Friday, July 26, 2013

Assault

Purpose:
  1. Kill troops.  The main and most important purpose of an assault is to kill troops in the target castle.  An assault deals 5 times the damage as a siege wave.  In an attack to take control of or destroy the castle, an assault is usually sent a second before a siege to significantly reduce or eliminate defenses in the city.
  2. Gain fame and purified resources.  The second and related reason to send an assault is to get purified resources and gain fame points from killing the troops in the target castle.  Every time you kill a player's units (also applies for lawless cities,) you gain fame points.  The amount of fame points you gain is equal to the recruiting cost of the unit killed.  For example, a ranger costs 150 wood to recruit.  If you kill one ranger, you get 150 fame points.  For each 4000 fame points you get in a single attack, you also get 1 of each type of purified resources.
  3. Loot resources.  An assault also plunders resources of the target castle.  Similar to a plunder command, an assault can also loot resources from the target castle.  So, all the reasons to plunder a city also applies to assault.  However, a non-castled city cannot be assaulted, but can be plundered.  
Example:  Here is an example of an assault report.  I had previous scouted and saw that this castle has mages at home.  Score!  Mages are really good at attacking, but bad at defending, especially against knights.  I sent this assault solely for the purpose of killing the mages.  I sent one single scout with the knights and got all the castle information.  I also looted resources as a bonus.




Monday, July 8, 2013

Plunder

Plundering is used to loot resources from other cities. There are several reasons to plunder:
To gain resources faster than raiding dungeons.  In the early stage of the game,  dungeons are few and far apart.  Sometimes it's faster and more profitable to plunder neighbors, and lawless cities.  These cities are sometimes referred to as "farm."  Dungeon adds a 2 hour round trip to a raid.  There are also dungeon monsters that kill your troops and lower your profit.     Your ideal targets are
  • Defenseless cities of an inactive player or lawless cities, you can steal resources without any losses. 
  • Cities of players without an alliance.  They may have some troops, but they won't get any support from anyone else.  Their cities maybe weakly protected, and you don't countered from an upset alliance.  
  • Cities of players in a much smaller alliances than yours.  If the cities have a lot of resources, you may still want to take the risk of a counter.
 Be careful of plundering a big alliance.  It can escalate into an all out war.  
To suppress growth of a neighbor.  If you have enemies around you, it's your best interest to slow their growth as much as possible.  Plundering their resources can disrupt their building and recruitment queue and ultimately slow their growth.  This can also be used as a tactic to prevent a continental invasion by another alliance.
To starve troops inside a sieged castle.  When a castle is under siege, all the troops (including  support troops from other cities) consume food from the sieged city, not where they came from.  Some battles can involve millions of troops and consume 100k+ food/hr.  The castle under seige also cannot make request for resources.  So emptying out the food supply can starve out a lot of troops.
Example:  Here's an example of a plunder report.  This is one of my easy target that I plundered over and over again for resources.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Scouts

Scout Attacks

Scouting reveals the following information about a city or castle:
  • Amount and type of defending troops
  • Amount of goods that can be plundered, including goods that in building or recruiting queues.  Goods in hideout are not revealed.
  • Fortification information including type and level of walls, towers, and traps
  • Building information including type and level of all buildings

Purpose of scouting

Before you send an attack (plunder, siege, or assault) you want to send scouts to find out if you will have a successful attack or not.  Scouts are relatively cheap to recruit, and they don't engage in battle with other unit types.
  • You want to know the type of defending troops, depending what's in the castle you would know what to send. Look at the stats of each unit to see what their weaknesses are.  For example:
  • If the defending troops are rangers, then you would send knights to attack.  Knights cut through rangers like a hot knife through butter.
  • If the defending troops are guardians, you would send mages or warlocks
  • If the defending troops are templars, you would send beserkers
  • You want to know the TS of the defending castle/city.  You need more power to have a successful attack.
  • Walls and towers provide additional defenses, knowing what type of towers and/or traps are in the city can affect your outcome
  • Building types and levels are also important for the same reason.
After you gather all information, you can plug them into a combat calculator to determine battle outcome.

In a scouting attack, only scouts may participate.

  • If the defending city has no scouts, all information is revealed.
  • If all your attacking scouts die, no information is revealed. 
  • If any scouts survive, the amount and type of all defending troops are visible.  You won't know if the troops in the defending city are from that city or sent from another city.  The report will show as if all defending troops are from the defending city.  (In the defense report, supporting players and cities where the troops came from are also revealed)
  • If the number of surviving attacking scouts is higher than the number of surviving defending scouts the attacker will know the amount of goods that can be plundered.
  • If the number of surviving attacking scouts is twice that of the number of surviving defending scouts the amount and level of fortification is revealed
  • If surviving attacking scouts is four times the surviving defending scouts the amount and level of all buildings is revealed.

Super Scout

You can send scouts with your plundering, siege, or assault command and achieve the same results and if you send scouts alone.  If the defending city has no scout, you can send just 1 scout with your plunder, siege, or assault and acquire all information.

Pseudo Scout

If you have no scouts, you can send any type of unit to a castle or city in a plunder, siege or assault (sieges and assaults only apply to castles.)  If any troop survive, you will get the amount and type of all defending troops.  Sometimes, I would send a minimum TS of zerks to a city and castle and see what i get.

Example:  In this example, I gained information on units, resources, and defense structures, but failed to gain information on buildings.





Wednesday, July 3, 2013

General PvP Notes

General Notes

Strategies will only help you gain an edge if your opponent is about equal in military power.  If you have one castle and they have ten, chances are, you will loose.  You can look at the ranking list to see how many offensive/defensive TS other people have.  The names are not revealed, you can see where you stand on a continent.  Pick your target carefully.  As the saying goes: if you can't beat them, join them. :)

Time Commitment

Lord of Ultima requires a lot of time commitment, especially if you are going military or PvP.  Many of these strategies requires you to be online when the attack hits, so you can move troops around, send support, recall sieges, send reinforcements, etc...  If you don't have time to spend on the game, I would recommend not to play PvP.  You may also ask someone you trust to sub for you when you are away.

Join an alliance

It would be very difficult to fight by yourself.  Coordinated PvP is much more effective than being a lone ranger.  You will be fighting on a different level.  Join an alliance and get help from your peers, preferably the #1 or #2 alliance on your continent. Win or loose, it will be a lot more fun.

Ministers

To play PvP effectively, you must have ministers to schedule attacks, schedule defense, auto recruit, notify your alliance of incoming attacks, etc.  Sometimes, seconds are crucial in PvP.  You also don't want to stay up late to schedule an attacks that lands at 10 am.

More on ministers

Offense vs. Defense

  • Offensive Troop Types:  Scouts, Berserkers, Knights, Mages, Warlocks, Catapults, Rams, War Galleons
  • Defensive Troop Types: City Guards, Rangers, Crossbows, Guardians, Templars, Paladins, Ballistas, Sloops
  • Special Troop Types: Frigates (used to carry troops) and Barons (to conquer a castle)
For stats, see the post on Units

Should you recruit more offensive or defensive troop?  The answer is both.  But how many of each type depends on the type of player you are and the continent you're in.  If you are on a safe continent (a continent that is primarily dominated by your alliance without any non-allied castles,) you may want to recruit mostly offensive troops.  Offensive troops such as zerks and knights are also much better at raiding dungeons then their counterparts: rangers and xbows.

If you are on a hostile continent, you may want to recruit more defensive troops.  You will get attacked, since most alliance will want to eliminate threats and take the entire continent for themselves.  Offensive troops will drop like flies when attacked.  Their defensive stats are generally very low.

More about offensive and defensive strategies.

Military Builds

Refrain from building a rainbow castle!  A rainbow castle is one that has every single unit type in it.  You will get laughed at attacking with a rainbow army.  Imagine Bay to Breaker in San Francisco.  :)

Jokes aside, your focus should be on maximizing recruiting speed and barrack space.  There are a few exceptions.  For example:
  1. Very early stage of the game when you can't really afford to build an entire military castle. You may want to mix resources and military and castle it for a free title advancement.
  2. Self-fed castle.  This is a castle that has mixed food and military.  Generally only for people who play without ministers. 
  3. You may want to put a trinsic temple in an offensive castle to conquer a castle.
  4. Troops/Frigate castles.  For intercontinental purposes.
It's also recommended not to mix offensive and defensive troops in the same castle.  When you send an attack, it's much better to attack with one group of 100k TS, than ten groups with 10k TS each.  You cannot combine units from different castles for offense, but you can for defense.  Again, there are exceptions to the mixed troop rule, for example:
  1. Very early stage of the game, when you can't afford building an entire castle for offense and another for defense.  You need different types of troops for different purposes, but you only have one castle.  
  2. For raiding, some players like to mix beserkers and guardians because guardians can carry 1.5x loot than beserkers.

Attitudes

Keep in mind that this is only a game.  The person on the other side is a real human being.  Have fun and don't be a jerk.  If you have something to say, send them a polite message.  Hate mail gets reposed on alliance forum to get laughed at.  

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Units

PictureNameUnit TypeAttack TypeDescriptionResource CostRequirement
CityguardCity GuardInfantryNoneEnforcers of law and order, these stalwart fighters are trained to deal with any threat within a city’s walls.100 woodCity Guard House Level 1
BerserkerBerserkerInfantryInfantry AttackFearsome warriors driven by a thirst for blood and glory. It is said the war cry of the Berserker makes brave men weep and women swoon.150 ironTraining Ground Level 1
RangerRangerInfantryInfantry AttackSkilled bowmen whose keen eyes and deadly arrows rain misery on infantry units. A key element of any army and especially useful for defending Castles.160 woodTraining Ground Level 4
GuardianGuardianInfantryInfantry AttackDefensive soldiers trained to unhorse mounted units using their deadly pikes.140 iron 40 goldTraining Ground Level 10
ScoutScoutCavalryCavalry AttackSneaky, cunning and brave, Scouts provide commanders vital intelligence on enemy cities. Use larger groups of Scouts to obtain more detailed reports.40 iron 120 goldStable Level 1
CrossbowmanCrossbowmanCavalryCavalry AttackA ranged unit capable of wreaking havoc against enemy cavalry, Crossbowmen strike fear into the heart of almost any foe.150 wood 200 goldStable Level 5
KnightKnightCavalryCavalry AttackHeavily armed and armored, Knights excel at attacking enemy cities. Once victorious, they are capable looters, being able to carry a large amount of booty.250 iron 100 goldStable Level 10
MageMageCasterMagic AttackWielders of arcane might, a Mage’s spells are potent enough to trouble almost any warrior. Be sure to protect them from enemy reprisals, however.50 iron 150 goldMoonglow Tower Level 1
WarlockWarlockCasterMagic AttackThese mounted masters of magic spread terror and wonder in equal measure. While expensive to recruit, their devastating attacks can turn the tide of any conflict.100 iron 350 goldMoonglow Tower Level 7
TemplarTemplarBlessedInfantry AttackFamed for their sturdy shields and unshakeable code of honor, Templars are capable warriors even able to redirect magical attacks back at their enemies.90 iron 100 goldTrinsic Temple Level 1
PaladinPaladinBlessedCavalry AttackYou can recognize the holy banners of the paladins even from afar. Loyal to the end, they are capable of protecting whole armies against their magical arch-enemies.200 iron 160 goldTrinsic Temple Level 6
BaronBaronBlessedInfantry AttackWhilst sieging an enemy city, a Baron must be present for the Claim of Power to progress and to successfully conquer the city. They are also vital when founding a new city.50,000 iron 100,000 goldTrinsic Temple Level 10 & Title
RamRamArtilleryArtillery AttackHeavy, slow and powerful, no city gate can withstand a Ram’s brute force for long.500 wood 300 ironWorkshop Level 1
BallistaBallistaArtilleryArtillery AttackBallistae are powerful weapons against any unit that tries to besiege the city. Also devastating when used in the battlefield against enemy units.400 wood 600 ironWorkshop Level 6
CatapultCatapultArtilleryArtillery AttackPotent offensive weapons best used to besiege enemy cities.300 wood 200 iron 600 stoneWorkshop Level 10
SloopSloopShipArtillery AttackSmall but potent ship armed with powerful defensive artillery. Used to escort larger ships on forays against enemy coastal cities.6,000 wood 4,000 iron 2,000 goldShipyard Level 1
FrigateFrigateShipArtillery AttackAllows troop transport by sea. Its artillery, while not the largest ever seen, can deal additional damage during an assault or siege.15,000 wood 5,000 iron 5,000 goldShipyard Level 6
War GalleonWar GalleonShipArtillery AttackThe mightiest ship to sail the seas. Imposing, beautiful and oddly graceful, these vessels are a danger to any enemy. They are especially effective against buildings and defensive structures.30,000 wood 10,000 iron 20,000 goldShipyard Level 10

PLAYER UNITS´ STATS

NameAttackArtillery Damage (Type)Def InfDef CavDef MageDef ArtTroop SlotsFood Usage per DayProd Speed (in sec)Walk Speed min/FieldBurdenUnit Transport CapacityAttack /SpaceDef Inf /SpaceDef Cav /SpaceDef Mage /SpaceDef Art /SpaceFood /Day /Space
Cityguard10-101010100250---N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Berserker50-15121015162002010-50151210156
Ranger30-40102515132502010-30401025153
Guardian10-30502015133002020-10305020153
Scout10-10101010253008--55555
Crossbowman40-409030402106001015-20204515205
Knight90-403020402255001015-452015102012½
Mage70-1510301515600205-70151030155
Warlock120-3020504022013001010-601510252010
Templar25-20305015133502010-25203050153
Paladin60-502090402157001020-3025104520
Baron10-10050201011006000040--10100502010100
Ram50250 (Def Structure)202020501050250030--522255
Ballista50-2001002004001025350030--520102040
Catapult150250 (Buildings)100100200501050400030--1510102055
Sloop1200-450045002000600010030025,00051500-12454520603
Frigate3000-400040002000200010050040,0005100050030404020205
War Galleon120004000 (Def Structure) 4000 (Buildings)5000500025006000400250080,00053000-3012½12½15

DUNGEON MONSTERS´ STATS

IconNameDungeon TypeAttackDef InfDef CavDef MageDef ArtHeadsLootWalk Speed min/Field
SkeletonSkeletonHill501616101612510
GhoulGhoulHill753030153013310
GargoyleGargoyleHill20080804080413520
DaemonDaemonHill5002002001002001034020
OrcOrcMountain601222222213010
TroglodyteTroglodyteMountain901633333314010
EttinEttinMountain18037757575312020
MinotaurMinotaurMountain40075150150150625020
Giant SpiderGiant SpiderForest55166161612510
ThiefThiefForest802814282813310
CentaurCentaurForest1104020404027020
TrollTrollForest45016080160160829020
Pirate DhowPirate DhowSea1506060603037520
Pirate SloopPirate SloopSea5002002002001001025020
Pirate FrigatePirate FrigateSea12505005005002502565030
Pirate War GalleonPirate War GalleonSea250010001000100050050140030

EPIC CREATURE STATS

MOLOCH

MolochPowerful and cunning, Molochs range Caledonia’s many hills, eager to lock horns with even the mightiest of foe.
LevelCreature TypeAttackDef InfDef CavDef MageDef ArtHeadsLootWalk Speed min/Field
1Hill25006256254206252050020
2Hill15,000375037502500375020300020
3Hill100,00025,00025,00017,00025,0002020,00020
4Hill200,00050,00050,00033,00050,0002040,00020
5Hill500,000125,000125,00083,000125,00020100,00020
6Hill750,000187,500187,500125,000187,50020150,00020
7Hill1,000,000250,000250,000170,000250,00020200,00020
8Hill1,500,000375,000375,000250,000375,00020300,00020
9Hill2,250,000562,500562,500375,000562,50020450,00020
10Hill3,000,000750,000750,000500,000750,00020600,00020

HYDRA

HydraMany-headed monstrosities who roam Caledonia’s mountains, eager to feed on any unfortunate enough to cross their path.
LevelCreature TypeAttackDef InfDef CavDef MageDef ArtHeadsLootWalk Speed min/Field
1Mountain25004206256256252050020
2Mountain15,000250037503750375020300020
3Mountain100,00017,00025,0002500025,0002020,00020
4Mountain200,00033,00050,00050,00050,0002040,00020
5Mountain500,00083,000125,000125,000125,00020100,00020
6Mountain750,000125,000187,500187,500187,50020150,00020
7Mountain1,000,000170,000250,000250,000250,00020200,00020
8Mountain1,500,000250,000375,000375,000375,00020300,00020
9Mountain2,250,000375,000562,500562,500562,50020450,00020
10Mountain3,000,000500,000750,000750,000750,00020600,00020

DRAGON

DragonPowerful, dangerous and highly intelligent, Dragons command respect from all but the most foolhardy.
LevelCreature TypeAttackDef InfDef CavDef MageDef ArtHeadsLootWalk Speed min/Field
1Forest25006254206256252050020
2Forest15,000375025003750375020300020
3Forest100,00025,00017,00025,00025,0002036,00020
4Forest200,00050,00033,00050,00050,0002040,00020
5Forest500,000125,00083,000125,000125,00020100,00020
6Forest750,000187,500125,000187,500187,50020150,00020
7Forest1,000,000250,000170,000250,000250,00020200,00020
8Forest1,500,000375,000250,000375,000375,00020300,00020
9Forest2,250,000562,500375,000562,500562,50020450,00020
10Forest3,000,000750,000500,000750,000750,00020600,00020

OCTOPUS

OctopusVicious titans of the seas, these most mighty creatures are thought by sailors to be fallen gods, doomed to roam the ocean.
LevelCreature TypeAttackDef InfDef CavDef MageDef ArtHeadsLootWalk Speed min/Field
1Sea2500625625625420205000
2Sea15,00037503750375025002030000
3Sea100,00025,00025,00025,00017,0002020,0000
4Sea200,00050,00050,00050,00033,0002040,0000
5Sea500,000125,000125,000125,00083,00020100,0000
6Sea750,000187,500187,500187,500125,00020150,0000
7Sea1,000,000250,000250,000250,000170,00020200,0000
8Sea1,500,000375,000375,000375,000250,00020300,0000
9Sea2,250,000562,500562,500562,500375,00020450,0000
10Sea3,000,000750,000750,000750,000500,00020600,0000