by Membury
Goldyx Solo Conquest, 290 pointsHey. Something of a highscoring game. I'm really starting to work out the point scoring strategies for Solo Conquest which I'll go into at the end a little. This is my first session report so pointers much appreciated. This is quite involved mostly because I got such a high score I wanted to make a bit of a story out of it. Enjoy!
End of Game Breakdown
Artifacts
Banner of Courage
Book of Wisdom (destroyed)
Horn of Wrath
Sword of Justice (destroyed)
Spells
Burning Shield
Call to Arms
Chill
Demolish
Fireball
Tremor
Wings of Wind
Advanced Actions
Ambush
Blood Ritual
Crushing Bolt
Path Finding
Regeneration
Refreshing Walk
Basic Actions
Crystallize
Determination
Improvisation
Mana Draw
March
March
Promise
Rage
Rage
Stamina
Stamina
Swiftness
Swiftness
Threaten (destroyed)
Tranquility
Will Focus
Skills
Freezing Power
White Crystal Craft
Green Crystal Craft
Flight
Universal Power
Units
Amotep Gunners
Amotep Freezers
Catapults
Herbalists (disbanded)
Ice Mages
Illusionists
Miscellaneous
1x Wound
1x Blue Crystal
3x White Crystal
Enemies Killed
2x Prowlers (2)
1x Cursed Hags (3)
1x Ironclads (4)
1x Orc Summoners (4)
1x Crossbowmen (3)
1x Guardsmen (3)
1x Swordsmen (4)
1x Golems (4)
1x Monks (4)
1x Illusionists (4)
2x Ice Mages (5)
1x Ice Golems (5)
1x Fire Mages (5)
1x Fire Golems (5)
2x Medusa (5)
2x Crypt Worm (5)
1x Werewolf (5)
1x Freezers (7)
1x Gunners (7)
1x Altem Guardsmen (8)
2x Altem Mages (8)
1x Swamp Dragon (7)
1x Fire Dragon (8)
2x Ice Dragon (8)
1x High Dragon (9)
Total: 165 fame
Sites Conquered/Explored
3x Keep
2x Mage Tower
1x Monastery
1x Dungeon
4x Ruins
Ruins Explored
Orc/Dragon
Keep/Dungeon
Dungeon/Tower
Green Altar
Fame Breakdown
165 fame from monsters
+7 fame from altars
+7 fame from Sword of Justice
=179 fame
Score Breakdown
179 fame
+35 for conquering two cities
+12 for cards in the dummy deck
+5 for end of round not announced
+20 for the greatest knowledge
+6 for the greatest loot
+14 for the greatest leader
+12 for the greatest conqueror
+10 for the greatest adventurer
-2 for the greatest beating
=291 final score
Round-by-round Breakdown
This is slightly dramatised but not embellished. The factual details are as accurate as I remember which I feel is pretty accurate but I can't quite remember where I got each of the spells or actions for example or exactly when I levelled up. Anyway, hope you enjoy it!
Day 1
I began my quest and headed straight for a tower in the South-East desert. Stopping to greet some villagers I acquired Herbalists to help tend my wounds between battles. They were not afraid of me... unusual.
The tower housed some Ice Mages. I suffered some painful burns but they were no match for me when I got up close. I plundered the secrets of Fireball from the mage tower and already I felt my power growing.
Mage Tower (Ice Mages): Three Wounds. Gained Fireball. Level up: Frozen Power, Refreshing Walk.
The Fireball spell proved useful immediately in dispatching nearby orc Prowlers.
Prowlers: Fireball.
I also ventured further West and dispatched some Cursed Hags.
Cursed Hags: Will Focus + Swiftness. Level up: +1 Armor.
The forests clear I explored further South. I knew night would fall soon.
Night 1
I could not see much of interest. I decided to keep exploring and to the West I saw a dungeon, no doubt rife with exciting treasures. I went straight down the dungeon intending to cast my Fireball spell again. Sadly the Crypt Worm was crafty and hid beneath the rocky floor of the dungeon. He had to come up eventually however and whatever pain I suffered my Herbalists would be able to tend to. Deep in the dungeon I found the Horn of Wrath, a weapon whose power I did not immediately comprehend.
Dungeon (Crypt Worm): Two Wounds, Fireball. Gained Horn of Wrath. Level up: Crystal Craft White, Crushing Bolt.
Not wanting to leave the dungeon half cleared I went beneath to make sure. And lucky I did as I found a Medusa skulking in the shadows. I sounded the Horn of Wrath and nothing could've prepared me for that devestation. The very sound of it blasted the Medusa to the ground and the rocks from the ceiling that crumbled on top of her only served as icing on a highly destructive dessert. Truly this was a powerful artifact.
Dungeon (Medusa): Horn of Wrath.
Exploring further South I battled some Ironclads. Already these orcs seem such meagre opponents.
Ironclads: Will Focus + Swiftness. Level up: +1 Hand Limit.
I saw another mage tower to the East and with day almost breaking I decided to wait and see what monstrosity lurked within.
Day 2
The tower was occupied by dastardly Ice Golems. I was not prepared to confront them so I explored to the East. The cities had to be around somewhere afterwall. So it was that I found the Wastern keeps, guarded by golems. If I had had my Fireball spell ready I would've stormed the keeps without difficulty. As it was I didn't and not wanting to wait I pushed through and beat the golems with overwhelming force.
Keep (Golems): Wound.
Beyond the keep I found some ancient ruins. My trusty Horn of Wrath at the ready I had no fear delving into them and sure enough it did not disappoint.
Ruins (Fire Golems, Medusa): Horn of Wrath. Gained Tremor. Level up: Crystal Craft Green, Pathfinding.
Trekking back across the hills was made easier by the Pathfinding skills I had been studying. Facing the Ice Golems again I felt more confident with the Tremor spell up my sleeve.
Mage Tower (Ice Golems): Tremor. Gained Wings of Wind.
Safely inside the tower I spent some time studying with the scholars. I learnt the secrets of Call to Arms and Burning Shield at their tutelage. With night almost fallen I make one last excursion further East and at last I see my goal. Across the lake: the Blue City!
Night 2
Dispatching some marauding orcs I began to plan my assault on the Blue City. Realising that I needed a staging post I headed for the keep back to the North. But when I saw the Guardsmen at its gate I hesitated and tried to muster some additional power.
Prowlers: Swiftness (probably).
In this time I discovered some ancient ruins and remembering the Tremor spell I had learnt I reasoned I had nothing to fear. Within the ruins I encountered two deadly foes: Orc Summoners while feeble can be deadly if left unchecked. The other was a draconum, an Ice Dragon! The first of my kin I have met since my awakening. But figuring to greet her I was surprised and almost ambushed and stunned by her icy breath. Furious that one of my own kind would reject me so I fought hard against her and her cohort. Their bodies cold (or at least colder than they were) I retrieved the mythical Book of Wisdom and learned the tactical value of an Ambush.
Ruins (Orc Summoners, Ice Dragon): Tremor, Swiftness, Illusionst to cancel the Ice Dragon attack, piles of cards to kill the Ice Dragon. Gained Book of Wisdom and Ambush. Level up: +1 Armor
Returning to my quest I moved on the keep. Suffering some minor scratches I disposed of the Guardsmen.
Keep (Gaurdsmen): Wound, Horn of Wrath.
Day 3
Time was running out. I knew there was another city out there but where could it be? There was no time to be worrying though. The Blue City taunted me from over the lake and beyond it I saw another of those wretched Ice Dragons circling the mountaintops.
I moved out immediately using the secrets of Pathfinding and assaulted the Blue City. Its guardians: Altem Guardsmen, Freezers, Fire Mages and Ice Mages. I was in trouble, the Blue City guardians had enhanced the magic attacks I couldn't let them reach me or my allies. My Amotep Freezers stunned their Fire Mages and (sounding the Horn of Wrath again), my Illusionists befuddled the dragon and I rounded up enough Siege Attack to beat their Freezers and Ice Mages down. Cleaning up the Fire Mages and Ice Dragon was surprisingly easy but I could not defeat the Altem Guardsmen. I was forced to retreat.
Blue City: Illusionists, Amotep Freezers, Horn of Wrath, Will Focus + Rage. Retreated. Level up: Flight, Regenerate. Level up: +1 Hand Limit.
Satisfied with my progress and feeling myself to be stronger than ever I returned refreshed and defeated the Altem Guardsmen handily. The Blue City was mine and I spent a while learning its secrets. The spells of Chill were mine for the learning.
Blue City (Altem Guardsmen): Two Wounds.
Done with my business in the city I set out in search of other target. Encountering a monastery full of Monks I tried to persuade them to part with their legendary treasure. Their unwillingness to help me was grating and time ever less on my side. It more than my temper could stand and I burnt the monastry to the ground to seize the legendary Sword of Justice.
Monastery (Monks): Fireball.
Travelling further South I found more marauding draconae (although mere hatchlings compared to myself) but still no sign of the final city. I destroyed one of my weaker and less worthy kin and some other insignificant men and beasts within the ruins. Finding the Banner of Courage I took it with me, reasoning that I may need my units in top form when I find this city. Night fell.
Fire Dragon + Ruins (Crypt Worm, Swordsmen): Sword of Justice, Catapults, Swiftness, Amotep Freezers (again after Regenerate).
Night 3
This was it, my last chance to prove my loyalty to the Council and claim the magnificent rewards that follow. Suspecting the city must be close and knowing I needed a good place to rest I continued towards the keep beyond the mountain. On the way there I saw it: a towering city with red parapets amidst desert and wastelands and surrounded by dragons. This would surely be a challenge worthy of my skills.
Suspecting that I could lure it into assaulting the keep I draw one of the dragons towards it. Alas no luck and I had to dispatch my kinsman as well as the feeble human Crossbowmen who cowered in the keep. The keep mine I felt strongly poised for my final assault. I equipped some Amotep Gunners from the keep's armory and summoning a mote of black mana that wondered the world that night I cast Call to Glory to bring forth some powerful Ice Mages for the coming battle. My moment was soon.
Keep (Swamp Dragon, Crossbowmen): Fireball, Will Focus + Swiftness.
Across the desert I came. With freezers, gunners, catapults and mages I marched on the red city. On the city walls I spied such an array of foes as I had never seen before. Altem Mages casting foul magic from within their fortified towers, Gunners down the middle, Illusionists chanting their incantations and as fearsome looking a beast as I've ever seen: a bloodthirsty Werewolf! I lined up my units but before I could give the attack order a spiralling cone of raw magical energy erupted over the tallest tower and a High Dragon launched through the skies and barreled down on my exposed forces. This was going to be trouble.
It was a truly epic battle. And one in which I'm afraid I broke the Sword of Justice, the monks' most precious treasure. I daresay I'd've been defeated had I not managed to conjure another precious mote of black mana and unleash a mighty Earthquake on those city walls. The Horn of Wrath sounded one final time as a tremendous volley of siege fell on the Altem Mages in their towers, whose walls I'd handily crumbled with a Demolish spell. Between the Illusionists and the secrets of Chill I'd learnt from the scholars of the Blue City. I managed to avoid the worst of their attacks. Finally, with the now broken Sword's magic I finished them all including the High Dragon, a worthy foe indeed...
Red City: Big Fight! Sword of Justice (destroyed), Horn of Wrath, Earthquake, Demolish, Chill, Illusionsts, Amotep Freezers, Amotep Gunners, Ice Mages, Catapults. Epic destruction!
Strategy
So this is mostly about power acceleration. Its about how quickly can you get to the point of beating tougher locations and moving quickly as soon as you're ready. Obviously there's planning ahead you can do but the early chances you take pay off so massively. In this game what really did it was the Herbalists. Ordinarily the risk of the mage tower would've been the wounds being too hard to recover from. Herbalists made it an easy call, plus Refreshing Walk was out.
Fireball and Snowstorm are excellent spells for power acceleration. Either of them make a dungeon or monastery a pretty safe bet. And once you get an artifact (or two!) you're really flying. Horn of Wrath is also excellent for power acceleration. So obviously going straight for Fireball in the mage tower was deliberate. Getting Horn of Wrath from the first dungeon was just dumb luck. Once you're that powerful you can take your time mopping stuff up. That's where the points are.
I'm still not sure of the value of reputation, I guess I never like to spend too long on orcs. Burning down monasteries is such easy points too. Still I was only on -2 reputation at the end of this one due to lack of monasteries.
