before a cavalry charges (if assassinations failed) but long enough to wait out a squad of heavy infantry (if you succeeded).</WRAP>
 ==== Thug expansion ==== ==== Thug expansion ====
 <WRAP group> <WRAP group>
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 <WRAP group><WRAP column third rightalign>**Why it works:**</WRAP><WRAP column twothirds> High prot with Ironskin,  repel with high attack, Mistform and Glamour to negate hits. Can handle most indies but not Barbarians or Wolf Tribe</WRAP> <WRAP group><WRAP column third rightalign>**Why it works:**</WRAP><WRAP column twothirds> High prot with Ironskin,  repel with high attack, Mistform and Glamour to negate hits. Can handle most indies but not Barbarians or Wolf Tribe</WRAP>
 </WRAP></WRAP></WRAP> </WRAP></WRAP></WRAP>
 +
 +==== Commander Sniping ====
 +<WRAP box round right third>**HPmunchcraft** has made [[https://youtu.be/s7PefVPSXyU|this video]] demonstrating how to use commander sniping with Caelum. He has also covered how to use the technique with [[https://youtu.be/FUgqVfC2ROM |MA Man]], one of the more difficult nations to expand with using the starting army.</WRAP>
 +One advanced technique that can improve your expansion is to try to make the independents split up in a way that isolates the indie commanders and opens up for a quick kill. After all, the only thing you really need to kill in a province is the commanders.
 +
 +One way of accomplishing this is to use archer bait squads on fire and keep distance placed to the front in the top or bottom. Opposite that in the back corner you place the squad that is supposed to kill the commander. The archer squads can be made up of a single archer, so five archers in five squads under a single commander. 
 +
 +The technique exploits the fact that the AI picks between available squads when picking a target without considering how many units are in the squad. This will often cause a big portion of the enemy forces to chase your archers leaving the commanders isolated for a flank kill. 
  
 ===== Example: Expansion with Jomon ===== ===== Example: Expansion with Jomon =====
naaira-expansion-guide.1609794993.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/01/04 21:16 by naaira

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