[SPOILERS] Plako as Tebryn of Sheaim

[plako]

All the games I've been playing seem to either very boring phase (PB18) or stalled/finished so I'd be eager to get this running.

I'm thinking to take a shot at civilization that hasn't won a single normal PBEM. Based on PBEM list I got these
* Sheaim
* Elohim
* Amurites
is this about right?

My gut feeling is that in the latest iteration Sheaim will have sufficient boosts to make it quite competitive. It will be slow to start, but has potential to be quite a powerhouse after KotE. One just needs to somehow solve how to get sufficient production base when it lands.

Elohim feels quite boring, but tolerant provides chances to make it pretty intresting assuming one is strong enough to capture cities.

I've played Amurites so that I'm not really intrested.

Might also consider some powerhouses like Kurios or CoE, but they'll probably be in last choices in my list.

[Qgqqqqq]

I can't think of any games any of them have won.

[Mardoc]

I can't think of any times one of those three won, either. Even the Grigori have won a game. The only one I'm not sure about is the Khazad; I can't remember an actual win but they've been strong in several.

[Qgqqqqq]

They won FFHX, with the Khazad-Clan of Embers team.

[plako]

Thanks. I won't count team games so I could also take Khazad in the list of potential civilizations.

[Mardoc]

I can understand why the Amurites don't win: nothing early game plus absolutely terrifying late game makes them a high priority target. The other three seem like they should do better than they have. Maybe people just haven't found the right way to play them yet?

[plako]

Assuming no significant new info is revelaed, my leader preference list is:
1. Tebryn of Sheaim
2. Thessalonica of Elohim
3. Arturus of Khazad
4. Cardith of Kuriotates

[Qgqqqqq]

Well...the other two have both had massive boosts in recent versions, and there's a reason for that.

[plako]

Picks

Dreylin: Beeri Brawl of the Luchuirp
Auroracher: Auric Ulvin of the Illians
DaveV: Flauros of the Calabim
Bob: Ameliancher of the Ljolsofar
Plako: Tebryn Arbendai of the Sheaim

I don't have much experience on this mod, but it doesn't prevent me from speculating.

Dreylin with Luchuirp. Latest boost is the cost reduction of Golems. I would still say one of the weakest civilizations still. Golems are just too slow to achieve much offensively.

AurorArcher with Ilians. Ilians are still pretty weak with very slow early game. Very goog world spell and one needs to be prepared to handle the Priests. However building White Hand is costly. If he builds it early, he really needs to find a way to get something out of those Priests fast.

DaveV picked again Calabim. Still very strong option. Even the Manor change probably was more a buff than a nerf since the price of it was decreased. Also Q didn't fix properly the problem concerning Loyalty and Burning blood. If it was hard to fix, removing Law mana from Calabim Palace would have helped also little. I guess he might be in to this to abuse this. DaveV is a very cautious player. Typically building more military than nescessary and avoiding early game risks with scouting. This will delay his teching and expansion.

Bob has good elves. Slow starters, but their late game economy is just grazy good. Someone has to weaken them early so that they don't get there intact. They also have early game Hero + benefits on archery units providing a tools for early rush. Had to be prepared for that also.

I'll be Tebryn of Sheaim (ARC/SUM). The pick offers nothing in terms of economy or early expansion so it relys purely on militaristic values. Luckily Sheaim can now deliver a bigger bunch earlier than ever. The latest change is that cost of Planar gate was dropped to 67 hammers that is even halved for SUM leaders. That will be a great bargain. My preliminary idea is just to tech BW (for Copper Zombies), HBR (Mobility I), KotE (Mobius Witches) and Necromancy (Death nodes) after which I should be ready to take a shot at winning this game militarily. Of course there will be some side projects that need to be accomplished e.g. It would be nice to get a production base and civics that can build those Witches in masses, little experience for built units, a ways to cost effectively raise the armageddon counter and claim as many mana nodes as possible.

[Qgqqqqq]

Planar gates are 67h, but they're not halved by SUM.