18.05.2014. Pit for LM (red, Conflux, random Pasis, Stryker) def ProtosArchon (blue, Stronghold, Crag, Crag), Diamond, 135.
We both used 111 restart and the game started.
One 111 I had uneasy decision whether to use restart or not. From one side, I had only 4 heroes and not much gold seen. No airs prebuilt, no dwellings. From the other side, I got necromancer (not the best one, Stryker, but nevertheless), well-situated stables, conservatory and Pandora under the capital guarded by 20-49 battle dwarves. Starting army was also not bad. Also exits from the start zone were to lava, underground and one more underground, so I didn’t have to walk with penalty.
On 112 I made my way to lava and found a library and helm +3 there. Bought 5th hero, Solmyr.
On 113 Solmyr made his way to underground and found a lot of gold there. I took 2k crypt, build and bought waters and killed dwarves. Stryker got 5k exp, expert necromancy and tactics. Also I found a lot of gold in the other part of a starting zone.
On 114 Solmyr spotted a couple of hives, conservatory and utopia. Stryker went to other underground zone, took rampart village and found a hive there. Also I found Inferno comp there and killed one his hero.
On 115 Inferno was taken and completely banished. I lost a couple of airs, but found their dwelling.
On 116 I took one more village and found an imp bank.
On 117 I took it with birds, then killed a few more good packs of monsters and placed Stryker to Cyclops bank to retreat home on 121. By that time Brissa already took 2 villages on lava, but didn’t find anything of significant interest (except for red orb, maybe).
On 121 I bought birds, upgraded airs and killed iron golems for library. On 122 I took conservatory which gave 3 angels, sent army to underground, took 8 wyv hive and titan shield. Brissa found an air tome!
On 123 I sent army to lava, got air book, sandals +2 all, then air orb in underground and managed to deliver army to the external tavern. I bought Stryker there, took 8 wyv hive, 2 angel con and 5k exp Pandora. I could reach utopia the same day, but decided to wait a bit.
On 124 I started with the last scouted hive, refilled mana and took utopia. It turned out to be minimal and gave the second titan shield. Stryker was left in the newly captured village overnight.
On 125 I took a hive near that village and necklace +1 speed. Stryker retreated and was placed to launch an attack to opponent. By that time Solmyr finally reached a village in a treasury and found an utopia near it, but it was too far.
On 126 I took gloves, bought vampire robe in black market, Brissa took opponent’s village using DD. Stryker retreated there and captured barbaric capital.
On 127 I took one more village and found a lion shield near it, which was taken by Ciele and delivered to Stryker.
On 131 Stryker just visited stables and was left at barb town. Brissa had adv air, but it was uncertain where to find Crag, so I built a chain to the scouted utopia.
On 132 utopia was taken, it was 3 BD and gave +4+4 armor and titan helm. I decided to go further into that treasury, and took an empty Pandora (it was very frustrating, since I took wisdom on about lev 10, but it was still basic). But fortunately I spotted a corner of another utopia.
On 133 it occurred that there was 2 utopias one near another. The first was minimal, but gave earth tome. The second was 3 BD, but gave nothing significant (titan armor, red orb). I also was able to take one more hive and teleported to inferno castle.
From 134 I could have very vast opportunities for increasing army and intense exploration. I started with the conservatory scouted long ago, but it gave just 1 angel.
And on 135 Crag showed himself. Obviously it was a nice opportunity to attack. He had about 30-10-10-10, Stryker was around 20-20-15-15, but I had neither armor nor offence (Crag had both). In any case, he didn’t have much mana and no red orb / cloak, and his only significant stack was around 40 wyvs. A great advantage in army and magic made it an easy win.
Thanks for a game!