How to play Drakes

[silent]

With drakes, you always attack first. That's the point of the whole race.

I would not say that at all, except in the case of undead

I'd much rather have their units attack me first from flat terrain, where they are easy prey for the brute force that is drakes

[Tonepoet]

It has been touched upon but I feel it necessary to say that Loyalists are far less threatening to Drakes in more recent times, considering that Saurians got HP and pierce resistance buffs. Before the match very much hinged on the Drake player's ability to mobilize and pick fights wisely or risk losing far more than they gained against a pincushion style of play.

Now Drakes far less effected by pierce as they once were, considering that Saurians got a considerable bolster against pierce damage in the form of resistance and H.P. buffs. This requires loyalist players to keep a couple of mages, fencers or cavalrymen always handy in order to cope with them. This allows the Drake player to play against Loyalists with a more traditional resistance covering methodology.

Since those three units are all readily disposable in the hands of a Clasher for differing reasons, my recommended Drakes vs. Loyalist strategy is to use a clasher/saurian army. Preferably you'll reserve your Clashers for blocking at the front, as with their high raw HP level, first strike, 50% fire resistance, 20% blade resistance, comparatively decent 0% pierce resistance and lawful alignment, there aren't very many instances where they're an inappropriate tank against loyalist units. At night, you'll want to rip loose at the opponent with the appropriate Saurian, preferably taking out Mages with skirmishers first to disproportion the opponent's army so you can spam more Saurians.

Your goal by doing this can be one of the either two following options:

• [1]Pick off most or all anti-saurian damage types, so that your opponent is stuck with an ineffectual pierce based army; or
  [2] Force your opponent to recruit almost exclusively anti-saurian units, allowing you to transition into more traditional mobility based drake play methods mentioned earlier, using mostly Fighters and Burners. These will be all the more effective against hp starved Mages and blade weak Fencers than they ever were against Spearmen.

Any attempt at compromise between the two by the Loyalist player, should allow you to continue your initial strategy, allowing you to effectively rotate between Saurians and Clashers as dictated by the day/night cycle and damage types on the front.

Now as far as recruiting proportions go, I'm not too sure, as I've only had minimal experience with this technique. I'm guessing you'll want Augurs>Clashers>Skirmishers to keep even ranged:melee and chaotic:lawful ratios. However, Augurs>Skirmishers>Clashers may have some merits too, insofar as hitting harder at night and natural pricing scale goes.
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Moving on, as far as basic drake strategy goes, I'd say that having the first attack is preferable. Playing Drakes is usually about finessing your mobility in such a way that your attack is overpoweringly strong without needing to defend much. This maximizes your strength to minimize your flaws. You can often times progress forward with little risk with fronting units by backing them with a strong retaliatory force. Since drakes fly, you'll out-mobilize most other factions, you're the one most able to choose the terms in which you will fight, so take advantage of this if possible. However, it's not absolutely vital that you get the first attack: Clashers can survive quite a bit of a beating and as with most other factions, if not even more-so due to their mobility and attack power, it's very possible for Drakes to bait their opponent into losing more than they gain with their attack. When baiting keep in mind that they are expensive than most other units, so 1-1 losses don't normally cut it.

As a general guideline, I suggest thinking of Drakes like playing as a hurricane or tornado. The areas surrounding them can be extremely dangerous and destruction prone but the drakes themselves are fragile, making their attack zone sort of like the eye of the storm.

Also, one last note: When you finally do decide to attack, attack to kill so your opponent has fewer attacks to retaliate with. Basic concept really, so that your opponent has less attacks but it's especially important here, considering that Drakes have such generally vulnerable statistics.

[Yogibear]

Since drakes fly, you'll out-mobilize most other factions, you're the one most able to choose the terms in which you will fight, so take advantage of this if possible.

Well, for the combination you suggested (Clashers, augurs, skirmishers), this is not quite true .

Except from that, i agree with you.

[Caphriel]

Even clashers and saurians are more mobile than most units. Saurians have 6 MP, and both of them have a good move-type. Clashers move 1 over any common land terrain but forest, which costs 2, and Saurians cost 2 for mountains and forest, but 1 for swamp, hills, cave, and mushroom grove. Compare to any non-mounted human unit (generally 5 MP, 3 in mountains, 2 in anything else non-flat), orcs (5MP, 1 in hills, 2 in other non-flat), elves (5 or 6 MP, 1 in forest or flat, 3 in mountains and cave, 2 elsewhere), undead (5 MP, human-like move costs), and dwarves (4MP but good move-type). The clashers and saurians have either better movetype over most terrain, or more MP. Against the loyalists, they'll easily outrun anything but mounted troops or fencers, and skirmishers and clashers both have pointy weapons to make those mounted troops regret chasing them.

[Yoyobuae]

[...] Preferably you'll reserve your Clashers for blocking at the front, as with their high raw HP level, first strike, 50% fire resistance, 20% blade resistance, comparatively decent 0% pierce resistance and lawful alignment, there aren't very many instances where they're an inappropriate tank against loyalist units.[...]

Uhmm, what about archers? They'll take free shots at clashers without retaliation.

• [2] Force your opponent to recruit almost exclusively anti-saurian units, allowing you to transition into more traditional mobility based drake play methods mentioned earlier, using mostly Fighters and Burners. These will be all the more effective against hp starved Mages and blade weak Fencers than they ever were against Spearmen.

If clashers are blocking at the front, do you think the opponent will recruit mages and fencers at all? Perhaps only a few fencers if there are too many augurs.

Now as far as recruiting proportions go, I'm not too sure, as I've only had minimal experience with this technique. I'm guessing you'll want Augurs>Clashers>Skirmishers to keep even ranged:melee and chaotic:lawful ratios. However, Augurs>Skirmishers>Clashers may have some merits too, insofar as hitting harder at night and natural pricing scale goes.

I've been using saurians a lot. I'm still learning, but I find that too many augurs makes your army a bit too fragile. As long as augurs can be protected at all times, it is ok.

However, it's not absolutely vital that you get the first attack: Clashers can survive quite a bit of a beating and as with most other factions, if not even more-so due to their mobility and attack power, it's very possible for Drakes to bait their opponent into losing more than they gain with their attack. When baiting keep in mind that they are expensive than most other units, so 1-1 losses don't normally cut it.

Why bait with the second most expensive unit available to drakes? Yeah, it will probably survive, but a nearly dead clasher will take what, 4-5 turns to heal back to full health.

Clashers do have their use, their blade/impact defense is very nice. But against pierce (specially ranged/pierce) they're just too expensive to be absorving damage like that.

[Caphriel]

Better a wounded clasher spending 4-5 turns healing than a dead augur or skirmisher that is gone forever.

[Yoyobuae]

Ok, you're right. Clashers are THE unit to block the front and absorb the attacks from any enemies. They survive and that is what counts, right?

[Caphriel]

Yes. You shouldn't be letting the loyalists attack you at dawn or morning, anyway. Afternoon is a maybe, depending on the situation and turn order. It's okay if your clashers take heavy damage as night is falling, if they don't die and the enemy is then stuck fighting your saurians and any unwounded drakes at night. A mage can kill a full-health saurian during the day. It will take at least two units to kill a clasher during the day. Two bowmen can't kill one, and three would need to have over average luck, if the clasher isn't quick (it takes 7 bowman hits at day to kill a non-quick clasher), so the loyalist will have to use spearmen on the clashers and face heavy return damage, and the prospect of getting finished off by saurians in retaliation.

[Yoyobuae]

Yes, of course. And the loyalist will only be able to attack with 3 units at most, right?

[Yogibear]

Yes, of course. And the loyalist will only be able to attack with 3 units at most, right?

Really, Yoyobuae, there is no need to get sarcastic, as Caphriel surely has a point.

As you well now, it won't be like a lonely clasher is standing there waiting for the attack to be surrounded by enemies. We are talking about frontlines, that allow for a maximum of 3 attackers to go for one defender unit. If the frontline is well, on most places it will be even two units.

Also, as Caphriel pointed out, you won't be awaiting the attack in the morning, you will retreat unless it is afternoon or dusk. That way, if Loys dare to attack, they take a serious risk to be torn into a fight at the wrong time of day. Moreover, a fight that they can't escape from, as saurians (and to a certain extent clashers as well) are faster than Loys main units. And as we all know, that is pretty desastrous.

[Yoyobuae]

Nah, I was hinting that a fencer could be a fourth attacker. But maybe that won't work, I don't play loyalists.

I have much to learn. I strongly dislike having any drakes too exposed. The few times I'm forced to put a drake in front leads to either him getting killed, or badly wounded. Either way I have one less unit (and a rather expensive one at that) available for a counter attack.

I prefer to take my chances with skirmishers in front. There is the potential for it to die, but there is the same potential for it to survive, which leaves me better off than having put a drake in there instead. If chances play against me, then I guess I lose the game. If they play in favor, then maybe I can win.

Heh, I think I'm just a bit desperate for a little help from the RNG. If it turns out that a skirmisher being attacked from 3x hexes survives, then I gain a little advantage there. Meanwhile a clasher will almost positively get hurt badly, which at best leaves me even with the enemy.

Yep, that is more or less how I play. Wait for the enemy to attack skirmishers, pray for miracle that they survive, then use my full health drakes for a good counter attack. Then I probably again use another skirmisher to protect drakes and repeat.

[Caphriel]

You're right, a fencer could be a fourth attacker in some lines, which would increase the chance to kill. Of course, he might also get clobbered.

If your strategy depends on you getting exceptionally good luck, it's probably not a good strategy. Two mages are almost guaranteed to kill a skirmisher during the day, or at twilight. Spearman attacking skirmishers at day may do reduced damage, but they won't take a lot, either. Fencers do well against skirmishers. If they kill your skirmishers and present a front line of spearmen, now you're in the situation of not having a good way to attack.

[Yoyobuae]

Yes, you're probably right. It is a bad strategy.

[5dPZ]

If your strategy depends on you getting exceptionally good luck, it's probably not a good strategy. Two mages are almost guaranteed to kill a skirmisher during the day, or at twilight. Spearman attacking skirmishers at day may do reduced damage, but they won't take a lot, either. Fencers do well against skirmishers. If they kill your skirmishers and present a front line of spearmen, now you're in the situation of not having a good way to attack.

I think if the drake player put a skimisher in front of line within reach of 2 mages, during day, without a mass counter-strike (that could take out a spearman out) ready, then he would lose this match up anyway

[Thrawn]

Just a comment that may be too late in coming, but someone asked how to counter people on good terrain w/ drakes, and I just wanna paraphrase advice given to me in the past: "If they won't get off their good terrain, just go around them." You are the drakes after all, and good at doing that.