Conquest of Elysium 4 released today

[Zenn7]

New game from Illwinter (makers of Conquest of Elysium 3 (you're shocked, I know!) and the Dominions game series - Dominions 4 being a game you may have seen ongoing rounds of here):

Conquest of Elysium 4 was released today. This is a slimmed down version of Dominions. Try COE3 if you want to see what it is like (if it's not cheap now, it will be during the upcoming sales). New version has more rituals, sides, stuff to do.

This is more a you vs the world environment than any challenging AI's (this world is a hair more aggressive than the average - even the deer are out to kill you!). They did not mention anything specific about AI improvements over 3, but hopefully there will be some.

I got COE3 for $2.50 I think - very well worth that! This is a smidge more currently (though it's 15% off release special on Steam right now).

PvP is an option too.

Being the cheap bastage that I am, I will be waiting for a much steeper sale. But one (or more) of you should buy it, actually play it (not just add it to your collection) and tell the rest of us how it compares to COE3.

I did my part, I brought it to your attention.

[Zenn7]

My flippant attitude in the first post discouraged people from posting or no one bought/tried this?

[ColdSteel]

I love Dominions 4 but I found COE3 underwhelming. So, COE4 is not exactly tempting to me. I may pick it up on a steep sale one day.

[baelthazar]

I got it, because I will buy anything Illwinter releases. I like the idea, but I am terrible at the game. Not sure why - the AI are able to levy HUGE forces under multiple generals and I end up having only one huge force. This is probably due to my conservative style of not splitting my force enough.

[Zenn7]

My expectation is other than more options/variety, it's basically the same as COE3. Gather there are a LOT more options/varieties, supposed to make it more interesting.

I'm waiting for a steep discount and will definitely buy it then.

Regards to the huge stacks of the AI - you playing on normal? At higher levels, like Dominions, they get massive resource/gold/gem bonuses, which will let them have massive armies. Otherwise, possibly you are more conservative. The AI's at normal or lower had a fighting shot of being taken out by the world (roaming neutrals taking out cities). Though, maybe it's a sign the AI is a little better than in 3.

[Cortilian]

I've put about 10 hours into it. Played Dom 3 but never any of the CoE games. Not impressed. I may be doing something wrong but I spend all my time fighting independent stacks. In fact, playing on easy the independent forces wipe out most of the AI factions. I try to establish some held territory but keep on having to micromanage clean up armies that have to keep the dumb grey stacks at bay.

[Zenn7]

I've put about 10 hours into it. Played Dom 3 but never any of the CoE games. Not impressed. I may be doing something wrong but I spend all my time fighting independent stacks. In fact, playing on easy the independent forces wipe out most of the AI factions. I try to establish some held territory but keep on having to micromanage clean up armies that have to keep the dumb grey stacks at bay.

Sounds similar to 3 and to what I recall reading on the Steam forums for the game. As I said, it's more you vs the world, probably not any great AI. Though I guess it can be a good MP game maybe (like Dominions is). Crank the AI up some so they survive, might make the game a bit more enjoyable. Only recommendation I have on that front. (Other than trying different factions - supposed to have some really interesting ones now).

[ydejin]

My expectation is other than more options/variety, it's basically the same as COE3. Gather there are a LOT more options/varieties, supposed to make it more interesting.

I didn't play CoE3. I played a lot of CoE4 over Thanksgiving (Steam says I'm 27 hours in) and I've enjoyed it a lot.

My understanding is that one of the biggest differences is they redid the combat system, getting rid of the more annoying quirks that CoE3 combat exhibited. They also added a whole bunch of new rituals (and spells?), greatly expanding out how some of the classes worked.

I've put about 10 hours into it. Played Dom 3 but never any of the CoE games. Not impressed. I may be doing something wrong but I spend all my time fighting independent stacks. In fact, playing on easy the independent forces wipe out most of the AI factions. I try to establish some held territory but keep on having to micromanage clean up armies that have to keep the dumb grey stacks at bay.

Sounds similar to 3 and to what I recall reading on the Steam forums for the game. As I said, it's more you vs the world, probably not any great AI. Though I guess it can be a good MP game maybe (like Dominions is). Crank the AI up some so they survive, might make the game a bit more enjoyable. Only recommendation I have on that front. (Other than trying different factions - supposed to have some really interesting ones now).

I concur. I think what's going on is that on the easiest levels the AI factions don't get enough resources to stave of roaming environmental stacks, some of which can be quite vicious.

[ColdSteel]

This is on sale on Steam until tomorrow for 66% off, which brings it into the range I was looking for to purchase. I bought the previous version but really didn't like it (although I love Dominions). What's the verdict here on this? Worth getting? Did they change enough from the previous version to make it fun (especially combat)? Thanks.

[Freyland]

I never played 3, but I stopped playing 4 after several games because I felt it was too shallow to scratch that Dominions itch.

[ColdSteel]

Yes, sadly, after perusing several forums, it doesn't seem like this is worth the purchase. Even at only 8 bucks.

[baelthazar]

Yes, sadly, after perusing several forums, it doesn't seem like this is worth the purchase. Even at only 8 bucks.

I disagree. For $8, this game has a lot of fun in it. It is not Dominions, but there is a certain thrill of recruiting armies, trying to level your characters up to their high-tier spells and summons and to see what all the different buildings and ruins do. I always enjoy seeing new and strange units and monsters, so I add the thrill of discovery to the thrill of the strategic game. Sure, it is a clunky game (like all of Illwinter's games) and the AI is not particularly stellar (I have seen them lose in the first few turns). Also, you can cheaply be knocked out by a roving monster entering your lightly defended capital. But, otherwise, I think it is worth the price of a supersized Big Mac value meal.

[Zenn7]

I enjoyed 3 enough that I figured when 4 got low enough I would buy it. Since I had a little money set aside for games now, this was low enough. Played it for about 10-20 minutes so far. Gems of War and really life problems have prevented me from getting to it. Actually, Gems of War has prevented me from playing much of anything else for about 3 weeks now...

[Freyland]

TW:Warhammer has been my delightful sleep-depriving time suck.

[Zenn7]

A couple weeks ago, I finally got around to really playing this.

One note for anyone who is thinking of playing it/going back to it - there was a post on the Steam forums about which factions do best in which ages. Some things are a little more obvious - the druid and the dryad both thrive on forests/ancient forests, so they will do best in the Dark Ages and Fall of the Empire (or whatever it's called when the Empire has fallen and nature is rising again) as those maps will have more ancient forests. Some not so obvious - warlocks do better in the starting rise of the new empire because there are more trade villages there (more trade so they can buy more gems, needed to fuel their spells/good stuff).

Did Druid first, after a couple false starts, kicked but (if you have the ancient forests, druids have some really good spells for automatically controlling more forests, summoning friendly animals and these kick but roving bands I forget what they're called in the game, but basically, Ents (Treants in D&D I believe).

Several attempts at the Warlock and I just never got going well. Tried the Dryad that supposed to be a new/better druid. The free units are great and all, but they had no way to expand like the druid, so gave up on them for now.

Then I just cycled through a few others briefly just to see a little of what they did and landed on Dwarves. Playing them now. Doing moderately well according to the score graphs, but I feel like I'm in a solid spot. The question is if I ever get any potent summons or anything to take out the other factions power units. Or am I just supposed to arbalest blast them to death with my hordes and hordes of those.

Did one game as the Dryad where I decided to throw my massive army against the large AI army in the area. Think I had like 2800 troops, he had 500-600, but a LOT of specials. After 40 some rounds that took over 20 minutes, I hit auto finish. 5 minutes later, I stepped away for a few. 10 or so minutes later, came back, the battle finally finished. I tried to max the battle speed (held down S, it'll go more than the 2 buttons x faster that the screen shows).

[Zenn7]

Then I just cycled through a few others briefly just to see a little of what they did and landed on Dwarves. Playing them now. Doing moderately well according to the score graphs, but I feel like I'm in a solid spot. The question is if I ever get any potent summons or anything to take out the other factions power units. Or am I just supposed to arbalest blast them to death with my hordes and hordes of those.

Still playing the dwarves. I've expanded and explored through most of the map, but only 1 AI is dead (I never even met that one). The remaining 4 - 1 is Baron, not sure how he hasn't been knocked out yet, not a lot of power left. High priest has a few stacks of tough dudes helping him to hang in there. Same for the cultist. Both aren't in much better shape than the baron. The hoburgs (seem basically like Halflings with some decent casters and iron creatures, including some tough dragons) are by far and away the #2 power in the game. I've cleaned up a lot but have nothing solid to stand against these armies. Dwarves do not get potent summons. They get runesmiths who enchant their warriors/guards armor and when the runesmith is upgraded, he can enchant weapons of the warriors/guards who had their armor enchanted. More importantly, he can enchant arbalests (they do more damage then, except the earth ones, they stun) and ballistas (AOE!!!) I've done a substantially huge amount of damage with ballistas now, taking out 2-3 power armies and seriously injuring a couple more. But I've now lost more than 60 buffed ballistas (might be more like 80-100). One large group lost to a bad decision to move out of a fortified position, several lost when I left a few behind here and there to defend fortified positions, and the latest 20 lost when they were all that was defending a fortified position stormed by 500+ hoburgs, led by 5 iron dragons (didn't kill a single dragon).

Haven't seen them in a while, but had one fight with hoburg where he had something like 20 ents leading the way. With 311 health each, those things won't be dying anytime soon!

Working on a new strategy to build up an army, send it out, when it takes a fortified position (city or tower or whatever), just garrison it and stay there (maybe go to neighboring spots if I can get back in one turn to claim/reclaim stuff). Before I'd just leave a few units behind if anything and keep on going. Now I need to hold this stuff better so AI can't keep reclaiming it (or at least not without a serious fight). Have to eventually deprive them of all recruitment points and run their armies down.

[Zenn7]

The dwarves emerge victorious!

Crushed the last sizeable army of the cultists (moderately tough fight). Took the last citadel of the high priest, which put him out even though he had probably the toughest army on the board still in play.

Finally found the last holdout for the baron (no clue how the other AI's didn't finish him off sooner, he never had a great amount of power).

Many fights against the hoburg, 2 of note - finished off his large army led by 4 iron dragons, because they were all down to 30% or less health. And still, a very tough fight with many casualties. And then his 7 ent + large army (large in these cases is 350-550 troops range) attacks a defended city. My 60ish units lost the city, but, largely thanks to a fire wizard, all 7 ents died along with almost 1/2 the rest of his army. If it hadn't been for one stupid iron fly lightening projecting, we might have won that fight. Several more large army fights against him, but with no large buttkicking troops for him, my arbalests plowed through even his numerically superior ranged armies (vastly inferior quality). He still had quite a few armies on the board, but I finally took his last citadel to win the game.

Now trying to decide if I want to try a different nation or go on to a different game. Maybe back to TW:WH and try the elves again. Maybe GalCiv3. Maybe back to Dom 4 to give another try to this strat I saw for the undead faction. Could try Sorcerer King:Rivals (just got that from Humble Bundle). Decisions decisions...