A Proud Member of
|
|
|
|
| |
Ceyah Strategies |
[Wyldrage's Tactics] [Wyldrage's
Tactics-Units] [Orional's Tactics] |
|
WyldRage's
Tactics: Ceyah |
|
FORMAT |
These articles will be
divided in the following sections: |
Introduction:
the faction's advantages, as well as weaknesses.
Start:
How to survive the few first minutes, trying to find a balance between
military strength and economy.
Economy:
Useful buildings
Military:
How to design the faction's army, including information for their
specific units.
Team:
This is to describe their role in a "perfect" team of 4
players. This means: all factions played and good teamwork.
|
|
INTRODUCTION |
Serving the Dark Master is very
different than fighting him. That is why I have dedicated an entire
article for those who want to follow the dark path. This is meant to be
used as a complement for the other subjects: most of what is written
there can be used for Ceyah too. Included in here are concepts that are
unique to Ceyah, separated in these sections: Basics, Company Design,
Regiment Design, Combat, Beginning and Economy.
|
|
BASICS |
As the Ceyah, you will notice that
your main units are weaker and slower than those of the other factions.
They, however, have three useful advantages. The first one is that most
of their units won't rout. The greatest one is that some of their units
require no maintenance. The last one, and decisive one, is that their
support units are more powerful than the other factions'.
Alone, those advantages are useful,
but nothing is really game winning. Together, they can be truly frightening.
No maintenance = more companies = more support units. Not only that but
since they don't break often, the enemy have to go through every melee
units before reaching the support.
|
|
COMPANY
DESIGN |
There are two kinds of main units for
the Ceyah: expendable and shock. You have to reach a balance between
these two types. Too much expendables mean a weak military. The opposite
means a less numerous one.
Expendable: Those are the Zombies and shadelings. As they don't require
maintenance, you can have as many as you want at the same time. Give
them some support units since they usually can't win by themselves.
However, at the beginning, you may leave support at home: they require
too much gold. Afterwards, you can always disband support-less companies
to recruit them with support.
Shock: Those are the units who require maintenance: skeletons and
beasts. They are stronger, but you can't have as much. Always give them
the support units as they will most usually survive longer.
|
|
REGIMENT
DESIGN |
A regiment, if you don't know,
is a group of 2-6 companies. Always make them the same speed: you don't
want some to reach the enemy before others. I have three kinds: Zombies,
Skeletons and Reaction.
Zombies:
This is a group of (surprise!) zombies. They are very slow and will need
support. I recommend wraiths: they are very strong, won't slow down the
zombies and require less mana than others.
Skeletons:
Composed of skeletons and bone bows, they are faster than zombies,
stronger and extremely resistant to archers. However, they require
maintenance and will be less numerous than zombies. Most support units
will work in companies here, except the wraith, since he will slow them
down. If you want to put bone bows in zombies regiment, give them one.
Reaction:
These regiments are the (relatively) fast one. Composed of shadelings
and shadow/void beasts, they will go twice as fast as the zombies. The
only support unit you might put in them is the shadow demon, the others
will slow them, but I don't recommend it. Only one shadow demon will
double the cost of the company, and they aren't worth that much. Also
watch for the number of beasts: they use mana that could possibly be
better used for support.
|
|
COMBAT |
There is one great
principle for using Ceyah in combat: DON'T BE FLANKED. If you are, you
will lose your support and, without support, winning will be difficult.
Keep some companies, preferably support-less expendables, unengaged,
along the flanks of your main army to occupy possible flankers. You can
afford to lose those companies.
In offense, make sure you outnumber his troops. You may want to keep
some companies back home for defense: your zombies will never reach
anything in time.
In defense, remember to use the terrain: you might double the defense of
some units. Making them live longer give more time for support to finish
the enemy.
|
|
ECONOMY |
There are three resources
that are critical to the Ceyah's war effort. The other resources are
little used: often by only one unit.
Mana: All those support units, even the shadow/void beasts, require mana.
It doesn't come cheap, but there is a greater possibility of mana
extraction by Ceyah town: they can give up to 14 mana (Mage College,
Temple and Mana Forge). Never have a deficit in mana: it costs 5 gold
for each minus. You may want to trade mines for khaldunite fields/spires
in team games.
Money: To recruit all the companies you need you need much money. Not
for the main units, but for the support units. Remember, mana doesn't
come cheap. An intersting twist of the Ceyah is that you might wish to
use the bazaar instead of the bank: you won't need much of the three
basic resources.
Maximum number of companies: This is often overlooked for other
factions. Without maintenance for some units you may want to raise the
limit. There are only two ways to do it: get more cities or upgrade
them. But also don't forget this: always try to reach it your maximum.
|
|
BEGINNING |
Ceyah needs time to
expand to be really effective. The beginning of the game is a critical
time for them, more so than other factions. They are very slow at first.
This part will contradict the rest of the text, but the most important
thing to remember in the beginning is that, since you don't have enough
money for support, leave them at home. You only need them once you
establish first contact with the enemy. This is especially true in a low
starting gold game.
Early, you will need 3 companies: 1 shadelings to scout around, and 2 to
conquer cities (one is not enough for Ceyah). I personally prefer to use
a full company of skeletons and a company of 4 bone bows. I upgrade my
city early and put in a carpenter guild first, a bank and a blacksmith.
I also awaken my Kohan since he will be very useful to fight
independents and I still have some money. In all new settlements, I put
in a bank. Believe my experience, you will need that gold soon enough.
However, as soon as you capture a city from a different faction, you can
use it to recruit standard units. It is easier than to use only Ceyah
units earlier. A mixed army from those two factions can be extremely
powerful later in the game too. Or you can just use the other's strong
company as support for your own companies. The choice is yours.
|
|
CONCLUSION |
Ceyah
is very different from other factions and here are some things to
remember when playing them:
-Use other factions/races city to complement your Ceyah companies with
more conventional companies.
-Your strength lies in your support units, not in your main units.
-Always try to max out your maximum number of companies.
-Balance your weak units with strong ones.
-Don't slow down your companies too much by having slower support. If
you play Ceyah, you need all the speed you can have.
|
|
ANNEX
- PLAYER TYPES |
There are two main kinds of Ceyah
players: the Zombie and the Beast (named after their favorite unit).
Zombie:
He is the player who likes the maintenance-less units of the Ceyah:
Shadelings and Zombies. He usually has only hordes of them, with no
other units. While he understands the Ceyah's advantage, his army is
EXTREMELY low on attack power. Any company with a high defense, and
access to healing, will completely eliminate him.
Beast:
He is the player who likes the Shadow/Void Beasts and uses them almost
exclusively. He puts the Shadow Priest and Prophet with them. This combo
does make a great company, but it will be beaten easily by Mareten
players, since he will be inferior in number.
If you recognize yourself in those two
extremes, read on.
|
|
ANNEX
- WHAT TO DO? |
You are Ceyah. You have the weakest
and the most powerful (non-elite) unit in the game. There is one thing
to remember: BALANCE! You need both to reach victory. So, for the
Zombie: if you have pluses in any resource, you don't have enough high
quality units. For the Beast: if you don't have your maximum number of
companies, you don't have enough.
|
|
ANNEX
- WAR |
So, you have many Zombies/Skelies and
some Beasts for support, now what do you do? You attack, of course! My
tactic is to send my infantry in first to engage the enemy and draw his
melee units away from the support. The Beasts may dome some damage in
engaging the main line, but they will create so much more havoc if you
sneak them past him. They can destroy his irritating
archers/mages/priests and, as an added bonus, they stand right in his
retreat path. They are very strong when it comes to exterminating
fleeing companies.
|
|
ANNEX
- DESIGN |
You have the best support in the game:
USE IT! Don't let your infantry leave home without, at the very least, a
Prophet. Send some wraiths with your Zombies, the shear quantity is to
be feared.
|
Ceyah Strategies
[Wyldrage's Tactics] [Wyldrage's Tactics-Units] [Orional's
Tactics]
| |
|