Game #1189 Tournament game#49 | Round 5 : 2019 PBEM Duel Tournament #49

Before starting game, I was thinking to play depending on map, but considering early rush option as well as hit & run with scorched earth. Was lucky to get AD first hero in second try, because it synergizes well with that strats.

Tried to scout opponent early to decide what strategy it is better to play and found out that we both on surface (which was good for me) and also that he is playing archdruid elf. I expected to see a lot of swimming/flying units, especially hunters and started thinking about units to counter them.
My wisp has been killed and I discovered that Phiro was lucky to get shock serpent evolved to mature.
I decided to build draconian flyers and summon phantasms.

I think my early game was quite successful. One of my hatchling evolved to draconian flyer and I got another one from quest. Turn 10 I cleared dungeon and got more army and started summoning phantasms.
I had a lot of battles and tried to micro manage experience gaining as far as I can and was very successful. At the end of turn 13 I got both leader and hero level 13 (never had it before so early), two champion draconian flyers and gold medaled phantasm. One more stack of units leading by rogue hero was exploring another part of the map.

I had 8 vision range on draconian flyers because of shrine and decided to move closer to opponent and scout his cities.
Few turns later, I found a lot of built roads, cleared lost city and was able to see main phiro's stack.
I was very greedy and decided to steal nearby ziggurat, but battle went bad - guards attacked me on first turn, I was not able to prepare and got my leader heavely wounded by double breath, so it could not help in battle until the end. As a result I lost my champion draconian flyer and it was very heavy loss.
Nevertheless I decided to push forward, bought 3 units from phiro's inn and went to his throne by water.

I think I revealed my plan when I stole ziggurat and also cleared few sites nearby, so Phiro read it very accurate and was prepared. He ambushed units bought from the inn and also killed gold medaled phantasm, so it was a waste. What was good is he showed me his entire army and I was surprized to see 3 full stacks all near throne.
Anyway I was able to capture throne and casted scorched earth. At this point he still had only 20 casting points, so I had very good chances to raze throne. In theory I could take throne one turn earlier and he could not disjunct it in two turns, but I didn't want to do this blindfolded.

I had only 4 units in my stack after I captured throne and I had to evacuate them asap. I went toward to his last city to cast scorched earth and raze it as also.

I expected that he has negative income and also short on mana with almost zero income. I wanted to raze his city and force him to disband king seprent and some units, while I clear map and build counter units.
I noticed on the map that he splitted his army and with my secondary army I was trying to clean some sites before he reach them.
At the same time I was producing draconian flyers (as counter to his hunters) in 1-2 turn and already had 4 of them scattered on the map.
Last turn he moved his army to defend his city and I give me opportunity to kill his leader.

It was risky move, but it was good opportunity to finish game without playing hide and seek vs his swimming units for long time.

I attacked his stronger army 6 vs 9 with the only purpose to kill his leader and finish the game. I had thunderstorm, call lighting, double stun abilities on my leader, regrowth on my hero and also units which could flank and kill his leader.

My plan was that AI will move his leader forward and expose him to be killed. I expected that my leader casts thunderstorm on first turn and also hero casts "Revive Instinct" spell, so it would help to delay his 3 mount units from the back. I decided that his units will ignore my wisps and phantasm because of shock and physical resistance and most likely will ignore draconian flyer in guard mode because of high stats and projectile resistance.
I expected that his units will focus fire on my hero and leader and I have couple of turns for my wisps to teleport and flank his leader and finish him by draconian flyer.

First 1.5 turns went as planned - thunderstorm, revive instinct from my side, focus fire on my leader from his side.
He casted slayer's doubt on my draconian flyer and it could ruin my plan, also my leader was stunned by storm sister, but his leader tried to disjunct thunderstorm and got critical failure. On my second turn my hero stupidly casted root spears on hunter while I expected him to call lighting, but it was not really matter because my draconian flyer one shot killed his wounded and stunned leader.

I think even without critical failure on disjunction, I would kill his leader in next two turns. I was expecting that at least one wisp teleport and flank his leader and also get flank hit from my draconian flyer, and also 1-2 hunters killed. His other units still was behind and I had time to finish him.

Knowledge score:

Military score:

yes, it was still possible that my leader would fall before all the units joined the combat, but with a failed "Disjunct", it was unavoidable. 

If my leader did not fall in this battle at all, I would have won the battle. And yes, I had to send 1 hero with 5 hunters and a gold medal king shock serpent away, because  I need an army for clearing structures and harvesting enough many to pay a settler to rebuild my throne

Ok, you're good to go! keika, next time please remember to take the screenshots in windowed mode so that we can see the timestamps.

Good luck & have fun!

im in. we can start.

weird password. what does it mean? XD

Sorry for delay. Class/race is sent. Game is hosted.

Name: PBEM 2019 #49

Password: covid19

Hi! keika, you're hosting. Please remember to use the Tournament Edition (for this round only): https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1585391987

We have phirpo's class/race. His class/race from previous round does count even if he didn't play the match.