https://wiki.wesnoth.org/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Capitanquartz 2026-05-16T05:06:45Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.31.16 https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Undead&diff=31801 2009-08-08T15:27:35Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Undead versus Knalgans: */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Undead Strategies:==<br /> As a style of personal preference, I enjoy using the massive damage dealing Dark Adepts en masse. The most dreadful attacker of the Undead is also the most pitiful defender, being the only unit in Default to have no melee weapon. Because of this you'll need a good mix of Skeletons, Adepts, and support units.<br /> <br /> A safe first turn recruit against Random would have 1 skeleton, 1 Adept, 1 Ghost, 1 ghoul and a couple more units. When you see what your opponent has, go to the appropriate section below.<br /> <br /> The biggest aspect of Undead that you'll have to become comfortable with is almost overextending yourself at night. Your damage is so high that even Northerners can't keep up except with having more units. You'll make your first attacks with Adepts usually so that you can protect them with your advancing forces that take the place of the units they defeat. Skeletons do this best, usually, as they are your heaviest melee hitter, and at night there isn't a single level 1 unit that can take them out in one attack.<br /> <br /> In order to get the most for your money, you should attack as dusk breaks - especially if you're second player. You'll begin your attack and your opponent will have to counter at night. If your opponent is lawful, the right time to leave the attack can be tricky. Otherwise simply retreat as night is ending. Against lawful units you may want an extra turn to get space between the two of you.<br /> <br /> Since Undead have major resistance strengths and weaknesses every opponent will have a specific plan to counter you. This will consist of Fire and Impact units. It just so happens that Adepts are best at countering these units whether it be defensively against Fire units or offensively against Impact units. A good note is that Ghouls have 10% Fire resistance and no Impact vulnerability. They are a good defensive unit to use on villages for the most part.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Drakes:==<br /> Possibly the deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and very quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are weak to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are weak to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': You'll want these guys if Saurians become a problem. Otherwise, you should invest in Skeletal Archers if you want the Blade and Pierce resistance.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': 14 gold, 5-3 ranged Pierce against Drakes during day in defense, and great resists to their melee attacks, this is a great unit choice against Drakes. Your army should have a couple of these.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Drakes.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Drakes unless the map requires a quick scout for water areas and village grabbing. Usually a Ghost will be enough of a scout unit that combines with Cold ranged and melee.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': Very limited in it's usefulness against Drakes as they have so much hp and can easily fly back to towns to heal, your money is better spent.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': The meat of your army will be this unit. Doing 12-2 damage to Drakes during daytime makes them an obvious choice, and at night you will get an incredible 17-2 magical with a 16 gold level 1 unit. Recruit lots of these, but not so many that you can't cover them with other units. Clashers will literally eat these guys during the day, as will Drake Fighters. Beware of Skirmishers at night, as they are the best counter agsint these guys. Like I said, if Skirmishers become a problem, bring a Skeleton with you to chop them up.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': A decent buy for early grabbing and for scouting, but for Cold damage Adepts are better. Ghosts die easily in the day, but having the mobility at night can prove quite useful. Don't recruit more than 1 early, or you'll be burned to death very quickly.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Skeleton Archer, a Ghost, 2 Adepts, and perhaps a Skeleton with more Archers and Adepts to be recruited later. Don't shy away from the fact that you'll have to freeze Drakes into submission. Use Adepts on Burners and Archers on other Drakes, but always finish what you start - don't leave Drakes hanging around until daytime because they will put a hurt on. It's better to kill 1 Drake than to hurt 2. If Saurians do skirmish in behind you, use Adepts on them to finish them quickly if no Skeletons are around. They are weak to Cold and they do cost 15 gold. If you end up not killing a Drake with that Adept then he at least earned his cost by killing that one unit.<br /> <br /> In defense, put Skeleton Archers on towns, and keep your Ghost(s) away from the front line. a Burner can tear them apart and any flyer can come in to help if they need to. Don't be afraid to use Adepts to counter even in day, but don't attack Burners with them at this time; they'll do too much damage in return, so focus on killing Clasher and Fighters during the day.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Loyalists:==<br /> Like Drakes, there will be a heavy day/night push and pull. Ghosts will be more effective here as the Loyalists are less mobile and have less Fire. Loyalists are the most versatile faction, so you'll need to be prepared to handle anything.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A good staple unit. Use this to hack up any unit except HI. You'll do equal damage to Spearmen in day and everyone else is cake.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': Another good unit to have 1 or 2 of. Mix and match your skeletons, or just use one brand. Recruit these if your opponent has mounted units - especially Cold resistant Cavalry. These guys are useful against most other Loyalist units as well, and do decent return damage to Mages at dawn/dusk. Keep them far from HI unless you can finish them that turn.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': These guys may be useful, but money on heavier hitters is money better spent. These guys are best used to clean up a mess you don't want to waste a Skeleton or Dark Adept on. Beware, they can be easily destroyed by heavy infantry<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Don't recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists unless you need a scout unit to cross water to gather villages quickly. For 7 more gold you can get a Ghost who is a great frontline unit if your opponent has no Mages in range.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': Useful to hold villages and scare off high hp units. Does your opponent have too many HI to kill in one turn? Poison one and make sure you kill the rest. This guy resists everything except Impact (and obviously Holy) just a little bit, so he can be a nice damage soaker - especially if your opponent focuses on melee.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Again, your meat. Not as much as with Drakes, but you'll want these guys near your front line at all times to counter-attack HI and to knock out the high defense Fencers. Mermen will resist you 20%, but you will cut through their high defense as well. At night these guys are killers, plain and simple. Go for HI and Horsemen first, then any other non-Cavalry units - the more expensive the better. Even using Adepts on Mages is smart at night if you're low on Skeletons.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': Get one and probably no more than that. Mages can kill this unit alone in day, and the 20 gold is far too much to waste. Their Drain ability makes them good attackers of Spearmen, as their Firststrike ability actually works against them. Usually you'll want to ranged attack HI or melee Mages, but keep in mid that your nighttime Drain + 50% defense + good resists means you'll usually go unscathed in melee at night.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Gost for grabbing, an Adept or two, a combination of 2 or 3 Skeletons + Archers, and perhaps a Ghoul depending on how you want to play it.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has no HI then your nighttime attack plan is simple: lead with Adepts to freeze everything out of your path and then cover them with your skeleton units. Again, don't be afraid to freeze Mages at night, as 12-2 will kill 2 out 6 Mages (based on hp they get from traits), and they will only deal 5-3 back, or 5-1 if you kill them. Doing this is a coin-flip though, so judge accordingly.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has HI, and has them in front, same game plan, just freeze the HI exclusively. They are the only unit weak to Cold in their army, it is their only weakness that you can exploit, and they have the most hp (tied). The math is simple. You must use Cold - preferably from Adepts - to kill these guys. After they're down, advance as before.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has HI in the back, bust your way through wil what units you have. If you can't reach them with your Adepts at the end, blast whatever the hell you can, because you have to apply their damage somewhere. Even if you hang them out to dry in the front lines, all Loyalists get -25% damage at night, so they're a lot safer than you may think. Do keep them covered if you left any Horsemen alive though, which you shouldn't, as they are a high priority kill.<br /> <br /> In defense: leave Skeleton Archers in front. They will resist all damage other than from Mages and HI, and they will do some damage back to Mages (in addition to being your cheapest fighting unit). If HI are coming your way put a Ghoul up front. If your opponent only recruits HI and Mages, recruit only DAs, Ghouls, and Skeletons. Skeles kill Mages, DAs kill HI, Ghouls defend.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Undead:==<br /> <br /> This matchup is no longer as boring as it was before. Most of your units are undead, making most of them vulnerable to the arcane damage by dark adepts and ghosts. Ghouls in this matchup are less useful for their poison; their resistance to blade, cold, arcane and pierce makes them your tank of sorts, but vulnerable to walking corpses. In general, use a combination of ranged and or walking corpses to kill ghouls, and ghosts and dark adepts to kill all arcane-vulnerable units.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Your most important unit. Get a lot of these. At night, 1 unit can kill ghosts and walking corpses. 2 of these have a good chance of killing all skeleton units. They are still useful against ghosts, while least effective against ghouls. Considering the bat's 60% defense, you might still want to use adepts against them. They are vulnerable to all other units' melee attacks. Protect them well.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': This unit is important, not for its damage, but for its range of resistances; it has no resistances to only impact. Use these to protect your dark adepts from all other melee units. Do remember that ghouls are only 10% resistant to blade, and still vulnerable to skeletons at night. When possible, poison opponents' dark adepts, as it will make him/her consider pulling back to heal. Poisoning bats is also an important option, as they are quite difficult to kill. This is your tank in Undead versus Undead matches.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': This unit is important for its high melee damage, which will be the main way for you to kill dark adepts, as well as ghouls. Skeletons however are vulnerable to walking corpses and ghosts in melee, and dark adepts' range. Only use them to kill walking corpses if you have to; using ghosts/dark adepts are almost always better. <br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': Not much use. Skeletons and ghouls are pierce resistant, while dark adepts will not give soft retaliation. Only really useful against bats and walking corpses, of which dark adepts are better, as they are similarly useful against them. Not recommended for your initial recruit.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': They are useful for their impact damage, and their plague ability. They are a cheap unit to get full damage against ghouls, and severely damage any skeleton unit, especially skeleton archers. One way to use them is by having dark adepts to provide the initial hits against skeleton/ghoul, followed by walking corpses, as they have a higher damage/gold ratio against ghouls than skeletons. Whenever possible, use them to finish off any dark adepts or bats, as the plague ability will provide you with an extra unit. <br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': They are useful for village grabbing and attacking vulnerable units (dark adepts mostly, and finishing off walking corpses and ghouls). They are cold and arcane resistant with 60% default defense, making them quite difficult to kill unless using magic, for which its attacks are resisted. Beware of it being attacked from multiple hexes, as impact damage from walking corpses will easily kill it; be careful of the threat of ghouls as well. When possible use them to steal villages or threaten them. They are certainly worth your gold. Once leveled up, they are very difficult to kill by other Undead players.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': Recruiting this unit depends on your preference, this author does not recommend using them. They have arcane melee, which is useful against all units except bats and ghouls. On the other hand, they do not drain, losing a major advantage of using them. At night, a single dark adept can kill a ghost in one turn. And they cost 20 gold, which might be better spent. If you recruit these, be prepared for a lot of healing this unit in your villages instead of being up front in the attack.<br /> <br /> A good initial recruit should be a mixture of skeletons, dark adepts, ghouls and walking corpses, with the dark adepts being the core. Get a bat for medium to large maps.<br /> <br /> Your main aim is to kill dark adepts, which are usually protected by other units. In general, use ranged attacks, with melee to finish off ghouls; this will be your primary problem. If they are not positioned well, you might want to save your adepts and use your walking corpses instead. Use arcane to kill off walking corpses. In general, you want to have as many hexes as possible to kill dark adepts, it might sometimes be better to ignore the ghoul and focus on killing other units first. Remember that a skeleton used to kill ghouls means a less skeleton to kill adepts. Once vulnerable, use your skeletons, bats and walking corpses to kill them. Make sure that you kill them, as their retaliation damage on their turn will hurt you. If that is not possible, poison them; the ghoul itself will also be a problem for your opponent, who will need to use at least 2-3 units to kill it. When possible, threaten villages with your bats. If you have a lot of walking corpses, use them to whittle down enemy ghouls whenever possible. A loss of a ghoul will definitely force your opponent to retreat. <br /> <br /> On defense, use ghouls and walking corpses to shield your other units. If you can ZOC shield on good terrain especially with ghouls, your opponents will have a very difficult time attacking you without exposing his/her units on bad terrain. Position yourself so that you are the first to attack at night. Regroup at day.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Northerners:==<br /> An interesting battle as both factions are Chaotic. You'll deal more damage at night, so you should usually be the aggressor at this time. You'll be facing a lot of Whelps and Archers most likely, with maybe some Grunts and other units sparsed in.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': Good for taking out any units except Whelps, you'll want to have a couple of these guys in your front line.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': These guys are less deadly than Skeletons and fall faster to Whelps (they do less return damage). They are a good choice if your opponent recruits Grunts and Spearmen though.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': These guys may be useful as they deal Impact damage that will go around Whelp resistancies. Having 1 or 2 of these may prove useful if you can effectively use them to shield your attacking forces or to spawn more allies.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': If you need a scout, the Ghost is a far better choice against Northerners. Only the Archer has a decent chance of killing a Ghost whereas a simple Grunt can walk of and cut down a Bat. Grunts are also cheaper than Bats. Don't recruit this unit.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A good unit to use against Northerners. Their focus on melee wil make nearly every unit that attacks you subject to Poison. With 10% resistance to Blade and Fire they will survive long enough to Poison enough units to be a menace. Having 1 or 2 of this guy will be enough.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': This guy just kills things. He is your Whelp killing instrument as Whelps will resist your Blade and Pierce attacks 20%. Adepts are good to use against any unit though, as every unit other than the Archer has no significant ranged attack. You'll want several of these in your army, but make sure that they have protection from Grunts and Whelps in both attack and defense.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': A great unit to have. Only Archers can reliably take this unit out. His cost is high - especially when compared to the cost of Northerners, but his ability to survive - especially on a village - will make him a thorn in your opponents side. You should be able to see where your opponents archers are, so stay away from them. Use his ranged attack to assist you in killing melee units so that you don't run into a situation of bad luck getting you hurt.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Ghost, Skeleton, Ghoul, DA, and another DA, Ghost, or skeleton type. The Ghoul can also be exchanged for a damage dealer.<br /> <br /> Keep your Skeletons and Ghouls up front to deal return damage in defense and against counter-attacks. Ghouls are your best defensive weapon as they will Poison any who attack them, and Archers will need 4 hits with their Fire arrows at night to get you to 1hp.<br /> <br /> Use your DAs to tear through the otherwise hard-to-kill Whelps, and make sure to finish them as fast as possible, or at least Poison them, or you'll waste 8 damage a turn. If your opponent has any Nagas, punish them with your Adepts and Ghosts - you'll deal 120% damage.<br /> <br /> You'll want to press at night at defend at day as usual, but the reason may not be so clear as Northerners are also Chaotic. The reason is that Undead deal more damage per unit, but are also more expensive. At night your ability to quickly tear through units and finish them off is impressive. During the day it is not; if you cannot take out units in your attack you will be swarmed by larger numbers of Northerners that will trap and kill you. The Regeneration of Whelps becomes a much larger effect during the day as well. Because of these reasons you'll want to defend during the day and take out as many units as possible in each night-time attack.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Rebels:==<br /> You'll likely see a bunch of Woses and Mages in this battle as they are the best unit to deal damage to your forces. Because they are Lawful there will again be a strong day/night push. If your opponent does not recruit many of these units you shouldn't have much of a challenge ahead of you if you simply recruit Skeletons and Archers.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A necessity. These guys resist Blade and Pierce greatly - the 2 major weapons of Elves. These guys will also chop through Mages and are even good to kill Woses at night. Keep these guys away from Woses and Mages during the day.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': It's better to buy Skeletons than Archers here. Skeletons only cost 1g more but deal more damage on their primary attack and their Blade cuts through Wose resistancies as well as avoids magical return damage from the Mage. Don't recruit this guy unless your opponent recruits no Woses or Mages.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': If you can turn 1 or 2 units to your side this unit has paid for himself. Recruit sparingly, though he can be quite useful against Mages if they are foolish enough to stay close after daytime.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Since the Ghost isn't the best bargain against Rebels, if you need a scout unit, the Bat should be your choice. Having more than 1 quickly leads to diminishing returns, so save your gold for units that can fight.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A decent unit to have 1 of. Fighting Woses at night he deals 5-3 plus prevents Regeneration and takes 10-2 in return. If you can't kill a Wose in one turn, hitting him with a Ghoul is a good idea. Also useful against any Elves that decide to entrench themselves in forest, this guy is a utility unit, not an en-masse unit. He does resist Fire at 10%, so of all your units to take hits from Mages, this is probably the one you want to do it on defense.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Good for knocking out Elves in forest, the main reason you'll recruit this guy is to attack Woses without return damage. Showing no weakeness to Fire, the Adept can also kill Mages at night with his 12-2 attack suffering 5-3 in return (if he fails to kill). If your opponent's leader is a White Mage you'll want to recruit even more of these guys as they are your only unit that resists Holy damage and doesn't have a lopsided weakness to it. Good for several reasons, 1 or 2 of this guy is a must.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': The ranged specialist Rebels can take out this unit with relative ease; they can even kill it without Mages, though obviously that would be their first choice. Since Mermen and Woses resist Cold, and all other units have high defense or a strong ranged counter-attack, this unit isn't the best buy against Rebels.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of 2 Skeletons, a Ghoul, a DA, perhaps a Bat, and another useful unit. Keep your Ghoul(s) up front during the day to minimize the Rebel offensive, and retreat if necessary.<br /> <br /> On the offensive, kill Woses and Mages as quickly as possible. Hack up Mages first, and freeze and Poison the Woses. If you have any Skeletons left, try to chop down the trees as well. If you have Archers use them on any Elves your opponent has. Bats can be used on Mages, and use WCs on any unit that they have a chance to kill.<br /> <br /> Try to focus xp on single Skeletons. Levelling one into a Deathblade will prove deadly for your opponent. His extra move will hunt down Mages and Elves and his extra strike will ensure their deaths. The unit also becomes a real Wose killer at night dealing up to 50 of 52 damage. Levelling a Bat will also prove a useful Mage hunting tool.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Knalgans:==<br /> You'll want to catch Knalgans on poor terrain. Dwarves on hills or mountains are hard to move - they usually have to move themselves. To combat this you'll need to use Poison and magic to make them move.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A good standard unit, Skeletons are only in serious danger from Dwarvish Fighters, of which you will likely face several. This unit can take on all of the Outlaws as well as the dangerous Ulfserker. At night, his 6-3 attacks on Guardsmen will also be quite useful. You'll need one to counter an Ulfserker.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': A good cheap unit who is most in danger from Fighters and Ulfserkers, his role is to pick at Fighters, Gryphons, and Guardsmen, though money is better spent elsewhere.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': Not a good unit to combat Dwarves, the WC is better to hold villages against sneaky Gryphons or to kill trapped ones. There's no need to recruit these early.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Knalgans. The superior Gryphon will easily kill this unit resulting in a loss of 13g.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A crucial unit in your fight against Knalgans, the Ghoul's Poison should be used to cut through their resistance and make the slow movers retreat from advantageous positions. Also used as a good Gryphon deterrent, this unit is worth having 2 of.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': The key unit in your arsenal, the DA deals 11-2 damage to Dwarves at night, 10-2 to Guardsmen. Also having the capability to ignore the superior defenses of Knalgans, these guys are invaluable in your nighttime assaults. Their major drawback that is easily exploitable by Knalgans is their lack of melee, so keep them protected at all times.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': As Knalgans have no true counter for Ghosts, these scouts should be used exclusively over Bats. Their greatest use is using their ranged attack on melee exclusive units. Their Drain melee and high resistances makes the Ghost essentially impossible for melee units to kill. The sole exception to this is the Ulfserker. At night, and even possibly at dusk/dawn, the Ghost has an excellent chance of killing an Ulfserker with his Drain attack. During the day, however, the Ghost is in real jeopardy of defeat from this unit. Try to keep the ghost from Thunderers as well, as 2 shots will take him down, and you won't want to lose this unit so easily.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Ghost, a Skeleton, a Ghoul, a DA, and another useful unit like another Skelton, Archer, or DA. Don't let Dwarves get on mountains if you can stop it. Ghosts are great for this, but Ghouls and Skeletons work nicely too. If Dwarves do end up on mountains either ignore them and make them move to unfavorable terrain, Poison them to force them to move, or use Adepts on them.<br /> <br /> In defense, Ghouls on villages or mountains will prove very bothersome to Knalgans. Keep them in the front line to Poison oncoming attackers. They'll take Thunderer shots (at 13-1), so they'll last a while too. Skeletons are alright to keep in front too, due to their resistances outside of Impact. Make sure your Adepts stay behind so they don't get Ulfs.<br /> <br /> On the offense, you'll want to take out Ulfs first and then anything on poor terrain. Terrain plays a huge factor in the damage you will deal Dwarves, so sometimes it will be better to ignore Dwarves on mountains and to kill other units instead. Adepts can remove problem Dwarves though, so have a couple. At the end of your assault put your Ghouls in front to protect your units and to Poison the surviving forces.<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> [[How to play Mages]]<br /> <br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Undead&diff=31800 2009-08-08T15:27:28Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Undead versus Rebels: */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Undead Strategies:==<br /> As a style of personal preference, I enjoy using the massive damage dealing Dark Adepts en masse. The most dreadful attacker of the Undead is also the most pitiful defender, being the only unit in Default to have no melee weapon. Because of this you'll need a good mix of Skeletons, Adepts, and support units.<br /> <br /> A safe first turn recruit against Random would have 1 skeleton, 1 Adept, 1 Ghost, 1 ghoul and a couple more units. When you see what your opponent has, go to the appropriate section below.<br /> <br /> The biggest aspect of Undead that you'll have to become comfortable with is almost overextending yourself at night. Your damage is so high that even Northerners can't keep up except with having more units. You'll make your first attacks with Adepts usually so that you can protect them with your advancing forces that take the place of the units they defeat. Skeletons do this best, usually, as they are your heaviest melee hitter, and at night there isn't a single level 1 unit that can take them out in one attack.<br /> <br /> In order to get the most for your money, you should attack as dusk breaks - especially if you're second player. You'll begin your attack and your opponent will have to counter at night. If your opponent is lawful, the right time to leave the attack can be tricky. Otherwise simply retreat as night is ending. Against lawful units you may want an extra turn to get space between the two of you.<br /> <br /> Since Undead have major resistance strengths and weaknesses every opponent will have a specific plan to counter you. This will consist of Fire and Impact units. It just so happens that Adepts are best at countering these units whether it be defensively against Fire units or offensively against Impact units. A good note is that Ghouls have 10% Fire resistance and no Impact vulnerability. They are a good defensive unit to use on villages for the most part.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Drakes:==<br /> Possibly the deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and very quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are weak to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are weak to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': You'll want these guys if Saurians become a problem. Otherwise, you should invest in Skeletal Archers if you want the Blade and Pierce resistance.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': 14 gold, 5-3 ranged Pierce against Drakes during day in defense, and great resists to their melee attacks, this is a great unit choice against Drakes. Your army should have a couple of these.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Drakes.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Drakes unless the map requires a quick scout for water areas and village grabbing. Usually a Ghost will be enough of a scout unit that combines with Cold ranged and melee.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': Very limited in it's usefulness against Drakes as they have so much hp and can easily fly back to towns to heal, your money is better spent.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': The meat of your army will be this unit. Doing 12-2 damage to Drakes during daytime makes them an obvious choice, and at night you will get an incredible 17-2 magical with a 16 gold level 1 unit. Recruit lots of these, but not so many that you can't cover them with other units. Clashers will literally eat these guys during the day, as will Drake Fighters. Beware of Skirmishers at night, as they are the best counter agsint these guys. Like I said, if Skirmishers become a problem, bring a Skeleton with you to chop them up.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': A decent buy for early grabbing and for scouting, but for Cold damage Adepts are better. Ghosts die easily in the day, but having the mobility at night can prove quite useful. Don't recruit more than 1 early, or you'll be burned to death very quickly.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Skeleton Archer, a Ghost, 2 Adepts, and perhaps a Skeleton with more Archers and Adepts to be recruited later. Don't shy away from the fact that you'll have to freeze Drakes into submission. Use Adepts on Burners and Archers on other Drakes, but always finish what you start - don't leave Drakes hanging around until daytime because they will put a hurt on. It's better to kill 1 Drake than to hurt 2. If Saurians do skirmish in behind you, use Adepts on them to finish them quickly if no Skeletons are around. They are weak to Cold and they do cost 15 gold. If you end up not killing a Drake with that Adept then he at least earned his cost by killing that one unit.<br /> <br /> In defense, put Skeleton Archers on towns, and keep your Ghost(s) away from the front line. a Burner can tear them apart and any flyer can come in to help if they need to. Don't be afraid to use Adepts to counter even in day, but don't attack Burners with them at this time; they'll do too much damage in return, so focus on killing Clasher and Fighters during the day.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Loyalists:==<br /> Like Drakes, there will be a heavy day/night push and pull. Ghosts will be more effective here as the Loyalists are less mobile and have less Fire. Loyalists are the most versatile faction, so you'll need to be prepared to handle anything.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A good staple unit. Use this to hack up any unit except HI. You'll do equal damage to Spearmen in day and everyone else is cake.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': Another good unit to have 1 or 2 of. Mix and match your skeletons, or just use one brand. Recruit these if your opponent has mounted units - especially Cold resistant Cavalry. These guys are useful against most other Loyalist units as well, and do decent return damage to Mages at dawn/dusk. Keep them far from HI unless you can finish them that turn.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': These guys may be useful, but money on heavier hitters is money better spent. These guys are best used to clean up a mess you don't want to waste a Skeleton or Dark Adept on. Beware, they can be easily destroyed by heavy infantry<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Don't recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists unless you need a scout unit to cross water to gather villages quickly. For 7 more gold you can get a Ghost who is a great frontline unit if your opponent has no Mages in range.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': Useful to hold villages and scare off high hp units. Does your opponent have too many HI to kill in one turn? Poison one and make sure you kill the rest. This guy resists everything except Impact (and obviously Holy) just a little bit, so he can be a nice damage soaker - especially if your opponent focuses on melee.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Again, your meat. Not as much as with Drakes, but you'll want these guys near your front line at all times to counter-attack HI and to knock out the high defense Fencers. Mermen will resist you 20%, but you will cut through their high defense as well. At night these guys are killers, plain and simple. Go for HI and Horsemen first, then any other non-Cavalry units - the more expensive the better. Even using Adepts on Mages is smart at night if you're low on Skeletons.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': Get one and probably no more than that. Mages can kill this unit alone in day, and the 20 gold is far too much to waste. Their Drain ability makes them good attackers of Spearmen, as their Firststrike ability actually works against them. Usually you'll want to ranged attack HI or melee Mages, but keep in mid that your nighttime Drain + 50% defense + good resists means you'll usually go unscathed in melee at night.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Gost for grabbing, an Adept or two, a combination of 2 or 3 Skeletons + Archers, and perhaps a Ghoul depending on how you want to play it.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has no HI then your nighttime attack plan is simple: lead with Adepts to freeze everything out of your path and then cover them with your skeleton units. Again, don't be afraid to freeze Mages at night, as 12-2 will kill 2 out 6 Mages (based on hp they get from traits), and they will only deal 5-3 back, or 5-1 if you kill them. Doing this is a coin-flip though, so judge accordingly.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has HI, and has them in front, same game plan, just freeze the HI exclusively. They are the only unit weak to Cold in their army, it is their only weakness that you can exploit, and they have the most hp (tied). The math is simple. You must use Cold - preferably from Adepts - to kill these guys. After they're down, advance as before.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has HI in the back, bust your way through wil what units you have. If you can't reach them with your Adepts at the end, blast whatever the hell you can, because you have to apply their damage somewhere. Even if you hang them out to dry in the front lines, all Loyalists get -25% damage at night, so they're a lot safer than you may think. Do keep them covered if you left any Horsemen alive though, which you shouldn't, as they are a high priority kill.<br /> <br /> In defense: leave Skeleton Archers in front. They will resist all damage other than from Mages and HI, and they will do some damage back to Mages (in addition to being your cheapest fighting unit). If HI are coming your way put a Ghoul up front. If your opponent only recruits HI and Mages, recruit only DAs, Ghouls, and Skeletons. Skeles kill Mages, DAs kill HI, Ghouls defend.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Undead:==<br /> <br /> This matchup is no longer as boring as it was before. Most of your units are undead, making most of them vulnerable to the arcane damage by dark adepts and ghosts. Ghouls in this matchup are less useful for their poison; their resistance to blade, cold, arcane and pierce makes them your tank of sorts, but vulnerable to walking corpses. In general, use a combination of ranged and or walking corpses to kill ghouls, and ghosts and dark adepts to kill all arcane-vulnerable units.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Your most important unit. Get a lot of these. At night, 1 unit can kill ghosts and walking corpses. 2 of these have a good chance of killing all skeleton units. They are still useful against ghosts, while least effective against ghouls. Considering the bat's 60% defense, you might still want to use adepts against them. They are vulnerable to all other units' melee attacks. Protect them well.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': This unit is important, not for its damage, but for its range of resistances; it has no resistances to only impact. Use these to protect your dark adepts from all other melee units. Do remember that ghouls are only 10% resistant to blade, and still vulnerable to skeletons at night. When possible, poison opponents' dark adepts, as it will make him/her consider pulling back to heal. Poisoning bats is also an important option, as they are quite difficult to kill. This is your tank in Undead versus Undead matches.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': This unit is important for its high melee damage, which will be the main way for you to kill dark adepts, as well as ghouls. Skeletons however are vulnerable to walking corpses and ghosts in melee, and dark adepts' range. Only use them to kill walking corpses if you have to; using ghosts/dark adepts are almost always better. <br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': Not much use. Skeletons and ghouls are pierce resistant, while dark adepts will not give soft retaliation. Only really useful against bats and walking corpses, of which dark adepts are better, as they are similarly useful against them. Not recommended for your initial recruit.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': They are useful for their impact damage, and their plague ability. They are a cheap unit to get full damage against ghouls, and severely damage any skeleton unit, especially skeleton archers. One way to use them is by having dark adepts to provide the initial hits against skeleton/ghoul, followed by walking corpses, as they have a higher damage/gold ratio against ghouls than skeletons. Whenever possible, use them to finish off any dark adepts or bats, as the plague ability will provide you with an extra unit. <br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': They are useful for village grabbing and attacking vulnerable units (dark adepts mostly, and finishing off walking corpses and ghouls). They are cold and arcane resistant with 60% default defense, making them quite difficult to kill unless using magic, for which its attacks are resisted. Beware of it being attacked from multiple hexes, as impact damage from walking corpses will easily kill it; be careful of the threat of ghouls as well. When possible use them to steal villages or threaten them. They are certainly worth your gold. Once leveled up, they are very difficult to kill by other Undead players.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': Recruiting this unit depends on your preference, this author does not recommend using them. They have arcane melee, which is useful against all units except bats and ghouls. On the other hand, they do not drain, losing a major advantage of using them. At night, a single dark adept can kill a ghost in one turn. And they cost 20 gold, which might be better spent. If you recruit these, be prepared for a lot of healing this unit in your villages instead of being up front in the attack.<br /> <br /> A good initial recruit should be a mixture of skeletons, dark adepts, ghouls and walking corpses, with the dark adepts being the core. Get a bat for medium to large maps.<br /> <br /> Your main aim is to kill dark adepts, which are usually protected by other units. In general, use ranged attacks, with melee to finish off ghouls; this will be your primary problem. If they are not positioned well, you might want to save your adepts and use your walking corpses instead. Use arcane to kill off walking corpses. In general, you want to have as many hexes as possible to kill dark adepts, it might sometimes be better to ignore the ghoul and focus on killing other units first. Remember that a skeleton used to kill ghouls means a less skeleton to kill adepts. Once vulnerable, use your skeletons, bats and walking corpses to kill them. Make sure that you kill them, as their retaliation damage on their turn will hurt you. If that is not possible, poison them; the ghoul itself will also be a problem for your opponent, who will need to use at least 2-3 units to kill it. When possible, threaten villages with your bats. If you have a lot of walking corpses, use them to whittle down enemy ghouls whenever possible. A loss of a ghoul will definitely force your opponent to retreat. <br /> <br /> On defense, use ghouls and walking corpses to shield your other units. If you can ZOC shield on good terrain especially with ghouls, your opponents will have a very difficult time attacking you without exposing his/her units on bad terrain. Position yourself so that you are the first to attack at night. Regroup at day.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Northerners:==<br /> An interesting battle as both factions are Chaotic. You'll deal more damage at night, so you should usually be the aggressor at this time. You'll be facing a lot of Whelps and Archers most likely, with maybe some Grunts and other units sparsed in.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': Good for taking out any units except Whelps, you'll want to have a couple of these guys in your front line.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': These guys are less deadly than Skeletons and fall faster to Whelps (they do less return damage). They are a good choice if your opponent recruits Grunts and Spearmen though.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': These guys may be useful as they deal Impact damage that will go around Whelp resistancies. Having 1 or 2 of these may prove useful if you can effectively use them to shield your attacking forces or to spawn more allies.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': If you need a scout, the Ghost is a far better choice against Northerners. Only the Archer has a decent chance of killing a Ghost whereas a simple Grunt can walk of and cut down a Bat. Grunts are also cheaper than Bats. Don't recruit this unit.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A good unit to use against Northerners. Their focus on melee wil make nearly every unit that attacks you subject to Poison. With 10% resistance to Blade and Fire they will survive long enough to Poison enough units to be a menace. Having 1 or 2 of this guy will be enough.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': This guy just kills things. He is your Whelp killing instrument as Whelps will resist your Blade and Pierce attacks 20%. Adepts are good to use against any unit though, as every unit other than the Archer has no significant ranged attack. You'll want several of these in your army, but make sure that they have protection from Grunts and Whelps in both attack and defense.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': A great unit to have. Only Archers can reliably take this unit out. His cost is high - especially when compared to the cost of Northerners, but his ability to survive - especially on a village - will make him a thorn in your opponents side. You should be able to see where your opponents archers are, so stay away from them. Use his ranged attack to assist you in killing melee units so that you don't run into a situation of bad luck getting you hurt.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Ghost, Skeleton, Ghoul, DA, and another DA, Ghost, or skeleton type. The Ghoul can also be exchanged for a damage dealer.<br /> <br /> Keep your Skeletons and Ghouls up front to deal return damage in defense and against counter-attacks. Ghouls are your best defensive weapon as they will Poison any who attack them, and Archers will need 4 hits with their Fire arrows at night to get you to 1hp.<br /> <br /> Use your DAs to tear through the otherwise hard-to-kill Whelps, and make sure to finish them as fast as possible, or at least Poison them, or you'll waste 8 damage a turn. If your opponent has any Nagas, punish them with your Adepts and Ghosts - you'll deal 120% damage.<br /> <br /> You'll want to press at night at defend at day as usual, but the reason may not be so clear as Northerners are also Chaotic. The reason is that Undead deal more damage per unit, but are also more expensive. At night your ability to quickly tear through units and finish them off is impressive. During the day it is not; if you cannot take out units in your attack you will be swarmed by larger numbers of Northerners that will trap and kill you. The Regeneration of Whelps becomes a much larger effect during the day as well. Because of these reasons you'll want to defend during the day and take out as many units as possible in each night-time attack.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Rebels:==<br /> You'll likely see a bunch of Woses and Mages in this battle as they are the best unit to deal damage to your forces. Because they are Lawful there will again be a strong day/night push. If your opponent does not recruit many of these units you shouldn't have much of a challenge ahead of you if you simply recruit Skeletons and Archers.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A necessity. These guys resist Blade and Pierce greatly - the 2 major weapons of Elves. These guys will also chop through Mages and are even good to kill Woses at night. Keep these guys away from Woses and Mages during the day.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': It's better to buy Skeletons than Archers here. Skeletons only cost 1g more but deal more damage on their primary attack and their Blade cuts through Wose resistancies as well as avoids magical return damage from the Mage. Don't recruit this guy unless your opponent recruits no Woses or Mages.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': If you can turn 1 or 2 units to your side this unit has paid for himself. Recruit sparingly, though he can be quite useful against Mages if they are foolish enough to stay close after daytime.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Since the Ghost isn't the best bargain against Rebels, if you need a scout unit, the Bat should be your choice. Having more than 1 quickly leads to diminishing returns, so save your gold for units that can fight.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A decent unit to have 1 of. Fighting Woses at night he deals 5-3 plus prevents Regeneration and takes 10-2 in return. If you can't kill a Wose in one turn, hitting him with a Ghoul is a good idea. Also useful against any Elves that decide to entrench themselves in forest, this guy is a utility unit, not an en-masse unit. He does resist Fire at 10%, so of all your units to take hits from Mages, this is probably the one you want to do it on defense.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Good for knocking out Elves in forest, the main reason you'll recruit this guy is to attack Woses without return damage. Showing no weakeness to Fire, the Adept can also kill Mages at night with his 12-2 attack suffering 5-3 in return (if he fails to kill). If your opponent's leader is a White Mage you'll want to recruit even more of these guys as they are your only unit that resists Holy damage and doesn't have a lopsided weakness to it. Good for several reasons, 1 or 2 of this guy is a must.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': The ranged specialist Rebels can take out this unit with relative ease; they can even kill it without Mages, though obviously that would be their first choice. Since Mermen and Woses resist Cold, and all other units have high defense or a strong ranged counter-attack, this unit isn't the best buy against Rebels.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of 2 Skeletons, a Ghoul, a DA, perhaps a Bat, and another useful unit. Keep your Ghoul(s) up front during the day to minimize the Rebel offensive, and retreat if necessary.<br /> <br /> On the offensive, kill Woses and Mages as quickly as possible. Hack up Mages first, and freeze and Poison the Woses. If you have any Skeletons left, try to chop down the trees as well. If you have Archers use them on any Elves your opponent has. Bats can be used on Mages, and use WCs on any unit that they have a chance to kill.<br /> <br /> Try to focus xp on single Skeletons. Levelling one into a Deathblade will prove deadly for your opponent. His extra move will hunt down Mages and Elves and his extra strike will ensure their deaths. The unit also becomes a real Wose killer at night dealing up to 50 of 52 damage. Levelling a Bat will also prove a useful Mage hunting tool.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Knalgans:==<br /> You'll want to catch Knalgans on poor terrain. Dwarves on hills or mountains are hard to move - they usually have to move themselves. To combat this you'll need to use Poison and magic to make them move.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A good standard unit, Skeletons are only in serious danger from Dwarvish Fighters, of which you will likely face several. This unit can take on all of the Outlaws as well as the dangerous Ulfserker. At night, his 6-3 attacks on Guardsmen will also be quite useful. You'll need one to counter an Ulfserker.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': A good cheap unit who is most in danger from Fighters and Ulfserkers, his role is to pick at Fighters, Gryphons, and Guardsmen, though money is better spent elsewhere.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': Not a good unit to combat Dwarves, the WC is better to hold villages against sneaky Gryphons or to kill trapped ones. There's no need to recruit these early.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Knalgans. The superior Gryphon will easily kill this unit resulting in a loss of 13g.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A crucial unit in your fight against Knalgans, the Ghoul's Poison should be used to cut through their resistance and make the slow movers retreat from advantageous positions. Also used as a good Gryphon deterrent, this unit is worth having 2 of.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': The key unit in your arsenal, the DA deals 11-2 damage to Dwarves at night, 10-2 to Guardsmen. Also having the capability to ignore the superior defenses of Knalgans, these guys are invaluable in your nighttime assaults. Their major drawback that is easily exploitable by Knalgans is their lack of melee, so keep them protected at all times.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': As Knalgans have no true counter for Ghosts, these scouts should be used exclusively over Bats. Their greatest use is using their ranged attack on melee exclusive units. Their Drain melee and high resistances makes the Ghost essentially impossible for melee units to kill. The sole exception to this is the Ulfserker. At night, and even possibly at dusk/dawn, the Ghost has an excellent chance of killing an Ulfserker with his Drain attack. During the day, however, the Ghost is in real jeopardy of defeat from this unit. Try to keep the ghost from Thunderers as well, as 2 shots will take him down, and you won't want to lose this unit so easily.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Ghost, a Skeleton, a Ghoul, a DA, and another useful unit like another Skelton, Archer, or DA. Don't let Dwarves get on mountains if you can stop it. Ghosts are great for this, but Ghouls and Skeletons work nicely too. If Dwarves do end up on mountains either ignore them and make them move to unfavorable terrain, Poison them to force them to move, or use Adepts on them.<br /> <br /> In defense, Ghouls on villages or mountains will prove very bothersome to Knalgans. Keep them in the front line to Poison oncoming attackers. They'll take Thunderer shots (at 13-1), so they'll last a while too. Skeletons are alright to keep in front too, due to their resistances outside of Impact. Make sure your Adepts stay behind so they don't get Ulfs.<br /> <br /> On the offense, you'll want to take out Ulfs first and then anything on poor terrain. Terrain plays a huge factor in the damage you will deal Dwarves, so sometimes it will be better to ignore Dwarves on mountains and to kill other units instead. Adepts can remove problem Dwarves though, so have a couple. At the end of your assault put your Ghouls in front to protect your units and to Poison the surviving forces.<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> [[How to play Mages]]<br /> <br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Undead&diff=31799 2009-08-08T15:27:21Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Undead versus Northerners: */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Undead Strategies:==<br /> As a style of personal preference, I enjoy using the massive damage dealing Dark Adepts en masse. The most dreadful attacker of the Undead is also the most pitiful defender, being the only unit in Default to have no melee weapon. Because of this you'll need a good mix of Skeletons, Adepts, and support units.<br /> <br /> A safe first turn recruit against Random would have 1 skeleton, 1 Adept, 1 Ghost, 1 ghoul and a couple more units. When you see what your opponent has, go to the appropriate section below.<br /> <br /> The biggest aspect of Undead that you'll have to become comfortable with is almost overextending yourself at night. Your damage is so high that even Northerners can't keep up except with having more units. You'll make your first attacks with Adepts usually so that you can protect them with your advancing forces that take the place of the units they defeat. Skeletons do this best, usually, as they are your heaviest melee hitter, and at night there isn't a single level 1 unit that can take them out in one attack.<br /> <br /> In order to get the most for your money, you should attack as dusk breaks - especially if you're second player. You'll begin your attack and your opponent will have to counter at night. If your opponent is lawful, the right time to leave the attack can be tricky. Otherwise simply retreat as night is ending. Against lawful units you may want an extra turn to get space between the two of you.<br /> <br /> Since Undead have major resistance strengths and weaknesses every opponent will have a specific plan to counter you. This will consist of Fire and Impact units. It just so happens that Adepts are best at countering these units whether it be defensively against Fire units or offensively against Impact units. A good note is that Ghouls have 10% Fire resistance and no Impact vulnerability. They are a good defensive unit to use on villages for the most part.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Drakes:==<br /> Possibly the deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and very quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are weak to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are weak to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': You'll want these guys if Saurians become a problem. Otherwise, you should invest in Skeletal Archers if you want the Blade and Pierce resistance.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': 14 gold, 5-3 ranged Pierce against Drakes during day in defense, and great resists to their melee attacks, this is a great unit choice against Drakes. Your army should have a couple of these.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Drakes.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Drakes unless the map requires a quick scout for water areas and village grabbing. Usually a Ghost will be enough of a scout unit that combines with Cold ranged and melee.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': Very limited in it's usefulness against Drakes as they have so much hp and can easily fly back to towns to heal, your money is better spent.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': The meat of your army will be this unit. Doing 12-2 damage to Drakes during daytime makes them an obvious choice, and at night you will get an incredible 17-2 magical with a 16 gold level 1 unit. Recruit lots of these, but not so many that you can't cover them with other units. Clashers will literally eat these guys during the day, as will Drake Fighters. Beware of Skirmishers at night, as they are the best counter agsint these guys. Like I said, if Skirmishers become a problem, bring a Skeleton with you to chop them up.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': A decent buy for early grabbing and for scouting, but for Cold damage Adepts are better. Ghosts die easily in the day, but having the mobility at night can prove quite useful. Don't recruit more than 1 early, or you'll be burned to death very quickly.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Skeleton Archer, a Ghost, 2 Adepts, and perhaps a Skeleton with more Archers and Adepts to be recruited later. Don't shy away from the fact that you'll have to freeze Drakes into submission. Use Adepts on Burners and Archers on other Drakes, but always finish what you start - don't leave Drakes hanging around until daytime because they will put a hurt on. It's better to kill 1 Drake than to hurt 2. If Saurians do skirmish in behind you, use Adepts on them to finish them quickly if no Skeletons are around. They are weak to Cold and they do cost 15 gold. If you end up not killing a Drake with that Adept then he at least earned his cost by killing that one unit.<br /> <br /> In defense, put Skeleton Archers on towns, and keep your Ghost(s) away from the front line. a Burner can tear them apart and any flyer can come in to help if they need to. Don't be afraid to use Adepts to counter even in day, but don't attack Burners with them at this time; they'll do too much damage in return, so focus on killing Clasher and Fighters during the day.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Loyalists:==<br /> Like Drakes, there will be a heavy day/night push and pull. Ghosts will be more effective here as the Loyalists are less mobile and have less Fire. Loyalists are the most versatile faction, so you'll need to be prepared to handle anything.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A good staple unit. Use this to hack up any unit except HI. You'll do equal damage to Spearmen in day and everyone else is cake.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': Another good unit to have 1 or 2 of. Mix and match your skeletons, or just use one brand. Recruit these if your opponent has mounted units - especially Cold resistant Cavalry. These guys are useful against most other Loyalist units as well, and do decent return damage to Mages at dawn/dusk. Keep them far from HI unless you can finish them that turn.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': These guys may be useful, but money on heavier hitters is money better spent. These guys are best used to clean up a mess you don't want to waste a Skeleton or Dark Adept on. Beware, they can be easily destroyed by heavy infantry<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Don't recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists unless you need a scout unit to cross water to gather villages quickly. For 7 more gold you can get a Ghost who is a great frontline unit if your opponent has no Mages in range.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': Useful to hold villages and scare off high hp units. Does your opponent have too many HI to kill in one turn? Poison one and make sure you kill the rest. This guy resists everything except Impact (and obviously Holy) just a little bit, so he can be a nice damage soaker - especially if your opponent focuses on melee.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Again, your meat. Not as much as with Drakes, but you'll want these guys near your front line at all times to counter-attack HI and to knock out the high defense Fencers. Mermen will resist you 20%, but you will cut through their high defense as well. At night these guys are killers, plain and simple. Go for HI and Horsemen first, then any other non-Cavalry units - the more expensive the better. Even using Adepts on Mages is smart at night if you're low on Skeletons.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': Get one and probably no more than that. Mages can kill this unit alone in day, and the 20 gold is far too much to waste. Their Drain ability makes them good attackers of Spearmen, as their Firststrike ability actually works against them. Usually you'll want to ranged attack HI or melee Mages, but keep in mid that your nighttime Drain + 50% defense + good resists means you'll usually go unscathed in melee at night.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Gost for grabbing, an Adept or two, a combination of 2 or 3 Skeletons + Archers, and perhaps a Ghoul depending on how you want to play it.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has no HI then your nighttime attack plan is simple: lead with Adepts to freeze everything out of your path and then cover them with your skeleton units. Again, don't be afraid to freeze Mages at night, as 12-2 will kill 2 out 6 Mages (based on hp they get from traits), and they will only deal 5-3 back, or 5-1 if you kill them. Doing this is a coin-flip though, so judge accordingly.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has HI, and has them in front, same game plan, just freeze the HI exclusively. They are the only unit weak to Cold in their army, it is their only weakness that you can exploit, and they have the most hp (tied). The math is simple. You must use Cold - preferably from Adepts - to kill these guys. After they're down, advance as before.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has HI in the back, bust your way through wil what units you have. If you can't reach them with your Adepts at the end, blast whatever the hell you can, because you have to apply their damage somewhere. Even if you hang them out to dry in the front lines, all Loyalists get -25% damage at night, so they're a lot safer than you may think. Do keep them covered if you left any Horsemen alive though, which you shouldn't, as they are a high priority kill.<br /> <br /> In defense: leave Skeleton Archers in front. They will resist all damage other than from Mages and HI, and they will do some damage back to Mages (in addition to being your cheapest fighting unit). If HI are coming your way put a Ghoul up front. If your opponent only recruits HI and Mages, recruit only DAs, Ghouls, and Skeletons. Skeles kill Mages, DAs kill HI, Ghouls defend.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Undead:==<br /> <br /> This matchup is no longer as boring as it was before. Most of your units are undead, making most of them vulnerable to the arcane damage by dark adepts and ghosts. Ghouls in this matchup are less useful for their poison; their resistance to blade, cold, arcane and pierce makes them your tank of sorts, but vulnerable to walking corpses. In general, use a combination of ranged and or walking corpses to kill ghouls, and ghosts and dark adepts to kill all arcane-vulnerable units.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Your most important unit. Get a lot of these. At night, 1 unit can kill ghosts and walking corpses. 2 of these have a good chance of killing all skeleton units. They are still useful against ghosts, while least effective against ghouls. Considering the bat's 60% defense, you might still want to use adepts against them. They are vulnerable to all other units' melee attacks. Protect them well.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': This unit is important, not for its damage, but for its range of resistances; it has no resistances to only impact. Use these to protect your dark adepts from all other melee units. Do remember that ghouls are only 10% resistant to blade, and still vulnerable to skeletons at night. When possible, poison opponents' dark adepts, as it will make him/her consider pulling back to heal. Poisoning bats is also an important option, as they are quite difficult to kill. This is your tank in Undead versus Undead matches.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': This unit is important for its high melee damage, which will be the main way for you to kill dark adepts, as well as ghouls. Skeletons however are vulnerable to walking corpses and ghosts in melee, and dark adepts' range. Only use them to kill walking corpses if you have to; using ghosts/dark adepts are almost always better. <br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': Not much use. Skeletons and ghouls are pierce resistant, while dark adepts will not give soft retaliation. Only really useful against bats and walking corpses, of which dark adepts are better, as they are similarly useful against them. Not recommended for your initial recruit.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': They are useful for their impact damage, and their plague ability. They are a cheap unit to get full damage against ghouls, and severely damage any skeleton unit, especially skeleton archers. One way to use them is by having dark adepts to provide the initial hits against skeleton/ghoul, followed by walking corpses, as they have a higher damage/gold ratio against ghouls than skeletons. Whenever possible, use them to finish off any dark adepts or bats, as the plague ability will provide you with an extra unit. <br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': They are useful for village grabbing and attacking vulnerable units (dark adepts mostly, and finishing off walking corpses and ghouls). They are cold and arcane resistant with 60% default defense, making them quite difficult to kill unless using magic, for which its attacks are resisted. Beware of it being attacked from multiple hexes, as impact damage from walking corpses will easily kill it; be careful of the threat of ghouls as well. When possible use them to steal villages or threaten them. They are certainly worth your gold. Once leveled up, they are very difficult to kill by other Undead players.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': Recruiting this unit depends on your preference, this author does not recommend using them. They have arcane melee, which is useful against all units except bats and ghouls. On the other hand, they do not drain, losing a major advantage of using them. At night, a single dark adept can kill a ghost in one turn. And they cost 20 gold, which might be better spent. If you recruit these, be prepared for a lot of healing this unit in your villages instead of being up front in the attack.<br /> <br /> A good initial recruit should be a mixture of skeletons, dark adepts, ghouls and walking corpses, with the dark adepts being the core. Get a bat for medium to large maps.<br /> <br /> Your main aim is to kill dark adepts, which are usually protected by other units. In general, use ranged attacks, with melee to finish off ghouls; this will be your primary problem. If they are not positioned well, you might want to save your adepts and use your walking corpses instead. Use arcane to kill off walking corpses. In general, you want to have as many hexes as possible to kill dark adepts, it might sometimes be better to ignore the ghoul and focus on killing other units first. Remember that a skeleton used to kill ghouls means a less skeleton to kill adepts. Once vulnerable, use your skeletons, bats and walking corpses to kill them. Make sure that you kill them, as their retaliation damage on their turn will hurt you. If that is not possible, poison them; the ghoul itself will also be a problem for your opponent, who will need to use at least 2-3 units to kill it. When possible, threaten villages with your bats. If you have a lot of walking corpses, use them to whittle down enemy ghouls whenever possible. A loss of a ghoul will definitely force your opponent to retreat. <br /> <br /> On defense, use ghouls and walking corpses to shield your other units. If you can ZOC shield on good terrain especially with ghouls, your opponents will have a very difficult time attacking you without exposing his/her units on bad terrain. Position yourself so that you are the first to attack at night. Regroup at day.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Northerners:==<br /> An interesting battle as both factions are Chaotic. You'll deal more damage at night, so you should usually be the aggressor at this time. You'll be facing a lot of Whelps and Archers most likely, with maybe some Grunts and other units sparsed in.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': Good for taking out any units except Whelps, you'll want to have a couple of these guys in your front line.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': These guys are less deadly than Skeletons and fall faster to Whelps (they do less return damage). They are a good choice if your opponent recruits Grunts and Spearmen though.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': These guys may be useful as they deal Impact damage that will go around Whelp resistancies. Having 1 or 2 of these may prove useful if you can effectively use them to shield your attacking forces or to spawn more allies.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': If you need a scout, the Ghost is a far better choice against Northerners. Only the Archer has a decent chance of killing a Ghost whereas a simple Grunt can walk of and cut down a Bat. Grunts are also cheaper than Bats. Don't recruit this unit.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A good unit to use against Northerners. Their focus on melee wil make nearly every unit that attacks you subject to Poison. With 10% resistance to Blade and Fire they will survive long enough to Poison enough units to be a menace. Having 1 or 2 of this guy will be enough.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': This guy just kills things. He is your Whelp killing instrument as Whelps will resist your Blade and Pierce attacks 20%. Adepts are good to use against any unit though, as every unit other than the Archer has no significant ranged attack. You'll want several of these in your army, but make sure that they have protection from Grunts and Whelps in both attack and defense.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': A great unit to have. Only Archers can reliably take this unit out. His cost is high - especially when compared to the cost of Northerners, but his ability to survive - especially on a village - will make him a thorn in your opponents side. You should be able to see where your opponents archers are, so stay away from them. Use his ranged attack to assist you in killing melee units so that you don't run into a situation of bad luck getting you hurt.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Ghost, Skeleton, Ghoul, DA, and another DA, Ghost, or skeleton type. The Ghoul can also be exchanged for a damage dealer.<br /> <br /> Keep your Skeletons and Ghouls up front to deal return damage in defense and against counter-attacks. Ghouls are your best defensive weapon as they will Poison any who attack them, and Archers will need 4 hits with their Fire arrows at night to get you to 1hp.<br /> <br /> Use your DAs to tear through the otherwise hard-to-kill Whelps, and make sure to finish them as fast as possible, or at least Poison them, or you'll waste 8 damage a turn. If your opponent has any Nagas, punish them with your Adepts and Ghosts - you'll deal 120% damage.<br /> <br /> You'll want to press at night at defend at day as usual, but the reason may not be so clear as Northerners are also Chaotic. The reason is that Undead deal more damage per unit, but are also more expensive. At night your ability to quickly tear through units and finish them off is impressive. During the day it is not; if you cannot take out units in your attack you will be swarmed by larger numbers of Northerners that will trap and kill you. The Regeneration of Whelps becomes a much larger effect during the day as well. Because of these reasons you'll want to defend during the day and take out as many units as possible in each night-time attack.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Rebels:==<br /> You'll likely see a bunch of Woses and Mages in this battle as they are the best unit to deal damage to your forces. Because they are Lawful there will again be a strong day/night push. If your opponent does not recruit many of these units you shouldn't have much of a challenge ahead of you if you simply recruit Skeletons and Archers.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A necessity. These guys resist Blade and Pierce greatly - the 2 major weapons of Elves. These guys will also chop through Mages and are even good to kill Woses at night. Keep these guys away from Woses and Mages during the day.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': It's better to buy Skeletons than Archers here. Skeletons only cost 1g more but deal more damage on their primary attack and their Blade cuts through Wose resistancies as well as avoids magical return damage from the Mage. Don't recruit this guy unless your opponent recruits no Woses or Mages.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': If you can turn 1 or 2 units to your side this unit has paid for himself. Recruit sparingly, though he can be quite useful against Mages if they are foolish enough to stay close after daytime.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Since the Ghost isn't the best bargain against Rebels, if you need a scout unit, the Bat should be your choice. Having more than 1 quickly leads to diminishing returns, so save your gold for units that can fight.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A decent unit to have 1 of. Fighting Woses at night he deals 5-3 plus prevents Regeneration and takes 10-2 in return. If you can't kill a Wose in one turn, hitting him with a Ghoul is a good idea. Also useful against any Elves that decide to entrench themselves in forest, this guy is a utility unit, not an en-masse unit. He does resist Fire at 10%, so of all your units to take hits from Mages, this is probably the one you want to do it on defense.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Good for knocking out Elves in forest, the main reason you'll recruit this guy is to attack Woses without return damage. Showing no weakeness to Fire, the Adept can also kill Mages at night with his 12-2 attack suffering 5-3 in return (if he fails to kill). If your opponent's leader is a White Mage you'll want to recruit even more of these guys as they are your only unit that resists Holy damage and doesn't have a lopsided weakness to it. Good for several reasons, 1 or 2 of this guy is a must.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': The ranged specialist Rebels can take out this unit with relative ease; they can even kill it without Mages, though obviously that would be their first choice. Since Mermen and Woses resist Cold, and all other units have high defense or a strong ranged counter-attack, this unit isn't the best buy against Rebels.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of 2 Skeletons, a Ghoul, a DA, perhaps a Bat, and another useful unit. Keep your Ghoul(s) up front during the day to minimize the Rebel offensive, and retreat if necessary.<br /> <br /> On the offensive, kill Woses and Mages as quickly as possible. Hack up Mages first, and freeze and Poison the Woses. If you have any Skeletons left, try to chop down the trees as well. If you have Archers use them on any Elves your opponent has. Bats can be used on Mages, and use WCs on any unit that they have a chance to kill.<br /> <br /> Try to focus xp on single Skeletons. Levelling one into a Deathblade will prove deadly for your opponent. His extra move will hunt down Mages and Elves and his extra strike will ensure their deaths. The unit also becomes a real Wose killer at night dealing up to 50 of 52 damage. Levelling a Bat will also prove a useful Mage hunting tool.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Knalgans:==<br /> You'll want to catch Knalgans on poor terrain. Dwarves on hills or mountains are hard to move - they usually have to move themselves. To combat this you'll need to use Poison and magic to make them move.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A good standard unit, Skeletons are only in serious danger from Dwarvish Fighters, of which you will likely face several. This unit can take on all of the Outlaws as well as the dangerous Ulfserker. At night, his 6-3 attacks on Guardsmen will also be quite useful. You'll need one to counter an Ulfserker.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': A good cheap unit who is most in danger from Fighters and Ulfserkers, his role is to pick at Fighters, Gryphons, and Guardsmen, though money is better spent elsewhere.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': Not a good unit to combat Dwarves, the WC is better to hold villages against sneaky Gryphons or to kill trapped ones. There's no need to recruit these early.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Knalgans. The superior Gryphon will easily kill this unit resulting in a loss of 13g.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A crucial unit in your fight against Knalgans, the Ghoul's Poison should be used to cut through their resistance and make the slow movers retreat from advantageous positions. Also used as a good Gryphon deterrent, this unit is worth having 2 of.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': The key unit in your arsenal, the DA deals 11-2 damage to Dwarves at night, 10-2 to Guardsmen. Also having the capability to ignore the superior defenses of Knalgans, these guys are invaluable in your nighttime assaults. Their major drawback that is easily exploitable by Knalgans is their lack of melee, so keep them protected at all times.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': As Knalgans have no true counter for Ghosts, these scouts should be used exclusively over Bats. Their greatest use is using their ranged attack on melee exclusive units. Their Drain melee and high resistances makes the Ghost essentially impossible for melee units to kill. The sole exception to this is the Ulfserker. At night, and even possibly at dusk/dawn, the Ghost has an excellent chance of killing an Ulfserker with his Drain attack. During the day, however, the Ghost is in real jeopardy of defeat from this unit. Try to keep the ghost from Thunderers as well, as 2 shots will take him down, and you won't want to lose this unit so easily.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Ghost, a Skeleton, a Ghoul, a DA, and another useful unit like another Skelton, Archer, or DA. Don't let Dwarves get on mountains if you can stop it. Ghosts are great for this, but Ghouls and Skeletons work nicely too. If Dwarves do end up on mountains either ignore them and make them move to unfavorable terrain, Poison them to force them to move, or use Adepts on them.<br /> <br /> In defense, Ghouls on villages or mountains will prove very bothersome to Knalgans. Keep them in the front line to Poison oncoming attackers. They'll take Thunderer shots (at 13-1), so they'll last a while too. Skeletons are alright to keep in front too, due to their resistances outside of Impact. Make sure your Adepts stay behind so they don't get Ulfs.<br /> <br /> On the offense, you'll want to take out Ulfs first and then anything on poor terrain. Terrain plays a huge factor in the damage you will deal Dwarves, so sometimes it will be better to ignore Dwarves on mountains and to kill other units instead. Adepts can remove problem Dwarves though, so have a couple. At the end of your assault put your Ghouls in front to protect your units and to Poison the surviving forces.<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> [[How to play Mages]]<br /> <br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Undead&diff=31798 2009-08-08T15:27:12Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Undead versus Loyalists: */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Undead Strategies:==<br /> As a style of personal preference, I enjoy using the massive damage dealing Dark Adepts en masse. The most dreadful attacker of the Undead is also the most pitiful defender, being the only unit in Default to have no melee weapon. Because of this you'll need a good mix of Skeletons, Adepts, and support units.<br /> <br /> A safe first turn recruit against Random would have 1 skeleton, 1 Adept, 1 Ghost, 1 ghoul and a couple more units. When you see what your opponent has, go to the appropriate section below.<br /> <br /> The biggest aspect of Undead that you'll have to become comfortable with is almost overextending yourself at night. Your damage is so high that even Northerners can't keep up except with having more units. You'll make your first attacks with Adepts usually so that you can protect them with your advancing forces that take the place of the units they defeat. Skeletons do this best, usually, as they are your heaviest melee hitter, and at night there isn't a single level 1 unit that can take them out in one attack.<br /> <br /> In order to get the most for your money, you should attack as dusk breaks - especially if you're second player. You'll begin your attack and your opponent will have to counter at night. If your opponent is lawful, the right time to leave the attack can be tricky. Otherwise simply retreat as night is ending. Against lawful units you may want an extra turn to get space between the two of you.<br /> <br /> Since Undead have major resistance strengths and weaknesses every opponent will have a specific plan to counter you. This will consist of Fire and Impact units. It just so happens that Adepts are best at countering these units whether it be defensively against Fire units or offensively against Impact units. A good note is that Ghouls have 10% Fire resistance and no Impact vulnerability. They are a good defensive unit to use on villages for the most part.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Drakes:==<br /> Possibly the deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and very quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are weak to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are weak to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': You'll want these guys if Saurians become a problem. Otherwise, you should invest in Skeletal Archers if you want the Blade and Pierce resistance.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': 14 gold, 5-3 ranged Pierce against Drakes during day in defense, and great resists to their melee attacks, this is a great unit choice against Drakes. Your army should have a couple of these.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Drakes.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Drakes unless the map requires a quick scout for water areas and village grabbing. Usually a Ghost will be enough of a scout unit that combines with Cold ranged and melee.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': Very limited in it's usefulness against Drakes as they have so much hp and can easily fly back to towns to heal, your money is better spent.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': The meat of your army will be this unit. Doing 12-2 damage to Drakes during daytime makes them an obvious choice, and at night you will get an incredible 17-2 magical with a 16 gold level 1 unit. Recruit lots of these, but not so many that you can't cover them with other units. Clashers will literally eat these guys during the day, as will Drake Fighters. Beware of Skirmishers at night, as they are the best counter agsint these guys. Like I said, if Skirmishers become a problem, bring a Skeleton with you to chop them up.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': A decent buy for early grabbing and for scouting, but for Cold damage Adepts are better. Ghosts die easily in the day, but having the mobility at night can prove quite useful. Don't recruit more than 1 early, or you'll be burned to death very quickly.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Skeleton Archer, a Ghost, 2 Adepts, and perhaps a Skeleton with more Archers and Adepts to be recruited later. Don't shy away from the fact that you'll have to freeze Drakes into submission. Use Adepts on Burners and Archers on other Drakes, but always finish what you start - don't leave Drakes hanging around until daytime because they will put a hurt on. It's better to kill 1 Drake than to hurt 2. If Saurians do skirmish in behind you, use Adepts on them to finish them quickly if no Skeletons are around. They are weak to Cold and they do cost 15 gold. If you end up not killing a Drake with that Adept then he at least earned his cost by killing that one unit.<br /> <br /> In defense, put Skeleton Archers on towns, and keep your Ghost(s) away from the front line. a Burner can tear them apart and any flyer can come in to help if they need to. Don't be afraid to use Adepts to counter even in day, but don't attack Burners with them at this time; they'll do too much damage in return, so focus on killing Clasher and Fighters during the day.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Loyalists:==<br /> Like Drakes, there will be a heavy day/night push and pull. Ghosts will be more effective here as the Loyalists are less mobile and have less Fire. Loyalists are the most versatile faction, so you'll need to be prepared to handle anything.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A good staple unit. Use this to hack up any unit except HI. You'll do equal damage to Spearmen in day and everyone else is cake.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': Another good unit to have 1 or 2 of. Mix and match your skeletons, or just use one brand. Recruit these if your opponent has mounted units - especially Cold resistant Cavalry. These guys are useful against most other Loyalist units as well, and do decent return damage to Mages at dawn/dusk. Keep them far from HI unless you can finish them that turn.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': These guys may be useful, but money on heavier hitters is money better spent. These guys are best used to clean up a mess you don't want to waste a Skeleton or Dark Adept on. Beware, they can be easily destroyed by heavy infantry<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Don't recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists unless you need a scout unit to cross water to gather villages quickly. For 7 more gold you can get a Ghost who is a great frontline unit if your opponent has no Mages in range.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': Useful to hold villages and scare off high hp units. Does your opponent have too many HI to kill in one turn? Poison one and make sure you kill the rest. This guy resists everything except Impact (and obviously Holy) just a little bit, so he can be a nice damage soaker - especially if your opponent focuses on melee.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Again, your meat. Not as much as with Drakes, but you'll want these guys near your front line at all times to counter-attack HI and to knock out the high defense Fencers. Mermen will resist you 20%, but you will cut through their high defense as well. At night these guys are killers, plain and simple. Go for HI and Horsemen first, then any other non-Cavalry units - the more expensive the better. Even using Adepts on Mages is smart at night if you're low on Skeletons.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': Get one and probably no more than that. Mages can kill this unit alone in day, and the 20 gold is far too much to waste. Their Drain ability makes them good attackers of Spearmen, as their Firststrike ability actually works against them. Usually you'll want to ranged attack HI or melee Mages, but keep in mid that your nighttime Drain + 50% defense + good resists means you'll usually go unscathed in melee at night.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Gost for grabbing, an Adept or two, a combination of 2 or 3 Skeletons + Archers, and perhaps a Ghoul depending on how you want to play it.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has no HI then your nighttime attack plan is simple: lead with Adepts to freeze everything out of your path and then cover them with your skeleton units. Again, don't be afraid to freeze Mages at night, as 12-2 will kill 2 out 6 Mages (based on hp they get from traits), and they will only deal 5-3 back, or 5-1 if you kill them. Doing this is a coin-flip though, so judge accordingly.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has HI, and has them in front, same game plan, just freeze the HI exclusively. They are the only unit weak to Cold in their army, it is their only weakness that you can exploit, and they have the most hp (tied). The math is simple. You must use Cold - preferably from Adepts - to kill these guys. After they're down, advance as before.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has HI in the back, bust your way through wil what units you have. If you can't reach them with your Adepts at the end, blast whatever the hell you can, because you have to apply their damage somewhere. Even if you hang them out to dry in the front lines, all Loyalists get -25% damage at night, so they're a lot safer than you may think. Do keep them covered if you left any Horsemen alive though, which you shouldn't, as they are a high priority kill.<br /> <br /> In defense: leave Skeleton Archers in front. They will resist all damage other than from Mages and HI, and they will do some damage back to Mages (in addition to being your cheapest fighting unit). If HI are coming your way put a Ghoul up front. If your opponent only recruits HI and Mages, recruit only DAs, Ghouls, and Skeletons. Skeles kill Mages, DAs kill HI, Ghouls defend.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Undead:==<br /> <br /> This matchup is no longer as boring as it was before. Most of your units are undead, making most of them vulnerable to the arcane damage by dark adepts and ghosts. Ghouls in this matchup are less useful for their poison; their resistance to blade, cold, arcane and pierce makes them your tank of sorts, but vulnerable to walking corpses. In general, use a combination of ranged and or walking corpses to kill ghouls, and ghosts and dark adepts to kill all arcane-vulnerable units.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Your most important unit. Get a lot of these. At night, 1 unit can kill ghosts and walking corpses. 2 of these have a good chance of killing all skeleton units. They are still useful against ghosts, while least effective against ghouls. Considering the bat's 60% defense, you might still want to use adepts against them. They are vulnerable to all other units' melee attacks. Protect them well.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': This unit is important, not for its damage, but for its range of resistances; it has no resistances to only impact. Use these to protect your dark adepts from all other melee units. Do remember that ghouls are only 10% resistant to blade, and still vulnerable to skeletons at night. When possible, poison opponents' dark adepts, as it will make him/her consider pulling back to heal. Poisoning bats is also an important option, as they are quite difficult to kill. This is your tank in Undead versus Undead matches.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': This unit is important for its high melee damage, which will be the main way for you to kill dark adepts, as well as ghouls. Skeletons however are vulnerable to walking corpses and ghosts in melee, and dark adepts' range. Only use them to kill walking corpses if you have to; using ghosts/dark adepts are almost always better. <br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': Not much use. Skeletons and ghouls are pierce resistant, while dark adepts will not give soft retaliation. Only really useful against bats and walking corpses, of which dark adepts are better, as they are similarly useful against them. Not recommended for your initial recruit.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': They are useful for their impact damage, and their plague ability. They are a cheap unit to get full damage against ghouls, and severely damage any skeleton unit, especially skeleton archers. One way to use them is by having dark adepts to provide the initial hits against skeleton/ghoul, followed by walking corpses, as they have a higher damage/gold ratio against ghouls than skeletons. Whenever possible, use them to finish off any dark adepts or bats, as the plague ability will provide you with an extra unit. <br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': They are useful for village grabbing and attacking vulnerable units (dark adepts mostly, and finishing off walking corpses and ghouls). They are cold and arcane resistant with 60% default defense, making them quite difficult to kill unless using magic, for which its attacks are resisted. Beware of it being attacked from multiple hexes, as impact damage from walking corpses will easily kill it; be careful of the threat of ghouls as well. When possible use them to steal villages or threaten them. They are certainly worth your gold. Once leveled up, they are very difficult to kill by other Undead players.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': Recruiting this unit depends on your preference, this author does not recommend using them. They have arcane melee, which is useful against all units except bats and ghouls. On the other hand, they do not drain, losing a major advantage of using them. At night, a single dark adept can kill a ghost in one turn. And they cost 20 gold, which might be better spent. If you recruit these, be prepared for a lot of healing this unit in your villages instead of being up front in the attack.<br /> <br /> A good initial recruit should be a mixture of skeletons, dark adepts, ghouls and walking corpses, with the dark adepts being the core. Get a bat for medium to large maps.<br /> <br /> Your main aim is to kill dark adepts, which are usually protected by other units. In general, use ranged attacks, with melee to finish off ghouls; this will be your primary problem. If they are not positioned well, you might want to save your adepts and use your walking corpses instead. Use arcane to kill off walking corpses. In general, you want to have as many hexes as possible to kill dark adepts, it might sometimes be better to ignore the ghoul and focus on killing other units first. Remember that a skeleton used to kill ghouls means a less skeleton to kill adepts. Once vulnerable, use your skeletons, bats and walking corpses to kill them. Make sure that you kill them, as their retaliation damage on their turn will hurt you. If that is not possible, poison them; the ghoul itself will also be a problem for your opponent, who will need to use at least 2-3 units to kill it. When possible, threaten villages with your bats. If you have a lot of walking corpses, use them to whittle down enemy ghouls whenever possible. A loss of a ghoul will definitely force your opponent to retreat. <br /> <br /> On defense, use ghouls and walking corpses to shield your other units. If you can ZOC shield on good terrain especially with ghouls, your opponents will have a very difficult time attacking you without exposing his/her units on bad terrain. Position yourself so that you are the first to attack at night. Regroup at day.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Northerners:==<br /> An interesting battle as both factions are Chaotic. You'll deal more damage at night, so you should usually be the aggressor at this time. You'll be facing a lot of Whelps and Archers most likely, with maybe some Grunts and other units sparsed in.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': Good for taking out any units except Whelps, you'll want to have a couple of these guys in your front line.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': These guys are less deadly than Skeletons and fall faster to Whelps (they do less return damage). They are a good choice if your opponent recruits Grunts and Spearmen though.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': These guys may be useful as they deal Impact damage that will go around Whelp resistancies. Having 1 or 2 of these may prove useful if you can effectively use them to shield your attacking forces or to spawn more allies.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': If you need a scout, the Ghost is a far better choice against Northerners. Only the Archer has a decent chance of killing a Ghost whereas a simple Grunt can walk of and cut down a Bat. Grunts are also cheaper than Bats. Don't recruit this unit.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A good unit to use against Northerners. Their focus on melee wil make nearly every unit that attacks you subject to Poison. With 10% resistance to Blade and Fire they will survive long enough to Poison enough units to be a menace. Having 1 or 2 of this guy will be enough.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': This guy just kills things. He is your Whelp killing instrument as Whelps will resist your Blade and Pierce attacks 20%. Adepts are good to use against any unit though, as every unit other than the Archer has no significant ranged attack. You'll want several of these in your army, but make sure that they have protection from Grunts and Whelps in both attack and defense.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': A great unit to have. Only Archers can reliably take this unit out. His cost is high - especially when compared to the cost of Northerners, but his ability to survive - especially on a village - will make him a thorn in your opponents side. You should be able to see where your opponents archers are, so stay away from them. Use his ranged attack to assist you in killing melee units so that you don't run into a situation of bad luck getting you hurt.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Ghost, Skeleton, Ghoul, DA, and another DA, Ghost, or skeleton type. The Ghoul can also be exchanged for a damage dealer.<br /> <br /> Keep your Skeletons and Ghouls up front to deal return damage in defense and against counter-attacks. Ghouls are your best defensive weapon as they will Poison any who attack them, and Archers will need 4 hits with their Fire arrows at night to get you to 1hp.<br /> <br /> Use your DAs to tear through the otherwise hard-to-kill Whelps, and make sure to finish them as fast as possible, or at least Poison them, or you'll waste 8 damage a turn. If your opponent has any Nagas, punish them with your Adepts and Ghosts - you'll deal 120% damage.<br /> <br /> You'll want to press at night at defend at day as usual, but the reason may not be so clear as Northerners are also Chaotic. The reason is that Undead deal more damage per unit, but are also more expensive. At night your ability to quickly tear through units and finish them off is impressive. During the day it is not; if you cannot take out units in your attack you will be swarmed by larger numbers of Northerners that will trap and kill you. The Regeneration of Whelps becomes a much larger effect during the day as well. Because of these reasons you'll want to defend during the day and take out as many units as possible in each night-time attack.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Rebels:==<br /> You'll likely see a bunch of Woses and Mages in this battle as they are the best unit to deal damage to your forces. Because they are Lawful there will again be a strong day/night push. If your opponent does not recruit many of these units you shouldn't have much of a challenge ahead of you if you simply recruit Skeletons and Archers.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A necessity. These guys resist Blade and Pierce greatly - the 2 major weapons of Elves. These guys will also chop through Mages and are even good to kill Woses at night. Keep these guys away from Woses and Mages during the day.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': It's better to buy Skeletons than Archers here. Skeletons only cost 1g more but deal more damage on their primary attack and their Blade cuts through Wose resistancies as well as avoids magical return damage from the Mage. Don't recruit this guy unless your opponent recruits no Woses or Mages.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': If you can turn 1 or 2 units to your side this unit has paid for himself. Recruit sparingly, though he can be quite useful against Mages if they are foolish enough to stay close after daytime.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Since the Ghost isn't the best bargain against Rebels, if you need a scout unit, the Bat should be your choice. Having more than 1 quickly leads to diminishing returns, so save your gold for units that can fight.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A decent unit to have 1 of. Fighting Woses at night he deals 5-3 plus prevents Regeneration and takes 10-2 in return. If you can't kill a Wose in one turn, hitting him with a Ghoul is a good idea. Also useful against any Elves that decide to entrench themselves in forest, this guy is a utility unit, not an en-masse unit. He does resist Fire at 10%, so of all your units to take hits from Mages, this is probably the one you want to do it on defense.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Good for knocking out Elves in forest, the main reason you'll recruit this guy is to attack Woses without return damage. Showing no weakeness to Fire, the Adept can also kill Mages at night with his 12-2 attack suffering 5-3 in return (if he fails to kill). If your opponent's leader is a White Mage you'll want to recruit even more of these guys as they are your only unit that resists Holy damage and doesn't have a lopsided weakness to it. Good for several reasons, 1 or 2 of this guy is a must.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': The ranged specialist Rebels can take out this unit with relative ease; they can even kill it without Mages, though obviously that would be their first choice. Since Mermen and Woses resist Cold, and all other units have high defense or a strong ranged counter-attack, this unit isn't the best buy against Rebels.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of 2 Skeletons, a Ghoul, a DA, perhaps a Bat, and another useful unit. Keep your Ghoul(s) up front during the day to minimize the Rebel offensive, and retreat if necessary.<br /> <br /> On the offensive, kill Woses and Mages as quickly as possible. Hack up Mages first, and freeze and Poison the Woses. If you have any Skeletons left, try to chop down the trees as well. If you have Archers use them on any Elves your opponent has. Bats can be used on Mages, and use WCs on any unit that they have a chance to kill.<br /> <br /> Try to focus xp on single Skeletons. Levelling one into a Deathblade will prove deadly for your opponent. His extra move will hunt down Mages and Elves and his extra strike will ensure their deaths. The unit also becomes a real Wose killer at night dealing up to 50 of 52 damage. Levelling a Bat will also prove a useful Mage hunting tool.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Knalgans:==<br /> You'll want to catch Knalgans on poor terrain. Dwarves on hills or mountains are hard to move - they usually have to move themselves. To combat this you'll need to use Poison and magic to make them move.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A good standard unit, Skeletons are only in serious danger from Dwarvish Fighters, of which you will likely face several. This unit can take on all of the Outlaws as well as the dangerous Ulfserker. At night, his 6-3 attacks on Guardsmen will also be quite useful. You'll need one to counter an Ulfserker.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': A good cheap unit who is most in danger from Fighters and Ulfserkers, his role is to pick at Fighters, Gryphons, and Guardsmen, though money is better spent elsewhere.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': Not a good unit to combat Dwarves, the WC is better to hold villages against sneaky Gryphons or to kill trapped ones. There's no need to recruit these early.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Knalgans. The superior Gryphon will easily kill this unit resulting in a loss of 13g.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A crucial unit in your fight against Knalgans, the Ghoul's Poison should be used to cut through their resistance and make the slow movers retreat from advantageous positions. Also used as a good Gryphon deterrent, this unit is worth having 2 of.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': The key unit in your arsenal, the DA deals 11-2 damage to Dwarves at night, 10-2 to Guardsmen. Also having the capability to ignore the superior defenses of Knalgans, these guys are invaluable in your nighttime assaults. Their major drawback that is easily exploitable by Knalgans is their lack of melee, so keep them protected at all times.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': As Knalgans have no true counter for Ghosts, these scouts should be used exclusively over Bats. Their greatest use is using their ranged attack on melee exclusive units. Their Drain melee and high resistances makes the Ghost essentially impossible for melee units to kill. The sole exception to this is the Ulfserker. At night, and even possibly at dusk/dawn, the Ghost has an excellent chance of killing an Ulfserker with his Drain attack. During the day, however, the Ghost is in real jeopardy of defeat from this unit. Try to keep the ghost from Thunderers as well, as 2 shots will take him down, and you won't want to lose this unit so easily.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Ghost, a Skeleton, a Ghoul, a DA, and another useful unit like another Skelton, Archer, or DA. Don't let Dwarves get on mountains if you can stop it. Ghosts are great for this, but Ghouls and Skeletons work nicely too. If Dwarves do end up on mountains either ignore them and make them move to unfavorable terrain, Poison them to force them to move, or use Adepts on them.<br /> <br /> In defense, Ghouls on villages or mountains will prove very bothersome to Knalgans. Keep them in the front line to Poison oncoming attackers. They'll take Thunderer shots (at 13-1), so they'll last a while too. Skeletons are alright to keep in front too, due to their resistances outside of Impact. Make sure your Adepts stay behind so they don't get Ulfs.<br /> <br /> On the offense, you'll want to take out Ulfs first and then anything on poor terrain. Terrain plays a huge factor in the damage you will deal Dwarves, so sometimes it will be better to ignore Dwarves on mountains and to kill other units instead. Adepts can remove problem Dwarves though, so have a couple. At the end of your assault put your Ghouls in front to protect your units and to Poison the surviving forces.<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> [[How to play Mages]]<br /> <br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Undead&diff=31797 2009-08-08T15:27:05Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Undead versus Drakes: */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Undead Strategies:==<br /> As a style of personal preference, I enjoy using the massive damage dealing Dark Adepts en masse. The most dreadful attacker of the Undead is also the most pitiful defender, being the only unit in Default to have no melee weapon. Because of this you'll need a good mix of Skeletons, Adepts, and support units.<br /> <br /> A safe first turn recruit against Random would have 1 skeleton, 1 Adept, 1 Ghost, 1 ghoul and a couple more units. When you see what your opponent has, go to the appropriate section below.<br /> <br /> The biggest aspect of Undead that you'll have to become comfortable with is almost overextending yourself at night. Your damage is so high that even Northerners can't keep up except with having more units. You'll make your first attacks with Adepts usually so that you can protect them with your advancing forces that take the place of the units they defeat. Skeletons do this best, usually, as they are your heaviest melee hitter, and at night there isn't a single level 1 unit that can take them out in one attack.<br /> <br /> In order to get the most for your money, you should attack as dusk breaks - especially if you're second player. You'll begin your attack and your opponent will have to counter at night. If your opponent is lawful, the right time to leave the attack can be tricky. Otherwise simply retreat as night is ending. Against lawful units you may want an extra turn to get space between the two of you.<br /> <br /> Since Undead have major resistance strengths and weaknesses every opponent will have a specific plan to counter you. This will consist of Fire and Impact units. It just so happens that Adepts are best at countering these units whether it be defensively against Fire units or offensively against Impact units. A good note is that Ghouls have 10% Fire resistance and no Impact vulnerability. They are a good defensive unit to use on villages for the most part.<br /> <br /> ==Undead vs Drakes:==<br /> Possibly the deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and very quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are weak to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are weak to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': You'll want these guys if Saurians become a problem. Otherwise, you should invest in Skeletal Archers if you want the Blade and Pierce resistance.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': 14 gold, 5-3 ranged Pierce against Drakes during day in defense, and great resists to their melee attacks, this is a great unit choice against Drakes. Your army should have a couple of these.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Drakes.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Drakes unless the map requires a quick scout for water areas and village grabbing. Usually a Ghost will be enough of a scout unit that combines with Cold ranged and melee.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': Very limited in it's usefulness against Drakes as they have so much hp and can easily fly back to towns to heal, your money is better spent.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': The meat of your army will be this unit. Doing 12-2 damage to Drakes during daytime makes them an obvious choice, and at night you will get an incredible 17-2 magical with a 16 gold level 1 unit. Recruit lots of these, but not so many that you can't cover them with other units. Clashers will literally eat these guys during the day, as will Drake Fighters. Beware of Skirmishers at night, as they are the best counter agsint these guys. Like I said, if Skirmishers become a problem, bring a Skeleton with you to chop them up.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': A decent buy for early grabbing and for scouting, but for Cold damage Adepts are better. Ghosts die easily in the day, but having the mobility at night can prove quite useful. Don't recruit more than 1 early, or you'll be burned to death very quickly.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Skeleton Archer, a Ghost, 2 Adepts, and perhaps a Skeleton with more Archers and Adepts to be recruited later. Don't shy away from the fact that you'll have to freeze Drakes into submission. Use Adepts on Burners and Archers on other Drakes, but always finish what you start - don't leave Drakes hanging around until daytime because they will put a hurt on. It's better to kill 1 Drake than to hurt 2. If Saurians do skirmish in behind you, use Adepts on them to finish them quickly if no Skeletons are around. They are weak to Cold and they do cost 15 gold. If you end up not killing a Drake with that Adept then he at least earned his cost by killing that one unit.<br /> <br /> In defense, put Skeleton Archers on towns, and keep your Ghost(s) away from the front line. a Burner can tear them apart and any flyer can come in to help if they need to. Don't be afraid to use Adepts to counter even in day, but don't attack Burners with them at this time; they'll do too much damage in return, so focus on killing Clasher and Fighters during the day.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Loyalists:==<br /> Like Drakes, there will be a heavy day/night push and pull. Ghosts will be more effective here as the Loyalists are less mobile and have less Fire. Loyalists are the most versatile faction, so you'll need to be prepared to handle anything.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A good staple unit. Use this to hack up any unit except HI. You'll do equal damage to Spearmen in day and everyone else is cake.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': Another good unit to have 1 or 2 of. Mix and match your skeletons, or just use one brand. Recruit these if your opponent has mounted units - especially Cold resistant Cavalry. These guys are useful against most other Loyalist units as well, and do decent return damage to Mages at dawn/dusk. Keep them far from HI unless you can finish them that turn.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': These guys may be useful, but money on heavier hitters is money better spent. These guys are best used to clean up a mess you don't want to waste a Skeleton or Dark Adept on. Beware, they can be easily destroyed by heavy infantry<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Don't recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists unless you need a scout unit to cross water to gather villages quickly. For 7 more gold you can get a Ghost who is a great frontline unit if your opponent has no Mages in range.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': Useful to hold villages and scare off high hp units. Does your opponent have too many HI to kill in one turn? Poison one and make sure you kill the rest. This guy resists everything except Impact (and obviously Holy) just a little bit, so he can be a nice damage soaker - especially if your opponent focuses on melee.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Again, your meat. Not as much as with Drakes, but you'll want these guys near your front line at all times to counter-attack HI and to knock out the high defense Fencers. Mermen will resist you 20%, but you will cut through their high defense as well. At night these guys are killers, plain and simple. Go for HI and Horsemen first, then any other non-Cavalry units - the more expensive the better. Even using Adepts on Mages is smart at night if you're low on Skeletons.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': Get one and probably no more than that. Mages can kill this unit alone in day, and the 20 gold is far too much to waste. Their Drain ability makes them good attackers of Spearmen, as their Firststrike ability actually works against them. Usually you'll want to ranged attack HI or melee Mages, but keep in mid that your nighttime Drain + 50% defense + good resists means you'll usually go unscathed in melee at night.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Gost for grabbing, an Adept or two, a combination of 2 or 3 Skeletons + Archers, and perhaps a Ghoul depending on how you want to play it.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has no HI then your nighttime attack plan is simple: lead with Adepts to freeze everything out of your path and then cover them with your skeleton units. Again, don't be afraid to freeze Mages at night, as 12-2 will kill 2 out 6 Mages (based on hp they get from traits), and they will only deal 5-3 back, or 5-1 if you kill them. Doing this is a coin-flip though, so judge accordingly.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has HI, and has them in front, same game plan, just freeze the HI exclusively. They are the only unit weak to Cold in their army, it is their only weakness that you can exploit, and they have the most hp (tied). The math is simple. You must use Cold - preferably from Adepts - to kill these guys. After they're down, advance as before.<br /> <br /> If your opponent has HI in the back, bust your way through wil what units you have. If you can't reach them with your Adepts at the end, blast whatever the hell you can, because you have to apply their damage somewhere. Even if you hang them out to dry in the front lines, all Loyalists get -25% damage at night, so they're a lot safer than you may think. Do keep them covered if you left any Horsemen alive though, which you shouldn't, as they are a high priority kill.<br /> <br /> In defense: leave Skeleton Archers in front. They will resist all damage other than from Mages and HI, and they will do some damage back to Mages (in addition to being your cheapest fighting unit). If HI are coming your way put a Ghoul up front. If your opponent only recruits HI and Mages, recruit only DAs, Ghouls, and Skeletons. Skeles kill Mages, DAs kill HI, Ghouls defend.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Undead:==<br /> <br /> This matchup is no longer as boring as it was before. Most of your units are undead, making most of them vulnerable to the arcane damage by dark adepts and ghosts. Ghouls in this matchup are less useful for their poison; their resistance to blade, cold, arcane and pierce makes them your tank of sorts, but vulnerable to walking corpses. In general, use a combination of ranged and or walking corpses to kill ghouls, and ghosts and dark adepts to kill all arcane-vulnerable units.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Your most important unit. Get a lot of these. At night, 1 unit can kill ghosts and walking corpses. 2 of these have a good chance of killing all skeleton units. They are still useful against ghosts, while least effective against ghouls. Considering the bat's 60% defense, you might still want to use adepts against them. They are vulnerable to all other units' melee attacks. Protect them well.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': This unit is important, not for its damage, but for its range of resistances; it has no resistances to only impact. Use these to protect your dark adepts from all other melee units. Do remember that ghouls are only 10% resistant to blade, and still vulnerable to skeletons at night. When possible, poison opponents' dark adepts, as it will make him/her consider pulling back to heal. Poisoning bats is also an important option, as they are quite difficult to kill. This is your tank in Undead versus Undead matches.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': This unit is important for its high melee damage, which will be the main way for you to kill dark adepts, as well as ghouls. Skeletons however are vulnerable to walking corpses and ghosts in melee, and dark adepts' range. Only use them to kill walking corpses if you have to; using ghosts/dark adepts are almost always better. <br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': Not much use. Skeletons and ghouls are pierce resistant, while dark adepts will not give soft retaliation. Only really useful against bats and walking corpses, of which dark adepts are better, as they are similarly useful against them. Not recommended for your initial recruit.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': They are useful for their impact damage, and their plague ability. They are a cheap unit to get full damage against ghouls, and severely damage any skeleton unit, especially skeleton archers. One way to use them is by having dark adepts to provide the initial hits against skeleton/ghoul, followed by walking corpses, as they have a higher damage/gold ratio against ghouls than skeletons. Whenever possible, use them to finish off any dark adepts or bats, as the plague ability will provide you with an extra unit. <br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': They are useful for village grabbing and attacking vulnerable units (dark adepts mostly, and finishing off walking corpses and ghouls). They are cold and arcane resistant with 60% default defense, making them quite difficult to kill unless using magic, for which its attacks are resisted. Beware of it being attacked from multiple hexes, as impact damage from walking corpses will easily kill it; be careful of the threat of ghouls as well. When possible use them to steal villages or threaten them. They are certainly worth your gold. Once leveled up, they are very difficult to kill by other Undead players.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': Recruiting this unit depends on your preference, this author does not recommend using them. They have arcane melee, which is useful against all units except bats and ghouls. On the other hand, they do not drain, losing a major advantage of using them. At night, a single dark adept can kill a ghost in one turn. And they cost 20 gold, which might be better spent. If you recruit these, be prepared for a lot of healing this unit in your villages instead of being up front in the attack.<br /> <br /> A good initial recruit should be a mixture of skeletons, dark adepts, ghouls and walking corpses, with the dark adepts being the core. Get a bat for medium to large maps.<br /> <br /> Your main aim is to kill dark adepts, which are usually protected by other units. In general, use ranged attacks, with melee to finish off ghouls; this will be your primary problem. If they are not positioned well, you might want to save your adepts and use your walking corpses instead. Use arcane to kill off walking corpses. In general, you want to have as many hexes as possible to kill dark adepts, it might sometimes be better to ignore the ghoul and focus on killing other units first. Remember that a skeleton used to kill ghouls means a less skeleton to kill adepts. Once vulnerable, use your skeletons, bats and walking corpses to kill them. Make sure that you kill them, as their retaliation damage on their turn will hurt you. If that is not possible, poison them; the ghoul itself will also be a problem for your opponent, who will need to use at least 2-3 units to kill it. When possible, threaten villages with your bats. If you have a lot of walking corpses, use them to whittle down enemy ghouls whenever possible. A loss of a ghoul will definitely force your opponent to retreat. <br /> <br /> On defense, use ghouls and walking corpses to shield your other units. If you can ZOC shield on good terrain especially with ghouls, your opponents will have a very difficult time attacking you without exposing his/her units on bad terrain. Position yourself so that you are the first to attack at night. Regroup at day.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Northerners:==<br /> An interesting battle as both factions are Chaotic. You'll deal more damage at night, so you should usually be the aggressor at this time. You'll be facing a lot of Whelps and Archers most likely, with maybe some Grunts and other units sparsed in.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': Good for taking out any units except Whelps, you'll want to have a couple of these guys in your front line.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': These guys are less deadly than Skeletons and fall faster to Whelps (they do less return damage). They are a good choice if your opponent recruits Grunts and Spearmen though.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': These guys may be useful as they deal Impact damage that will go around Whelp resistancies. Having 1 or 2 of these may prove useful if you can effectively use them to shield your attacking forces or to spawn more allies.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': If you need a scout, the Ghost is a far better choice against Northerners. Only the Archer has a decent chance of killing a Ghost whereas a simple Grunt can walk of and cut down a Bat. Grunts are also cheaper than Bats. Don't recruit this unit.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A good unit to use against Northerners. Their focus on melee wil make nearly every unit that attacks you subject to Poison. With 10% resistance to Blade and Fire they will survive long enough to Poison enough units to be a menace. Having 1 or 2 of this guy will be enough.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': This guy just kills things. He is your Whelp killing instrument as Whelps will resist your Blade and Pierce attacks 20%. Adepts are good to use against any unit though, as every unit other than the Archer has no significant ranged attack. You'll want several of these in your army, but make sure that they have protection from Grunts and Whelps in both attack and defense.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': A great unit to have. Only Archers can reliably take this unit out. His cost is high - especially when compared to the cost of Northerners, but his ability to survive - especially on a village - will make him a thorn in your opponents side. You should be able to see where your opponents archers are, so stay away from them. Use his ranged attack to assist you in killing melee units so that you don't run into a situation of bad luck getting you hurt.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Ghost, Skeleton, Ghoul, DA, and another DA, Ghost, or skeleton type. The Ghoul can also be exchanged for a damage dealer.<br /> <br /> Keep your Skeletons and Ghouls up front to deal return damage in defense and against counter-attacks. Ghouls are your best defensive weapon as they will Poison any who attack them, and Archers will need 4 hits with their Fire arrows at night to get you to 1hp.<br /> <br /> Use your DAs to tear through the otherwise hard-to-kill Whelps, and make sure to finish them as fast as possible, or at least Poison them, or you'll waste 8 damage a turn. If your opponent has any Nagas, punish them with your Adepts and Ghosts - you'll deal 120% damage.<br /> <br /> You'll want to press at night at defend at day as usual, but the reason may not be so clear as Northerners are also Chaotic. The reason is that Undead deal more damage per unit, but are also more expensive. At night your ability to quickly tear through units and finish them off is impressive. During the day it is not; if you cannot take out units in your attack you will be swarmed by larger numbers of Northerners that will trap and kill you. The Regeneration of Whelps becomes a much larger effect during the day as well. Because of these reasons you'll want to defend during the day and take out as many units as possible in each night-time attack.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Rebels:==<br /> You'll likely see a bunch of Woses and Mages in this battle as they are the best unit to deal damage to your forces. Because they are Lawful there will again be a strong day/night push. If your opponent does not recruit many of these units you shouldn't have much of a challenge ahead of you if you simply recruit Skeletons and Archers.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A necessity. These guys resist Blade and Pierce greatly - the 2 major weapons of Elves. These guys will also chop through Mages and are even good to kill Woses at night. Keep these guys away from Woses and Mages during the day.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': It's better to buy Skeletons than Archers here. Skeletons only cost 1g more but deal more damage on their primary attack and their Blade cuts through Wose resistancies as well as avoids magical return damage from the Mage. Don't recruit this guy unless your opponent recruits no Woses or Mages.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': If you can turn 1 or 2 units to your side this unit has paid for himself. Recruit sparingly, though he can be quite useful against Mages if they are foolish enough to stay close after daytime.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Since the Ghost isn't the best bargain against Rebels, if you need a scout unit, the Bat should be your choice. Having more than 1 quickly leads to diminishing returns, so save your gold for units that can fight.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A decent unit to have 1 of. Fighting Woses at night he deals 5-3 plus prevents Regeneration and takes 10-2 in return. If you can't kill a Wose in one turn, hitting him with a Ghoul is a good idea. Also useful against any Elves that decide to entrench themselves in forest, this guy is a utility unit, not an en-masse unit. He does resist Fire at 10%, so of all your units to take hits from Mages, this is probably the one you want to do it on defense.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': Good for knocking out Elves in forest, the main reason you'll recruit this guy is to attack Woses without return damage. Showing no weakeness to Fire, the Adept can also kill Mages at night with his 12-2 attack suffering 5-3 in return (if he fails to kill). If your opponent's leader is a White Mage you'll want to recruit even more of these guys as they are your only unit that resists Holy damage and doesn't have a lopsided weakness to it. Good for several reasons, 1 or 2 of this guy is a must.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': The ranged specialist Rebels can take out this unit with relative ease; they can even kill it without Mages, though obviously that would be their first choice. Since Mermen and Woses resist Cold, and all other units have high defense or a strong ranged counter-attack, this unit isn't the best buy against Rebels.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of 2 Skeletons, a Ghoul, a DA, perhaps a Bat, and another useful unit. Keep your Ghoul(s) up front during the day to minimize the Rebel offensive, and retreat if necessary.<br /> <br /> On the offensive, kill Woses and Mages as quickly as possible. Hack up Mages first, and freeze and Poison the Woses. If you have any Skeletons left, try to chop down the trees as well. If you have Archers use them on any Elves your opponent has. Bats can be used on Mages, and use WCs on any unit that they have a chance to kill.<br /> <br /> Try to focus xp on single Skeletons. Levelling one into a Deathblade will prove deadly for your opponent. His extra move will hunt down Mages and Elves and his extra strike will ensure their deaths. The unit also becomes a real Wose killer at night dealing up to 50 of 52 damage. Levelling a Bat will also prove a useful Mage hunting tool.<br /> <br /> ==Undead versus Knalgans:==<br /> You'll want to catch Knalgans on poor terrain. Dwarves on hills or mountains are hard to move - they usually have to move themselves. To combat this you'll need to use Poison and magic to make them move.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton''': A good standard unit, Skeletons are only in serious danger from Dwarvish Fighters, of which you will likely face several. This unit can take on all of the Outlaws as well as the dangerous Ulfserker. At night, his 6-3 attacks on Guardsmen will also be quite useful. You'll need one to counter an Ulfserker.<br /> <br /> '''Skeleton Archer''': A good cheap unit who is most in danger from Fighters and Ulfserkers, his role is to pick at Fighters, Gryphons, and Guardsmen, though money is better spent elsewhere.<br /> <br /> '''Walking Corpse''': Not a good unit to combat Dwarves, the WC is better to hold villages against sneaky Gryphons or to kill trapped ones. There's no need to recruit these early.<br /> <br /> '''Vampire Bat''': Do not recruit this unit when fighting Knalgans. The superior Gryphon will easily kill this unit resulting in a loss of 13g.<br /> <br /> '''Ghoul''': A crucial unit in your fight against Knalgans, the Ghoul's Poison should be used to cut through their resistance and make the slow movers retreat from advantageous positions. Also used as a good Gryphon deterrent, this unit is worth having 2 of.<br /> <br /> '''Dark Adept''': The key unit in your arsenal, the DA deals 11-2 damage to Dwarves at night, 10-2 to Guardsmen. Also having the capability to ignore the superior defenses of Knalgans, these guys are invaluable in your nighttime assaults. Their major drawback that is easily exploitable by Knalgans is their lack of melee, so keep them protected at all times.<br /> <br /> '''Ghost''': As Knalgans have no true counter for Ghosts, these scouts should be used exclusively over Bats. Their greatest use is using their ranged attack on melee exclusive units. Their Drain melee and high resistances makes the Ghost essentially impossible for melee units to kill. The sole exception to this is the Ulfserker. At night, and even possibly at dusk/dawn, the Ghost has an excellent chance of killing an Ulfserker with his Drain attack. During the day, however, the Ghost is in real jeopardy of defeat from this unit. Try to keep the ghost from Thunderers as well, as 2 shots will take him down, and you won't want to lose this unit so easily.<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit would consist of a Ghost, a Skeleton, a Ghoul, a DA, and another useful unit like another Skelton, Archer, or DA. Don't let Dwarves get on mountains if you can stop it. Ghosts are great for this, but Ghouls and Skeletons work nicely too. If Dwarves do end up on mountains either ignore them and make them move to unfavorable terrain, Poison them to force them to move, or use Adepts on them.<br /> <br /> In defense, Ghouls on villages or mountains will prove very bothersome to Knalgans. Keep them in the front line to Poison oncoming attackers. They'll take Thunderer shots (at 13-1), so they'll last a while too. Skeletons are alright to keep in front too, due to their resistances outside of Impact. Make sure your Adepts stay behind so they don't get Ulfs.<br /> <br /> On the offense, you'll want to take out Ulfs first and then anything on poor terrain. Terrain plays a huge factor in the damage you will deal Dwarves, so sometimes it will be better to ignore Dwarves on mountains and to kill other units instead. Adepts can remove problem Dwarves though, so have a couple. At the end of your assault put your Ghouls in front to protect your units and to Poison the surviving forces.<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> [[How to play Mages]]<br /> <br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Knalgans&diff=31796 2009-08-08T15:26:32Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Knalgans versus Northerners */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Knalgan strategies==<br /> <br /> The Knalgans have perhaps the greatest tactical flexibility of any faction. Because of this, there is no one way to play the Knalgans. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your personality. You can use dwarves for power and defense and outlaws for movement and low prices.<br /> <br /> *'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' It can take more hits than most units, making it a great defender. It also has two damage types, making it offensively versatile. It shares the downsides of all dwarves: slow movement (though few terrains slow it down) and low defense on non-specialized terrain.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Although powerful, it can just as easily do no damage at all, making this a tricky unit to know how to use. Fortunately, it is almost as durable as the fighter.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' This utility unit has value in many match-ups. It will ensure that either its opponent or it dies. Thus, it has a 100% kill chance against a non-melee unit such as the dark adept, and a very high kill chance against many non-melee-centric units, such as the Mage, Saurian Augur, Bowman, Elvish Shaman, and a wide variety of others. The problem is that your opponent can very easily kill an Ulfserker: they will lose to any dedicated melee unit unless very exceptional circumstances are in play (traits, extreme defensive differences (remember that the ulf cannot get nearly as high defensive values as the Dwarvish fighter, for example), starting hitpoints, time of day, or a combination of the above). Since it is an expensive unit, letting an elvish fighter kill your ulf out of the blue is unwise: however if he just killed a Mage and in killing the ulf the fighter is severely weakened, this is obviously a good trade for you. When using Ulfs, plan how you want them to kill and how you want them to die.<br /> *'''Footpad:''' Opinions on the footpad vary widely. In this guide you will not see them recommended often, but many good players consider these a staple unit of the Knalgans. Regardless, this is not a unit you should overrecruit or your offensive power will be very low. It has excellent defense where your dwarves might be very vulnerable and you might not want to risk your more costly riders. Use it for it's great ZoC abilities even if its offense isn't high-powered.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Poacher:''' Also a very useful unit for the Knalgans, this unit provides a reliable ranged attack to counterbalance the power of the thunderer, plus it fills many useful hexes (notably forests and swamps) well.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Thief:''' This unit is possibly the highest damage-dealing unit in your arsenal when used correctly. A strong thief at night does 12-3 damage: the equivalent of a level 2's damage output. However, they have very little hitpoints and their low resists compound this problem. High defense and low cost offset these disadvantages. Remember to backstab with it whenever possible.<br /> *'''Gryphon Rider:''' Possibly the best scout in the game in terms of combat, this is tempered by its high cost. Use it as a lookout for enemy advances and pick off weak or wounded units that are retreating behind enemy lines.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit against random would consist of a Gryphon Rider, two Dwarvish Fighters, a Dwarvish Thunderer, a Footpad, and a Poacher.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> Keep in mind that that the dwarves should stay in mountains, hills, and other high-defense terrain and the outlaws should stay in any non-grassland terrain, if possible. Keep in mind that since your footpads and thieves have 60d on grassland, and your enemy will often have 40 or even 30, it can often be to your benefit if the enemy chooses to attack them on open ground.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Undead==<br /> <br /> If you know you're playing against Undead, the smartest thing to do is to recruit a Dwarvish Ulfserker. He will automatically kill any Dark Adept that he attacks. He is also good for taking on Ghosts during day, or even Ghouls and Skeleton Archers. Here are the units you will want to recruit to counter Undead units:<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Dark Adepts, and most other undead units in daytime. Don't recruit many unless the opponent has no Skeletons. Skeletons can kill an Ulfserker even in day. Ulfs are also expensive, so you don't want to trade them 1-for-1 with Undead units unless you get a Ghost. Be mindful of what can counterattack them on your opponent's next turn.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' counters Skeletons, Skeleton Archers, and is a generally high HP unit that can soak up nighttime damage for your front line. (Dwarvish Fighters are probably the best all-around L1 heavy infantry in the game.)&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Do not recruit this unit if you are fighting Undead. His Pierce damage is less useful than even Blade against Undead. His low damage also makes him a bad unit to counter-attack with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This is a good unit to have in your front line in mountains. His high defense and good resistances should keep him alive from nighttime Skele attacks, and his 18-1 ranged will make it very risky for Dark Adepts to come after you. Thunderers are also good to attack Ghosts, as 2 ranged hits will kill a Ghost - this even works at night.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting against Undead.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A utility unit versus Undead. It's good for finishing Ghosts and killing Walking Corpses. It can also be used to pick at Skeletons and Ghouls. Money is spent better on other units, but don't forget that ''he may be useful.''&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This weak character is really only useful versus Undead as a cheap scout. His Impact damage is good against Skeletons and Skeleton Archers, and he has the added bonuses of being Chaotic (which deals more damage when Undead try to advance at night), and being hard to hit. His best feature is his ranged attack versus Skeletons at night, and that's only 6-2. Recruiting 1 on your first turn to grab villages is likely the only use you'll get from this guy, unless you need a unit to occupy forest hexes (which dwarves do very poorly at 30% defense).&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Probably not the best expenditure of gold versus Undead, but they do serve many purposes that can justify their cost: they give extended view of battle, allowing you to know what is coming and to counter appropriately; they are good for getting behind enemy lines to finish hurt Dark adepts; They serve as good ZoC units for plains and forest hexes. Unlike the Footpad they do not have negative resistance to Blade and Pierce - the weapons of skeletons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a good dose of Dwarvish Fighters, a few Thunderers, a Gryphon for vision/utility, an ulf or two, and maybe a Poacher or Footpad. Dwarves are really what you want to use, for their high HP and decent resists. This helps them survive the nighttime onslaught, and their neutrality will give them good damage in defense and also the ability to press the attack in daytime. Don't be afraid to send an Ulfserker at a ghost in daytime -- make sure to check the CTK, but it should be good if your Ulfserker is at high hp: bonus if you can get great terrain. Defeat for the Ghost will be nearly certain if the Ulfserker is Strong.<br /> <br /> Dark adepts will, as always, be the main danger to your army: they'll knock dwarves out of their mountains, footpads out of wherever, and even gryphons are in danger from them. Be especially mindful of where her dark adepts will most likely attack next turn.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> This is one of the trickiest match-ups to play. Both factions are Neutral, so neither has an advantageous time of day to attack (with their main units). To win this battle you will need smart recruits and good unit placement, as well as a little luck; the same goes for your opponent. Knalgans may have a slight advantage with the &quot;one unit must die&quot; Ulfserker, but Rebel defense as well as heal, slow, and magic are serious counters. Look for opportunities to grab mountains and hills, especially if they have no forest next to them. ''Forests are your biggest enemy'', so occupy them with your Outlaw counterparts or Gryphons.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Mages, Elvish Shamans, and oftentimes Elvish Archers. Again, don't recruit too many of these, as Elvish Fighters will easily come back to finish them off, and they are 5 gold cheaper. If you get a chance to take out a Mage, do so. Not only will you gain 1 gold in attrition, but another unit will likely have to expose itself or get hurt to finish you off. Elvish Archers should be #2 on the &quot;to kill&quot; list, and they are sometimes worth jeopardizing your Ulfserker for if you catch one of them off of forest. Again, the reasoning is you only lose 2 gold in the trade and the opponent must waste moves and usually HP in order to finish you. Again, they may also expose themselves. You might be able to get away with ulfing Woses if it's nighttime and you're in a mountain. Make sure he isn't a Quick, Intelligent Ulf, and check the CTK as always.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again, these will be the meat of your forces. Any front without one of these will succumb to Elvish Fighters. Dwarfs beat Elves 1-on-1, but they are more expensive. They are good damage soakers and damage dealers. Stay on preferred terrain at all times.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are great for holding frontline villages and chokepoints - with backup. A lone Guardsman can hold out for a turn, if lucky 2 or 3, while on a town, but he deals very little damage in return, especially against the ranged specialized Rebels. Recruit 1 if necessary, and no more than 2. They just aren't worth the lack of offensive/counter-attack units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Another staple. This unit is great against Rebels with luck. Stick him on a mountain and Elves will hurt themselves trying to remove you. They aren't so great for dependable offense against the high defense of the elves, but their counter-attacks are great.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Unlike when fighting Undead, you'll want 1 or 2 of these guys depending on your play style. At night, a combo of thieves can destroy Woses, Elvish Archers, Mages, and Shaman. Keep them in the forest hexes your opponent will want, but not in daytime.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Poachers are useful to fill up forest hexes and to attack Elvish Fighters. Their main usefulness is as a counter-attacking utility unit to grab forest and press at night. They are cheap, somewhat weak, but deal more dependable offensive damage than the Thunderer. 5-4 at night is equivalent to a 17 gold Elvish Archer, and you only spend 14.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Rebels. It lacks both firepower and hitpoints even while in the forests Footpads and Elves both enjoy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C-''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' These monsters are incredible useful against Rebels. Their utility lies in fighting any water battles against the weak Merman Hunters, scouting, taking opportunistic attacks against poorly placed Elves, and if you find a hurt Wose, you may consider attacking one - even though Gryphons have a weakness for Impact. At night they do essentially equal damage to each other, and you may not be able to get the finishing blow with one of your slower units. Do so as a calculated risk when you only need 1 hit to kill. Otherwise it's quite a risk.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a healthy dose of Dwarvish Fighters and Thunderers, along with several gryphons for map control. An Ulfserker, perhaps a Guardsman, and some Outlaws will provide added flexibility. Whichever chaotic units (if any) you recruit, make sure to protect them at day.<br /> <br /> If your opponent purchases scouts, feel lucky - they are next to useless against you. Beware of ambushes, and don't scout unsure forests with your Gryphon in daytime. Take as much tactical forest as you can with the appropriate units, and make a stranglehold on mountains. Ulf when you get a good chance, and be ready to counter in day as well as pressing at night. Each battle will play out differently in this matchup according to what your opponent recruits, so see what he has early, and keep track of any Woses. Also, do not let your Ulfs be slowed or they are certainly dead.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Drakes==<br /> <br /> These guys are big and nasty. They will burn and freeze you. Thunderers will be your main weapon, but they will require support units as well.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Good for killing Augurs, scouts, and maybe Burners. Not really a good choice against Drakes in general (because drakes can damage it faster than it can damage them), but can serve some purposes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' A good unit to use against saurians, but generally the Fighter is not how you want to go against Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are worth the price against Drakes. Their Pierce goes right through Drake resistances, and a Strong one actually gets an additional point of damage on top of the point he gets for having the Strong trait (but not against Clashers). A couple of these are a good buy, especially if you plop them on villages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This should be your unit of choice versus Drakes. A Thunderer does 20-1 damage to Drakes in ranged, and Burners will do (6/5/3)-4 damage in return. Thunderers have much better defense than Burners, but do suffer from having 8 less HP. Thunderers have the benefit of costing 4 less gold. You'll want to use their &quot;luck&quot; attack on the easily hit Drakes as much as possible. Thunderers should be the meat of your army.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not really useful against the Drakes, they are best used to counter Saurian Augurs, which are better countered by using Dwarvish Fighters.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D+''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Another great unit against Drakes. Their attack at night deals a good 5-4 against all Drakes. Having better defense on Forest and villages, 1 or 2 of these guys aren't a bad idea.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful for early village grabbing, Gryphons also can be used against the weak Saurians or Drake Burners. These fliers are probably the only way you'll hunt down retreating hurt Drakes. Don't recruit too many due to their cost and lack of a ranged defensive weapon. Drakes can pin these units far better than any other faction.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon and a good mix of Dwarvish Thunderers, Dwarvish Guardsmen, a Poacher or two, and maybe a Dwarvish Fighter. Your opponent will likely get some Saurian Augurs to take away your high defense advantage, so having that Dwarvish Fighter around to take them out is usually quite helpful along with the Gryphon. Basically, recruit Pierce, Pierce, and more Pierce. Maintain your advantageous defensive terrain as much as possible, because if you don't, and you put yourself on an even playing field in that respect, you will quickly be torn apart by the Drakes superior daytime damage and HP. The daytime onslaught will be brutal, so prepare for a counter-attack and try to keep your Guardsmen up front to get best use of their Steadfast. It will be the difference between 7-4 and 6-4 daytime Burner damage and 6-4 to 5-4 daytime non-strong Clasher damage. The Guardsmen also have 8 more HP than the Thunderers. If you can level a Guardsman (with 4 kills at 70% xp, or 3 kills and 1 battle if he's Intelligent), you will have a serious roadblock to use at your disposal.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Knalgans==<br /> <br /> A tough battle. Dwarves have great defense, and no way to combat great defense. The high HP and the resistances will make this a game needing a lot of strikes to kill. Don't think you'll be able to rush in and win - you're going to need intelligent unit placement and again, some luck. Focus on levelling (non-Gryphon) units if possible as the added damage will be needed.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' As always, one of these utility guys isn't a bad buy. Catch a Thunderer off his perch, or a Thief or Poacher in daytime, and that's one less unit to deal with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' One of these is a must. Use it against any unit. These guys are hard to kill.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Use these to hold villages and frustrate your opponent.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Use these to besiege enemy villages or poke at DFs or Gryphons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a good buy unless used to counter Thunderers and Poachers. Their blade attack does little to Dwarves unless backstabbing at night (8-3). Better to use Dwarvish Fighters for melee.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' An alright cheap buy for ranged forest grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't buy this unit even if your opponent is bothering you with Gryphons. You can get 3+ Footpads for the price of 2 Gryphons, but it's not worth it. The weakness to Impact guarantees at least a 4-2 attack with these guys even in daytime, but unfortunately, unless you get bonus hp from traits, they will die in 2 hits from Gryphons, so it is still a risky buy - especially since they are useless against all other Knalgans. Just say no once again.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as your only scout unit. Use these to get behind enemy lines to village steal, kill the wounded, or to pin a Dwarf on bad terrain. These guys are also good forest and plains holders for crucial areas that your Dwarves will fare poorly on.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''A-''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon, a Guardsman, a Thunderer, a Fighter, an Ulfserker, and a mix of other useful units. This game will be won through fighting from hills and mountains, getting and keeping a money advantage, leveling a unit, and waiting for your opponent to take a risk that they shouldn't. Keep them off of your mountains at any cost. If they get there you will spend precious moves, attacks, and HP trying to take them off. It's usually better to ignore enemies on mountains than to fight them.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Loyalists==<br /> <br /> Defend in day, strike at night. That's how the battle will go. Beware the Horseman and Mage and be prepared to counter these heavy daytime hitters. Again, an Ulfserker can be your best friend, especially if you can catch a Horseman at night or a Mage.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' If you get one, don't get it until turn two or later. Grabbing one in your initial recruit will only make him impotent during the first few turns of daytime. Ulfserkers are what you will use to kill Mages, grind up horse meat at night, and get rid of Bowmen - though they shouldn't be recruiting many. You shouldn't need more than 1 unless they go mad with Mages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Good to fight Spearmen, having these guys is a necessity. These are also your best unit to defend against Heavy Infantry.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Get one of these guys. These will make your front line immune to Horsemen. Also useful to counter-attack Cavalry, Mages, and Bowmen. If HI get close enough, milk XP off of them with your ranged attack. The level will come faster than you expect.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Get one or two. Good against essentially all of the Loyalist units, the pierce ranged is even better against the two mounted units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' These guys can be used against most Loyalist units at night, but avoid trying to backstab Spearmen. Even at night their firststrike can get nasty on this low HP unit. I recommend the Poacher instead of this guy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A great unit to counterattack Loyalists and press the attack at night. His multiple strikes are of better use against the high defense Fencer, though his ranged pierce is best against the mounted units. His attack does a modest 3-4 to Heavy Infantry at night (compared to a Thunderers 11-1), and you'll want to use this unit against Spearmen outside of day as well. Although they are weak in daytime, they serve many purposes and are well worth the 14 gold.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as scouts mainly, you can use these to run down hurt horses, go for 1-attack-kills on Fencers (9% chance if they have no bonus hp), or again, to try to hold important grassland hexes. Beware during day though, as HI, Mages, and Horsemen can all tear Gryphons apart quickly. Recruit no more than 1.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Fighter, a Thunderer, a Guardsman, and a Gryphon depending on the layout of villages. Fill out your army with what you think will serve you best for that particular battle. Water battles will be nearly pointless. Cheap Mermen with higher defense will easily rout your Gryphon(s). Avoid sea battles unless you can taunt a Merman within range of a ranged unit (who can stand on decent terrain). A Gryphon's extra sight is good for spotting long range Horsemen, so it usually is worth having one around, but recruit no more than one. They don't counter any unit very cost-efficiently, so use it primarily as a scout and utility unit.<br /> <br /> You'll want to press as hard as you can at night, more so than even against Drakes. The reason for this is that Loyalists have no level 1 Neutral or Chaotic units. Every unit the opposing player has will suffer a penalty at night - unless he has a Lieutenant behind his front line. Because of this possibility, don't press too close to his castle until you have gained a monetary advantage, as you will start losing units more rapidly when he comes back at you with an additional +25%. Put your Guardsman up front - this will dissuade any charge attacks. Keep a Dwarvish Fighter or Dwarvish Ulfserker nearby in case the player chooses to besiege you with Mages. Spearmen that attack a Guardsman in day will deal nearly equal damage to each other, which can add up quickly. Counter any advance with Thunderers and Poachers. Don't expose your Dwarves to poor terrain or they will die.<br /> <br /> You'll want to whittle away at Heavy Infantry with Poachers and Thunderers and you'll want to give the killing blow to a Fighter. Upgrading Dwarvish Fighters should be your main priority as they are your best defense and counter to the easy Spearman-wave attack. Once leveled up, the massive HP on the Steelclad will also give it the ability to withstand attacking Heavy Infantry and Mages.<br /> <br /> Basically, Loyalists have an incredible amount of versatility. You'll have to play smart and counterattack very well in order to win. Deal free damage when you can, and limit the number of hexes you can be attacked from - especially during day. Start commencing your attack before night actually breaks. You'll want to maximize your advantage over those 2 turns, so make sure they don't creep away before night hits. As always, stay on good terrain, and make sure Fencers can't skirmish around to kill any weak units you may be hiding.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Northerners==<br /> <br /> The biggest problem you will have with Northerners will be their numbers. Northies will gladly trade units with you and gain a monetary advantage. Make them depend on luck by staying on good terrain, and their high upkeep may start to become a factor.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Recruit one of these guys if you're really having a problem finishing their units off, or your opponent likes to use Assassins. He's expensive, and Northerners are melee oriented, so most of their units will be able to take a majority of this unit's HP away, if not kill him outright. Assassins' Poison will quickly erode your army's HP though, so having one may prove valuable. Since Assassins cost 17 gold you'll only lose 2 in attrition, and you'll likely take lots of hp from another unit with you.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again a necessity. His damage dealt in defense is how you'll deal a majority of your damage. If possible, get a rotation of these guys in the front line. You'll deal more damage than your opponent on average, but he will come with more units - 4 Grunts cost the same as 3 DFs.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Another good guy to have one of if not more. He can survive nighttime assaults better than the fighter, and will still do respectable damage back to the enemy. Use your ranged attack on Grunts to make them turn around and heal.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Nice to have. Their combination of good resistances and ranged damage make them good counter-attackers. For cheaper ranged counter-attackers, use Poachers as they will also be used to hold forest hexes. Recruiting DTs may crowd your hill hexes, especially since that's what the Northies will be grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a great buy against Northies. His melee-only nature along with his Chaotic alignment make him most effective in the same way Northeners are. Avoid the urge to recruit these guys.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Again, these guys you'll want to recruit a few of. When the Northies come after you at night, you can make a strong counter-attack with their 5-4 ranged.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This guy can be a utility unit against Northerners, but the money is better spent elsewhere. Footpads can harass Grunts and Wolfs, take forest hexes, and block Assassins from poisoning your Dwarves. Not the best buy, but you may be able to get your money's worth.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Again, it's usually good to have one of these guys to scout, plug up grassland, and be a defensive damage dealer. He's also good for trapping/killing Assassins and being a target for their poison.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> The biggest thing you need to worry about will be poison; this cannot be overemphasized. If you get a good foothold on mountains and hills, poison will be the weapon of choice to knock you off your perch. Be ready to fill in with a replacement unit, and try to kill assassins before any other units. Melee strikes will have to get through your resistance - poison does not. You also don't deal any damage back when poison hits you. If you know you're going to be facing poison on the next turn, have a plan for how you will be rotating units to villages to detox and heal.<br /> <br /> Recruit a Dwarvish Fighter and a mix of other good units. Stay on villages or mountains for the first assault to minimize the effect any poison will have and reduce the chance of it hitting. Let your opponent attack you, and then counter-attack with your Poachers and Thunderers if you have them - even a Guardsman's ranged attack will add up. Send Ulfserkers against Assassins whenever you get a decent chance, as the Poison will hurt more than their melee attacks. If the northerner overrecruits assassins, you should be able to power through his ranks, so normally eliminating an assassin removes the immediate threat of poison.<br /> <br /> Allow your opponent to attack you from forest hexes if they are next to mountains that you occupy. Your 70% defense will outdo his 50% defense, and his confidence will be higher to attack since he won't be on grass. Even if an Assassin uses that hex, if an Ulfserker is within reach, he should be able to take him out from on top the mountain.<br /> <br /> To kill Trolls, you will want to focus exclusively on them until they die. Thus it is best to ignore them and kill others than to only do a minimal amount of damage to Trolls each turn. Their regeneration will give them essentially limitless HP if you do this. Kill his friends and then focus on him. If there are several, take them out one at a time. Try to avoid water battles with Nagas, unless there is only one. You won't want any Gryphons you get to be pinned, especially where you cannot help them, so be cautious with water battles. <br /> <br /> To sum up, kill poisoners fast, get units that deal good melee damage in defense, and get good counter-attacking ranged units<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Knalgans&diff=31795 2009-08-08T15:26:24Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Knalgans versus Loyalists */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Knalgan strategies==<br /> <br /> The Knalgans have perhaps the greatest tactical flexibility of any faction. Because of this, there is no one way to play the Knalgans. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your personality. You can use dwarves for power and defense and outlaws for movement and low prices.<br /> <br /> *'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' It can take more hits than most units, making it a great defender. It also has two damage types, making it offensively versatile. It shares the downsides of all dwarves: slow movement (though few terrains slow it down) and low defense on non-specialized terrain.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Although powerful, it can just as easily do no damage at all, making this a tricky unit to know how to use. Fortunately, it is almost as durable as the fighter.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' This utility unit has value in many match-ups. It will ensure that either its opponent or it dies. Thus, it has a 100% kill chance against a non-melee unit such as the dark adept, and a very high kill chance against many non-melee-centric units, such as the Mage, Saurian Augur, Bowman, Elvish Shaman, and a wide variety of others. The problem is that your opponent can very easily kill an Ulfserker: they will lose to any dedicated melee unit unless very exceptional circumstances are in play (traits, extreme defensive differences (remember that the ulf cannot get nearly as high defensive values as the Dwarvish fighter, for example), starting hitpoints, time of day, or a combination of the above). Since it is an expensive unit, letting an elvish fighter kill your ulf out of the blue is unwise: however if he just killed a Mage and in killing the ulf the fighter is severely weakened, this is obviously a good trade for you. When using Ulfs, plan how you want them to kill and how you want them to die.<br /> *'''Footpad:''' Opinions on the footpad vary widely. In this guide you will not see them recommended often, but many good players consider these a staple unit of the Knalgans. Regardless, this is not a unit you should overrecruit or your offensive power will be very low. It has excellent defense where your dwarves might be very vulnerable and you might not want to risk your more costly riders. Use it for it's great ZoC abilities even if its offense isn't high-powered.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Poacher:''' Also a very useful unit for the Knalgans, this unit provides a reliable ranged attack to counterbalance the power of the thunderer, plus it fills many useful hexes (notably forests and swamps) well.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Thief:''' This unit is possibly the highest damage-dealing unit in your arsenal when used correctly. A strong thief at night does 12-3 damage: the equivalent of a level 2's damage output. However, they have very little hitpoints and their low resists compound this problem. High defense and low cost offset these disadvantages. Remember to backstab with it whenever possible.<br /> *'''Gryphon Rider:''' Possibly the best scout in the game in terms of combat, this is tempered by its high cost. Use it as a lookout for enemy advances and pick off weak or wounded units that are retreating behind enemy lines.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit against random would consist of a Gryphon Rider, two Dwarvish Fighters, a Dwarvish Thunderer, a Footpad, and a Poacher.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> Keep in mind that that the dwarves should stay in mountains, hills, and other high-defense terrain and the outlaws should stay in any non-grassland terrain, if possible. Keep in mind that since your footpads and thieves have 60d on grassland, and your enemy will often have 40 or even 30, it can often be to your benefit if the enemy chooses to attack them on open ground.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Undead==<br /> <br /> If you know you're playing against Undead, the smartest thing to do is to recruit a Dwarvish Ulfserker. He will automatically kill any Dark Adept that he attacks. He is also good for taking on Ghosts during day, or even Ghouls and Skeleton Archers. Here are the units you will want to recruit to counter Undead units:<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Dark Adepts, and most other undead units in daytime. Don't recruit many unless the opponent has no Skeletons. Skeletons can kill an Ulfserker even in day. Ulfs are also expensive, so you don't want to trade them 1-for-1 with Undead units unless you get a Ghost. Be mindful of what can counterattack them on your opponent's next turn.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' counters Skeletons, Skeleton Archers, and is a generally high HP unit that can soak up nighttime damage for your front line. (Dwarvish Fighters are probably the best all-around L1 heavy infantry in the game.)&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Do not recruit this unit if you are fighting Undead. His Pierce damage is less useful than even Blade against Undead. His low damage also makes him a bad unit to counter-attack with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This is a good unit to have in your front line in mountains. His high defense and good resistances should keep him alive from nighttime Skele attacks, and his 18-1 ranged will make it very risky for Dark Adepts to come after you. Thunderers are also good to attack Ghosts, as 2 ranged hits will kill a Ghost - this even works at night.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting against Undead.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A utility unit versus Undead. It's good for finishing Ghosts and killing Walking Corpses. It can also be used to pick at Skeletons and Ghouls. Money is spent better on other units, but don't forget that ''he may be useful.''&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This weak character is really only useful versus Undead as a cheap scout. His Impact damage is good against Skeletons and Skeleton Archers, and he has the added bonuses of being Chaotic (which deals more damage when Undead try to advance at night), and being hard to hit. His best feature is his ranged attack versus Skeletons at night, and that's only 6-2. Recruiting 1 on your first turn to grab villages is likely the only use you'll get from this guy, unless you need a unit to occupy forest hexes (which dwarves do very poorly at 30% defense).&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Probably not the best expenditure of gold versus Undead, but they do serve many purposes that can justify their cost: they give extended view of battle, allowing you to know what is coming and to counter appropriately; they are good for getting behind enemy lines to finish hurt Dark adepts; They serve as good ZoC units for plains and forest hexes. Unlike the Footpad they do not have negative resistance to Blade and Pierce - the weapons of skeletons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a good dose of Dwarvish Fighters, a few Thunderers, a Gryphon for vision/utility, an ulf or two, and maybe a Poacher or Footpad. Dwarves are really what you want to use, for their high HP and decent resists. This helps them survive the nighttime onslaught, and their neutrality will give them good damage in defense and also the ability to press the attack in daytime. Don't be afraid to send an Ulfserker at a ghost in daytime -- make sure to check the CTK, but it should be good if your Ulfserker is at high hp: bonus if you can get great terrain. Defeat for the Ghost will be nearly certain if the Ulfserker is Strong.<br /> <br /> Dark adepts will, as always, be the main danger to your army: they'll knock dwarves out of their mountains, footpads out of wherever, and even gryphons are in danger from them. Be especially mindful of where her dark adepts will most likely attack next turn.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> This is one of the trickiest match-ups to play. Both factions are Neutral, so neither has an advantageous time of day to attack (with their main units). To win this battle you will need smart recruits and good unit placement, as well as a little luck; the same goes for your opponent. Knalgans may have a slight advantage with the &quot;one unit must die&quot; Ulfserker, but Rebel defense as well as heal, slow, and magic are serious counters. Look for opportunities to grab mountains and hills, especially if they have no forest next to them. ''Forests are your biggest enemy'', so occupy them with your Outlaw counterparts or Gryphons.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Mages, Elvish Shamans, and oftentimes Elvish Archers. Again, don't recruit too many of these, as Elvish Fighters will easily come back to finish them off, and they are 5 gold cheaper. If you get a chance to take out a Mage, do so. Not only will you gain 1 gold in attrition, but another unit will likely have to expose itself or get hurt to finish you off. Elvish Archers should be #2 on the &quot;to kill&quot; list, and they are sometimes worth jeopardizing your Ulfserker for if you catch one of them off of forest. Again, the reasoning is you only lose 2 gold in the trade and the opponent must waste moves and usually HP in order to finish you. Again, they may also expose themselves. You might be able to get away with ulfing Woses if it's nighttime and you're in a mountain. Make sure he isn't a Quick, Intelligent Ulf, and check the CTK as always.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again, these will be the meat of your forces. Any front without one of these will succumb to Elvish Fighters. Dwarfs beat Elves 1-on-1, but they are more expensive. They are good damage soakers and damage dealers. Stay on preferred terrain at all times.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are great for holding frontline villages and chokepoints - with backup. A lone Guardsman can hold out for a turn, if lucky 2 or 3, while on a town, but he deals very little damage in return, especially against the ranged specialized Rebels. Recruit 1 if necessary, and no more than 2. They just aren't worth the lack of offensive/counter-attack units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Another staple. This unit is great against Rebels with luck. Stick him on a mountain and Elves will hurt themselves trying to remove you. They aren't so great for dependable offense against the high defense of the elves, but their counter-attacks are great.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Unlike when fighting Undead, you'll want 1 or 2 of these guys depending on your play style. At night, a combo of thieves can destroy Woses, Elvish Archers, Mages, and Shaman. Keep them in the forest hexes your opponent will want, but not in daytime.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Poachers are useful to fill up forest hexes and to attack Elvish Fighters. Their main usefulness is as a counter-attacking utility unit to grab forest and press at night. They are cheap, somewhat weak, but deal more dependable offensive damage than the Thunderer. 5-4 at night is equivalent to a 17 gold Elvish Archer, and you only spend 14.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Rebels. It lacks both firepower and hitpoints even while in the forests Footpads and Elves both enjoy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C-''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' These monsters are incredible useful against Rebels. Their utility lies in fighting any water battles against the weak Merman Hunters, scouting, taking opportunistic attacks against poorly placed Elves, and if you find a hurt Wose, you may consider attacking one - even though Gryphons have a weakness for Impact. At night they do essentially equal damage to each other, and you may not be able to get the finishing blow with one of your slower units. Do so as a calculated risk when you only need 1 hit to kill. Otherwise it's quite a risk.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a healthy dose of Dwarvish Fighters and Thunderers, along with several gryphons for map control. An Ulfserker, perhaps a Guardsman, and some Outlaws will provide added flexibility. Whichever chaotic units (if any) you recruit, make sure to protect them at day.<br /> <br /> If your opponent purchases scouts, feel lucky - they are next to useless against you. Beware of ambushes, and don't scout unsure forests with your Gryphon in daytime. Take as much tactical forest as you can with the appropriate units, and make a stranglehold on mountains. Ulf when you get a good chance, and be ready to counter in day as well as pressing at night. Each battle will play out differently in this matchup according to what your opponent recruits, so see what he has early, and keep track of any Woses. Also, do not let your Ulfs be slowed or they are certainly dead.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Drakes==<br /> <br /> These guys are big and nasty. They will burn and freeze you. Thunderers will be your main weapon, but they will require support units as well.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Good for killing Augurs, scouts, and maybe Burners. Not really a good choice against Drakes in general (because drakes can damage it faster than it can damage them), but can serve some purposes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' A good unit to use against saurians, but generally the Fighter is not how you want to go against Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are worth the price against Drakes. Their Pierce goes right through Drake resistances, and a Strong one actually gets an additional point of damage on top of the point he gets for having the Strong trait (but not against Clashers). A couple of these are a good buy, especially if you plop them on villages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This should be your unit of choice versus Drakes. A Thunderer does 20-1 damage to Drakes in ranged, and Burners will do (6/5/3)-4 damage in return. Thunderers have much better defense than Burners, but do suffer from having 8 less HP. Thunderers have the benefit of costing 4 less gold. You'll want to use their &quot;luck&quot; attack on the easily hit Drakes as much as possible. Thunderers should be the meat of your army.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not really useful against the Drakes, they are best used to counter Saurian Augurs, which are better countered by using Dwarvish Fighters.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D+''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Another great unit against Drakes. Their attack at night deals a good 5-4 against all Drakes. Having better defense on Forest and villages, 1 or 2 of these guys aren't a bad idea.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful for early village grabbing, Gryphons also can be used against the weak Saurians or Drake Burners. These fliers are probably the only way you'll hunt down retreating hurt Drakes. Don't recruit too many due to their cost and lack of a ranged defensive weapon. Drakes can pin these units far better than any other faction.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon and a good mix of Dwarvish Thunderers, Dwarvish Guardsmen, a Poacher or two, and maybe a Dwarvish Fighter. Your opponent will likely get some Saurian Augurs to take away your high defense advantage, so having that Dwarvish Fighter around to take them out is usually quite helpful along with the Gryphon. Basically, recruit Pierce, Pierce, and more Pierce. Maintain your advantageous defensive terrain as much as possible, because if you don't, and you put yourself on an even playing field in that respect, you will quickly be torn apart by the Drakes superior daytime damage and HP. The daytime onslaught will be brutal, so prepare for a counter-attack and try to keep your Guardsmen up front to get best use of their Steadfast. It will be the difference between 7-4 and 6-4 daytime Burner damage and 6-4 to 5-4 daytime non-strong Clasher damage. The Guardsmen also have 8 more HP than the Thunderers. If you can level a Guardsman (with 4 kills at 70% xp, or 3 kills and 1 battle if he's Intelligent), you will have a serious roadblock to use at your disposal.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Knalgans==<br /> <br /> A tough battle. Dwarves have great defense, and no way to combat great defense. The high HP and the resistances will make this a game needing a lot of strikes to kill. Don't think you'll be able to rush in and win - you're going to need intelligent unit placement and again, some luck. Focus on levelling (non-Gryphon) units if possible as the added damage will be needed.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' As always, one of these utility guys isn't a bad buy. Catch a Thunderer off his perch, or a Thief or Poacher in daytime, and that's one less unit to deal with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' One of these is a must. Use it against any unit. These guys are hard to kill.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Use these to hold villages and frustrate your opponent.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Use these to besiege enemy villages or poke at DFs or Gryphons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a good buy unless used to counter Thunderers and Poachers. Their blade attack does little to Dwarves unless backstabbing at night (8-3). Better to use Dwarvish Fighters for melee.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' An alright cheap buy for ranged forest grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't buy this unit even if your opponent is bothering you with Gryphons. You can get 3+ Footpads for the price of 2 Gryphons, but it's not worth it. The weakness to Impact guarantees at least a 4-2 attack with these guys even in daytime, but unfortunately, unless you get bonus hp from traits, they will die in 2 hits from Gryphons, so it is still a risky buy - especially since they are useless against all other Knalgans. Just say no once again.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as your only scout unit. Use these to get behind enemy lines to village steal, kill the wounded, or to pin a Dwarf on bad terrain. These guys are also good forest and plains holders for crucial areas that your Dwarves will fare poorly on.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''A-''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon, a Guardsman, a Thunderer, a Fighter, an Ulfserker, and a mix of other useful units. This game will be won through fighting from hills and mountains, getting and keeping a money advantage, leveling a unit, and waiting for your opponent to take a risk that they shouldn't. Keep them off of your mountains at any cost. If they get there you will spend precious moves, attacks, and HP trying to take them off. It's usually better to ignore enemies on mountains than to fight them.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Loyalists==<br /> <br /> Defend in day, strike at night. That's how the battle will go. Beware the Horseman and Mage and be prepared to counter these heavy daytime hitters. Again, an Ulfserker can be your best friend, especially if you can catch a Horseman at night or a Mage.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' If you get one, don't get it until turn two or later. Grabbing one in your initial recruit will only make him impotent during the first few turns of daytime. Ulfserkers are what you will use to kill Mages, grind up horse meat at night, and get rid of Bowmen - though they shouldn't be recruiting many. You shouldn't need more than 1 unless they go mad with Mages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Good to fight Spearmen, having these guys is a necessity. These are also your best unit to defend against Heavy Infantry.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Get one of these guys. These will make your front line immune to Horsemen. Also useful to counter-attack Cavalry, Mages, and Bowmen. If HI get close enough, milk XP off of them with your ranged attack. The level will come faster than you expect.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Get one or two. Good against essentially all of the Loyalist units, the pierce ranged is even better against the two mounted units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' These guys can be used against most Loyalist units at night, but avoid trying to backstab Spearmen. Even at night their firststrike can get nasty on this low HP unit. I recommend the Poacher instead of this guy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A great unit to counterattack Loyalists and press the attack at night. His multiple strikes are of better use against the high defense Fencer, though his ranged pierce is best against the mounted units. His attack does a modest 3-4 to Heavy Infantry at night (compared to a Thunderers 11-1), and you'll want to use this unit against Spearmen outside of day as well. Although they are weak in daytime, they serve many purposes and are well worth the 14 gold.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as scouts mainly, you can use these to run down hurt horses, go for 1-attack-kills on Fencers (9% chance if they have no bonus hp), or again, to try to hold important grassland hexes. Beware during day though, as HI, Mages, and Horsemen can all tear Gryphons apart quickly. Recruit no more than 1.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Fighter, a Thunderer, a Guardsman, and a Gryphon depending on the layout of villages. Fill out your army with what you think will serve you best for that particular battle. Water battles will be nearly pointless. Cheap Mermen with higher defense will easily rout your Gryphon(s). Avoid sea battles unless you can taunt a Merman within range of a ranged unit (who can stand on decent terrain). A Gryphon's extra sight is good for spotting long range Horsemen, so it usually is worth having one around, but recruit no more than one. They don't counter any unit very cost-efficiently, so use it primarily as a scout and utility unit.<br /> <br /> You'll want to press as hard as you can at night, more so than even against Drakes. The reason for this is that Loyalists have no level 1 Neutral or Chaotic units. Every unit the opposing player has will suffer a penalty at night - unless he has a Lieutenant behind his front line. Because of this possibility, don't press too close to his castle until you have gained a monetary advantage, as you will start losing units more rapidly when he comes back at you with an additional +25%. Put your Guardsman up front - this will dissuade any charge attacks. Keep a Dwarvish Fighter or Dwarvish Ulfserker nearby in case the player chooses to besiege you with Mages. Spearmen that attack a Guardsman in day will deal nearly equal damage to each other, which can add up quickly. Counter any advance with Thunderers and Poachers. Don't expose your Dwarves to poor terrain or they will die.<br /> <br /> You'll want to whittle away at Heavy Infantry with Poachers and Thunderers and you'll want to give the killing blow to a Fighter. Upgrading Dwarvish Fighters should be your main priority as they are your best defense and counter to the easy Spearman-wave attack. Once leveled up, the massive HP on the Steelclad will also give it the ability to withstand attacking Heavy Infantry and Mages.<br /> <br /> Basically, Loyalists have an incredible amount of versatility. You'll have to play smart and counterattack very well in order to win. Deal free damage when you can, and limit the number of hexes you can be attacked from - especially during day. Start commencing your attack before night actually breaks. You'll want to maximize your advantage over those 2 turns, so make sure they don't creep away before night hits. As always, stay on good terrain, and make sure Fencers can't skirmish around to kill any weak units you may be hiding.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Northerners==<br /> <br /> The biggest problem you will have with Northerners will be their numbers. Northies will gladly trade units with you and gain a monetary advantage. Make them depend on luck by staying on good terrain, and their high upkeep may start to become a factor.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Recruit one of these guys if you're really having a problem finishing their units off, or your opponent likes to use Assassins. He's expensive, and Northerners are melee oriented, so most of their units will be able to take a majority of this unit's HP away, if not kill him outright. Assassins' Poison will quickly erode your army's HP though, so having one may prove valuable. Since Assassins cost 17 gold you'll only lose 2 in attrition, and you'll likely take lots of hp from another unit with you.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again a necessity. His damage dealt in defense is how you'll deal a majority of your damage. If possible, get a rotation of these guys in the front line. You'll deal more damage than your opponent on average, but he will come with more units - 4 Grunts cost the same as 3 DFs.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Another good guy to have one of if not more. He can survive nighttime assaults better than the fighter, and will still do respectable damage back to the enemy. Use your ranged attack on Grunts to make them turn around and heal.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Nice to have. Their combination of good resistances and ranged damage make them good counter-attackers. For cheaper ranged counter-attackers, use Poachers as they will also be used to hold forest hexes. Recruiting DTs may crowd your hill hexes, especially since that's what the Northies will be grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a great buy against Northies. His melee-only nature along with his Chaotic alignment make him most effective in the same way Northeners are. Avoid the urge to recruit these guys.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Again, these guys you'll want to recruit a few of. When the Northies come after you at night, you can make a strong counter-attack with their 5-4 ranged.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This guy can be a utility unit against Northerners, but the money is better spent elsewhere. Footpads can harass Grunts and Wolfs, take forest hexes, and block Assassins from poisoning your Dwarves. Not the best buy, but you may be able to get your money's worth.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Again, it's usually good to have one of these guys to scout, plug up grassland, and be a defensive damage dealer. He's also good for trapping/killing Assassins and being a target for their poison.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> The biggest thing you need to worry about will be poison; this cannot be overemphasized. If you get a good foothold on mountains and hills, poison will be the weapon of choice to knock you off your perch. Be ready to fill in with a replacement unit, and try to kill assassins before any other units. Melee strikes will have to get through your resistance - poison does not. You also don't deal any damage back when poison hits you. If you know you're going to be facing poison on the next turn, have a plan for how you will be rotating units to villages to detox and heal.<br /> <br /> Recruit a Dwarvish Fighter and a mix of other good units. Stay on villages or mountains for the first assault to minimize the effect any poison will have and reduce the chance of it hitting. Let your opponent attack you, and then counter-attack with your Poachers and Thunderers if you have them - even a Guardsman's ranged attack will add up. Send Ulfserkers against Assassins whenever you get a decent chance, as the Poison will hurt more than their melee attacks. If the northerner overrecruits assassins, you should be able to power through his ranks, so normally eliminating an assassin removes the immediate threat of poison.<br /> <br /> Allow your opponent to attack you from forest hexes if they are next to mountains that you occupy. Your 70% defense will outdo his 50% defense, and his confidence will be higher to attack since he won't be on grass. Even if an Assassin uses that hex, if an Ulfserker is within reach, he should be able to take him out from on top the mountain.<br /> <br /> To kill Trolls, you will want to focus exclusively on them until they die. Thus it is best to ignore them and kill others than to only do a minimal amount of damage to Trolls each turn. Their regeneration will give them essentially limitless HP if you do this. Kill his friends and then focus on him. If there are several, take them out one at a time. Try to avoid water battles with Nagas, unless there is only one. You won't want any Gryphons you get to be pinned, especially where you cannot help them, so be cautious with water battles. <br /> <br /> To sum up, kill poisoners fast, get units that deal good melee damage in defense, and get good counter-attacking ranged units<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Knalgans&diff=31794 2009-08-08T15:26:17Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Knalgans versus Knalgans */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Knalgan strategies==<br /> <br /> The Knalgans have perhaps the greatest tactical flexibility of any faction. Because of this, there is no one way to play the Knalgans. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your personality. You can use dwarves for power and defense and outlaws for movement and low prices.<br /> <br /> *'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' It can take more hits than most units, making it a great defender. It also has two damage types, making it offensively versatile. It shares the downsides of all dwarves: slow movement (though few terrains slow it down) and low defense on non-specialized terrain.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Although powerful, it can just as easily do no damage at all, making this a tricky unit to know how to use. Fortunately, it is almost as durable as the fighter.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' This utility unit has value in many match-ups. It will ensure that either its opponent or it dies. Thus, it has a 100% kill chance against a non-melee unit such as the dark adept, and a very high kill chance against many non-melee-centric units, such as the Mage, Saurian Augur, Bowman, Elvish Shaman, and a wide variety of others. The problem is that your opponent can very easily kill an Ulfserker: they will lose to any dedicated melee unit unless very exceptional circumstances are in play (traits, extreme defensive differences (remember that the ulf cannot get nearly as high defensive values as the Dwarvish fighter, for example), starting hitpoints, time of day, or a combination of the above). Since it is an expensive unit, letting an elvish fighter kill your ulf out of the blue is unwise: however if he just killed a Mage and in killing the ulf the fighter is severely weakened, this is obviously a good trade for you. When using Ulfs, plan how you want them to kill and how you want them to die.<br /> *'''Footpad:''' Opinions on the footpad vary widely. In this guide you will not see them recommended often, but many good players consider these a staple unit of the Knalgans. Regardless, this is not a unit you should overrecruit or your offensive power will be very low. It has excellent defense where your dwarves might be very vulnerable and you might not want to risk your more costly riders. Use it for it's great ZoC abilities even if its offense isn't high-powered.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Poacher:''' Also a very useful unit for the Knalgans, this unit provides a reliable ranged attack to counterbalance the power of the thunderer, plus it fills many useful hexes (notably forests and swamps) well.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Thief:''' This unit is possibly the highest damage-dealing unit in your arsenal when used correctly. A strong thief at night does 12-3 damage: the equivalent of a level 2's damage output. However, they have very little hitpoints and their low resists compound this problem. High defense and low cost offset these disadvantages. Remember to backstab with it whenever possible.<br /> *'''Gryphon Rider:''' Possibly the best scout in the game in terms of combat, this is tempered by its high cost. Use it as a lookout for enemy advances and pick off weak or wounded units that are retreating behind enemy lines.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit against random would consist of a Gryphon Rider, two Dwarvish Fighters, a Dwarvish Thunderer, a Footpad, and a Poacher.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> Keep in mind that that the dwarves should stay in mountains, hills, and other high-defense terrain and the outlaws should stay in any non-grassland terrain, if possible. Keep in mind that since your footpads and thieves have 60d on grassland, and your enemy will often have 40 or even 30, it can often be to your benefit if the enemy chooses to attack them on open ground.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Undead==<br /> <br /> If you know you're playing against Undead, the smartest thing to do is to recruit a Dwarvish Ulfserker. He will automatically kill any Dark Adept that he attacks. He is also good for taking on Ghosts during day, or even Ghouls and Skeleton Archers. Here are the units you will want to recruit to counter Undead units:<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Dark Adepts, and most other undead units in daytime. Don't recruit many unless the opponent has no Skeletons. Skeletons can kill an Ulfserker even in day. Ulfs are also expensive, so you don't want to trade them 1-for-1 with Undead units unless you get a Ghost. Be mindful of what can counterattack them on your opponent's next turn.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' counters Skeletons, Skeleton Archers, and is a generally high HP unit that can soak up nighttime damage for your front line. (Dwarvish Fighters are probably the best all-around L1 heavy infantry in the game.)&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Do not recruit this unit if you are fighting Undead. His Pierce damage is less useful than even Blade against Undead. His low damage also makes him a bad unit to counter-attack with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This is a good unit to have in your front line in mountains. His high defense and good resistances should keep him alive from nighttime Skele attacks, and his 18-1 ranged will make it very risky for Dark Adepts to come after you. Thunderers are also good to attack Ghosts, as 2 ranged hits will kill a Ghost - this even works at night.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting against Undead.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A utility unit versus Undead. It's good for finishing Ghosts and killing Walking Corpses. It can also be used to pick at Skeletons and Ghouls. Money is spent better on other units, but don't forget that ''he may be useful.''&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This weak character is really only useful versus Undead as a cheap scout. His Impact damage is good against Skeletons and Skeleton Archers, and he has the added bonuses of being Chaotic (which deals more damage when Undead try to advance at night), and being hard to hit. His best feature is his ranged attack versus Skeletons at night, and that's only 6-2. Recruiting 1 on your first turn to grab villages is likely the only use you'll get from this guy, unless you need a unit to occupy forest hexes (which dwarves do very poorly at 30% defense).&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Probably not the best expenditure of gold versus Undead, but they do serve many purposes that can justify their cost: they give extended view of battle, allowing you to know what is coming and to counter appropriately; they are good for getting behind enemy lines to finish hurt Dark adepts; They serve as good ZoC units for plains and forest hexes. Unlike the Footpad they do not have negative resistance to Blade and Pierce - the weapons of skeletons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a good dose of Dwarvish Fighters, a few Thunderers, a Gryphon for vision/utility, an ulf or two, and maybe a Poacher or Footpad. Dwarves are really what you want to use, for their high HP and decent resists. This helps them survive the nighttime onslaught, and their neutrality will give them good damage in defense and also the ability to press the attack in daytime. Don't be afraid to send an Ulfserker at a ghost in daytime -- make sure to check the CTK, but it should be good if your Ulfserker is at high hp: bonus if you can get great terrain. Defeat for the Ghost will be nearly certain if the Ulfserker is Strong.<br /> <br /> Dark adepts will, as always, be the main danger to your army: they'll knock dwarves out of their mountains, footpads out of wherever, and even gryphons are in danger from them. Be especially mindful of where her dark adepts will most likely attack next turn.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> This is one of the trickiest match-ups to play. Both factions are Neutral, so neither has an advantageous time of day to attack (with their main units). To win this battle you will need smart recruits and good unit placement, as well as a little luck; the same goes for your opponent. Knalgans may have a slight advantage with the &quot;one unit must die&quot; Ulfserker, but Rebel defense as well as heal, slow, and magic are serious counters. Look for opportunities to grab mountains and hills, especially if they have no forest next to them. ''Forests are your biggest enemy'', so occupy them with your Outlaw counterparts or Gryphons.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Mages, Elvish Shamans, and oftentimes Elvish Archers. Again, don't recruit too many of these, as Elvish Fighters will easily come back to finish them off, and they are 5 gold cheaper. If you get a chance to take out a Mage, do so. Not only will you gain 1 gold in attrition, but another unit will likely have to expose itself or get hurt to finish you off. Elvish Archers should be #2 on the &quot;to kill&quot; list, and they are sometimes worth jeopardizing your Ulfserker for if you catch one of them off of forest. Again, the reasoning is you only lose 2 gold in the trade and the opponent must waste moves and usually HP in order to finish you. Again, they may also expose themselves. You might be able to get away with ulfing Woses if it's nighttime and you're in a mountain. Make sure he isn't a Quick, Intelligent Ulf, and check the CTK as always.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again, these will be the meat of your forces. Any front without one of these will succumb to Elvish Fighters. Dwarfs beat Elves 1-on-1, but they are more expensive. They are good damage soakers and damage dealers. Stay on preferred terrain at all times.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are great for holding frontline villages and chokepoints - with backup. A lone Guardsman can hold out for a turn, if lucky 2 or 3, while on a town, but he deals very little damage in return, especially against the ranged specialized Rebels. Recruit 1 if necessary, and no more than 2. They just aren't worth the lack of offensive/counter-attack units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Another staple. This unit is great against Rebels with luck. Stick him on a mountain and Elves will hurt themselves trying to remove you. They aren't so great for dependable offense against the high defense of the elves, but their counter-attacks are great.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Unlike when fighting Undead, you'll want 1 or 2 of these guys depending on your play style. At night, a combo of thieves can destroy Woses, Elvish Archers, Mages, and Shaman. Keep them in the forest hexes your opponent will want, but not in daytime.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Poachers are useful to fill up forest hexes and to attack Elvish Fighters. Their main usefulness is as a counter-attacking utility unit to grab forest and press at night. They are cheap, somewhat weak, but deal more dependable offensive damage than the Thunderer. 5-4 at night is equivalent to a 17 gold Elvish Archer, and you only spend 14.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Rebels. It lacks both firepower and hitpoints even while in the forests Footpads and Elves both enjoy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C-''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' These monsters are incredible useful against Rebels. Their utility lies in fighting any water battles against the weak Merman Hunters, scouting, taking opportunistic attacks against poorly placed Elves, and if you find a hurt Wose, you may consider attacking one - even though Gryphons have a weakness for Impact. At night they do essentially equal damage to each other, and you may not be able to get the finishing blow with one of your slower units. Do so as a calculated risk when you only need 1 hit to kill. Otherwise it's quite a risk.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a healthy dose of Dwarvish Fighters and Thunderers, along with several gryphons for map control. An Ulfserker, perhaps a Guardsman, and some Outlaws will provide added flexibility. Whichever chaotic units (if any) you recruit, make sure to protect them at day.<br /> <br /> If your opponent purchases scouts, feel lucky - they are next to useless against you. Beware of ambushes, and don't scout unsure forests with your Gryphon in daytime. Take as much tactical forest as you can with the appropriate units, and make a stranglehold on mountains. Ulf when you get a good chance, and be ready to counter in day as well as pressing at night. Each battle will play out differently in this matchup according to what your opponent recruits, so see what he has early, and keep track of any Woses. Also, do not let your Ulfs be slowed or they are certainly dead.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Drakes==<br /> <br /> These guys are big and nasty. They will burn and freeze you. Thunderers will be your main weapon, but they will require support units as well.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Good for killing Augurs, scouts, and maybe Burners. Not really a good choice against Drakes in general (because drakes can damage it faster than it can damage them), but can serve some purposes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' A good unit to use against saurians, but generally the Fighter is not how you want to go against Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are worth the price against Drakes. Their Pierce goes right through Drake resistances, and a Strong one actually gets an additional point of damage on top of the point he gets for having the Strong trait (but not against Clashers). A couple of these are a good buy, especially if you plop them on villages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This should be your unit of choice versus Drakes. A Thunderer does 20-1 damage to Drakes in ranged, and Burners will do (6/5/3)-4 damage in return. Thunderers have much better defense than Burners, but do suffer from having 8 less HP. Thunderers have the benefit of costing 4 less gold. You'll want to use their &quot;luck&quot; attack on the easily hit Drakes as much as possible. Thunderers should be the meat of your army.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not really useful against the Drakes, they are best used to counter Saurian Augurs, which are better countered by using Dwarvish Fighters.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D+''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Another great unit against Drakes. Their attack at night deals a good 5-4 against all Drakes. Having better defense on Forest and villages, 1 or 2 of these guys aren't a bad idea.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful for early village grabbing, Gryphons also can be used against the weak Saurians or Drake Burners. These fliers are probably the only way you'll hunt down retreating hurt Drakes. Don't recruit too many due to their cost and lack of a ranged defensive weapon. Drakes can pin these units far better than any other faction.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon and a good mix of Dwarvish Thunderers, Dwarvish Guardsmen, a Poacher or two, and maybe a Dwarvish Fighter. Your opponent will likely get some Saurian Augurs to take away your high defense advantage, so having that Dwarvish Fighter around to take them out is usually quite helpful along with the Gryphon. Basically, recruit Pierce, Pierce, and more Pierce. Maintain your advantageous defensive terrain as much as possible, because if you don't, and you put yourself on an even playing field in that respect, you will quickly be torn apart by the Drakes superior daytime damage and HP. The daytime onslaught will be brutal, so prepare for a counter-attack and try to keep your Guardsmen up front to get best use of their Steadfast. It will be the difference between 7-4 and 6-4 daytime Burner damage and 6-4 to 5-4 daytime non-strong Clasher damage. The Guardsmen also have 8 more HP than the Thunderers. If you can level a Guardsman (with 4 kills at 70% xp, or 3 kills and 1 battle if he's Intelligent), you will have a serious roadblock to use at your disposal.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Knalgans==<br /> <br /> A tough battle. Dwarves have great defense, and no way to combat great defense. The high HP and the resistances will make this a game needing a lot of strikes to kill. Don't think you'll be able to rush in and win - you're going to need intelligent unit placement and again, some luck. Focus on levelling (non-Gryphon) units if possible as the added damage will be needed.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' As always, one of these utility guys isn't a bad buy. Catch a Thunderer off his perch, or a Thief or Poacher in daytime, and that's one less unit to deal with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' One of these is a must. Use it against any unit. These guys are hard to kill.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Use these to hold villages and frustrate your opponent.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Use these to besiege enemy villages or poke at DFs or Gryphons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a good buy unless used to counter Thunderers and Poachers. Their blade attack does little to Dwarves unless backstabbing at night (8-3). Better to use Dwarvish Fighters for melee.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' An alright cheap buy for ranged forest grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't buy this unit even if your opponent is bothering you with Gryphons. You can get 3+ Footpads for the price of 2 Gryphons, but it's not worth it. The weakness to Impact guarantees at least a 4-2 attack with these guys even in daytime, but unfortunately, unless you get bonus hp from traits, they will die in 2 hits from Gryphons, so it is still a risky buy - especially since they are useless against all other Knalgans. Just say no once again.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as your only scout unit. Use these to get behind enemy lines to village steal, kill the wounded, or to pin a Dwarf on bad terrain. These guys are also good forest and plains holders for crucial areas that your Dwarves will fare poorly on.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''A-''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon, a Guardsman, a Thunderer, a Fighter, an Ulfserker, and a mix of other useful units. This game will be won through fighting from hills and mountains, getting and keeping a money advantage, leveling a unit, and waiting for your opponent to take a risk that they shouldn't. Keep them off of your mountains at any cost. If they get there you will spend precious moves, attacks, and HP trying to take them off. It's usually better to ignore enemies on mountains than to fight them.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Loyalists==<br /> <br /> Defend in day, strike at night. That's how the battle will go. Beware the Horseman and Mage and be prepared to counter these heavy daytime hitters. Again, an Ulfserker can be your best friend, especially if you can catch a Horseman at night or a Mage.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' If you get one, don't get it until turn two or later. Grabbing one in your initial recruit will only make him impotent during the first few turns of daytime. Ulfserkers are what you will use to kill Mages, grind up horse meat at night, and get rid of Bowmen - though they shouldn't be recruiting many. You shouldn't need more than 1 unless they go mad with Mages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Good to fight Spearmen, having these guys is a necessity. These are also your best unit to defend against Heavy Infantry.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Get one of these guys. These will make your front line immune to Horsemen. Also useful to counter-attack Cavalry, Mages, and Bowmen. If HI get close enough, milk XP off of them with your ranged attack. The level will come faster than you expect.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Get one or two. Good against essentially all of the Loyalist units, the pierce ranged is even better against the two mounted units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' These guys can be used against most Loyalist units at night, but avoid trying to backstab Spearmen. Even at night their firststrike can get nasty on this low HP unit. I recommend the Poacher instead of this guy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A great unit to counterattack Loyalists and press the attack at night. His multiple strikes are of better use against the high defense Fencer, though his ranged pierce is best against the mounted units. His attack does a modest 3-4 to Heavy Infantry at night (compared to a Thunderers 11-1), and you'll want to use this unit against Spearmen outside of day as well. Although they are weak in daytime, they serve many purposes and are well worth the 14 gold.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as scouts mainly, you can use these to run down hurt horses, go for 1-attack-kills on Fencers (9% chance if they have no bonus hp), or again, to try to hold important grassland hexes. Beware during day though, as HI, Mages, and Horsemen can all tear Gryphons apart quickly. Recruit no more than 1.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Fighter, a Thunderer, a Guardsman, and a Gryphon depending on the layout of villages. Fill out your army with what you think will serve you best for that particular battle. Water battles will be nearly pointless. Cheap Mermen with higher defense will easily rout your Gryphon(s). Avoid sea battles unless you can taunt a Merman within range of a ranged unit (who can stand on decent terrain). A Gryphon's extra sight is good for spotting long range Horsemen, so it usually is worth having one around, but recruit no more than one. They don't counter any unit very cost-efficiently, so use it primarily as a scout and utility unit.<br /> <br /> You'll want to press as hard as you can at night, more so than even against Drakes. The reason for this is that Loyalists have no level 1 Neutral or Chaotic units. Every unit the opposing player has will suffer a penalty at night - unless he has a Lieutenant behind his front line. Because of this possibility, don't press too close to his castle until you have gained a monetary advantage, as you will start losing units more rapidly when he comes back at you with an additional +25%. Put your Guardsman up front - this will dissuade any charge attacks. Keep a Dwarvish Fighter or Dwarvish Ulfserker nearby in case the player chooses to besiege you with Mages. Spearmen that attack a Guardsman in day will deal nearly equal damage to each other, which can add up quickly. Counter any advance with Thunderers and Poachers. Don't expose your Dwarves to poor terrain or they will die.<br /> <br /> You'll want to whittle away at Heavy Infantry with Poachers and Thunderers and you'll want to give the killing blow to a Fighter. Upgrading Dwarvish Fighters should be your main priority as they are your best defense and counter to the easy Spearman-wave attack. Once leveled up, the massive HP on the Steelclad will also give it the ability to withstand attacking Heavy Infantry and Mages.<br /> <br /> Basically, Loyalists have an incredible amount of versatility. You'll have to play smart and counterattack very well in order to win. Deal free damage when you can, and limit the number of hexes you can be attacked from - especially during day. Start commencing your attack before night actually breaks. You'll want to maximize your advantage over those 2 turns, so make sure they don't creep away before night hits. As always, stay on good terrain, and make sure Fencers can't skirmish around to kill any weak units you may be hiding.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Northerners==<br /> <br /> The biggest problem you will have with Northerners will be their numbers. Northies will gladly trade units with you and gain a monetary advantage. Make them depend on luck by staying on good terrain, and their high upkeep may start to become a factor.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Recruit one of these guys if you're really having a problem finishing their units off, or your opponent likes to use Assassins. He's expensive, and Northerners are melee oriented, so most of their units will be able to take a majority of this unit's HP away, if not kill him outright. Assassins' Poison will quickly erode your army's HP though, so having one may prove valuable. Since Assassins cost 17 gold you'll only lose 2 in attrition, and you'll likely take lots of hp from another unit with you.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again a necessity. His damage dealt in defense is how you'll deal a majority of your damage. If possible, get a rotation of these guys in the front line. You'll deal more damage than your opponent on average, but he will come with more units - 4 Grunts cost the same as 3 DFs.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Another good guy to have one of if not more. He can survive nighttime assaults better than the fighter, and will still do respectable damage back to the enemy. Use your ranged attack on Grunts to make them turn around and heal.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Nice to have. Their combination of good resistances and ranged damage make them good counter-attackers. For cheaper ranged counter-attackers, use Poachers as they will also be used to hold forest hexes. Recruiting DTs may crowd your hill hexes, especially since that's what the Northies will be grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a great buy against Northies. His melee-only nature along with his Chaotic alignment make him most effective in the same way Northeners are. Avoid the urge to recruit these guys.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Again, these guys you'll want to recruit a few of. When the Northies come after you at night, you can make a strong counter-attack with their 5-4 ranged.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This guy can be a utility unit against Northerners, but the money is better spent elsewhere. Footpads can harass Grunts and Wolfs, take forest hexes, and block Assassins from poisoning your Dwarves. Not the best buy, but you may be able to get your money's worth.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Again, it's usually good to have one of these guys to scout, plug up grassland, and be a defensive damage dealer. He's also good for trapping/killing Assassins and being a target for their poison.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> The biggest thing you need to worry about will be poison; this cannot be overemphasized. If you get a good foothold on mountains and hills, poison will be the weapon of choice to knock you off your perch. Be ready to fill in with a replacement unit, and try to kill assassins before any other units. Melee strikes will have to get through your resistance - poison does not. You also don't deal any damage back when poison hits you. If you know you're going to be facing poison on the next turn, have a plan for how you will be rotating units to villages to detox and heal.<br /> <br /> Recruit a Dwarvish Fighter and a mix of other good units. Stay on villages or mountains for the first assault to minimize the effect any poison will have and reduce the chance of it hitting. Let your opponent attack you, and then counter-attack with your Poachers and Thunderers if you have them - even a Guardsman's ranged attack will add up. Send Ulfserkers against Assassins whenever you get a decent chance, as the Poison will hurt more than their melee attacks. If the northerner overrecruits assassins, you should be able to power through his ranks, so normally eliminating an assassin removes the immediate threat of poison.<br /> <br /> Allow your opponent to attack you from forest hexes if they are next to mountains that you occupy. Your 70% defense will outdo his 50% defense, and his confidence will be higher to attack since he won't be on grass. Even if an Assassin uses that hex, if an Ulfserker is within reach, he should be able to take him out from on top the mountain.<br /> <br /> To kill Trolls, you will want to focus exclusively on them until they die. Thus it is best to ignore them and kill others than to only do a minimal amount of damage to Trolls each turn. Their regeneration will give them essentially limitless HP if you do this. Kill his friends and then focus on him. If there are several, take them out one at a time. Try to avoid water battles with Nagas, unless there is only one. You won't want any Gryphons you get to be pinned, especially where you cannot help them, so be cautious with water battles. <br /> <br /> To sum up, kill poisoners fast, get units that deal good melee damage in defense, and get good counter-attacking ranged units<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Knalgans&diff=31793 2009-08-08T15:26:08Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Knalgans versus Drakes */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Knalgan strategies==<br /> <br /> The Knalgans have perhaps the greatest tactical flexibility of any faction. Because of this, there is no one way to play the Knalgans. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your personality. You can use dwarves for power and defense and outlaws for movement and low prices.<br /> <br /> *'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' It can take more hits than most units, making it a great defender. It also has two damage types, making it offensively versatile. It shares the downsides of all dwarves: slow movement (though few terrains slow it down) and low defense on non-specialized terrain.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Although powerful, it can just as easily do no damage at all, making this a tricky unit to know how to use. Fortunately, it is almost as durable as the fighter.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' This utility unit has value in many match-ups. It will ensure that either its opponent or it dies. Thus, it has a 100% kill chance against a non-melee unit such as the dark adept, and a very high kill chance against many non-melee-centric units, such as the Mage, Saurian Augur, Bowman, Elvish Shaman, and a wide variety of others. The problem is that your opponent can very easily kill an Ulfserker: they will lose to any dedicated melee unit unless very exceptional circumstances are in play (traits, extreme defensive differences (remember that the ulf cannot get nearly as high defensive values as the Dwarvish fighter, for example), starting hitpoints, time of day, or a combination of the above). Since it is an expensive unit, letting an elvish fighter kill your ulf out of the blue is unwise: however if he just killed a Mage and in killing the ulf the fighter is severely weakened, this is obviously a good trade for you. When using Ulfs, plan how you want them to kill and how you want them to die.<br /> *'''Footpad:''' Opinions on the footpad vary widely. In this guide you will not see them recommended often, but many good players consider these a staple unit of the Knalgans. Regardless, this is not a unit you should overrecruit or your offensive power will be very low. It has excellent defense where your dwarves might be very vulnerable and you might not want to risk your more costly riders. Use it for it's great ZoC abilities even if its offense isn't high-powered.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Poacher:''' Also a very useful unit for the Knalgans, this unit provides a reliable ranged attack to counterbalance the power of the thunderer, plus it fills many useful hexes (notably forests and swamps) well.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Thief:''' This unit is possibly the highest damage-dealing unit in your arsenal when used correctly. A strong thief at night does 12-3 damage: the equivalent of a level 2's damage output. However, they have very little hitpoints and their low resists compound this problem. High defense and low cost offset these disadvantages. Remember to backstab with it whenever possible.<br /> *'''Gryphon Rider:''' Possibly the best scout in the game in terms of combat, this is tempered by its high cost. Use it as a lookout for enemy advances and pick off weak or wounded units that are retreating behind enemy lines.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit against random would consist of a Gryphon Rider, two Dwarvish Fighters, a Dwarvish Thunderer, a Footpad, and a Poacher.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> Keep in mind that that the dwarves should stay in mountains, hills, and other high-defense terrain and the outlaws should stay in any non-grassland terrain, if possible. Keep in mind that since your footpads and thieves have 60d on grassland, and your enemy will often have 40 or even 30, it can often be to your benefit if the enemy chooses to attack them on open ground.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Undead==<br /> <br /> If you know you're playing against Undead, the smartest thing to do is to recruit a Dwarvish Ulfserker. He will automatically kill any Dark Adept that he attacks. He is also good for taking on Ghosts during day, or even Ghouls and Skeleton Archers. Here are the units you will want to recruit to counter Undead units:<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Dark Adepts, and most other undead units in daytime. Don't recruit many unless the opponent has no Skeletons. Skeletons can kill an Ulfserker even in day. Ulfs are also expensive, so you don't want to trade them 1-for-1 with Undead units unless you get a Ghost. Be mindful of what can counterattack them on your opponent's next turn.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' counters Skeletons, Skeleton Archers, and is a generally high HP unit that can soak up nighttime damage for your front line. (Dwarvish Fighters are probably the best all-around L1 heavy infantry in the game.)&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Do not recruit this unit if you are fighting Undead. His Pierce damage is less useful than even Blade against Undead. His low damage also makes him a bad unit to counter-attack with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This is a good unit to have in your front line in mountains. His high defense and good resistances should keep him alive from nighttime Skele attacks, and his 18-1 ranged will make it very risky for Dark Adepts to come after you. Thunderers are also good to attack Ghosts, as 2 ranged hits will kill a Ghost - this even works at night.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting against Undead.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A utility unit versus Undead. It's good for finishing Ghosts and killing Walking Corpses. It can also be used to pick at Skeletons and Ghouls. Money is spent better on other units, but don't forget that ''he may be useful.''&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This weak character is really only useful versus Undead as a cheap scout. His Impact damage is good against Skeletons and Skeleton Archers, and he has the added bonuses of being Chaotic (which deals more damage when Undead try to advance at night), and being hard to hit. His best feature is his ranged attack versus Skeletons at night, and that's only 6-2. Recruiting 1 on your first turn to grab villages is likely the only use you'll get from this guy, unless you need a unit to occupy forest hexes (which dwarves do very poorly at 30% defense).&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Probably not the best expenditure of gold versus Undead, but they do serve many purposes that can justify their cost: they give extended view of battle, allowing you to know what is coming and to counter appropriately; they are good for getting behind enemy lines to finish hurt Dark adepts; They serve as good ZoC units for plains and forest hexes. Unlike the Footpad they do not have negative resistance to Blade and Pierce - the weapons of skeletons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a good dose of Dwarvish Fighters, a few Thunderers, a Gryphon for vision/utility, an ulf or two, and maybe a Poacher or Footpad. Dwarves are really what you want to use, for their high HP and decent resists. This helps them survive the nighttime onslaught, and their neutrality will give them good damage in defense and also the ability to press the attack in daytime. Don't be afraid to send an Ulfserker at a ghost in daytime -- make sure to check the CTK, but it should be good if your Ulfserker is at high hp: bonus if you can get great terrain. Defeat for the Ghost will be nearly certain if the Ulfserker is Strong.<br /> <br /> Dark adepts will, as always, be the main danger to your army: they'll knock dwarves out of their mountains, footpads out of wherever, and even gryphons are in danger from them. Be especially mindful of where her dark adepts will most likely attack next turn.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> This is one of the trickiest match-ups to play. Both factions are Neutral, so neither has an advantageous time of day to attack (with their main units). To win this battle you will need smart recruits and good unit placement, as well as a little luck; the same goes for your opponent. Knalgans may have a slight advantage with the &quot;one unit must die&quot; Ulfserker, but Rebel defense as well as heal, slow, and magic are serious counters. Look for opportunities to grab mountains and hills, especially if they have no forest next to them. ''Forests are your biggest enemy'', so occupy them with your Outlaw counterparts or Gryphons.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Mages, Elvish Shamans, and oftentimes Elvish Archers. Again, don't recruit too many of these, as Elvish Fighters will easily come back to finish them off, and they are 5 gold cheaper. If you get a chance to take out a Mage, do so. Not only will you gain 1 gold in attrition, but another unit will likely have to expose itself or get hurt to finish you off. Elvish Archers should be #2 on the &quot;to kill&quot; list, and they are sometimes worth jeopardizing your Ulfserker for if you catch one of them off of forest. Again, the reasoning is you only lose 2 gold in the trade and the opponent must waste moves and usually HP in order to finish you. Again, they may also expose themselves. You might be able to get away with ulfing Woses if it's nighttime and you're in a mountain. Make sure he isn't a Quick, Intelligent Ulf, and check the CTK as always.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again, these will be the meat of your forces. Any front without one of these will succumb to Elvish Fighters. Dwarfs beat Elves 1-on-1, but they are more expensive. They are good damage soakers and damage dealers. Stay on preferred terrain at all times.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are great for holding frontline villages and chokepoints - with backup. A lone Guardsman can hold out for a turn, if lucky 2 or 3, while on a town, but he deals very little damage in return, especially against the ranged specialized Rebels. Recruit 1 if necessary, and no more than 2. They just aren't worth the lack of offensive/counter-attack units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Another staple. This unit is great against Rebels with luck. Stick him on a mountain and Elves will hurt themselves trying to remove you. They aren't so great for dependable offense against the high defense of the elves, but their counter-attacks are great.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Unlike when fighting Undead, you'll want 1 or 2 of these guys depending on your play style. At night, a combo of thieves can destroy Woses, Elvish Archers, Mages, and Shaman. Keep them in the forest hexes your opponent will want, but not in daytime.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Poachers are useful to fill up forest hexes and to attack Elvish Fighters. Their main usefulness is as a counter-attacking utility unit to grab forest and press at night. They are cheap, somewhat weak, but deal more dependable offensive damage than the Thunderer. 5-4 at night is equivalent to a 17 gold Elvish Archer, and you only spend 14.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Rebels. It lacks both firepower and hitpoints even while in the forests Footpads and Elves both enjoy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C-''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' These monsters are incredible useful against Rebels. Their utility lies in fighting any water battles against the weak Merman Hunters, scouting, taking opportunistic attacks against poorly placed Elves, and if you find a hurt Wose, you may consider attacking one - even though Gryphons have a weakness for Impact. At night they do essentially equal damage to each other, and you may not be able to get the finishing blow with one of your slower units. Do so as a calculated risk when you only need 1 hit to kill. Otherwise it's quite a risk.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a healthy dose of Dwarvish Fighters and Thunderers, along with several gryphons for map control. An Ulfserker, perhaps a Guardsman, and some Outlaws will provide added flexibility. Whichever chaotic units (if any) you recruit, make sure to protect them at day.<br /> <br /> If your opponent purchases scouts, feel lucky - they are next to useless against you. Beware of ambushes, and don't scout unsure forests with your Gryphon in daytime. Take as much tactical forest as you can with the appropriate units, and make a stranglehold on mountains. Ulf when you get a good chance, and be ready to counter in day as well as pressing at night. Each battle will play out differently in this matchup according to what your opponent recruits, so see what he has early, and keep track of any Woses. Also, do not let your Ulfs be slowed or they are certainly dead.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Drakes==<br /> <br /> These guys are big and nasty. They will burn and freeze you. Thunderers will be your main weapon, but they will require support units as well.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Good for killing Augurs, scouts, and maybe Burners. Not really a good choice against Drakes in general (because drakes can damage it faster than it can damage them), but can serve some purposes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' A good unit to use against saurians, but generally the Fighter is not how you want to go against Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are worth the price against Drakes. Their Pierce goes right through Drake resistances, and a Strong one actually gets an additional point of damage on top of the point he gets for having the Strong trait (but not against Clashers). A couple of these are a good buy, especially if you plop them on villages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This should be your unit of choice versus Drakes. A Thunderer does 20-1 damage to Drakes in ranged, and Burners will do (6/5/3)-4 damage in return. Thunderers have much better defense than Burners, but do suffer from having 8 less HP. Thunderers have the benefit of costing 4 less gold. You'll want to use their &quot;luck&quot; attack on the easily hit Drakes as much as possible. Thunderers should be the meat of your army.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not really useful against the Drakes, they are best used to counter Saurian Augurs, which are better countered by using Dwarvish Fighters.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D+''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Another great unit against Drakes. Their attack at night deals a good 5-4 against all Drakes. Having better defense on Forest and villages, 1 or 2 of these guys aren't a bad idea.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful for early village grabbing, Gryphons also can be used against the weak Saurians or Drake Burners. These fliers are probably the only way you'll hunt down retreating hurt Drakes. Don't recruit too many due to their cost and lack of a ranged defensive weapon. Drakes can pin these units far better than any other faction.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon and a good mix of Dwarvish Thunderers, Dwarvish Guardsmen, a Poacher or two, and maybe a Dwarvish Fighter. Your opponent will likely get some Saurian Augurs to take away your high defense advantage, so having that Dwarvish Fighter around to take them out is usually quite helpful along with the Gryphon. Basically, recruit Pierce, Pierce, and more Pierce. Maintain your advantageous defensive terrain as much as possible, because if you don't, and you put yourself on an even playing field in that respect, you will quickly be torn apart by the Drakes superior daytime damage and HP. The daytime onslaught will be brutal, so prepare for a counter-attack and try to keep your Guardsmen up front to get best use of their Steadfast. It will be the difference between 7-4 and 6-4 daytime Burner damage and 6-4 to 5-4 daytime non-strong Clasher damage. The Guardsmen also have 8 more HP than the Thunderers. If you can level a Guardsman (with 4 kills at 70% xp, or 3 kills and 1 battle if he's Intelligent), you will have a serious roadblock to use at your disposal.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Knalgans==<br /> <br /> A tough battle. Dwarves have great defense, and no way to combat great defense. The high HP and the resistances will make this a game needing a lot of strikes to kill. Don't think you'll be able to rush in and win - you're going to need intelligent unit placement and again, some luck. Focus on levelling (non-Gryphon) units if possible as the added damage will be needed.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' As always, one of these utility guys isn't a bad buy. Catch a Thunderer off his perch, or a Thief or Poacher in daytime, and that's one less unit to deal with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' One of these is a must. Use it against any unit. These guys are hard to kill.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Use these to hold villages and frustrate your opponent.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Use these to besiege enemy villages or poke at DFs or Gryphons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a good buy unless used to counter Thunderers and Poachers. Their blade attack does little to Dwarves unless backstabbing at night (8-3). Better to use Dwarvish Fighters for melee.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' An alright cheap buy for ranged forest grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't buy this unit even if your opponent is bothering you with Gryphons. You can get 3+ Footpads for the price of 2 Gryphons, but it's not worth it. The weakness to Impact guarantees at least a 4-2 attack with these guys even in daytime, but unfortunately, unless you get bonus hp from traits, they will die in 2 hits from Gryphons, so it is still a risky buy - especially since they are useless against all other Knalgans. Just say no once again.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as your only scout unit. Use these to get behind enemy lines to village steal, kill the wounded, or to pin a Dwarf on bad terrain. These guys are also good forest and plains holders for crucial areas that your Dwarves will fare poorly on.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''A-''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon, a Guardsman, a Thunderer, a Fighter, an Ulfserker, and a mix of other useful units. This game will be won through fighting from hills and mountains, getting and keeping a money advantage, leveling a unit, and waiting for your opponent to take a risk that they shouldn't. Keep them off of your mountains at any cost. If they get there you will spend precious moves, attacks, and HP trying to take them off. It's usually better to ignore enemies on mountains than to fight them.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Loyalists==<br /> <br /> Defend in day, strike at night. That's how the battle will go. Beware the Horseman and Mage and be prepared to counter these heavy daytime hitters. Again, an Ulfserker can be your best friend, especially if you can catch a Horseman at night or a Mage.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' If you get one, don't get it until turn two or later. Grabbing one in your initial recruit will only make him impotent during the first few turns of daytime. Ulfserkers are what you will use to kill Mages, grind up horse meat at night, and get rid of Bowmen - though they shouldn't be recruiting many. You shouldn't need more than 1 unless they go mad with Mages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Good to fight Spearmen, having these guys is a necessity. These are also your best unit to defend against Heavy Infantry.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Get one of these guys. These will make your front line immune to Horsemen. Also useful to counter-attack Cavalry, Mages, and Bowmen. If HI get close enough, milk XP off of them with your ranged attack. The level will come faster than you expect.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Get one or two. Good against essentially all of the Loyalist units, the pierce ranged is even better against the two mounted units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' These guys can be used against most Loyalist units at night, but avoid trying to backstab Spearmen. Even at night their firststrike can get nasty on this low HP unit. I recommend the Poacher instead of this guy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A great unit to counterattack Loyalists and press the attack at night. His multiple strikes are of better use against the high defense Fencer, though his ranged pierce is best against the mounted units. His attack does a modest 3-4 to Heavy Infantry at night (compared to a Thunderers 11-1), and you'll want to use this unit against Spearmen outside of day as well. Although they are weak in daytime, they serve many purposes and are well worth the 14 gold.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as scouts mainly, you can use these to run down hurt horses, go for 1-attack-kills on Fencers (9% chance if they have no bonus hp), or again, to try to hold important grassland hexes. Beware during day though, as HI, Mages, and Horsemen can all tear Gryphons apart quickly. Recruit no more than 1.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Fighter, a Thunderer, a Guardsman, and a Gryphon depending on the layout of villages. Fill out your army with what you think will serve you best for that particular battle. Water battles will be nearly pointless. Cheap Mermen with higher defense will easily rout your Gryphon(s). Avoid sea battles unless you can taunt a Merman within range of a ranged unit (who can stand on decent terrain). A Gryphon's extra sight is good for spotting long range Horsemen, so it usually is worth having one around, but recruit no more than one. They don't counter any unit very cost-efficiently, so use it primarily as a scout and utility unit.<br /> <br /> You'll want to press as hard as you can at night, more so than even against Drakes. The reason for this is that Loyalists have no level 1 Neutral or Chaotic units. Every unit the opposing player has will suffer a penalty at night - unless he has a Lieutenant behind his front line. Because of this possibility, don't press too close to his castle until you have gained a monetary advantage, as you will start losing units more rapidly when he comes back at you with an additional +25%. Put your Guardsman up front - this will dissuade any charge attacks. Keep a Dwarvish Fighter or Dwarvish Ulfserker nearby in case the player chooses to besiege you with Mages. Spearmen that attack a Guardsman in day will deal nearly equal damage to each other, which can add up quickly. Counter any advance with Thunderers and Poachers. Don't expose your Dwarves to poor terrain or they will die.<br /> <br /> You'll want to whittle away at Heavy Infantry with Poachers and Thunderers and you'll want to give the killing blow to a Fighter. Upgrading Dwarvish Fighters should be your main priority as they are your best defense and counter to the easy Spearman-wave attack. Once leveled up, the massive HP on the Steelclad will also give it the ability to withstand attacking Heavy Infantry and Mages.<br /> <br /> Basically, Loyalists have an incredible amount of versatility. You'll have to play smart and counterattack very well in order to win. Deal free damage when you can, and limit the number of hexes you can be attacked from - especially during day. Start commencing your attack before night actually breaks. You'll want to maximize your advantage over those 2 turns, so make sure they don't creep away before night hits. As always, stay on good terrain, and make sure Fencers can't skirmish around to kill any weak units you may be hiding.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Northerners==<br /> <br /> The biggest problem you will have with Northerners will be their numbers. Northies will gladly trade units with you and gain a monetary advantage. Make them depend on luck by staying on good terrain, and their high upkeep may start to become a factor.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Recruit one of these guys if you're really having a problem finishing their units off, or your opponent likes to use Assassins. He's expensive, and Northerners are melee oriented, so most of their units will be able to take a majority of this unit's HP away, if not kill him outright. Assassins' Poison will quickly erode your army's HP though, so having one may prove valuable. Since Assassins cost 17 gold you'll only lose 2 in attrition, and you'll likely take lots of hp from another unit with you.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again a necessity. His damage dealt in defense is how you'll deal a majority of your damage. If possible, get a rotation of these guys in the front line. You'll deal more damage than your opponent on average, but he will come with more units - 4 Grunts cost the same as 3 DFs.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Another good guy to have one of if not more. He can survive nighttime assaults better than the fighter, and will still do respectable damage back to the enemy. Use your ranged attack on Grunts to make them turn around and heal.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Nice to have. Their combination of good resistances and ranged damage make them good counter-attackers. For cheaper ranged counter-attackers, use Poachers as they will also be used to hold forest hexes. Recruiting DTs may crowd your hill hexes, especially since that's what the Northies will be grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a great buy against Northies. His melee-only nature along with his Chaotic alignment make him most effective in the same way Northeners are. Avoid the urge to recruit these guys.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Again, these guys you'll want to recruit a few of. When the Northies come after you at night, you can make a strong counter-attack with their 5-4 ranged.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This guy can be a utility unit against Northerners, but the money is better spent elsewhere. Footpads can harass Grunts and Wolfs, take forest hexes, and block Assassins from poisoning your Dwarves. Not the best buy, but you may be able to get your money's worth.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Again, it's usually good to have one of these guys to scout, plug up grassland, and be a defensive damage dealer. He's also good for trapping/killing Assassins and being a target for their poison.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> The biggest thing you need to worry about will be poison; this cannot be overemphasized. If you get a good foothold on mountains and hills, poison will be the weapon of choice to knock you off your perch. Be ready to fill in with a replacement unit, and try to kill assassins before any other units. Melee strikes will have to get through your resistance - poison does not. You also don't deal any damage back when poison hits you. If you know you're going to be facing poison on the next turn, have a plan for how you will be rotating units to villages to detox and heal.<br /> <br /> Recruit a Dwarvish Fighter and a mix of other good units. Stay on villages or mountains for the first assault to minimize the effect any poison will have and reduce the chance of it hitting. Let your opponent attack you, and then counter-attack with your Poachers and Thunderers if you have them - even a Guardsman's ranged attack will add up. Send Ulfserkers against Assassins whenever you get a decent chance, as the Poison will hurt more than their melee attacks. If the northerner overrecruits assassins, you should be able to power through his ranks, so normally eliminating an assassin removes the immediate threat of poison.<br /> <br /> Allow your opponent to attack you from forest hexes if they are next to mountains that you occupy. Your 70% defense will outdo his 50% defense, and his confidence will be higher to attack since he won't be on grass. Even if an Assassin uses that hex, if an Ulfserker is within reach, he should be able to take him out from on top the mountain.<br /> <br /> To kill Trolls, you will want to focus exclusively on them until they die. Thus it is best to ignore them and kill others than to only do a minimal amount of damage to Trolls each turn. Their regeneration will give them essentially limitless HP if you do this. Kill his friends and then focus on him. If there are several, take them out one at a time. Try to avoid water battles with Nagas, unless there is only one. You won't want any Gryphons you get to be pinned, especially where you cannot help them, so be cautious with water battles. <br /> <br /> To sum up, kill poisoners fast, get units that deal good melee damage in defense, and get good counter-attacking ranged units<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Knalgans&diff=31792 2009-08-08T15:25:59Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Knalgans versus Rebels */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Knalgan strategies==<br /> <br /> The Knalgans have perhaps the greatest tactical flexibility of any faction. Because of this, there is no one way to play the Knalgans. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your personality. You can use dwarves for power and defense and outlaws for movement and low prices.<br /> <br /> *'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' It can take more hits than most units, making it a great defender. It also has two damage types, making it offensively versatile. It shares the downsides of all dwarves: slow movement (though few terrains slow it down) and low defense on non-specialized terrain.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Although powerful, it can just as easily do no damage at all, making this a tricky unit to know how to use. Fortunately, it is almost as durable as the fighter.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' This utility unit has value in many match-ups. It will ensure that either its opponent or it dies. Thus, it has a 100% kill chance against a non-melee unit such as the dark adept, and a very high kill chance against many non-melee-centric units, such as the Mage, Saurian Augur, Bowman, Elvish Shaman, and a wide variety of others. The problem is that your opponent can very easily kill an Ulfserker: they will lose to any dedicated melee unit unless very exceptional circumstances are in play (traits, extreme defensive differences (remember that the ulf cannot get nearly as high defensive values as the Dwarvish fighter, for example), starting hitpoints, time of day, or a combination of the above). Since it is an expensive unit, letting an elvish fighter kill your ulf out of the blue is unwise: however if he just killed a Mage and in killing the ulf the fighter is severely weakened, this is obviously a good trade for you. When using Ulfs, plan how you want them to kill and how you want them to die.<br /> *'''Footpad:''' Opinions on the footpad vary widely. In this guide you will not see them recommended often, but many good players consider these a staple unit of the Knalgans. Regardless, this is not a unit you should overrecruit or your offensive power will be very low. It has excellent defense where your dwarves might be very vulnerable and you might not want to risk your more costly riders. Use it for it's great ZoC abilities even if its offense isn't high-powered.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Poacher:''' Also a very useful unit for the Knalgans, this unit provides a reliable ranged attack to counterbalance the power of the thunderer, plus it fills many useful hexes (notably forests and swamps) well.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Thief:''' This unit is possibly the highest damage-dealing unit in your arsenal when used correctly. A strong thief at night does 12-3 damage: the equivalent of a level 2's damage output. However, they have very little hitpoints and their low resists compound this problem. High defense and low cost offset these disadvantages. Remember to backstab with it whenever possible.<br /> *'''Gryphon Rider:''' Possibly the best scout in the game in terms of combat, this is tempered by its high cost. Use it as a lookout for enemy advances and pick off weak or wounded units that are retreating behind enemy lines.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit against random would consist of a Gryphon Rider, two Dwarvish Fighters, a Dwarvish Thunderer, a Footpad, and a Poacher.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> Keep in mind that that the dwarves should stay in mountains, hills, and other high-defense terrain and the outlaws should stay in any non-grassland terrain, if possible. Keep in mind that since your footpads and thieves have 60d on grassland, and your enemy will often have 40 or even 30, it can often be to your benefit if the enemy chooses to attack them on open ground.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Undead==<br /> <br /> If you know you're playing against Undead, the smartest thing to do is to recruit a Dwarvish Ulfserker. He will automatically kill any Dark Adept that he attacks. He is also good for taking on Ghosts during day, or even Ghouls and Skeleton Archers. Here are the units you will want to recruit to counter Undead units:<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Dark Adepts, and most other undead units in daytime. Don't recruit many unless the opponent has no Skeletons. Skeletons can kill an Ulfserker even in day. Ulfs are also expensive, so you don't want to trade them 1-for-1 with Undead units unless you get a Ghost. Be mindful of what can counterattack them on your opponent's next turn.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' counters Skeletons, Skeleton Archers, and is a generally high HP unit that can soak up nighttime damage for your front line. (Dwarvish Fighters are probably the best all-around L1 heavy infantry in the game.)&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Do not recruit this unit if you are fighting Undead. His Pierce damage is less useful than even Blade against Undead. His low damage also makes him a bad unit to counter-attack with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This is a good unit to have in your front line in mountains. His high defense and good resistances should keep him alive from nighttime Skele attacks, and his 18-1 ranged will make it very risky for Dark Adepts to come after you. Thunderers are also good to attack Ghosts, as 2 ranged hits will kill a Ghost - this even works at night.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting against Undead.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A utility unit versus Undead. It's good for finishing Ghosts and killing Walking Corpses. It can also be used to pick at Skeletons and Ghouls. Money is spent better on other units, but don't forget that ''he may be useful.''&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This weak character is really only useful versus Undead as a cheap scout. His Impact damage is good against Skeletons and Skeleton Archers, and he has the added bonuses of being Chaotic (which deals more damage when Undead try to advance at night), and being hard to hit. His best feature is his ranged attack versus Skeletons at night, and that's only 6-2. Recruiting 1 on your first turn to grab villages is likely the only use you'll get from this guy, unless you need a unit to occupy forest hexes (which dwarves do very poorly at 30% defense).&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Probably not the best expenditure of gold versus Undead, but they do serve many purposes that can justify their cost: they give extended view of battle, allowing you to know what is coming and to counter appropriately; they are good for getting behind enemy lines to finish hurt Dark adepts; They serve as good ZoC units for plains and forest hexes. Unlike the Footpad they do not have negative resistance to Blade and Pierce - the weapons of skeletons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a good dose of Dwarvish Fighters, a few Thunderers, a Gryphon for vision/utility, an ulf or two, and maybe a Poacher or Footpad. Dwarves are really what you want to use, for their high HP and decent resists. This helps them survive the nighttime onslaught, and their neutrality will give them good damage in defense and also the ability to press the attack in daytime. Don't be afraid to send an Ulfserker at a ghost in daytime -- make sure to check the CTK, but it should be good if your Ulfserker is at high hp: bonus if you can get great terrain. Defeat for the Ghost will be nearly certain if the Ulfserker is Strong.<br /> <br /> Dark adepts will, as always, be the main danger to your army: they'll knock dwarves out of their mountains, footpads out of wherever, and even gryphons are in danger from them. Be especially mindful of where her dark adepts will most likely attack next turn.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> This is one of the trickiest match-ups to play. Both factions are Neutral, so neither has an advantageous time of day to attack (with their main units). To win this battle you will need smart recruits and good unit placement, as well as a little luck; the same goes for your opponent. Knalgans may have a slight advantage with the &quot;one unit must die&quot; Ulfserker, but Rebel defense as well as heal, slow, and magic are serious counters. Look for opportunities to grab mountains and hills, especially if they have no forest next to them. ''Forests are your biggest enemy'', so occupy them with your Outlaw counterparts or Gryphons.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Mages, Elvish Shamans, and oftentimes Elvish Archers. Again, don't recruit too many of these, as Elvish Fighters will easily come back to finish them off, and they are 5 gold cheaper. If you get a chance to take out a Mage, do so. Not only will you gain 1 gold in attrition, but another unit will likely have to expose itself or get hurt to finish you off. Elvish Archers should be #2 on the &quot;to kill&quot; list, and they are sometimes worth jeopardizing your Ulfserker for if you catch one of them off of forest. Again, the reasoning is you only lose 2 gold in the trade and the opponent must waste moves and usually HP in order to finish you. Again, they may also expose themselves. You might be able to get away with ulfing Woses if it's nighttime and you're in a mountain. Make sure he isn't a Quick, Intelligent Ulf, and check the CTK as always.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again, these will be the meat of your forces. Any front without one of these will succumb to Elvish Fighters. Dwarfs beat Elves 1-on-1, but they are more expensive. They are good damage soakers and damage dealers. Stay on preferred terrain at all times.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are great for holding frontline villages and chokepoints - with backup. A lone Guardsman can hold out for a turn, if lucky 2 or 3, while on a town, but he deals very little damage in return, especially against the ranged specialized Rebels. Recruit 1 if necessary, and no more than 2. They just aren't worth the lack of offensive/counter-attack units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Another staple. This unit is great against Rebels with luck. Stick him on a mountain and Elves will hurt themselves trying to remove you. They aren't so great for dependable offense against the high defense of the elves, but their counter-attacks are great.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Unlike when fighting Undead, you'll want 1 or 2 of these guys depending on your play style. At night, a combo of thieves can destroy Woses, Elvish Archers, Mages, and Shaman. Keep them in the forest hexes your opponent will want, but not in daytime.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Poachers are useful to fill up forest hexes and to attack Elvish Fighters. Their main usefulness is as a counter-attacking utility unit to grab forest and press at night. They are cheap, somewhat weak, but deal more dependable offensive damage than the Thunderer. 5-4 at night is equivalent to a 17 gold Elvish Archer, and you only spend 14.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Rebels. It lacks both firepower and hitpoints even while in the forests Footpads and Elves both enjoy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C-''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' These monsters are incredible useful against Rebels. Their utility lies in fighting any water battles against the weak Merman Hunters, scouting, taking opportunistic attacks against poorly placed Elves, and if you find a hurt Wose, you may consider attacking one - even though Gryphons have a weakness for Impact. At night they do essentially equal damage to each other, and you may not be able to get the finishing blow with one of your slower units. Do so as a calculated risk when you only need 1 hit to kill. Otherwise it's quite a risk.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a healthy dose of Dwarvish Fighters and Thunderers, along with several gryphons for map control. An Ulfserker, perhaps a Guardsman, and some Outlaws will provide added flexibility. Whichever chaotic units (if any) you recruit, make sure to protect them at day.<br /> <br /> If your opponent purchases scouts, feel lucky - they are next to useless against you. Beware of ambushes, and don't scout unsure forests with your Gryphon in daytime. Take as much tactical forest as you can with the appropriate units, and make a stranglehold on mountains. Ulf when you get a good chance, and be ready to counter in day as well as pressing at night. Each battle will play out differently in this matchup according to what your opponent recruits, so see what he has early, and keep track of any Woses. Also, do not let your Ulfs be slowed or they are certainly dead.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Drakes==<br /> <br /> These guys are big and nasty. They will burn and freeze you. Thunderers will be your main weapon, but they will require support units as well.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Good for killing Augurs, scouts, and maybe Burners. Not really a good choice against Drakes in general (because drakes can damage it faster than it can damage them), but can serve some purposes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' A good unit to use against saurians, but generally the Fighter is not how you want to go against Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are worth the price against Drakes. Their Pierce goes right through Drake resistances, and a Strong one actually gets an additional point of damage on top of the point he gets for having the Strong trait (but not against Clashers). A couple of these are a good buy, especially if you plop them on villages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This should be your unit of choice versus Drakes. A Thunderer does 20-1 damage to Drakes in ranged, and Burners will do (6/5/3)-4 damage in return. Thunderers have much better defense than Burners, but do suffer from having 8 less HP. Thunderers have the benefit of costing 4 less gold. You'll want to use their &quot;luck&quot; attack on the easily hit Drakes as much as possible. Thunderers should be the meat of your army.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not really useful against the Drakes, they are best used to counter Saurian Augurs, which are better countered by using Dwarvish Fighters.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D+''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Another great unit against Drakes. Their attack at night deals a good 5-4 against all Drakes. Having better defense on Forest and villages, 1 or 2 of these guys aren't a bad idea.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful for early village grabbing, Gryphons also can be used against the weak Saurians or Drake Burners. These fliers are probably the only way you'll hunt down retreating hurt Drakes. Don't recruit too many due to their cost and lack of a ranged defensive weapon. Drakes can pin these units far better than any other faction.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon and a good mix of Dwarvish Thunderers, Dwarvish Guardsmen, a Poacher or two, and maybe a Dwarvish Fighter. Your opponent will likely get some Saurian Augurs to take away your high defense advantage, so having that Dwarvish Fighter around to take them out is usually quite helpful along with the Gryphon. Basically, recruit Pierce, Pierce, and more Pierce. Maintain your advantageous defensive terrain as much as possible, because if you don't, and you put yourself on an even playing field in that respect, you will quickly be torn apart by the Drakes superior daytime damage and HP. The daytime onslaught will be brutal, so prepare for a counter-attack and try to keep your Guardsmen up front to get best use of their Steadfast. It will be the difference between 7-4 and 6-4 daytime Burner damage and 6-4 to 5-4 daytime non-strong Clasher damage. The Guardsmen also have 8 more HP than the Thunderers. If you can level a Guardsman (with 4 kills at 70% xp, or 3 kills and 1 battle if he's Intelligent), you will have a serious roadblock to use at your disposal.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Knalgans==<br /> <br /> A tough battle. Dwarves have great defense, and no way to combat great defense. The high HP and the resistances will make this a game needing a lot of strikes to kill. Don't think you'll be able to rush in and win - you're going to need intelligent unit placement and again, some luck. Focus on levelling (non-Gryphon) units if possible as the added damage will be needed.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' As always, one of these utility guys isn't a bad buy. Catch a Thunderer off his perch, or a Thief or Poacher in daytime, and that's one less unit to deal with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' One of these is a must. Use it against any unit. These guys are hard to kill.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Use these to hold villages and frustrate your opponent.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Use these to besiege enemy villages or poke at DFs or Gryphons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a good buy unless used to counter Thunderers and Poachers. Their blade attack does little to Dwarves unless backstabbing at night (8-3). Better to use Dwarvish Fighters for melee.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' An alright cheap buy for ranged forest grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't buy this unit even if your opponent is bothering you with Gryphons. You can get 3+ Footpads for the price of 2 Gryphons, but it's not worth it. The weakness to Impact guarantees at least a 4-2 attack with these guys even in daytime, but unfortunately, unless you get bonus hp from traits, they will die in 2 hits from Gryphons, so it is still a risky buy - especially since they are useless against all other Knalgans. Just say no once again.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as your only scout unit. Use these to get behind enemy lines to village steal, kill the wounded, or to pin a Dwarf on bad terrain. These guys are also good forest and plains holders for crucial areas that your Dwarves will fare poorly on.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''A-''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon, a Guardsman, a Thunderer, a Fighter, an Ulfserker, and a mix of other useful units. This game will be won through fighting from hills and mountains, getting and keeping a money advantage, leveling a unit, and waiting for your opponent to take a risk that they shouldn't. Keep them off of your mountains at any cost. If they get there you will spend precious moves, attacks, and HP trying to take them off. It's usually better to ignore enemies on mountains than to fight them.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Loyalists==<br /> <br /> Defend in day, strike at night. That's how the battle will go. Beware the Horseman and Mage and be prepared to counter these heavy daytime hitters. Again, an Ulfserker can be your best friend, especially if you can catch a Horseman at night or a Mage.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' If you get one, don't get it until turn two or later. Grabbing one in your initial recruit will only make him impotent during the first few turns of daytime. Ulfserkers are what you will use to kill Mages, grind up horse meat at night, and get rid of Bowmen - though they shouldn't be recruiting many. You shouldn't need more than 1 unless they go mad with Mages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Good to fight Spearmen, having these guys is a necessity. These are also your best unit to defend against Heavy Infantry.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Get one of these guys. These will make your front line immune to Horsemen. Also useful to counter-attack Cavalry, Mages, and Bowmen. If HI get close enough, milk XP off of them with your ranged attack. The level will come faster than you expect.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Get one or two. Good against essentially all of the Loyalist units, the pierce ranged is even better against the two mounted units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' These guys can be used against most Loyalist units at night, but avoid trying to backstab Spearmen. Even at night their firststrike can get nasty on this low HP unit. I recommend the Poacher instead of this guy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A great unit to counterattack Loyalists and press the attack at night. His multiple strikes are of better use against the high defense Fencer, though his ranged pierce is best against the mounted units. His attack does a modest 3-4 to Heavy Infantry at night (compared to a Thunderers 11-1), and you'll want to use this unit against Spearmen outside of day as well. Although they are weak in daytime, they serve many purposes and are well worth the 14 gold.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as scouts mainly, you can use these to run down hurt horses, go for 1-attack-kills on Fencers (9% chance if they have no bonus hp), or again, to try to hold important grassland hexes. Beware during day though, as HI, Mages, and Horsemen can all tear Gryphons apart quickly. Recruit no more than 1.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Fighter, a Thunderer, a Guardsman, and a Gryphon depending on the layout of villages. Fill out your army with what you think will serve you best for that particular battle. Water battles will be nearly pointless. Cheap Mermen with higher defense will easily rout your Gryphon(s). Avoid sea battles unless you can taunt a Merman within range of a ranged unit (who can stand on decent terrain). A Gryphon's extra sight is good for spotting long range Horsemen, so it usually is worth having one around, but recruit no more than one. They don't counter any unit very cost-efficiently, so use it primarily as a scout and utility unit.<br /> <br /> You'll want to press as hard as you can at night, more so than even against Drakes. The reason for this is that Loyalists have no level 1 Neutral or Chaotic units. Every unit the opposing player has will suffer a penalty at night - unless he has a Lieutenant behind his front line. Because of this possibility, don't press too close to his castle until you have gained a monetary advantage, as you will start losing units more rapidly when he comes back at you with an additional +25%. Put your Guardsman up front - this will dissuade any charge attacks. Keep a Dwarvish Fighter or Dwarvish Ulfserker nearby in case the player chooses to besiege you with Mages. Spearmen that attack a Guardsman in day will deal nearly equal damage to each other, which can add up quickly. Counter any advance with Thunderers and Poachers. Don't expose your Dwarves to poor terrain or they will die.<br /> <br /> You'll want to whittle away at Heavy Infantry with Poachers and Thunderers and you'll want to give the killing blow to a Fighter. Upgrading Dwarvish Fighters should be your main priority as they are your best defense and counter to the easy Spearman-wave attack. Once leveled up, the massive HP on the Steelclad will also give it the ability to withstand attacking Heavy Infantry and Mages.<br /> <br /> Basically, Loyalists have an incredible amount of versatility. You'll have to play smart and counterattack very well in order to win. Deal free damage when you can, and limit the number of hexes you can be attacked from - especially during day. Start commencing your attack before night actually breaks. You'll want to maximize your advantage over those 2 turns, so make sure they don't creep away before night hits. As always, stay on good terrain, and make sure Fencers can't skirmish around to kill any weak units you may be hiding.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Northerners==<br /> <br /> The biggest problem you will have with Northerners will be their numbers. Northies will gladly trade units with you and gain a monetary advantage. Make them depend on luck by staying on good terrain, and their high upkeep may start to become a factor.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Recruit one of these guys if you're really having a problem finishing their units off, or your opponent likes to use Assassins. He's expensive, and Northerners are melee oriented, so most of their units will be able to take a majority of this unit's HP away, if not kill him outright. Assassins' Poison will quickly erode your army's HP though, so having one may prove valuable. Since Assassins cost 17 gold you'll only lose 2 in attrition, and you'll likely take lots of hp from another unit with you.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again a necessity. His damage dealt in defense is how you'll deal a majority of your damage. If possible, get a rotation of these guys in the front line. You'll deal more damage than your opponent on average, but he will come with more units - 4 Grunts cost the same as 3 DFs.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Another good guy to have one of if not more. He can survive nighttime assaults better than the fighter, and will still do respectable damage back to the enemy. Use your ranged attack on Grunts to make them turn around and heal.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Nice to have. Their combination of good resistances and ranged damage make them good counter-attackers. For cheaper ranged counter-attackers, use Poachers as they will also be used to hold forest hexes. Recruiting DTs may crowd your hill hexes, especially since that's what the Northies will be grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a great buy against Northies. His melee-only nature along with his Chaotic alignment make him most effective in the same way Northeners are. Avoid the urge to recruit these guys.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Again, these guys you'll want to recruit a few of. When the Northies come after you at night, you can make a strong counter-attack with their 5-4 ranged.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This guy can be a utility unit against Northerners, but the money is better spent elsewhere. Footpads can harass Grunts and Wolfs, take forest hexes, and block Assassins from poisoning your Dwarves. Not the best buy, but you may be able to get your money's worth.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Again, it's usually good to have one of these guys to scout, plug up grassland, and be a defensive damage dealer. He's also good for trapping/killing Assassins and being a target for their poison.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> The biggest thing you need to worry about will be poison; this cannot be overemphasized. If you get a good foothold on mountains and hills, poison will be the weapon of choice to knock you off your perch. Be ready to fill in with a replacement unit, and try to kill assassins before any other units. Melee strikes will have to get through your resistance - poison does not. You also don't deal any damage back when poison hits you. If you know you're going to be facing poison on the next turn, have a plan for how you will be rotating units to villages to detox and heal.<br /> <br /> Recruit a Dwarvish Fighter and a mix of other good units. Stay on villages or mountains for the first assault to minimize the effect any poison will have and reduce the chance of it hitting. Let your opponent attack you, and then counter-attack with your Poachers and Thunderers if you have them - even a Guardsman's ranged attack will add up. Send Ulfserkers against Assassins whenever you get a decent chance, as the Poison will hurt more than their melee attacks. If the northerner overrecruits assassins, you should be able to power through his ranks, so normally eliminating an assassin removes the immediate threat of poison.<br /> <br /> Allow your opponent to attack you from forest hexes if they are next to mountains that you occupy. Your 70% defense will outdo his 50% defense, and his confidence will be higher to attack since he won't be on grass. Even if an Assassin uses that hex, if an Ulfserker is within reach, he should be able to take him out from on top the mountain.<br /> <br /> To kill Trolls, you will want to focus exclusively on them until they die. Thus it is best to ignore them and kill others than to only do a minimal amount of damage to Trolls each turn. Their regeneration will give them essentially limitless HP if you do this. Kill his friends and then focus on him. If there are several, take them out one at a time. Try to avoid water battles with Nagas, unless there is only one. You won't want any Gryphons you get to be pinned, especially where you cannot help them, so be cautious with water battles. <br /> <br /> To sum up, kill poisoners fast, get units that deal good melee damage in defense, and get good counter-attacking ranged units<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Knalgans&diff=31791 2009-08-08T15:25:50Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Knalgans versus Undead */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Knalgan strategies==<br /> <br /> The Knalgans have perhaps the greatest tactical flexibility of any faction. Because of this, there is no one way to play the Knalgans. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your personality. You can use dwarves for power and defense and outlaws for movement and low prices.<br /> <br /> *'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' It can take more hits than most units, making it a great defender. It also has two damage types, making it offensively versatile. It shares the downsides of all dwarves: slow movement (though few terrains slow it down) and low defense on non-specialized terrain.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Although powerful, it can just as easily do no damage at all, making this a tricky unit to know how to use. Fortunately, it is almost as durable as the fighter.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' This utility unit has value in many match-ups. It will ensure that either its opponent or it dies. Thus, it has a 100% kill chance against a non-melee unit such as the dark adept, and a very high kill chance against many non-melee-centric units, such as the Mage, Saurian Augur, Bowman, Elvish Shaman, and a wide variety of others. The problem is that your opponent can very easily kill an Ulfserker: they will lose to any dedicated melee unit unless very exceptional circumstances are in play (traits, extreme defensive differences (remember that the ulf cannot get nearly as high defensive values as the Dwarvish fighter, for example), starting hitpoints, time of day, or a combination of the above). Since it is an expensive unit, letting an elvish fighter kill your ulf out of the blue is unwise: however if he just killed a Mage and in killing the ulf the fighter is severely weakened, this is obviously a good trade for you. When using Ulfs, plan how you want them to kill and how you want them to die.<br /> *'''Footpad:''' Opinions on the footpad vary widely. In this guide you will not see them recommended often, but many good players consider these a staple unit of the Knalgans. Regardless, this is not a unit you should overrecruit or your offensive power will be very low. It has excellent defense where your dwarves might be very vulnerable and you might not want to risk your more costly riders. Use it for it's great ZoC abilities even if its offense isn't high-powered.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Poacher:''' Also a very useful unit for the Knalgans, this unit provides a reliable ranged attack to counterbalance the power of the thunderer, plus it fills many useful hexes (notably forests and swamps) well.&lt;br&gt;<br /> *'''Thief:''' This unit is possibly the highest damage-dealing unit in your arsenal when used correctly. A strong thief at night does 12-3 damage: the equivalent of a level 2's damage output. However, they have very little hitpoints and their low resists compound this problem. High defense and low cost offset these disadvantages. Remember to backstab with it whenever possible.<br /> *'''Gryphon Rider:''' Possibly the best scout in the game in terms of combat, this is tempered by its high cost. Use it as a lookout for enemy advances and pick off weak or wounded units that are retreating behind enemy lines.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> A good first turn recruit against random would consist of a Gryphon Rider, two Dwarvish Fighters, a Dwarvish Thunderer, a Footpad, and a Poacher.&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> Keep in mind that that the dwarves should stay in mountains, hills, and other high-defense terrain and the outlaws should stay in any non-grassland terrain, if possible. Keep in mind that since your footpads and thieves have 60d on grassland, and your enemy will often have 40 or even 30, it can often be to your benefit if the enemy chooses to attack them on open ground.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans vs Undead==<br /> <br /> If you know you're playing against Undead, the smartest thing to do is to recruit a Dwarvish Ulfserker. He will automatically kill any Dark Adept that he attacks. He is also good for taking on Ghosts during day, or even Ghouls and Skeleton Archers. Here are the units you will want to recruit to counter Undead units:<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Dark Adepts, and most other undead units in daytime. Don't recruit many unless the opponent has no Skeletons. Skeletons can kill an Ulfserker even in day. Ulfs are also expensive, so you don't want to trade them 1-for-1 with Undead units unless you get a Ghost. Be mindful of what can counterattack them on your opponent's next turn.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' counters Skeletons, Skeleton Archers, and is a generally high HP unit that can soak up nighttime damage for your front line. (Dwarvish Fighters are probably the best all-around L1 heavy infantry in the game.)&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Do not recruit this unit if you are fighting Undead. His Pierce damage is less useful than even Blade against Undead. His low damage also makes him a bad unit to counter-attack with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This is a good unit to have in your front line in mountains. His high defense and good resistances should keep him alive from nighttime Skele attacks, and his 18-1 ranged will make it very risky for Dark Adepts to come after you. Thunderers are also good to attack Ghosts, as 2 ranged hits will kill a Ghost - this even works at night.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting against Undead.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A utility unit versus Undead. It's good for finishing Ghosts and killing Walking Corpses. It can also be used to pick at Skeletons and Ghouls. Money is spent better on other units, but don't forget that ''he may be useful.''&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This weak character is really only useful versus Undead as a cheap scout. His Impact damage is good against Skeletons and Skeleton Archers, and he has the added bonuses of being Chaotic (which deals more damage when Undead try to advance at night), and being hard to hit. His best feature is his ranged attack versus Skeletons at night, and that's only 6-2. Recruiting 1 on your first turn to grab villages is likely the only use you'll get from this guy, unless you need a unit to occupy forest hexes (which dwarves do very poorly at 30% defense).&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Probably not the best expenditure of gold versus Undead, but they do serve many purposes that can justify their cost: they give extended view of battle, allowing you to know what is coming and to counter appropriately; they are good for getting behind enemy lines to finish hurt Dark adepts; They serve as good ZoC units for plains and forest hexes. Unlike the Footpad they do not have negative resistance to Blade and Pierce - the weapons of skeletons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a good dose of Dwarvish Fighters, a few Thunderers, a Gryphon for vision/utility, an ulf or two, and maybe a Poacher or Footpad. Dwarves are really what you want to use, for their high HP and decent resists. This helps them survive the nighttime onslaught, and their neutrality will give them good damage in defense and also the ability to press the attack in daytime. Don't be afraid to send an Ulfserker at a ghost in daytime -- make sure to check the CTK, but it should be good if your Ulfserker is at high hp: bonus if you can get great terrain. Defeat for the Ghost will be nearly certain if the Ulfserker is Strong.<br /> <br /> Dark adepts will, as always, be the main danger to your army: they'll knock dwarves out of their mountains, footpads out of wherever, and even gryphons are in danger from them. Be especially mindful of where her dark adepts will most likely attack next turn.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Rebels==<br /> <br /> This is one of the trickiest match-ups to play. Both factions are Neutral, so neither has an advantageous time of day to attack (with their main units). To win this battle you will need smart recruits and good unit placement, as well as a little luck; the same goes for your opponent. Knalgans may have a slight advantage with the &quot;one unit must die&quot; Ulfserker, but Rebel defense as well as heal, slow, and magic are serious counters. Look for opportunities to grab mountains and hills, especially if they have no forest next to them. ''Forests are your biggest enemy'', so occupy them with your Outlaw counterparts or Gryphons.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Mages, Elvish Shamans, and oftentimes Elvish Archers. Again, don't recruit too many of these, as Elvish Fighters will easily come back to finish them off, and they are 5 gold cheaper. If you get a chance to take out a Mage, do so. Not only will you gain 1 gold in attrition, but another unit will likely have to expose itself or get hurt to finish you off. Elvish Archers should be #2 on the &quot;to kill&quot; list, and they are sometimes worth jeopardizing your Ulfserker for if you catch one of them off of forest. Again, the reasoning is you only lose 2 gold in the trade and the opponent must waste moves and usually HP in order to finish you. Again, they may also expose themselves. You might be able to get away with ulfing Woses if it's nighttime and you're in a mountain. Make sure he isn't a Quick, Intelligent Ulf, and check the CTK as always.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again, these will be the meat of your forces. Any front without one of these will succumb to Elvish Fighters. Dwarfs beat Elves 1-on-1, but they are more expensive. They are good damage soakers and damage dealers. Stay on preferred terrain at all times.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are great for holding frontline villages and chokepoints - with backup. A lone Guardsman can hold out for a turn, if lucky 2 or 3, while on a town, but he deals very little damage in return, especially against the ranged specialized Rebels. Recruit 1 if necessary, and no more than 2. They just aren't worth the lack of offensive/counter-attack units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Another staple. This unit is great against Rebels with luck. Stick him on a mountain and Elves will hurt themselves trying to remove you. They aren't so great for dependable offense against the high defense of the elves, but their counter-attacks are great.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Unlike when fighting Undead, you'll want 1 or 2 of these guys depending on your play style. At night, a combo of thieves can destroy Woses, Elvish Archers, Mages, and Shaman. Keep them in the forest hexes your opponent will want, but not in daytime.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Poachers are useful to fill up forest hexes and to attack Elvish Fighters. Their main usefulness is as a counter-attacking utility unit to grab forest and press at night. They are cheap, somewhat weak, but deal more dependable offensive damage than the Thunderer. 5-4 at night is equivalent to a 17 gold Elvish Archer, and you only spend 14.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Rebels. It lacks both firepower and hitpoints even while in the forests Footpads and Elves both enjoy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C-''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' These monsters are incredible useful against Rebels. Their utility lies in fighting any water battles against the weak Merman Hunters, scouting, taking opportunistic attacks against poorly placed Elves, and if you find a hurt Wose, you may consider attacking one - even though Gryphons have a weakness for Impact. At night they do essentially equal damage to each other, and you may not be able to get the finishing blow with one of your slower units. Do so as a calculated risk when you only need 1 hit to kill. Otherwise it's quite a risk.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> Generally you'll want a healthy dose of Dwarvish Fighters and Thunderers, along with several gryphons for map control. An Ulfserker, perhaps a Guardsman, and some Outlaws will provide added flexibility. Whichever chaotic units (if any) you recruit, make sure to protect them at day.<br /> <br /> If your opponent purchases scouts, feel lucky - they are next to useless against you. Beware of ambushes, and don't scout unsure forests with your Gryphon in daytime. Take as much tactical forest as you can with the appropriate units, and make a stranglehold on mountains. Ulf when you get a good chance, and be ready to counter in day as well as pressing at night. Each battle will play out differently in this matchup according to what your opponent recruits, so see what he has early, and keep track of any Woses. Also, do not let your Ulfs be slowed or they are certainly dead.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Drakes==<br /> <br /> These guys are big and nasty. They will burn and freeze you. Thunderers will be your main weapon, but they will require support units as well.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Good for killing Augurs, scouts, and maybe Burners. Not really a good choice against Drakes in general (because drakes can damage it faster than it can damage them), but can serve some purposes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' A good unit to use against saurians, but generally the Fighter is not how you want to go against Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are worth the price against Drakes. Their Pierce goes right through Drake resistances, and a Strong one actually gets an additional point of damage on top of the point he gets for having the Strong trait (but not against Clashers). A couple of these are a good buy, especially if you plop them on villages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This should be your unit of choice versus Drakes. A Thunderer does 20-1 damage to Drakes in ranged, and Burners will do (6/5/3)-4 damage in return. Thunderers have much better defense than Burners, but do suffer from having 8 less HP. Thunderers have the benefit of costing 4 less gold. You'll want to use their &quot;luck&quot; attack on the easily hit Drakes as much as possible. Thunderers should be the meat of your army.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not really useful against the Drakes, they are best used to counter Saurian Augurs, which are better countered by using Dwarvish Fighters.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: D+''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Another great unit against Drakes. Their attack at night deals a good 5-4 against all Drakes. Having better defense on Forest and villages, 1 or 2 of these guys aren't a bad idea.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Drakes.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: F''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful for early village grabbing, Gryphons also can be used against the weak Saurians or Drake Burners. These fliers are probably the only way you'll hunt down retreating hurt Drakes. Don't recruit too many due to their cost and lack of a ranged defensive weapon. Drakes can pin these units far better than any other faction.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon and a good mix of Dwarvish Thunderers, Dwarvish Guardsmen, a Poacher or two, and maybe a Dwarvish Fighter. Your opponent will likely get some Saurian Augurs to take away your high defense advantage, so having that Dwarvish Fighter around to take them out is usually quite helpful along with the Gryphon. Basically, recruit Pierce, Pierce, and more Pierce. Maintain your advantageous defensive terrain as much as possible, because if you don't, and you put yourself on an even playing field in that respect, you will quickly be torn apart by the Drakes superior daytime damage and HP. The daytime onslaught will be brutal, so prepare for a counter-attack and try to keep your Guardsmen up front to get best use of their Steadfast. It will be the difference between 7-4 and 6-4 daytime Burner damage and 6-4 to 5-4 daytime non-strong Clasher damage. The Guardsmen also have 8 more HP than the Thunderers. If you can level a Guardsman (with 4 kills at 70% xp, or 3 kills and 1 battle if he's Intelligent), you will have a serious roadblock to use at your disposal.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Knalgans==<br /> <br /> A tough battle. Dwarves have great defense, and no way to combat great defense. The high HP and the resistances will make this a game needing a lot of strikes to kill. Don't think you'll be able to rush in and win - you're going to need intelligent unit placement and again, some luck. Focus on levelling (non-Gryphon) units if possible as the added damage will be needed.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' As always, one of these utility guys isn't a bad buy. Catch a Thunderer off his perch, or a Thief or Poacher in daytime, and that's one less unit to deal with.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' One of these is a must. Use it against any unit. These guys are hard to kill.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Use these to hold villages and frustrate your opponent.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Use these to besiege enemy villages or poke at DFs or Gryphons.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a good buy unless used to counter Thunderers and Poachers. Their blade attack does little to Dwarves unless backstabbing at night (8-3). Better to use Dwarvish Fighters for melee.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' An alright cheap buy for ranged forest grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Don't buy this unit even if your opponent is bothering you with Gryphons. You can get 3+ Footpads for the price of 2 Gryphons, but it's not worth it. The weakness to Impact guarantees at least a 4-2 attack with these guys even in daytime, but unfortunately, unless you get bonus hp from traits, they will die in 2 hits from Gryphons, so it is still a risky buy - especially since they are useless against all other Knalgans. Just say no once again.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as your only scout unit. Use these to get behind enemy lines to village steal, kill the wounded, or to pin a Dwarf on bad terrain. These guys are also good forest and plains holders for crucial areas that your Dwarves will fare poorly on.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''A-''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Gryphon, a Guardsman, a Thunderer, a Fighter, an Ulfserker, and a mix of other useful units. This game will be won through fighting from hills and mountains, getting and keeping a money advantage, leveling a unit, and waiting for your opponent to take a risk that they shouldn't. Keep them off of your mountains at any cost. If they get there you will spend precious moves, attacks, and HP trying to take them off. It's usually better to ignore enemies on mountains than to fight them.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Loyalists==<br /> <br /> Defend in day, strike at night. That's how the battle will go. Beware the Horseman and Mage and be prepared to counter these heavy daytime hitters. Again, an Ulfserker can be your best friend, especially if you can catch a Horseman at night or a Mage.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' If you get one, don't get it until turn two or later. Grabbing one in your initial recruit will only make him impotent during the first few turns of daytime. Ulfserkers are what you will use to kill Mages, grind up horse meat at night, and get rid of Bowmen - though they shouldn't be recruiting many. You shouldn't need more than 1 unless they go mad with Mages.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Good to fight Spearmen, having these guys is a necessity. These are also your best unit to defend against Heavy Infantry.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Get one of these guys. These will make your front line immune to Horsemen. Also useful to counter-attack Cavalry, Mages, and Bowmen. If HI get close enough, milk XP off of them with your ranged attack. The level will come faster than you expect.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Get one or two. Good against essentially all of the Loyalist units, the pierce ranged is even better against the two mounted units.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' These guys can be used against most Loyalist units at night, but avoid trying to backstab Spearmen. Even at night their firststrike can get nasty on this low HP unit. I recommend the Poacher instead of this guy.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B-''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' A great unit to counterattack Loyalists and press the attack at night. His multiple strikes are of better use against the high defense Fencer, though his ranged pierce is best against the mounted units. His attack does a modest 3-4 to Heavy Infantry at night (compared to a Thunderers 11-1), and you'll want to use this unit against Spearmen outside of day as well. Although they are weak in daytime, they serve many purposes and are well worth the 14 gold.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Useful as scouts mainly, you can use these to run down hurt horses, go for 1-attack-kills on Fencers (9% chance if they have no bonus hp), or again, to try to hold important grassland hexes. Beware during day though, as HI, Mages, and Horsemen can all tear Gryphons apart quickly. Recruit no more than 1.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> Recruit a Fighter, a Thunderer, a Guardsman, and a Gryphon depending on the layout of villages. Fill out your army with what you think will serve you best for that particular battle. Water battles will be nearly pointless. Cheap Mermen with higher defense will easily rout your Gryphon(s). Avoid sea battles unless you can taunt a Merman within range of a ranged unit (who can stand on decent terrain). A Gryphon's extra sight is good for spotting long range Horsemen, so it usually is worth having one around, but recruit no more than one. They don't counter any unit very cost-efficiently, so use it primarily as a scout and utility unit.<br /> <br /> You'll want to press as hard as you can at night, more so than even against Drakes. The reason for this is that Loyalists have no level 1 Neutral or Chaotic units. Every unit the opposing player has will suffer a penalty at night - unless he has a Lieutenant behind his front line. Because of this possibility, don't press too close to his castle until you have gained a monetary advantage, as you will start losing units more rapidly when he comes back at you with an additional +25%. Put your Guardsman up front - this will dissuade any charge attacks. Keep a Dwarvish Fighter or Dwarvish Ulfserker nearby in case the player chooses to besiege you with Mages. Spearmen that attack a Guardsman in day will deal nearly equal damage to each other, which can add up quickly. Counter any advance with Thunderers and Poachers. Don't expose your Dwarves to poor terrain or they will die.<br /> <br /> You'll want to whittle away at Heavy Infantry with Poachers and Thunderers and you'll want to give the killing blow to a Fighter. Upgrading Dwarvish Fighters should be your main priority as they are your best defense and counter to the easy Spearman-wave attack. Once leveled up, the massive HP on the Steelclad will also give it the ability to withstand attacking Heavy Infantry and Mages.<br /> <br /> Basically, Loyalists have an incredible amount of versatility. You'll have to play smart and counterattack very well in order to win. Deal free damage when you can, and limit the number of hexes you can be attacked from - especially during day. Start commencing your attack before night actually breaks. You'll want to maximize your advantage over those 2 turns, so make sure they don't creep away before night hits. As always, stay on good terrain, and make sure Fencers can't skirmish around to kill any weak units you may be hiding.<br /> <br /> ==Knalgans versus Northerners==<br /> <br /> The biggest problem you will have with Northerners will be their numbers. Northies will gladly trade units with you and gain a monetary advantage. Make them depend on luck by staying on good terrain, and their high upkeep may start to become a factor.<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Recruit one of these guys if you're really having a problem finishing their units off, or your opponent likes to use Assassins. He's expensive, and Northerners are melee oriented, so most of their units will be able to take a majority of this unit's HP away, if not kill him outright. Assassins' Poison will quickly erode your army's HP though, so having one may prove valuable. Since Assassins cost 17 gold you'll only lose 2 in attrition, and you'll likely take lots of hp from another unit with you.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again a necessity. His damage dealt in defense is how you'll deal a majority of your damage. If possible, get a rotation of these guys in the front line. You'll deal more damage than your opponent on average, but he will come with more units - 4 Grunts cost the same as 3 DFs.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Another good guy to have one of if not more. He can survive nighttime assaults better than the fighter, and will still do respectable damage back to the enemy. Use your ranged attack on Grunts to make them turn around and heal.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A''<br /> <br /> '''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Nice to have. Their combination of good resistances and ranged damage make them good counter-attackers. For cheaper ranged counter-attackers, use Poachers as they will also be used to hold forest hexes. Recruiting DTs may crowd your hill hexes, especially since that's what the Northies will be grabbing.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B''<br /> <br /> '''Thief:''' Not a great buy against Northies. His melee-only nature along with his Chaotic alignment make him most effective in the same way Northeners are. Avoid the urge to recruit these guys.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: C''<br /> <br /> '''Poacher:''' Again, these guys you'll want to recruit a few of. When the Northies come after you at night, you can make a strong counter-attack with their 5-4 ranged.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> '''Footpad:''' This guy can be a utility unit against Northerners, but the money is better spent elsewhere. Footpads can harass Grunts and Wolfs, take forest hexes, and block Assassins from poisoning your Dwarves. Not the best buy, but you may be able to get your money's worth.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: B+''<br /> <br /> '''Gryphon:''' Again, it's usually good to have one of these guys to scout, plug up grassland, and be a defensive damage dealer. He's also good for trapping/killing Assassins and being a target for their poison.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ''Rating: A-''<br /> <br /> The biggest thing you need to worry about will be poison; this cannot be overemphasized. If you get a good foothold on mountains and hills, poison will be the weapon of choice to knock you off your perch. Be ready to fill in with a replacement unit, and try to kill assassins before any other units. Melee strikes will have to get through your resistance - poison does not. You also don't deal any damage back when poison hits you. If you know you're going to be facing poison on the next turn, have a plan for how you will be rotating units to villages to detox and heal.<br /> <br /> Recruit a Dwarvish Fighter and a mix of other good units. Stay on villages or mountains for the first assault to minimize the effect any poison will have and reduce the chance of it hitting. Let your opponent attack you, and then counter-attack with your Poachers and Thunderers if you have them - even a Guardsman's ranged attack will add up. Send Ulfserkers against Assassins whenever you get a decent chance, as the Poison will hurt more than their melee attacks. If the northerner overrecruits assassins, you should be able to power through his ranks, so normally eliminating an assassin removes the immediate threat of poison.<br /> <br /> Allow your opponent to attack you from forest hexes if they are next to mountains that you occupy. Your 70% defense will outdo his 50% defense, and his confidence will be higher to attack since he won't be on grass. Even if an Assassin uses that hex, if an Ulfserker is within reach, he should be able to take him out from on top the mountain.<br /> <br /> To kill Trolls, you will want to focus exclusively on them until they die. Thus it is best to ignore them and kill others than to only do a minimal amount of damage to Trolls each turn. Their regeneration will give them essentially limitless HP if you do this. Kill his friends and then focus on him. If there are several, take them out one at a time. Try to avoid water battles with Nagas, unless there is only one. You won't want any Gryphons you get to be pinned, especially where you cannot help them, so be cautious with water battles. <br /> <br /> To sum up, kill poisoners fast, get units that deal good melee damage in defense, and get good counter-attacking ranged units<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Drakes&diff=31790 2009-08-08T15:25:26Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Drakes v. Loyalists */</p> <hr /> <div>== General Drake Strategies ==<br /> <br /> You won't initially know what faction your opponent is, so begin by recruiting an adaptable mixture of units. A Saurian Augur, Drake Fighter, Drake Burner, Drake Clasher, and Saurian Skirmisher would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more specific advice.<br /> <br /> Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.<br /> <br /> Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.<br /> <br /> It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Undead==<br /> <br /> Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are vulnerable to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner=== <br /> <br /> You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts, Bats, WCs, Ghouls -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher=== <br /> <br /> With Strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great Adept-butchering units, as well as damage soakers. Due to their price you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into Gladiator and skeletons won't pose a threat anymore, even at night.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider=== <br /> <br /> Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged, these guys won't be exactly worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting more than 1 isn't smart.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter===<br /> <br /> A good Adept-killer, more for their mobility than damage. The Fire ranged attack gives them some slight flexibility in their usage.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur===<br /> <br /> Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your ass.<br /> <br /> ===Tactics===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls &amp; Ghosts, you'll want Burners.<br /> <br /> Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.<br /> <br /> At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will alwyas be taking cheap shots at you.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> <br /> This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be sucessful.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher=== <br /> The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter=== <br /> <br /> Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur=== <br /> <br /> These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distessingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.<br /> <br /> At night you can still be aggresive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.<br /> <br /> Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how tohe first battle takes place.<br /> <br /> Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).<br /> <br /> Genreally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Northerners==<br /> <br /> This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> <br /> A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher===<br /> <br /> The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits. <br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter===<br /> <br /> If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur===<br /> <br /> These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.<br /> <br /> == Drakes vs Drakes ==<br /> <br /> This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.<br /> <br /> === Drake Burner === <br /> <br /> Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher===<br /> <br /> This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resiliant traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augrs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter=== <br /> <br /> Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augrs to pieces, so if Augrs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur=== <br /> <br /> An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augrs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defence. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.<br /> <br /> At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.<br /> <br /> At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.<br /> <br /> Genreally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Loyalists==<br /> <br /> Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.<br /> <br /> But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks. <br /> The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.<br /> <br /> Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage. <br /> <br /> The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well. <br /> <br /> To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units. <br /> <br /> The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well. <br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.<br /> <br /> ===Team game===<br /> <br /> If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.<br /> He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category: How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Drakes&diff=31789 2009-08-08T15:25:19Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Drakes v. Drakes */</p> <hr /> <div>== General Drake Strategies ==<br /> <br /> You won't initially know what faction your opponent is, so begin by recruiting an adaptable mixture of units. A Saurian Augur, Drake Fighter, Drake Burner, Drake Clasher, and Saurian Skirmisher would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more specific advice.<br /> <br /> Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.<br /> <br /> Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.<br /> <br /> It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Undead==<br /> <br /> Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are vulnerable to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner=== <br /> <br /> You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts, Bats, WCs, Ghouls -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher=== <br /> <br /> With Strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great Adept-butchering units, as well as damage soakers. Due to their price you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into Gladiator and skeletons won't pose a threat anymore, even at night.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider=== <br /> <br /> Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged, these guys won't be exactly worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting more than 1 isn't smart.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter===<br /> <br /> A good Adept-killer, more for their mobility than damage. The Fire ranged attack gives them some slight flexibility in their usage.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur===<br /> <br /> Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your ass.<br /> <br /> ===Tactics===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls &amp; Ghosts, you'll want Burners.<br /> <br /> Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.<br /> <br /> At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will alwyas be taking cheap shots at you.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> <br /> This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be sucessful.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher=== <br /> The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter=== <br /> <br /> Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur=== <br /> <br /> These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distessingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.<br /> <br /> At night you can still be aggresive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.<br /> <br /> Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how tohe first battle takes place.<br /> <br /> Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).<br /> <br /> Genreally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Northerners==<br /> <br /> This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> <br /> A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher===<br /> <br /> The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits. <br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter===<br /> <br /> If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur===<br /> <br /> These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.<br /> <br /> == Drakes vs Drakes ==<br /> <br /> This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.<br /> <br /> === Drake Burner === <br /> <br /> Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher===<br /> <br /> This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resiliant traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augrs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter=== <br /> <br /> Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augrs to pieces, so if Augrs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur=== <br /> <br /> An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augrs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defence. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.<br /> <br /> At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.<br /> <br /> At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.<br /> <br /> Genreally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes v. Loyalists==<br /> <br /> Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.<br /> <br /> But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks. <br /> The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.<br /> <br /> Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage. <br /> <br /> The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well. <br /> <br /> To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units. <br /> <br /> The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well. <br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.<br /> <br /> ===Team game===<br /> <br /> If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.<br /> He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category: How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Drakes&diff=31788 2009-08-08T15:25:12Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Drakes v. Northerners */</p> <hr /> <div>== General Drake Strategies ==<br /> <br /> You won't initially know what faction your opponent is, so begin by recruiting an adaptable mixture of units. A Saurian Augur, Drake Fighter, Drake Burner, Drake Clasher, and Saurian Skirmisher would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more specific advice.<br /> <br /> Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.<br /> <br /> Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.<br /> <br /> It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Undead==<br /> <br /> Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are vulnerable to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner=== <br /> <br /> You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts, Bats, WCs, Ghouls -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher=== <br /> <br /> With Strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great Adept-butchering units, as well as damage soakers. Due to their price you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into Gladiator and skeletons won't pose a threat anymore, even at night.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider=== <br /> <br /> Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged, these guys won't be exactly worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting more than 1 isn't smart.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter===<br /> <br /> A good Adept-killer, more for their mobility than damage. The Fire ranged attack gives them some slight flexibility in their usage.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur===<br /> <br /> Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your ass.<br /> <br /> ===Tactics===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls &amp; Ghosts, you'll want Burners.<br /> <br /> Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.<br /> <br /> At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will alwyas be taking cheap shots at you.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> <br /> This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be sucessful.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher=== <br /> The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter=== <br /> <br /> Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur=== <br /> <br /> These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distessingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.<br /> <br /> At night you can still be aggresive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.<br /> <br /> Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how tohe first battle takes place.<br /> <br /> Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).<br /> <br /> Genreally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Northerners==<br /> <br /> This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> <br /> A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher===<br /> <br /> The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits. <br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter===<br /> <br /> If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur===<br /> <br /> These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.<br /> <br /> == Drakes v. Drakes ==<br /> <br /> This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.<br /> <br /> === Drake Burner === <br /> <br /> Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher===<br /> <br /> This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resiliant traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augrs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter=== <br /> <br /> Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augrs to pieces, so if Augrs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur=== <br /> <br /> An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augrs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defence. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.<br /> <br /> At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.<br /> <br /> At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.<br /> <br /> Genreally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes v. Loyalists==<br /> <br /> Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.<br /> <br /> But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks. <br /> The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.<br /> <br /> Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage. <br /> <br /> The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well. <br /> <br /> To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units. <br /> <br /> The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well. <br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.<br /> <br /> ===Team game===<br /> <br /> If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.<br /> He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category: How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Drakes&diff=31787 2009-08-08T15:25:01Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Drakes v. Rebels */</p> <hr /> <div>== General Drake Strategies ==<br /> <br /> You won't initially know what faction your opponent is, so begin by recruiting an adaptable mixture of units. A Saurian Augur, Drake Fighter, Drake Burner, Drake Clasher, and Saurian Skirmisher would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more specific advice.<br /> <br /> Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.<br /> <br /> Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.<br /> <br /> It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Undead==<br /> <br /> Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are vulnerable to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner=== <br /> <br /> You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts, Bats, WCs, Ghouls -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher=== <br /> <br /> With Strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great Adept-butchering units, as well as damage soakers. Due to their price you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into Gladiator and skeletons won't pose a threat anymore, even at night.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider=== <br /> <br /> Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged, these guys won't be exactly worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting more than 1 isn't smart.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter===<br /> <br /> A good Adept-killer, more for their mobility than damage. The Fire ranged attack gives them some slight flexibility in their usage.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur===<br /> <br /> Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your ass.<br /> <br /> ===Tactics===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls &amp; Ghosts, you'll want Burners.<br /> <br /> Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.<br /> <br /> At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will alwyas be taking cheap shots at you.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> <br /> This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be sucessful.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher=== <br /> The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter=== <br /> <br /> Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur=== <br /> <br /> These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distessingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.<br /> <br /> At night you can still be aggresive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.<br /> <br /> Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how tohe first battle takes place.<br /> <br /> Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).<br /> <br /> Genreally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes v. Northerners==<br /> <br /> This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> <br /> A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher===<br /> <br /> The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits. <br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter===<br /> <br /> If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur===<br /> <br /> These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.<br /> <br /> <br /> == Drakes v. Drakes ==<br /> <br /> This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.<br /> <br /> === Drake Burner === <br /> <br /> Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher===<br /> <br /> This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resiliant traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augrs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter=== <br /> <br /> Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augrs to pieces, so if Augrs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur=== <br /> <br /> An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augrs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defence. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.<br /> <br /> At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.<br /> <br /> At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.<br /> <br /> Genreally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes v. Loyalists==<br /> <br /> Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.<br /> <br /> But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks. <br /> The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.<br /> <br /> Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage. <br /> <br /> The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well. <br /> <br /> To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units. <br /> <br /> The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well. <br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.<br /> <br /> ===Team game===<br /> <br /> If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.<br /> He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category: How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Drakes&diff=31786 2009-08-08T15:24:53Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Drakes v. Undead */</p> <hr /> <div>== General Drake Strategies ==<br /> <br /> You won't initially know what faction your opponent is, so begin by recruiting an adaptable mixture of units. A Saurian Augur, Drake Fighter, Drake Burner, Drake Clasher, and Saurian Skirmisher would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more specific advice.<br /> <br /> Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.<br /> <br /> Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.<br /> <br /> It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes vs Undead==<br /> <br /> Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are vulnerable to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner=== <br /> <br /> You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts, Bats, WCs, Ghouls -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher=== <br /> <br /> With Strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great Adept-butchering units, as well as damage soakers. Due to their price you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into Gladiator and skeletons won't pose a threat anymore, even at night.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider=== <br /> <br /> Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged, these guys won't be exactly worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting more than 1 isn't smart.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter===<br /> <br /> A good Adept-killer, more for their mobility than damage. The Fire ranged attack gives them some slight flexibility in their usage.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur===<br /> <br /> Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your ass.<br /> <br /> ===Tactics===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls &amp; Ghosts, you'll want Burners.<br /> <br /> Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.<br /> <br /> At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes v. Rebels==<br /> <br /> Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will alwyas be taking cheap shots at you.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> <br /> This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be sucessful.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher=== <br /> The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter=== <br /> <br /> Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur=== <br /> <br /> These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distessingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.<br /> <br /> At night you can still be aggresive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.<br /> <br /> Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how tohe first battle takes place.<br /> <br /> Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).<br /> <br /> Genreally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Drakes v. Northerners==<br /> <br /> This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> <br /> A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher===<br /> <br /> The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits. <br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter===<br /> <br /> If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur===<br /> <br /> These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.<br /> <br /> <br /> == Drakes v. Drakes ==<br /> <br /> This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.<br /> <br /> === Drake Burner === <br /> <br /> Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Clasher===<br /> <br /> This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resiliant traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augrs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Glider===<br /> <br /> As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.<br /> <br /> ===Drake Fighter=== <br /> <br /> Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augrs to pieces, so if Augrs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Augur=== <br /> <br /> An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.<br /> <br /> ===Saurian Skirmisher===<br /> <br /> These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augrs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defence. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.<br /> <br /> At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.<br /> <br /> At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.<br /> <br /> Genreally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.<br /> <br /> ==Drakes v. Loyalists==<br /> <br /> Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.<br /> <br /> But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.<br /> <br /> === Tactics ===<br /> <br /> Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks. <br /> The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.<br /> <br /> Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage. <br /> <br /> The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well. <br /> <br /> To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units. <br /> <br /> The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well. <br /> <br /> ===Drake Burner===<br /> If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.<br /> <br /> ===Team game===<br /> <br /> If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.<br /> He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category: How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Northerners&diff=31785 2009-08-08T15:24:28Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Northerners v. Undead */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Northerner Strategies:==<br /> On the first turn when you have a random opponent it is good to get a mixture of units that will be good in any situation. A Wolf Rider, a Grunt, a Whelp, an Archer and an Assassin recruit would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more advice.<br /> <br /> In general, Northerners will win by mass. Northerners are the cheapest faction and need to utilize that advantage. Poison will be a crucial strategic element as Northerners have the only ranged poison in the game. Grunts and Whelps will be the meat of your army, but make sure to recruit Grunts or Assassins to hold villages, as Whelps do a poor job of this with 40% defense.<br /> <br /> Northerners level quickly on the whole compared to other factions, so try to level any unit as they all grow in power quickly. Nagas upon level actually fare rather well on land, and Trolls will double their damage. Levelling Grunts gains you a great number of hp, but they are a tad slower to level than the other units at your disposal. Wolf Riders also do well as Pillagers to slow your enemy, and Assassins become better than Grunts at dealing melee damage. Try to focus your xp alotment to gain an advantage.<br /> <br /> Your lack of ranged combat will mean you will be vulnerable to ranged counter-attacks. Plan accordingly and have some Assassins nearby to help defend against retaliation. Trolls are good for frontline blockers for their Regen, but keep them in hills or mountains where they have decent defense.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Knalgans==<br /> You'll want Poison to take these guys down. Take as many hill and mountain hexes as you can, and keep trolls in your front line during day to Regen.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Grunt:''' 12 gold village holders nighttime siege artists. Their damage, defense, and moves are better than Trolls, so having a few of these to search and destroy are a necessity.<br /> <br /> '''Troll Whelp:''' A good choice against Knalgans for their high hp, 20% resistance to Blade and Pierce, and their ability to Regen. The extra gold will be worth it if you keep these guys on the hill and mountain hexes your opponent will want to take. A rotation of these guys will keep your front line from crumbling, and will keep Thunderer damage to a minimum. Level one of these and your damage will double.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Archer:''' Recruiting one of these to poke at Fighters and Guardsmen may prove useful, but more frequently you'll want to spend your gold on other units.<br /> <br /> '''Goblin Spearman:''' Do not recruit Goblin Spearmen when fighting Knalgans. Their hp is too low for them to deal any significant damage before they die.<br /> <br /> '''Wolf Rider:''' Your scout unit, you can use these to grab crucial hilly areas before Dwarves can reach them. If you can get him to level, the ability to slow Dwarves may prove exceptionally useful. Recruiting more than one of these may prove too costly though.<br /> <br /> '''Naga Fighter:''' Recruit if there are important water or swamp areas you can control. Their neutrality and high defense will serve you well for 14 gold.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Assassin:''' A necessity against Knalgans. Poisoning any Dwarf will add up. Poisoning Gardsmen will add up faster. A couple of these to annoy and drive back Dwarves from their homes are a necessity.<br /> <br /> A first turn recruit you'll want a Grunt, 1 or 2 Whelps, 1 or 2 Assassins, and possibly another Grunt, a Rider, or Naga. Don't be afraid to Poison Dwarves even in daytime if you can do so from favorable terrain. If you see Ulfs are nearby, you'll want to take them out with Grunts.You'll want to use Whelps to go after Thunderers, and you'll want to take them out first generally, as they'll be the easiest units for you to kill. Have your Assassins Poison the Fighters while this is happening. Try to ignore Guardsmen if you can, because they will take too much effort to kill.Don't be afraid to sacrifice a Grunt to take a shot at an open Ulf if the opportunity arises and the CTK is sizable. The 7 gold difference in cost is worth the risk. If you can't finish it with one Grunt, 2 should do the trick. This will be a game of push and pull. You'll have to push at night and prevent them pushing at day with the Poison you plant. You shouldn't need more than 2 Assassins, but you will need to use them a lot.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Loyalists==<br /> Attack at night, defend at day. This will be a constant theme. Spearmen and HI will be what you see the most of, likely. Don't be surprised to see Bowman as well.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Grunt:''' Cheap village holders again. Good units to take out Mages and Bowmen. At night you will do 11-2 v. 5-3 against Spearmen, but keep them on villages or mountains during day. These are your big time hitters, so save them.<br /> <br /> '''Troll Whelp:''' Again, a couple of these guys in mountains should survive to deal a good amount of damage. Don't recruit too many, as their damage is too low to justify having a bunch.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Archer:''' 1 or 2 of these guys will benefit you a lot, as they'll be your best weapon against HI and the 2 mounted units. If you overrecruit these guys Spearmen should take you over.<br /> <br /> '''Goblin Spearman:''' 1 or 2 of these guys might not be a bad idea against Loyalists. You can use these guys against mounted units and Bowmen at night, or Mages at most times. Their low hp makes them extremely vulnerable though, so recruit with caution. Getting 1 on the first turn may free up enough moves for one of your other units to take advantageous frontline positions instead of village-grabbing.<br /> <br /> '''Wolf Rider:''' Good to scout and to trap and attack Bowmen and Mages. If you can level this guy, make him a Pillager to demolish HI and have the option to slow. Otherwise his use is limited to finishing weak units at night.<br /> <br /> '''Naga Fighter:''' The battle of the seas will be tough, as it is pretty even. Recruit water forces appropriately, and know that if they level that they will become even more useful as they can be used even on land.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Assassin:''' Again, another crucial element to your attack. You'll want to Poison HI, Spearmen, and their ranged attack does a decent 4-3 to mounted units when it isn't day.<br /> <br /> A first turn recruit should consist of a Grunt, an Assassin, an Archer, and a mix of other good units. Take out Mages and Horsemen first, as they will deal you the most damage with the least amount returned. Poison HI and shoot them with Fire. Poison Fencers if you can, or just beat on them with whatever you have at your disposal. Shoot Cavalry down, and deal with Spearmen however you can, using Poison on them often as well. Again, fight off daytime offenses with Poison, and try to keep a Whelp or 2 up in the front in mountains to regenerate. At night, lead with Grunts and use Archers appropriately. Posion whatever is left standing, and be ready to retreat as dawn breaks.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Undead==<br /> Unfortunately one of your major weapons (poison) won't work against these guys. Also, Undead deal more damage than you do at night. If that wasn't bad enough, you only have one level 1 unit that can attack with Fire, and your only water unit is weak to Cold. Things are looking pretty grim, eh? Well here's how you fight back:<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Grunt:''' These guys are the perfect Adept killers. A strong grunt does 12-2 at night, 3 hits will kill them. They will take 4 hits to kill you unless you get a Quick Grunt without Resiliant. You get 4 Grunts for 3 Adepts cost-wise, but don't buy so many; you'll probably only want as many as 2 at first as you'll need other weapons as well.<br /> <br /> '''Troll Whelp:''' A necessity. These guys are skeleton killers doing +20% damage as well as resisting 20% from them. Their Regen also prevents Ghouls from doing nasty Poison damage to them. These guys are good to attack anything except Ghosts.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Archer:''' Another necessity. You'll have to recruit at least 2 of these to account for Ghosts. These guys are also good to kill Skeletons and WCs, and you'll want to use these on Ghouls too.<br /> <br /> '''Goblin Spearman:''' Surprisingly, these guys can be effective against Undead, and here's the reason: these guys make pretty decent Adept killers. If your opponent loves Adepts and money is tight, or you just want to keep a high income, recruit a modest number of these guys to counter-attack.<br /> <br /> '''Wolf Rider:''' If you need a scout, this is your guy. He will have limited uses outside of scouting, but he will make a decent Adept attacker, a good choice to melee Ghouls as he can run away to heal, and if he levels, the Pillager will cause mayhem for your opponent.<br /> <br /> '''Naga Fighter:''' Only get if you have to have sea-villages. They can't attack Ghosts, but they do counter-attack Adepts well. Even so, they don't counter-attack as well as Grunts, nor will they live as long (and they are more expensive).<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Assassin:''' Simply don't recruit this unit if you're fighting Undead. The adepts damage it so badly that you won't want to poison them. If, by any case, you recruited one, his best use will be to ZoC to prevent bats to fly through your defense for village stealing, and eventually poison them.<br /> <br /> A first turn recruit should consist of a Grunt, 2 Whelps, 2 Archers, and either a scout, or another Grunt, Whelp, or Archer. Keep your highest hp units in front at night, as you'll be counter-attacking, not attacking, under most circumstances. Surround your opponents attacking forces before they try to retreat at Dawn. Surprisingly you'll actually have the advantage then. With the decreased damage done in the daytime your Regeneration will be far more effective - it will heal the damage from nearly twice as many attacks. Because of this, make sure to replace your Whelps as soon as possible if they die, and do whatever you can to keep them from passing. Use your archers to kill Ghosts as fast as you can. Their ability to Drain against the rest your units attacks makes them virtually indestructable to other sources. The loss of a 20g unit will also set the player back quite a bit monetarily. After the Ghosts are gone, use your Archers on any Skeletons there are - you'll want to prevent them from using their melee if possible. Also, killing Bats and WCs is always a good way to make a quick monetary gain on your opponent.Your Whelps should go after Archers for maximum damage, but you'll really want to kill Adepts before you kill anything else. If your opponent doesn't have any, you can't get to them, or your Grunts already took them out, go ahead and melee some skeletons or a Ghoul.One major thing you'll want to do in defense is put your front units on hexes where your opponent will have to attack you from bad terrain. The reason is you'll want to hit Adepts as easily as possible, and they should always be what comes at you first.Keep in mind that your units are cheaper than your opponents level 1 units, and his level 0 units die extremely easy. Don't be afraid to trade unit-for-unit with Undead if you have to: you'll be on your way to success quickly.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Drakes==<br /> <br /> With a decent Drake opponent, you cannot really attack a group of his units without making sure: <br /> <br /> # '''The Big Picture''': you're not losing out on the village hunt elsewhere (your scouts are more expensive than his).<br /> # '''Advancing''': you're not abandoning your terrain / defense advantage to do so (it does figure a lot more here because Drakes are only 30% or 40%, while a troll varies between 30% and 60% and an assassin between 40% and 70% on most land terrains, saurians are a different matter). It's a much more serious issue for Northerners in this situation than normally.<br /> # '''Go Hunt in Packs''': you outnumber him and your group includes units that can soak the damage (trolls, grunts less so), deal damage (spearmen/archers and grunts at night), poison (assassin) and cover/block (assassin and spearmen). If you miss any of those, you better not attack.<br /> # '''Finishing strokes''': you have some unit(s) nearby that hunt down retreating Drakes/Saurians (wolf rider). It doesn't help to wear down your units if the enemy just retreats the near-dead units to level them up later.<br /> # '''Steady Reinforcements''': you have a plan for getting in reinforcements (they should come steadily as a Northerner).<br /> # '''Village healing''': you can't heal all your wounded, but retreat those with a little experience in time so that you might eventually advance a unit (that also means covering the retreat which is really hard to do against a Drake player).<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> Have '''grunts''' and '''trolls''' in your lines. Even if you lack magic, you can use brute force at night to shove them out. 11-2 for '''grunts''' is nothing to laugh at, and '''archers''' do a mere 4-4 against '''trolls'''.<br /> <br /> Rebels are pretty fragile units with low hitpoints. There good defense makes up for that, though. Northerners' classical fight mostly happens on elves' conditions, that is they have 60+% terrain defense (and you have a hard time getting along with that unless you get very lucky). <br /> <br /> Also, people always say &quot;get them out of the forest&quot;, but they simply don't leave it... The solution to that is: Make them leave it. Not with the classical approach, but with the strength only northerners have: Ranged poison + high defense = assasin.<br /> <br /> The normal situation is that elvish fighters guard the more fragile units like '''shamans''', '''mages''' and '''archers'''. If the night approaches, you take 2+ '''assasins''' and attack the shielding '''fighters'''. Chances are high that they both get poisoned and from that time on, time is working for you: either they retreat or they keep shielding and die. '''Archers''' will think twice before attacking an '''assasin''' as well as '''shamans''' and '''mages''' at night. If rebels stay and fight, they get owned at night due to poison combined with heavy hitters. If they run, you got what you wanted: They leave the forest.<br /> <br /> Despite their defense, '''assasins''' die fast to a combined attack. You will probably lose some. But most of the time it's worth the loss, because you turn the fight to be on your own conditions. '''Woses''' are an additional problem for '''assasins''', you will need '''grunts''' and '''archers''' to deal with that.<br /> <br /> This is not a trivial to play strategy. The matchup is balanced so rebels have an answer. '''Poison doesn't make it a no-brainer''', but it evens the chances and gives you the opportunity to make the most out of it.<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Northerners&diff=31784 2009-08-08T15:24:17Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Northerners v. Loyalists */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Northerner Strategies:==<br /> On the first turn when you have a random opponent it is good to get a mixture of units that will be good in any situation. A Wolf Rider, a Grunt, a Whelp, an Archer and an Assassin recruit would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more advice.<br /> <br /> In general, Northerners will win by mass. Northerners are the cheapest faction and need to utilize that advantage. Poison will be a crucial strategic element as Northerners have the only ranged poison in the game. Grunts and Whelps will be the meat of your army, but make sure to recruit Grunts or Assassins to hold villages, as Whelps do a poor job of this with 40% defense.<br /> <br /> Northerners level quickly on the whole compared to other factions, so try to level any unit as they all grow in power quickly. Nagas upon level actually fare rather well on land, and Trolls will double their damage. Levelling Grunts gains you a great number of hp, but they are a tad slower to level than the other units at your disposal. Wolf Riders also do well as Pillagers to slow your enemy, and Assassins become better than Grunts at dealing melee damage. Try to focus your xp alotment to gain an advantage.<br /> <br /> Your lack of ranged combat will mean you will be vulnerable to ranged counter-attacks. Plan accordingly and have some Assassins nearby to help defend against retaliation. Trolls are good for frontline blockers for their Regen, but keep them in hills or mountains where they have decent defense.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Knalgans==<br /> You'll want Poison to take these guys down. Take as many hill and mountain hexes as you can, and keep trolls in your front line during day to Regen.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Grunt:''' 12 gold village holders nighttime siege artists. Their damage, defense, and moves are better than Trolls, so having a few of these to search and destroy are a necessity.<br /> <br /> '''Troll Whelp:''' A good choice against Knalgans for their high hp, 20% resistance to Blade and Pierce, and their ability to Regen. The extra gold will be worth it if you keep these guys on the hill and mountain hexes your opponent will want to take. A rotation of these guys will keep your front line from crumbling, and will keep Thunderer damage to a minimum. Level one of these and your damage will double.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Archer:''' Recruiting one of these to poke at Fighters and Guardsmen may prove useful, but more frequently you'll want to spend your gold on other units.<br /> <br /> '''Goblin Spearman:''' Do not recruit Goblin Spearmen when fighting Knalgans. Their hp is too low for them to deal any significant damage before they die.<br /> <br /> '''Wolf Rider:''' Your scout unit, you can use these to grab crucial hilly areas before Dwarves can reach them. If you can get him to level, the ability to slow Dwarves may prove exceptionally useful. Recruiting more than one of these may prove too costly though.<br /> <br /> '''Naga Fighter:''' Recruit if there are important water or swamp areas you can control. Their neutrality and high defense will serve you well for 14 gold.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Assassin:''' A necessity against Knalgans. Poisoning any Dwarf will add up. Poisoning Gardsmen will add up faster. A couple of these to annoy and drive back Dwarves from their homes are a necessity.<br /> <br /> A first turn recruit you'll want a Grunt, 1 or 2 Whelps, 1 or 2 Assassins, and possibly another Grunt, a Rider, or Naga. Don't be afraid to Poison Dwarves even in daytime if you can do so from favorable terrain. If you see Ulfs are nearby, you'll want to take them out with Grunts.You'll want to use Whelps to go after Thunderers, and you'll want to take them out first generally, as they'll be the easiest units for you to kill. Have your Assassins Poison the Fighters while this is happening. Try to ignore Guardsmen if you can, because they will take too much effort to kill.Don't be afraid to sacrifice a Grunt to take a shot at an open Ulf if the opportunity arises and the CTK is sizable. The 7 gold difference in cost is worth the risk. If you can't finish it with one Grunt, 2 should do the trick. This will be a game of push and pull. You'll have to push at night and prevent them pushing at day with the Poison you plant. You shouldn't need more than 2 Assassins, but you will need to use them a lot.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Loyalists==<br /> Attack at night, defend at day. This will be a constant theme. Spearmen and HI will be what you see the most of, likely. Don't be surprised to see Bowman as well.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Grunt:''' Cheap village holders again. Good units to take out Mages and Bowmen. At night you will do 11-2 v. 5-3 against Spearmen, but keep them on villages or mountains during day. These are your big time hitters, so save them.<br /> <br /> '''Troll Whelp:''' Again, a couple of these guys in mountains should survive to deal a good amount of damage. Don't recruit too many, as their damage is too low to justify having a bunch.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Archer:''' 1 or 2 of these guys will benefit you a lot, as they'll be your best weapon against HI and the 2 mounted units. If you overrecruit these guys Spearmen should take you over.<br /> <br /> '''Goblin Spearman:''' 1 or 2 of these guys might not be a bad idea against Loyalists. You can use these guys against mounted units and Bowmen at night, or Mages at most times. Their low hp makes them extremely vulnerable though, so recruit with caution. Getting 1 on the first turn may free up enough moves for one of your other units to take advantageous frontline positions instead of village-grabbing.<br /> <br /> '''Wolf Rider:''' Good to scout and to trap and attack Bowmen and Mages. If you can level this guy, make him a Pillager to demolish HI and have the option to slow. Otherwise his use is limited to finishing weak units at night.<br /> <br /> '''Naga Fighter:''' The battle of the seas will be tough, as it is pretty even. Recruit water forces appropriately, and know that if they level that they will become even more useful as they can be used even on land.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Assassin:''' Again, another crucial element to your attack. You'll want to Poison HI, Spearmen, and their ranged attack does a decent 4-3 to mounted units when it isn't day.<br /> <br /> A first turn recruit should consist of a Grunt, an Assassin, an Archer, and a mix of other good units. Take out Mages and Horsemen first, as they will deal you the most damage with the least amount returned. Poison HI and shoot them with Fire. Poison Fencers if you can, or just beat on them with whatever you have at your disposal. Shoot Cavalry down, and deal with Spearmen however you can, using Poison on them often as well. Again, fight off daytime offenses with Poison, and try to keep a Whelp or 2 up in the front in mountains to regenerate. At night, lead with Grunts and use Archers appropriately. Posion whatever is left standing, and be ready to retreat as dawn breaks.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners v. Undead==<br /> Unfortunately one of your major weapons (poison) won't work against these guys. Also, Undead deal more damage than you do at night. If that wasn't bad enough, you only have one level 1 unit that can attack with Fire, and your only water unit is weak to Cold. Things are looking pretty grim, eh? Well here's how you fight back:<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Grunt:''' These guys are the perfect Adept killers. A strong grunt does 12-2 at night, 3 hits will kill them. They will take 4 hits to kill you unless you get a Quick Grunt without Resiliant. You get 4 Grunts for 3 Adepts cost-wise, but don't buy so many; you'll probably only want as many as 2 at first as you'll need other weapons as well.<br /> <br /> '''Troll Whelp:''' A necessity. These guys are skeleton killers doing +20% damage as well as resisting 20% from them. Their Regen also prevents Ghouls from doing nasty Poison damage to them. These guys are good to attack anything except Ghosts.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Archer:''' Another necessity. You'll have to recruit at least 2 of these to account for Ghosts. These guys are also good to kill Skeletons and WCs, and you'll want to use these on Ghouls too.<br /> <br /> '''Goblin Spearman:''' Surprisingly, these guys can be effective against Undead, and here's the reason: these guys make pretty decent Adept killers. If your opponent loves Adepts and money is tight, or you just want to keep a high income, recruit a modest number of these guys to counter-attack.<br /> <br /> '''Wolf Rider:''' If you need a scout, this is your guy. He will have limited uses outside of scouting, but he will make a decent Adept attacker, a good choice to melee Ghouls as he can run away to heal, and if he levels, the Pillager will cause mayhem for your opponent.<br /> <br /> '''Naga Fighter:''' Only get if you have to have sea-villages. They can't attack Ghosts, but they do counter-attack Adepts well. Even so, they don't counter-attack as well as Grunts, nor will they live as long (and they are more expensive).<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Assassin:''' Simply don't recruit this unit if you're fighting Undead. The adepts damage it so badly that you won't want to poison them. If, by any case, you recruited one, his best use will be to ZoC to prevent bats to fly through your defense for village stealing, and eventually poison them.<br /> <br /> A first turn recruit should consist of a Grunt, 2 Whelps, 2 Archers, and either a scout, or another Grunt, Whelp, or Archer. Keep your highest hp units in front at night, as you'll be counter-attacking, not attacking, under most circumstances. Surround your opponents attacking forces before they try to retreat at Dawn. Surprisingly you'll actually have the advantage then. With the decreased damage done in the daytime your Regeneration will be far more effective - it will heal the damage from nearly twice as many attacks. Because of this, make sure to replace your Whelps as soon as possible if they die, and do whatever you can to keep them from passing. Use your archers to kill Ghosts as fast as you can. Their ability to Drain against the rest your units attacks makes them virtually indestructable to other sources. The loss of a 20g unit will also set the player back quite a bit monetarily. After the Ghosts are gone, use your Archers on any Skeletons there are - you'll want to prevent them from using their melee if possible. Also, killing Bats and WCs is always a good way to make a quick monetary gain on your opponent.Your Whelps should go after Archers for maximum damage, but you'll really want to kill Adepts before you kill anything else. If your opponent doesn't have any, you can't get to them, or your Grunts already took them out, go ahead and melee some skeletons or a Ghoul.One major thing you'll want to do in defense is put your front units on hexes where your opponent will have to attack you from bad terrain. The reason is you'll want to hit Adepts as easily as possible, and they should always be what comes at you first.Keep in mind that your units are cheaper than your opponents level 1 units, and his level 0 units die extremely easy. Don't be afraid to trade unit-for-unit with Undead if you have to: you'll be on your way to success quickly.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Drakes==<br /> <br /> With a decent Drake opponent, you cannot really attack a group of his units without making sure: <br /> <br /> # '''The Big Picture''': you're not losing out on the village hunt elsewhere (your scouts are more expensive than his).<br /> # '''Advancing''': you're not abandoning your terrain / defense advantage to do so (it does figure a lot more here because Drakes are only 30% or 40%, while a troll varies between 30% and 60% and an assassin between 40% and 70% on most land terrains, saurians are a different matter). It's a much more serious issue for Northerners in this situation than normally.<br /> # '''Go Hunt in Packs''': you outnumber him and your group includes units that can soak the damage (trolls, grunts less so), deal damage (spearmen/archers and grunts at night), poison (assassin) and cover/block (assassin and spearmen). If you miss any of those, you better not attack.<br /> # '''Finishing strokes''': you have some unit(s) nearby that hunt down retreating Drakes/Saurians (wolf rider). It doesn't help to wear down your units if the enemy just retreats the near-dead units to level them up later.<br /> # '''Steady Reinforcements''': you have a plan for getting in reinforcements (they should come steadily as a Northerner).<br /> # '''Village healing''': you can't heal all your wounded, but retreat those with a little experience in time so that you might eventually advance a unit (that also means covering the retreat which is really hard to do against a Drake player).<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> Have '''grunts''' and '''trolls''' in your lines. Even if you lack magic, you can use brute force at night to shove them out. 11-2 for '''grunts''' is nothing to laugh at, and '''archers''' do a mere 4-4 against '''trolls'''.<br /> <br /> Rebels are pretty fragile units with low hitpoints. There good defense makes up for that, though. Northerners' classical fight mostly happens on elves' conditions, that is they have 60+% terrain defense (and you have a hard time getting along with that unless you get very lucky). <br /> <br /> Also, people always say &quot;get them out of the forest&quot;, but they simply don't leave it... The solution to that is: Make them leave it. Not with the classical approach, but with the strength only northerners have: Ranged poison + high defense = assasin.<br /> <br /> The normal situation is that elvish fighters guard the more fragile units like '''shamans''', '''mages''' and '''archers'''. If the night approaches, you take 2+ '''assasins''' and attack the shielding '''fighters'''. Chances are high that they both get poisoned and from that time on, time is working for you: either they retreat or they keep shielding and die. '''Archers''' will think twice before attacking an '''assasin''' as well as '''shamans''' and '''mages''' at night. If rebels stay and fight, they get owned at night due to poison combined with heavy hitters. If they run, you got what you wanted: They leave the forest.<br /> <br /> Despite their defense, '''assasins''' die fast to a combined attack. You will probably lose some. But most of the time it's worth the loss, because you turn the fight to be on your own conditions. '''Woses''' are an additional problem for '''assasins''', you will need '''grunts''' and '''archers''' to deal with that.<br /> <br /> This is not a trivial to play strategy. The matchup is balanced so rebels have an answer. '''Poison doesn't make it a no-brainer''', but it evens the chances and gives you the opportunity to make the most out of it.<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz https://wiki.wesnoth.org/index.php?title=How_to_play_Northerners&diff=31783 2009-08-08T15:24:09Z

<p>Capitanquartz: /* Northerners v. Knalgans */</p> <hr /> <div>==General Northerner Strategies:==<br /> On the first turn when you have a random opponent it is good to get a mixture of units that will be good in any situation. A Wolf Rider, a Grunt, a Whelp, an Archer and an Assassin recruit would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more advice.<br /> <br /> In general, Northerners will win by mass. Northerners are the cheapest faction and need to utilize that advantage. Poison will be a crucial strategic element as Northerners have the only ranged poison in the game. Grunts and Whelps will be the meat of your army, but make sure to recruit Grunts or Assassins to hold villages, as Whelps do a poor job of this with 40% defense.<br /> <br /> Northerners level quickly on the whole compared to other factions, so try to level any unit as they all grow in power quickly. Nagas upon level actually fare rather well on land, and Trolls will double their damage. Levelling Grunts gains you a great number of hp, but they are a tad slower to level than the other units at your disposal. Wolf Riders also do well as Pillagers to slow your enemy, and Assassins become better than Grunts at dealing melee damage. Try to focus your xp alotment to gain an advantage.<br /> <br /> Your lack of ranged combat will mean you will be vulnerable to ranged counter-attacks. Plan accordingly and have some Assassins nearby to help defend against retaliation. Trolls are good for frontline blockers for their Regen, but keep them in hills or mountains where they have decent defense.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Knalgans==<br /> You'll want Poison to take these guys down. Take as many hill and mountain hexes as you can, and keep trolls in your front line during day to Regen.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Grunt:''' 12 gold village holders nighttime siege artists. Their damage, defense, and moves are better than Trolls, so having a few of these to search and destroy are a necessity.<br /> <br /> '''Troll Whelp:''' A good choice against Knalgans for their high hp, 20% resistance to Blade and Pierce, and their ability to Regen. The extra gold will be worth it if you keep these guys on the hill and mountain hexes your opponent will want to take. A rotation of these guys will keep your front line from crumbling, and will keep Thunderer damage to a minimum. Level one of these and your damage will double.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Archer:''' Recruiting one of these to poke at Fighters and Guardsmen may prove useful, but more frequently you'll want to spend your gold on other units.<br /> <br /> '''Goblin Spearman:''' Do not recruit Goblin Spearmen when fighting Knalgans. Their hp is too low for them to deal any significant damage before they die.<br /> <br /> '''Wolf Rider:''' Your scout unit, you can use these to grab crucial hilly areas before Dwarves can reach them. If you can get him to level, the ability to slow Dwarves may prove exceptionally useful. Recruiting more than one of these may prove too costly though.<br /> <br /> '''Naga Fighter:''' Recruit if there are important water or swamp areas you can control. Their neutrality and high defense will serve you well for 14 gold.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Assassin:''' A necessity against Knalgans. Poisoning any Dwarf will add up. Poisoning Gardsmen will add up faster. A couple of these to annoy and drive back Dwarves from their homes are a necessity.<br /> <br /> A first turn recruit you'll want a Grunt, 1 or 2 Whelps, 1 or 2 Assassins, and possibly another Grunt, a Rider, or Naga. Don't be afraid to Poison Dwarves even in daytime if you can do so from favorable terrain. If you see Ulfs are nearby, you'll want to take them out with Grunts.You'll want to use Whelps to go after Thunderers, and you'll want to take them out first generally, as they'll be the easiest units for you to kill. Have your Assassins Poison the Fighters while this is happening. Try to ignore Guardsmen if you can, because they will take too much effort to kill.Don't be afraid to sacrifice a Grunt to take a shot at an open Ulf if the opportunity arises and the CTK is sizable. The 7 gold difference in cost is worth the risk. If you can't finish it with one Grunt, 2 should do the trick. This will be a game of push and pull. You'll have to push at night and prevent them pushing at day with the Poison you plant. You shouldn't need more than 2 Assassins, but you will need to use them a lot.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners v. Loyalists==<br /> Attack at night, defend at day. This will be a constant theme. Spearmen and HI will be what you see the most of, likely. Don't be surprised to see Bowman as well.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Grunt:''' Cheap village holders again. Good units to take out Mages and Bowmen. At night you will do 11-2 v. 5-3 against Spearmen, but keep them on villages or mountains during day. These are your big time hitters, so save them.<br /> <br /> '''Troll Whelp:''' Again, a couple of these guys in mountains should survive to deal a good amount of damage. Don't recruit too many, as their damage is too low to justify having a bunch.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Archer:''' 1 or 2 of these guys will benefit you a lot, as they'll be your best weapon against HI and the 2 mounted units. If you overrecruit these guys Spearmen should take you over.<br /> <br /> '''Goblin Spearman:''' 1 or 2 of these guys might not be a bad idea against Loyalists. You can use these guys against mounted units and Bowmen at night, or Mages at most times. Their low hp makes them extremely vulnerable though, so recruit with caution. Getting 1 on the first turn may free up enough moves for one of your other units to take advantageous frontline positions instead of village-grabbing.<br /> <br /> '''Wolf Rider:''' Good to scout and to trap and attack Bowmen and Mages. If you can level this guy, make him a Pillager to demolish HI and have the option to slow. Otherwise his use is limited to finishing weak units at night.<br /> <br /> '''Naga Fighter:''' The battle of the seas will be tough, as it is pretty even. Recruit water forces appropriately, and know that if they level that they will become even more useful as they can be used even on land.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Assassin:''' Again, another crucial element to your attack. You'll want to Poison HI, Spearmen, and their ranged attack does a decent 4-3 to mounted units when it isn't day.<br /> <br /> A first turn recruit should consist of a Grunt, an Assassin, an Archer, and a mix of other good units. Take out Mages and Horsemen first, as they will deal you the most damage with the least amount returned. Poison HI and shoot them with Fire. Poison Fencers if you can, or just beat on them with whatever you have at your disposal. Shoot Cavalry down, and deal with Spearmen however you can, using Poison on them often as well. Again, fight off daytime offenses with Poison, and try to keep a Whelp or 2 up in the front in mountains to regenerate. At night, lead with Grunts and use Archers appropriately. Posion whatever is left standing, and be ready to retreat as dawn breaks.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners v. Undead==<br /> Unfortunately one of your major weapons (poison) won't work against these guys. Also, Undead deal more damage than you do at night. If that wasn't bad enough, you only have one level 1 unit that can attack with Fire, and your only water unit is weak to Cold. Things are looking pretty grim, eh? Well here's how you fight back:<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Grunt:''' These guys are the perfect Adept killers. A strong grunt does 12-2 at night, 3 hits will kill them. They will take 4 hits to kill you unless you get a Quick Grunt without Resiliant. You get 4 Grunts for 3 Adepts cost-wise, but don't buy so many; you'll probably only want as many as 2 at first as you'll need other weapons as well.<br /> <br /> '''Troll Whelp:''' A necessity. These guys are skeleton killers doing +20% damage as well as resisting 20% from them. Their Regen also prevents Ghouls from doing nasty Poison damage to them. These guys are good to attack anything except Ghosts.<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Archer:''' Another necessity. You'll have to recruit at least 2 of these to account for Ghosts. These guys are also good to kill Skeletons and WCs, and you'll want to use these on Ghouls too.<br /> <br /> '''Goblin Spearman:''' Surprisingly, these guys can be effective against Undead, and here's the reason: these guys make pretty decent Adept killers. If your opponent loves Adepts and money is tight, or you just want to keep a high income, recruit a modest number of these guys to counter-attack.<br /> <br /> '''Wolf Rider:''' If you need a scout, this is your guy. He will have limited uses outside of scouting, but he will make a decent Adept attacker, a good choice to melee Ghouls as he can run away to heal, and if he levels, the Pillager will cause mayhem for your opponent.<br /> <br /> '''Naga Fighter:''' Only get if you have to have sea-villages. They can't attack Ghosts, but they do counter-attack Adepts well. Even so, they don't counter-attack as well as Grunts, nor will they live as long (and they are more expensive).<br /> <br /> '''Orcish Assassin:''' Simply don't recruit this unit if you're fighting Undead. The adepts damage it so badly that you won't want to poison them. If, by any case, you recruited one, his best use will be to ZoC to prevent bats to fly through your defense for village stealing, and eventually poison them.<br /> <br /> A first turn recruit should consist of a Grunt, 2 Whelps, 2 Archers, and either a scout, or another Grunt, Whelp, or Archer. Keep your highest hp units in front at night, as you'll be counter-attacking, not attacking, under most circumstances. Surround your opponents attacking forces before they try to retreat at Dawn. Surprisingly you'll actually have the advantage then. With the decreased damage done in the daytime your Regeneration will be far more effective - it will heal the damage from nearly twice as many attacks. Because of this, make sure to replace your Whelps as soon as possible if they die, and do whatever you can to keep them from passing. Use your archers to kill Ghosts as fast as you can. Their ability to Drain against the rest your units attacks makes them virtually indestructable to other sources. The loss of a 20g unit will also set the player back quite a bit monetarily. After the Ghosts are gone, use your Archers on any Skeletons there are - you'll want to prevent them from using their melee if possible. Also, killing Bats and WCs is always a good way to make a quick monetary gain on your opponent.Your Whelps should go after Archers for maximum damage, but you'll really want to kill Adepts before you kill anything else. If your opponent doesn't have any, you can't get to them, or your Grunts already took them out, go ahead and melee some skeletons or a Ghoul.One major thing you'll want to do in defense is put your front units on hexes where your opponent will have to attack you from bad terrain. The reason is you'll want to hit Adepts as easily as possible, and they should always be what comes at you first.Keep in mind that your units are cheaper than your opponents level 1 units, and his level 0 units die extremely easy. Don't be afraid to trade unit-for-unit with Undead if you have to: you'll be on your way to success quickly.<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Drakes==<br /> <br /> With a decent Drake opponent, you cannot really attack a group of his units without making sure: <br /> <br /> # '''The Big Picture''': you're not losing out on the village hunt elsewhere (your scouts are more expensive than his).<br /> # '''Advancing''': you're not abandoning your terrain / defense advantage to do so (it does figure a lot more here because Drakes are only 30% or 40%, while a troll varies between 30% and 60% and an assassin between 40% and 70% on most land terrains, saurians are a different matter). It's a much more serious issue for Northerners in this situation than normally.<br /> # '''Go Hunt in Packs''': you outnumber him and your group includes units that can soak the damage (trolls, grunts less so), deal damage (spearmen/archers and grunts at night), poison (assassin) and cover/block (assassin and spearmen). If you miss any of those, you better not attack.<br /> # '''Finishing strokes''': you have some unit(s) nearby that hunt down retreating Drakes/Saurians (wolf rider). It doesn't help to wear down your units if the enemy just retreats the near-dead units to level them up later.<br /> # '''Steady Reinforcements''': you have a plan for getting in reinforcements (they should come steadily as a Northerner).<br /> # '''Village healing''': you can't heal all your wounded, but retreat those with a little experience in time so that you might eventually advance a unit (that also means covering the retreat which is really hard to do against a Drake player).<br /> <br /> ==Northerners vs Rebels==<br /> <br /> Have '''grunts''' and '''trolls''' in your lines. Even if you lack magic, you can use brute force at night to shove them out. 11-2 for '''grunts''' is nothing to laugh at, and '''archers''' do a mere 4-4 against '''trolls'''.<br /> <br /> Rebels are pretty fragile units with low hitpoints. There good defense makes up for that, though. Northerners' classical fight mostly happens on elves' conditions, that is they have 60+% terrain defense (and you have a hard time getting along with that unless you get very lucky). <br /> <br /> Also, people always say &quot;get them out of the forest&quot;, but they simply don't leave it... The solution to that is: Make them leave it. Not with the classical approach, but with the strength only northerners have: Ranged poison + high defense = assasin.<br /> <br /> The normal situation is that elvish fighters guard the more fragile units like '''shamans''', '''mages''' and '''archers'''. If the night approaches, you take 2+ '''assasins''' and attack the shielding '''fighters'''. Chances are high that they both get poisoned and from that time on, time is working for you: either they retreat or they keep shielding and die. '''Archers''' will think twice before attacking an '''assasin''' as well as '''shamans''' and '''mages''' at night. If rebels stay and fight, they get owned at night due to poison combined with heavy hitters. If they run, you got what you wanted: They leave the forest.<br /> <br /> Despite their defense, '''assasins''' die fast to a combined attack. You will probably lose some. But most of the time it's worth the loss, because you turn the fight to be on your own conditions. '''Woses''' are an additional problem for '''assasins''', you will need '''grunts''' and '''archers''' to deal with that.<br /> <br /> This is not a trivial to play strategy. The matchup is balanced so rebels have an answer. '''Poison doesn't make it a no-brainer''', but it evens the chances and gives you the opportunity to make the most out of it.<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> {{Factionbox}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:How to Play]]</div>

Capitanquartz