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| Thread: ICTC VII: The Coliseum | |
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Vindicator
Supreme Hero
Right Back Extraordinaire
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posted February 02, 2013 09:06 PM |
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ICTC VII: The Coliseum
The Coliseum
Faction Name: Coliseum
Also Known As: Rome, Byzantium
Symbols: The Eagle Standard, The Hourglass
Colors: Gold, Red
Motto: Loyalty Binds Us
Main Race: Human
Country:
-Capital: Prateroia
-Terrain: Desert
Values: Honor, Loyalty, Courage
Architecture: Rome uses chiefly stone as its building material, occasionally implementing wood as well. Aqueducts are the primary ways to carry water around the country; there is not too much of it in the north, and these aqueducts stretch for miles. In addition, coliseums are very common in Rome, to the point where every minor city or large town has one. The grandest of them all is in the capital, Prateroia; it is the largest arena ever built in the history of Ashan. Taking up half the city, it is a momentous symbol of Byzantium’s power and pride in itself.
Faction Location: Map
Music:
Town Music
Adventure Map Music
Battle Music
Faction Relations:
Academy: (Enemies)-Landing on the wizards’ land and taking over it was insult enough, but expanding territory and fighting against the soldiers from the Silver Cities was equivalent to an open declaration of war. For years now skirmishes have been fought between the two sides, with seemingly no end in sight. One small factor in favor of the Romans is their constant campaigns against Heresh, which is all that prevents outright war with the wizards.
Haven: (Half-And-Half)-Originally, the leader of the Coliseum was an exile from the Empire, having committed arguably the greatest crime of them all; treating with demons. However, since then, Rome has helped Haven in numerous campaigns against Heresh, as well as all but eradicating piracy from the western coast. This has led to a good deal of confusion and arguments among the humans.
Sylvan: (Neutral)-While the leader of the Coliseum treated with demons, the elves wanted no part with the Romans; but now that he is dead and those values have been abandoned, the Elves could care less. They have a trading relationship with their southern partners, but have not enacted on it for quite a while, not wanting to irritate the Seven Cities.
Dungeon: (Allies)-After seeing that Rome and Irollan had a tense relationship, the dark elves ventured forth to try to win them to their cause. At the time fearing invasion, the Coliseum was more than happy to establish a minotaur slave trade for extra soldiers. Additionally, the deserts of the south were infested with Gorgons, which the dark elves had all but expelled from their land many centuries ago; they helped the Coliseum defeat them and turn them into soldiers.
Fortress: (Neutral)-The dwarves have not seen much of the southern soldiers, and have no care for them. Though some do call out for their heads for aiding the dark elves, most reason that Dungeon is giving the Coliseum troops, which can only be helpful to the dwarves’ cause. They do not trade, as there is too much hostile land between the two nations.
Stronghold: (Enemies)-Desiring allies in the east, in fear of being isolated, the leading strategists of Rome had decided that allying with Sanctuary was more beneficial than befriending the orcs. And so, Coliseum has helped the Naga in many campaigns against Stronghold, and, in doing so, have earned themselves both an ally and an enemy.
Inferno: (Enemies)-Demons are Rome have a long, unhealthy history. The founder of Rome was originally expelled from the Holy Falcon Empire for consorting with demons; while he had done this, he abandoned his ways when he founded the Coliseum, and that seemed to be that. However, several decades later, his ancestors decided to summon demons again. Their binding spells were poor, and demons broke out into Prateroia; so many nobles and leaders died that the wizards were emboldened enough to declare war on Rome. Ever since then, Coliseum is bitter enemies with Inferno.
Sanctuary: (Allies)-In response to the Coliseum’s aid on the war front with the Orcs, the Nagas have tried to appease the wizards and established a healthy trading relationship, leading to a burst of economic growth in the entire south. Both sides are quite happy with this arrangement.
Necropolis: (Enemies)-The Coliseum has sent many campaigns into Heresh, with mixed results; from the glorious triumph of the First Crusade (in which the Silver Cities took part in) to the relatively dull affair of the Second Crusade. The Necromancers have never ventured onto the lands of Rome, as the mages and the humans provide handy buffer zone.
Society: There is no over-arching theme in the Coliseum’s society, although things like honor and loyalty are valued in families. Children are raised strictly, although not necessarily harshly; Rome is quite the proponent of the “harsh but fair” policy. They start learning and working at a relatively young age, doing small jobs around the house starting at around the age of seven and progressing fairly quickly from there. Despite many other nations having slaves, the Romans have elected not to do so; instead, there is a sort of caste system. At the bottom are the simple laborers; farmers, workers, so on and so forth. Do understand that despite them being at the bottom, that doesn’t mean they are treated poorly. There is no great poverty, or starvation in the cities; almost everyone has a roof over their heads. Next up are the priests, prophets, etc. The only reason they are so low is because Byzantium does not follow a religion of its own; holy men are respected, but there is no official religion and the people are free to practice what they want. As such, there is no great emphasis on religion in the Coliseum’s culture.
After the priests come the merchants, traders, and so on. By this it is typically meant the ones who journey at the head of caravans and run companies; those who do the day to day work, and sell things on the street are typically in the lowest laborer caste. Then come the soldiers; Rome is always at war, and as such most of the troops rarely come home; when they do, feasts are thrown in their honor, as the entire country realizes its existence depends on the military. This policy also helps with desertion; why leave if you are well fed and loved by the people? Last, but certainly not least are the politicians, the lords and ladies. They oversee everyday life in Rome, make things go round, plan all the executive decisions. The caste you are in is hereditary; however, you can move up if you are sufficiently skilled or talented, all the way until the lords and ladies. To ascend to their ranks requires nothing less than approval from the Patriarch, the leader of Rome himself.
The army, due to its large size, is a society of its own; however, it is much harsher than the regular one. You can go up a rank one day and be dropped two the next, as there is always competition for even the lowest position. Each type of unit has its own type of officiating; obviously the more bestial units don’t really have a situation like so, but even the Hellhounds have pack leaders; though nobody is sure, it is believed Chimeras have a caste system more complex than that of the humans. But honestly? Who cares? They do their job, doesn’t matter how they treat each other socially. Right?
Racial Ability:
Gladiation
Always famed for their arenas, Romans have taken great pride in the bloodbaths they have for entertainment, to such an extent that they even named their nation after it. Even an experienced soldier can learn things in the arena, new tricks to use on the battlefield, new skills in combat… Generals regularly require their soldiers to train in the arena when they are not at war; although some do die, the majority come out more experienced and deadly as a result of it.
Level One Gladiation: You can increase any stat by one of any Coliseum Core unit permanently, for the cost of 5% of the stack and some gold. You are able to do this two times a week. The gold count is based on how much you increase the stats and how many units you have.
Level Two Gladiation: You can increase any stat by two of any Coliseum Core unit permanently, for the cost of 5% of the stack and some gold. You are able to do this two times a week. The gold count is based on how much you increase the stats and how many units you have.
Level Three Gladiation: You can increase any stat by three of any Coliseum Core unit permanently, for the cost of 5% of the stack and some gold. You are able to do this three times a week. The gold count is based on how much you increase the stats and how many units you have.
Level Four Gladiation: You can increase any stat by four of any Coliseum Core unit permanently, for the
the cost of 5% of the stack and some gold. You are able to do this four times a week. The gold count is based on how much you increase the stats and how many units you have.
Unique Buildings:
-Arena: A Roman city is not truly one until you have built an arena; the people cannot get their entertainment, the gladiators cannot make a living, and your city will be dead and lifeless. In addition, once you do build an Arena, your soldiers will have somewhere to train when they are not fighting and will be able to hone their skills.
(Necessary for the racial ability)
-Coliseum: Arenas, although wonderful, do not attract nearly the same attention as a Coliseum. Twice as large, there are only a few in the country, and building one in your city will surely cause heads to turn. Crowds flock to it, better warriors come to fight, there is no real downside. Oh, sure you have to pay to build it, but that doesn’t matter, right?
(Upgrade of the Arena. Gives a discount on the gold cost for the racial ability and gives 250 gold a day)
-Aqueduct: An architectural design created by the founder of the Coliseum himself, nobody was sure what it was for for quite some time, as he had not bothered to explain before his demise. Finally, quite a long time later, an engineer figured out that these things were built to carry water more efficiently; they began sprouting up around the countryside, and as a result the economy of those cities improved, them being able to get water and resources so much faster.
(Provides +2 of a random resource and +500 gold every week)
-Paved Roads: Early leaders of the Coliseum realized the importance of a good, healthy infrastructure, and began a huge building project spanning the entire nation. Roads were paved and cut out, providing clear, safe paths, all of them leading to Prateroia, the capital of the nation. Towns and villages sprung up near these roads, anxious to do business with travelers who were now that much more eager to traverse the countryside and as a result everyone’s life in Byzantium has improved.
(Increases movement speed of all your heroes within your territory and gives you with 250 gold a day)
-Hellhound Kennels: Although not the most mighty of creatures, Hellhounds are very ferocious in big numbers and as Coliseum commanders have realized this, they build kennels inside their own cities, ignoring the risks in an attempt to augment their army. And for the most part, it is effective. Hellhounds are very well trained and will not harm anyone in the cities, meekly listening to their master. Cerberi, however, are a completely different story.
(Increases Hellhound growth by one. Does not increase Cerberi growth)
Heroes:
Cobalt: Born and bred deep in dark elven mines, Cobalt was raised in a life of hardship, war, and misery. From the very start of his life he had it rough; both parents dead, drafted into the army at a young age, it did not look like he would amount to anything. He spend the first forty years of his life down there, killing monsters down in the deep, protecting the miners. Cobalt was one of the first to be sent to Rome; most minotaurs were nervous there and felt uncomfortable. The minotaur, however, flourished in the desert sun, quickly rising up in the ranks through both prowess in combat and a keen, quick-thinking tactical mind. In the process, he became a leader and an example for his fellow brethren, and before long they all pledged themselves to his banner and fight with the twice the ferocity when he is the one who leads them.
(Increases Minotaur and Savage Minotaur attack +1 for every other level the hero gains, and increases morale +2 for every five levels)
Anna: A rich, aristocratic young lady with a kind manner, charm, and grace, everyone expected her to become another contributor to the court, to sit and drink tea with the other ladies all her days. Sure, she had an odd fascination with snakes, but everyone has their quirks. So when she announced, upon coming of age, that she would be exiling herself to live with the Medusas, there were no words as to how shocked everyone was. Only a few people had ever tried to live with the Medusas, and they could not survive the rigor of the training and returned a few months later, never speaking a word of their journey. And they were all males! But Anna’s father was a very liberal man, and her mother had descended far too deep into alcoholism to care, so off she went. When she was not heard from, over two years later, even her optimistic father believed the worst had happened; so when she returned to Prateroia, leading a host of the beasts, everyone’s surprise was beyond limit. No one was sure what she endured during her time with the Medusas, but she emerged stronger, more capable, and a powerful force to be reckoned with. She may just be the only human Medusas truly respect, certainly the only Roman.
(Increases Medusa and Gorgon defense +1 for every other level she gains, and provides +1 Mercury a day due to a good relationship with Medusas, who have mercury mines all over their territory)
Thror: One of the few people already living in the south of the desert when the Coliseum arrived, he was a nomad, and had learned to live off the land. In exchange for Rome accepting him into their society, he showed them how to survive in this harsh land. Thror is a distant ancestor of this man; dark, mysterious, he talks little and prefers to get the job done. His warriors always seem better fed, better prepared, and he knows secrets and shortcuts nobody else does, allowing him to appear at places he should not be able to reach in so little time. He rarely shows up to court, staying with his soldiers and constantly training them, preparing them for the next engagement. Though not loved by many, his soldiers would gladly die for him and he has won the faith of every one of them through his brilliant leadership by example. An amazing swordsman, not even a Gorgon can go toe-to-toe with him, and his swordsmanship is renowned throughout Ashan. He prefers, however, to outsmart his opponents, typically through a war of heavy attrition in a brutal landscape.
(This hero receives 50% more resources on all the resources he picks up, has his movement speed on rough terrain reduced by 75%, and has more movement points than normal heroes)
Alexia: Her art for spell-crafting was noticed at her very birth by a passing ambassador from the Silver Cities; on retrospect, perhaps it would have for him not to say anything. For extremely large fees and a long peace treaty, Academy agreed to tutor Alexia. She was bright, hard-working, and extremely talented; perhaps not the very best, not as good as those who had magic running through their blood for generations, and yet she competed with them. Her magic was more primitive, survival based, and the elegant mages of the Silver Cities did not like it. They taught her what they could, and then she left. Just twenty-four hours after she arrived, she endured possibly the most difficult introduction to real life any would have; the Romans instantly broke the treaty and went to war, hoping her magic was enough to overwhelm the mages of the Silver Cities. Obviously, it wasn’t, and with the help of the disapproving nations of the humans and elves, this proved one of the shortest wars in Ashan’s history. However, both she and Rome rebounded from this defeat, and when next she fought in battle (against the much more magically-limited orcs) she wreaked havoc, and has not turned back since. Now with one of the most impressive pedigrees in a battle-mage’s history, her experience allows her to cast spells of incredible power that destroy the opponent with a frightening ease.
(Automatically granted the empowered version of a spell when learning the regular one, and the empowered one costs the same amount of mana as the regular.)
Chiron: Liar. Traitor. Destroyer. Oathbreaker. Each lie, each insult burned the Archmage with more agony, each petty falsehood tormented him more than anything he had endured before. And for what? Nothing more than a greedy, power-grabbing move by one of the many scheming wizards in the politically landmined Silver Cities. But one does not simply get rid of an Archmage. The Golems’ magical immunity did not protect them against one of the most powerful wizards Ashan had ever seen, nor did the Rashkasas ‘ blinding speed. Where did he flee? To the biggest enemy of the Silver Cities (besides the Necromancers, but Chiron would never join them), the Romans. They accepted the most powerful wizard in the world at the time with open arms, and ever since he has been a monster on the battlefield, making Alexia look weak in comparison. No wizard in the Silver Cities can stand against his might, and he has been the difference in battle after battle after battle.
(Starts with the spell Fireball, does three times as much damage with said spell, two times the damage with everything else. Additionally, can learn any spell irrespective of its school or level.)
History:
758 YSD-Where It All Began
In Short: General Rolan, given such honors over his years of service as the Badge of the Falcon, the Medal of Valor, and dozens more, is found to be consorting with demons. After a difficult night of negotiation, as the Inquisitors wanted him burnt on a stake while his friends wanted him to live on, it was reluctantly agreed that he was to be banished. Given three ships with all the men still loyal to him, supplies, and three days to get out of the waters ruled by the humans, he was damned to hell and his reputation irreparably damaged. All of his honors were stripped away.
760 YSD-The Founding
In Short: After sailing for several years, visiting Irollan and the Dragonmist Archipelago, Rolan decided to start his own kingdom in the south, in deserts that were at the time uninhabited. Although legally the property of the Silver Cities, no one had cared to actually claim the land and as such the outcast felt allowed to establish his kingdom there. The spot where he landed is prime for a settlement, and he calls his new city… Prateroia.
850 YSD-Expansion
In Short: The kingdom has slowly but steadily expanded over the years, recruiting the few local villagers here, establishing contact with the Nagas to begin a trading partnership, and generally expanding. Now ruled by General Rolan’s son, he dubs the new kingdom “Byzantium”, “Rome” for short, inspired by nothing in particular save for the sound of the name. The first Coliseum is built in the capital, and by it came the other name for the country.
867 YSD-First Contact With Dungeon
In Short: Unlike the Nagas, who the Romans needed to seek out by themselves, the Dark Elves came to Rome, offering minotaur slaves in exchange for gold. Only just now noticed by the Silver Cities, skirmishes had already began on the northern border of Byzantium, and General Rolan’s son felt extra reinforcement’s would be more than useful. Rome has continued expanding, the territory it holds becoming larger and larger thanks to the support from the Nagas.
869 YSD-Medusas
In Short: Exploring an underground temple to the southeast,, a war party of Romans encountered a Medusa; the beast killed off several of them and escaped into the darkness. Only half a year later, over three fourths of the Romans soldiers were in the mines, fighting the Medusa and Gorgon population. The Minotaurs from the dark elves were a huge help, as were the first Hellhounds, bred on an island offshore, but the task was still huge.
871 YSD-Trouble
In Short: The past few years had not been going well for Rome. The war with the Medusas was no better than it had been two years ago, as neither side could gain a clear advantage, and neither side wished to end the bloodshed. To the north, the Silver Cities were making steady headway in the north, overwhelming the Romans with superior numbers, magic, and a steady stream of supplies from their allies in the humans and elves, neither of whom wished to actually engage in war but were more than happy to help.
872 YSD-Luck Has It
In Short: Several key discoveries were made by desperate Roman search parties in search of an answer to their plight. Manticores were found, and trained rather desperately quickly, and the first Cerberi were trained as well. The Manticores succeeded in scoring a major victory against the wizards, slaughtering a predominately Golem mixed with Rashkasa army, which was not expecting support from the air at all. The Cerberi, meanwhile, were let loose in the underground, and slaughtered Medusas and Gorgons by the dozen. Though eventually killed, the damage was huge. A strike party had killed one of the most powerful magic users for the Medusas, a human sorceress who had allegedly come from the Silver Cities. Led by the son of the famous General Rolan (who died in the process) their efforts and the Cerberi were enough for the Medusas to begin negotiating for peace.
873 YSD-The Turning Point
In Short: The negotiations took a year to sort out, a stressful year as the Romans had to delicately balance their forces in the north to repel the Silver Cities, and their forces with the Medusas to keep them suitably intimidated. There were a few slip-ups, but no costly ones, and the result was good. The negotiating was surprisingly effective, and the Medusas went from being at war with the Romans to agreeing to fight for them, a change that was very pleasing. Their armies, damaged as they were, were still enough to force the surprised Wizards back for the first time in four years.
875 YSD-The Enemy of My Enemy
In Short: With the help of a suddenly intimidating army, the Romans succeeded in forcing negotiations with the Silver Cities. They agreed not only to peace, but to aid the Wizards in the upcoming war they planned with the Necromancers. In part they felt they could do this thanks to recent technological developments; the design for the aqueduct (which was originally invented by General Rolan) was finally figured out, a formula for a metal light enough to properly equip the Lance Corps, and the discovery and subsequent training of Savage Minotaurs, who were a huge boost to the Roman Army.
876 YSD-The First Crusade
In Short: The Necromancers had warred with the Silver Cities their entire existence, in fact, as recently as fifty years prior to this. Unlike what most historians think, the Necromancers were not wiped out and a large part of both their army and their kingdom still remained intact. However, after this war, the story might have been different. Led by the valiant King Articus, nephew to the recently deceased son of General Rolan, the Romans pounded the Necromancers completely and utterly, their tactical brilliance coupled with savage bestiary leaving no match for the black magic of the Necromancers. A brilliant, brilliant victory for Rome, who appeased many they were once enemies with and made no new enemies save for the Necromancers, but the undead were utterly shattered.
885 YSD-Prosperity, Prosperity, But…
In Short: Life for Rome has been wonderful ever since the victory against the Necromancers. The Wizards have gone from warring with them to even accepting the first magic user from the Coliseum to learn in its schools, the humans and elves have started trading with them… Everything seems good. Campaigns have been launched in the east against the orcs to strengthen the relationship with both the Nagas and the humans, troops are massing for another campaign to Heresh, and this empire will surely last for centuries. Won’t it?
886 YSD-A Drastic Decision
In Short: The pupil sent to the mages to learn magic, Alexia, returns, and is immediately thrust into the heart of a ridiculously foolish offensive by the Roman authorities. Deciding that sacking the Silver Cities would be a perfect move to gain still more power on the world stage, the armies march, brimming with confidence. Not only do they have a mage now, they also have received reports of successful battle after successful battle in the east against the orcs, and the victoriously returning troops will join into the campaign against the mages and will be heaped in glory.
887 YSD-That Was Not A Good Idea
In Short: One of the shortest war in Ashan’s history, the mages, aided by both the humans and the elves, absolutely rip apart the Roman armies, handing them their first major defeat since their creation. Pushed all the way to their capital, the leading council (Rome had transitioned from a monarchy to more of an oligarchy) decided drastic measures were to be taken. With the help of Alexia, who had no idea what she was doing, demons were summoned in an attempt to turn back the oncoming armies. In a way, they were successful. Their enemies wanted no part with the demons and let the capital be, preferring to attack other cities, free of demons. However, the creatures turned upon the Romans the instant they were summoned, and Prateroia burned as slaughter happened in the streets, the measly guard forces not nearly enough to cope with the demonic hordes. Alexia somehow escapes, along with several of the council leaders.
888 YSD-Sated
In Short: Finally, the humans and wizards (the elves withdrew from the war at this point) have had their bloodlust sated, and were about to leave when they encountered what was left of the Coliseum’s ruling class; several cowering nobles, a handful of troops, and Alexia. Taking charge of the Romans, Alexia negotiated with the Archmage, Chiron, who was most impressed by her. They agreed that in exchange for cleaning out the demons and leaving them alone, Rome would enter an unfavorable trade relationship with the Silver Cities and humans and, after stabilizing, would embark on another campaign against the Necromancers.
895 YSD-The Second Crusade
In Short: Finally, the Coliseum has recovered from the war. Though nowhere near the power it once possessed, the army had again grown to a decent size, the cities were rebuilt, partially thanks to contributions from the Nagas and Dark Elves, and it was time to embark on the second part of the deal. The Romans marched to war. For several years, they battled with the Necromancers, without any military support from the Silver Cities, and neither side was able to make headway. Finally, a desperate hit squad of Gorgons broke through the siege line and killed off several dozen Necromancers at the cost of their lives. This was enough to make the undead flee deeper into Heresh, and the Romans chose not to pursue. A relatively dull, useless war, with little gained by either side, a waste of time one could say. The one good thing that happened is after the war, the Archmage Chiron defected to the Coliseum, revealing he had been framed due to a jealous wizard wishing to take over the Silver Cities.
969 YSD-Something Stirs
In Short: A huge jump in the Coliseum’s history, but in truth, little has occurred since the Second Crusade. Small armies have embarked into Heresh, none of them warranting a mention in the history texts, forces have continued skirmishing with the orcs, but for the most part, the Romans have settled down, preferring instead to expand and try to reclaim the glory they once possessed (they were unsuccessful). But, strange things are afoot. A Demon Eclipse sends the humans and wizards into panic (the Romans are oddly never disturbed by Demons) and yet something stirs deep in the mines, and the Medusas are frightened of it, though they cannot say what it is. So begins the Roman Campaign.
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LizardWarrior
Honorable
Legendary Hero
the reckoning is at hand
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posted February 02, 2013 09:32 PM |
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Quite an interesting faction inspired from the ancient Roman Empire, nice. I think that you should change the name from Rome/Byzantium to something more original, maybe an anagram of these two  . I believe that you will use more types of gladiators as units, maybe they could be core and the legionnaires/centurions/preatorians elite. Can't wait to see the line-up, I'm sure you'll find a very interesting champion unit.
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gnomes2169
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Duke of the Glade
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posted February 02, 2013 10:00 PM |
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Ooooo, a roman/ greek theme? Very interesting. Just popping in to say that I'll be coming around here every once in a while to bother I mean check up on this faction.
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Vindicator
Supreme Hero
Right Back Extraordinaire
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posted February 03, 2013 12:06 AM |
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Thanks for the feedback guys! 
Liz, I don't really like anagrams or made up words; they just seem kind of fake to me. They just make me lose immersion. Personal preference here though, and only one I abide for for my own faction.
You could be right about the legionaries.
And thanks gnomes, there will be more coming soon!
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Jiriki9
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Altar Dweller
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posted February 07, 2013 12:31 PM |
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I agree with Liz, I personally do not like SO direct realworld allusions. But that is perosnal taste as well
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Vindicator
Supreme Hero
Right Back Extraordinaire
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posted May 04, 2013 10:45 PM |
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Lineup
Core
Legionnaire
Description: The Hydras may be the most devastating beasts on the battlefield; the Minotaurs may be able to win battles in impossible odds, the Medusas may be able to turn whole squadrons to stone, but the backbone and true reason for the Romans success is the Legion. Extremely disciplined, almost impossible to break through, highly mobile and deadly on the battlefield, Legionnaires make up the core of the Coliseum army. Whenever a battle is fought, the Legionnaires are there, supporting the attack, defending key points, maneuvering around the enemies. Truly, they are the greatest asset of the Coliseum.
(This creature occupies a 1x1 space on the battlefield)
Abilities:
Reach: Due to their long spears , the Legionnaires can stab an opponent before their enemies can get to them. This has proven invaluable on many occasions, stopping dozens of cavalry charges dead in their tracks, leaving hundreds of soldiers hanging impaled from pikes.
(The Legionnaires can attack units with two squares of space between them)
Brave: One would think the sight of a dozen Juggernauts would scare even the bravest warriors, but that is far from the case. No charge will daunt the impenetrable wall of pikes that is presented by these warriors. In addition, they keep each other’s spirits up, and few things will lower their morale.
(Cannot be shifted from their position by any ability, and their morale cannot be less than one)
Statistics: Medium attack, High defense, Low speed, medium initiative, Medium HP, growth 7
Strategy: These units are far from versatile, but they excel at what they do. Stick them in front of your fragile units, and let them protect. Legionnaires aren’t necessary to upgrade, and are useful enough defensively to keep around the whole game. Reach is a nasty little trick that won’t win you too many friends, and is useful in keeping opponents at bay and not letting them come too close.
Upgrade: Spartan
Description: As useful as the Legionnaires are, they cannot mount an attack, cannot fight outside their formation, and aren’t the bravest of soldiers. They don’t break easily, but when they do, there’s no going back. Enter the Spartans. Their highly mobile phalanxes expertly maneuvering from one flank to the other, stopping cavalry charges and starting their own. If the phalanx gets broken apart, each Spartan still fights to the death. Brave and loyal, they are excellent at attack while still being useful should you have to retreat. Very versatile soldiers, Spartans have played a vital role in the success of the Coliseum.
(This creature occupies a 1x1 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Reach: The Spartans, while having spears shorter than those of the Legionnaires, can still reach their opponents before they get to the Spartans. Few expect such a trick from the first time they fight the Spartans, and this element of surprise has the potential to be quite deadly.
(The Spartans can attack units with one square of space between them)
Throw Spear: There are many situations when enemies break before the Spartans, in which case, there is nothing better than sending them a little message in their backs as they flee. While they obviously don’t have more than one spear, Spartans are quite handy with swords, and don’t have much problems using them instead.
(The Spartans can throw a spear four squares in any direction, which does quite a bit of damage and stuns the enemy for a bit. Afterward, they must fight with a sword, which slightly lowers their attack and cancels out the ability Reach)
Heroic: To fight in the ranks of the Coliseum, immense bravery is needed; to become a Spartan, nothing short of valiance will work. You must endure a series of grueling tests to become one of these warriors, and you are expected to be courageous on the battle, to the extent of suicidal at times. It has been remarked that bravery is as important in a Spartan as actual skill in combat.
(These units start with a morale of 2 and cannot have it lowered through any means)
Bash: “To watch a Spartan fight is one of the most aesthetically pleasing things in the world; no warriors have the same flowing mobility as them in combat, save perhaps the Kenshi. Their spears and shields are a duo of death, following one another with such speed and precision, breaking limbs and gorging eyes and still managing to take your breath away. The shield will often lead the charge, stunning the opponent for a split second, giving enough time for the spear to follow and end the dance. And with a sword, the movements are faster and cleaner, the shield more deadly, the combat more beautiful. Truly masters of their weapons.” –An elven poet, after watching the Spartans fight
(Upon attacking, have a chance to stun their opponents, making them skip their turn. They do still retaliate, however. Once you use the Throw Spear ability, this also does damage)
Statistics: Higher attack, lower defense, higher speed, higher initiative, same HP, growth 7
Strategy: Much more versatile than the Legionnaires, Spartans are more offensive creatures, and skip defense in favor of aggression. Their Throw Spear ability lets them troll archers, albeit only once, and their Fearlessness is quite good against Necromancers. Additionally, they still have Reach, which, while not quite as potent for the Spartans, is still useful, both defensively and in the attack. Bash and Reach make quite a nice combination; stunning your opponent while making sure they can’t retaliate. If you don’t have fragile units, these guys are the way to go, as Legionnaires would be wasted in an attack-minded strategy.
Cavalier
Description: The Romans have long envied the pure destructive force of a Sunrider charge from their human neighbors to the north, as well as the mobility of the centaur hordes to the west. So, they decided to create a mixture of the two. Armored in plate mail that is quite light, the Cavalier have all the mobility of a centaur and all the invulnerability of a Sunrider. Their charges are deadly, but they can pull out if the things go wrong at a moment’s notice. One of the most important components of the army of the Coliseum, and have made many a soldier tremble in his boots.
(This creature occupies a 2x1 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Cripple: Cavaliers spend hours and hours sharpening their blades; often, if they have nothing to do, they will sit down and sharpen, no matter where they are. As a result, they rend through armor quite easily, and creatures are more likely to lose body parts than not in their attack. Arms, legs, everything is sliced off with seemingly effortless ease when the Cavaliers charge down upon you.
(When attacking, this creature has a chance to lower the other creature’s defense and attack, as well as stun it; also, one creature in the stack will only have 50% of its HP. The chance increases the more Cavaliers you have and the weaker the opponent’s units)
Statistics: Medium attack, medium defense, high (leaning toward medium) speed, medium HP, high initiative, growth 5
Strategy: A quite offensive creature, Cavaliers are much more dangerous in numbers; if you have enough of them, Cripple becomes a serious threat even to Champions; the problem is getting those numbers up. Even without this ability, they are still dangerous, with no real weakness and a quite high speed. Additionally, they don’t cost all too much for what they bring to the table. This cavalry is more useful in a more attack minded lineup.
Upgrade: Cavalry Archer
Description: After some warfare with the Silver Cities to the north, Rome realized that they need soldiers to harass enemy lines and supply wagons. However, only Cavaliers has the mobility necessary to fulfill a harassing role; but the strategists felt they needed support. So some Cavaliers were trained to shoot crossbows from horseback and take out enemies from distance; losing some more armor in exchange for mobility, they are fast and light, and have the ability to shoot before disappearing into the distance. They have been an enormous aid in Rome’s campaigns.
(This creature occupies a 2x1 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Impaling Shot: Although normal bowmen do fire faster than crossbowmen, they lack in power of shot; the Coliseum’s Cavalry Archers most certainly do not. Despite not being the largest crossbows in the world, they can still cause major damage, especially at close range, often going through several soldiers at once. After engaging in conflicts with the Coliseum, most have become wary of these horsemen; they know charging will hurt, but they also know they can’t run away, because their enemies are on horseback.
(There is a chance that a crossbow bolt will kill an extra amount of creatures in the stack; 10 for Core, 5 for Elite, and 1 for Champion. This probability increases the closer these units come; if there is one square between them, it rises to 50%.)
Statistics: Higher attack, lower defense, higher speed, lower initiative, lower HP, growth 5
Strategy: These bad boys are quite dangerous ranged units without their ability; with it, they become quite terrifying. If you can block off access to your Cavalry Archers, anything that will try to break through the defensive line will receive some major damage. Elites easily have it the worst of the three, though ten cores can be quite vital as well, and there is no need to mention what difference a Champion unit could make. It can also make for an interesting offensive ability; ride close to the enemy’s archers and take out their numbers exponentially. This will require sacrifice, obviously, but could be quite useful. These guys make quite the tandem with Minotaurs using their Shield Wall ability.
Minotaur
Description: Once Coliseum allied with the dark elves, partially due to poor relations with Irollan, Dungeon was only too happy to sell minotaur warriors in exchange for much needed coin. Rome, upon receiving them, began changing their style of warfare completely. They have become defensive juggernauts, capable of holding their position against any charge, and have the strength to hold off a Panther Warrior. Even more steadfast than Legionnaires, there is few things indeed that can break a minotaur wall, and these warriors have fast become one of the best defensive forces ever seen.
(This creature occupies a 1x1 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Shield Wall: Back in the younger days of Rome, before their dealings with the dark elves, the thunder of hooves which signified the charge of Sunriders or the wild screams of the onrushing Panther Warriors would have made the entire Coliseum army tremble with fear. But now, they have two rows of minotaurs in front of the lines, and when they lock shields, not a force in the world can get past. Not even the Juggernauts from the pits of Sheogh could break through the Minotaur Shield Wall.
(The minotaurs will have an extra ability available to them on the display. In this mode, the minotaur is immobile and will not retaliate, but absorbs huge amounts of damage (95%) without getting hurt. Additionally, if there is an area of effect attack, it will take all the damage. This can be used once per game, for two turns)
Statistics: Medium (leaning toward low) attack, very high defense, low speed, medium initiative, medium HP, growth 6
Strategy: Extremely defensive units, the Minotaurs are very useful for placing in front of your Cavalry Archers to protect them. Shield Wall makes them all but invulnerable, and taking area of effect pretty much guarantees your Cavalry Archers’ safety for those two turns. Be warned, though, if your opponent can find a way around your Minotaurs, the unit will be out of the game for two turns, which could be potentially game-changing.
Upgrade: Savage Minotaur
Description: Occasionally, the desert sun will cause a mutation in the minotaurs, and they will grow three, even four times their normal size, becoming unimaginably savage and gaining immense, monstrous strength. At first, such beasts were put down due to the threat they posed, but eventually someone proposed the idea of training such creatures to fight for them. It took a little while to learn how to control them, but now they have become an irreplaceable weapon on the battlefield. Their incredible strength and size coupled with their suicidal lust for blood makes them some of the most dangerous creatures in the world of Ashan. Hundreds of massacres have been carried out by these beasts, and they are feared across the land.
(This creature occupies a 2x2 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Reach: The Savage Minotaurs long arms coupled with their axes enables them to reach improbable distances in their efforts to catch their prey, or simply kill them. This makes getting close to these creatures a very difficult task.
(This creature can reach over two squares in any direction to attack an opponent)
Fearless: Above all, these monsters desire blood, and, in battle, their own safety takes a backseat. The sight of a wounded enemy spurs these creatures onward, giving them greater determination to attack. Nothing can faze them from an attack, and trying to scare a Savage Minotaur is as big a waste of time as counting the stars in the sky, and a far more suicidal one at that.
(This creature starts with two morale and cannot lose it in any possible way. Additionally, if it kills a unit in a stack, it gains an additional point of morale for two turns)
Savage: Nothing delights one of the creatures so much as death; killing things bring great pleasure to them and seems to almost spur them on in combat. The smell of blood alone will aid this thing in strength, but the taste of flesh seems to give them unearthly power, enough to overcome a Juggernaut, or perhaps even a Cyclops.
(After killing a stack, this creature gets an additional two points of attack for two turns)
Statistics: Very high attack, low defense, high speed, high initiative, low HP, growth 5
Strategy: Obviously, this is a very different unit from the simple Minotaur. It sacrifices its defensive abilities and longevity for ridiculous attack, as well as several new abilities. Its damage output probably equals that of an Elite creature, so the Savage Minotaurs are dominant early game and are extremely useful in a rush build. Additionally, you want to let this unit finish off stacks even if you don’t need to, just so these guys can get those extra two points of attack, to make it an even bigger killing machine. If you do this, it will also get a point of morale, so double win, right? Be careful though, these guys are rather easy to kill, and you can be sure your enemy will target them.
Core Strategy: The unique thing about the Core of the Coliseum, and what makes them so fun to play with, is its versatility; you can have a full on defensive, relatively cheap lineup with Legionnaires and Minotaurs protecting your Cavalry Archers, and let the elites be the damage dealers, or you can try to build a rush build with Spartans, Lancers, and Savage Minotaurs for some huge damage input. Pretty much any combination will work to some degree, so it really is up to the player and his style as to what strategy to use.
Elite
Medusa
Description: Residents of the desert long before anyone from Rome came there, they are as intelligent as humans and have their own culture, language, social hierarchy… They have fought with wizards quite often but in the past few hundred years have been neutral, simply because neither side cared all too much and the Silver Cities had much more pressing matters. Medusas trace their ancestry back to the Nagas, though they do not know exactly how and why they went to the desert. When the Romans arrived, the Medusas were understandably peeved, and engaged in a war with them; the eventual victors, the Coliseum, conscripted the vast majority into their ranks, although their society is still allowed to exist. Medusas have excellent archery, though their arrows are light and do little damage; in addition, their huge tails can crush enemy soldiers, and they are widely known for their stare that turns anything to stone.
(This creature occupies a 2x1 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Crush: Medusas have been known for liking to play with their food, so to speak. If one got caught in their traps, he could expect anything but an easy death. One of the favorite methods for a Medusa to use is suffocating someone with their tail; it’s so strong people sometimes don’t even have time to suffocate as their ribcages just snap from the sheer pressure. Often, this will go on for hours, as they hold their victims to the brink of unconsciousness, let them catch their breath, and then start the process all over again.
(If a unit is two squares away in any directions, a Medusa can choose to crush them. This deals double the regular damage, and decreases all of the creature’s stats for two turns. This requires three turns to recharge.)
Petrification: Nobody knows for sure how Medusas can do this, but when they get the whim they can turn any living creature to stone, or simply freeze them for several moments. To do this, they must make eye contact, but it is rather easy to do so given their oddly alluring voices and attractive bodies, which makes most males’ eyes naturally gravitate upward. Medusas do like collecting these bodies once they’re turned to stone, and show off their collection. However, there is a catch; to turn someone completely to stone, the Medusa must die as well. Most victims simply are frozen daily to make sure they do not run away.
(A Medusa can petrify a unit for one turn; during this time, it will not be immune to any damage and can still be injured. If there are at least ten more Medusas in the stack then there are in a target stack, they can permanently turn them to stone at the expense of the Medusas. The enemy stack will not be able to be resurrected, unfrozen, etc. and will just be a stone statue, an obstacle on the map. This ability takes three turns to recharge.)
Statistics: Low attack, high defense, very low speed, high initiative, medium HP, growth 4
Strategy: Medusas are pretty dangerous archers; although their attack is low, they are hard to kill and have very fast initiative, making them an annoying unit. However, their true power lies in their activated abilities; Crush and Petrification. Crush is more about lowering the unit’s stats than doing damage; though it is double that of a regular attack, that is still not too high and isn’t significant. Crushing a unit and then attacking with a different stacks can lead to positive results. Petrification is a very interesting ability; although the normal stun is nice, it is nothing special. The turning to stone is intriguing, however. The only units who would be worth the tradeoff would probably be Champion, although there could be some Elites you want to get rid of as well. Either way, this adds a whole new level of danger to the game and can potentially change the entire course of a battle.
Upgrade: Gorgon
Description: Gorgons are the infantry of the Medusa population; though they can no longer shoot, and there is less of them, they are still mighty warriors. When the war was fought, they caused great havoc, and many a legionnaire tells horror stories of these warriors on the battlefield. With mesmerizing beauty and the speed of a charging Kenshi, the slightest misstep against a Gorgon will get you killed. Their staffs can rend mighty blows in one’s armor, and their screams are so awful they bring physical agony to everyone around them. There is nothing quite as fearful as a charging Gorgon, not even a Savage Minotaur; at least with one of those, you know you have a chance of outsmarting them.
(This creature occupies a 1x1 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Suffocate: One of the rituals to becoming a Gorgon is “trimming” the tail; becoming much shorter and thinner, a Medusa can no longer crush something with its tail once it becomes a Gorgon. However, they can still choke something to death, or at least until they are severely weakened. In the middle of a fight, few would expect something to lash out with its tail and begin choking them.
(If a unit is one square away in any direction, a Gorgon can suffocate them. It can either simply stun them for one turn and do the regular damage, or it can try to kill them. The killing process takes two turns, during which the Gorgon cannot move or do anything, while the unit being choked can still attack. Once ten percent of the Gorgon stack is dead, the choke is canceled. This move takes three turns to recharge)
War Dance: When a Gorgon wades into the thick of the action, its staff will be feared by everyone involved in the skirmish, including its own allies. Nothing around the Gorgon is safe as it swings its mighty weapon in every direction, wounding a bunch of soldiers at one time, all the while moving too fast for the enemy to retaliate. Most allies tend to shy away when they hear the orders, “Gorgons to the front!” Even Savage Minotaurs, blood-lusty as they are, tend to make way for the Gorgons.
(All the units adjacent to the Gorgon gets attacked when it attacks, including its allies. However, this does not apply to when the Gorgon retaliates.)
Venomous Blade: Not only are their staffs moving in every possible direction, the blades are also coated with a toxin lethal enough to kill a dozen men. Though it does not kick in immediately, once it does soldiers die like flies; yet another reason to stay away from these slithering machines of death. Even undead die from this venom, the origin of which is not known.
(Poison damage is dealt to the units attacked by the Gorgon for the next three turns. Undead and Mechanical creatures are not immune to it)
Scream: Something Gorgons learn to do that Medusas are not able to is to utter a shriek so awful soldiers actually die from it. As with most things, nobody is sure how this ability originated and why Gorgons have and regular Medusas don’t, but everyone knows that a Gorgon scream is the last thing you want to be around. Some people, as reported by inquisitors from the Haven armies, as well as wizards from the Silver Cities actually had their ears completely blown out, often killing them.
(When the stack of Gorgons activates this ability, every enemy creature on the field takes damage based on the number of Gorgons. In addition, if a stack is adjacent to the Gorgon stack and has less or no more than ten more units it will be stunned for one turn. This ability takes three turns to recharge.)
Statistics: Much higher attack, much lower defense, much higher speed, same initiative, slightly lower HP, growth 3
Strategy: A completely different unit from the unupgraded Medusas, these creatures still offer a plethora of options, each equally interesting. The most appealing, of course, is to wade in to the enemy army, poison everything and dealing loads of damage, and then Scream on your way out. However, Gorgons can also be a defensive unit with their suffocate ability; if you block the path to the Gorgon choking an enemy stack becomes quite effective and forces your opponent to redirect their archer fire onto you, buying you time to do whatever you want, as if they do not kill ten percent of the Gorgons before two turns are up, their entire stack will be dead.
Manticore
Description: Savage creatures, Manticores have roamed the deserts of Ashan for quite some time, not approached by anyone do to their fierce tempers and savage inclinations. While they may be equipped to be extremely dangerous predators, they are scavengers, and can eat practically anything to replenish their strength. Approached by warriors of the Coliseum who were desperate for any aid in battle, they were tamed one by one and are now all but extinct in the wild, wholly trained for the Roman army. Fast, light units, their attacks nevertheless are quite painful and infect the enemy, causing severe weakness or often death.
(This creature occupies a 2x2 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Flying: When the Manticores were tamed, nobody knew of this besides soldiers from the Coliseum. This served the army extremely well in the coming battle; a Wizard general had been on the offensive for weeks, outsmarting the Romans tactically time and time again. However, the last thing he expected was an attack from above. Before he knew what was going on, hundreds of his soldiers were dead, and the battle was lost.
(These creatures can fly)
Poisonous Bite: If you are ever up against a Manticore, keep as far away from its jaws as possible. Its teeth are coated with a thick, slimy venom that will kill within minutes if not treated immediately. Even if you kill the Manticore, the poison will not lose its potency for as long as several months, killing any scavengers who try to eat the corpse.
(Poison damage is dealt to the units attacked by Manticores for the next three turns.)
Scavenge: It was observed on the battlefield that after taking an injury the Manticores would bend down and begin eating corpses around them; a short while after, they would reenter the battle with new vigor and strength. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that these creatures actually healed themselves when they ate dead bodies; this tactical advantage allowed them to be an ultimate harassing unit, taking greater risks than most due to their ability to recover from almost any injuries.
(If there is a dead stack, the Manticore can fly up and devour it to heal itself. The more units there were in the stack before its demise, the more the Manticores heal. This ability does not need recharging.)
Statistics: Medium attack, medium defense, high speed, medium initiative, medium HP, growth 3
Strategy: Units with quite nice stats and abilities, Manticores are pretty tough harassing units. Fly in, poison the things around you, retreat, if you’re hurt wait until a stack dies (it can be an allied one as well) and heal yourself up. Simple, yet effective. There’s not too much to do with these units besides that, as they don’t have the right stats to be a defensive unit, nor the right ones to just charge in.
Upgrade: Chimera
Description: The Wizards, upon capturing Manticores, naturally decided to experiment upon the them; what they created was far, far worse. Extremely intelligent, Chimeras are an ultimate predator; they acted docile when there was few of them, but when they bred to large numbers, they massacred hundreds in the laboratories in which they were created before escaping into the mountains. Attacks have been attempted by soldiers from the Silver Cities, but to little avail. However, dwarf warbands from the north were a different story; Magma Dragons especially took great glee in burning Chimeras, as their poison could not affect them and their teeth were not sharp enough to damage their armor. The creatures fled to the south, where they encountered the armies of the Coliseum, who more than happily took them in. They do not serve the commanders, but seem to be quite happy to obey them; Chimeras love the free rein they get, and enjoy battles as much as, if not more than Savage Minotaurs.
(This creature occupies a 2x2 space on the battlefield)
Gains abilities (Savage, Bloodsucking), attack, and speed, but less HP and defense
Abilities
Vengeful Memory: Unlike Manticores, Chimeras are extremely intelligent; one of the things they enjoy using their intelligence for the most is remembering their enemies. Do not ever harm a Chimera and leave it alive, because it will remember for the rest of its existence and take vengeance upon you when you least expect it. One time, an army of goblins raided a Chimera nest and killed dozens of children, as well as the few adults that were there. Several years later, the same army, in the middle of Stronghold’s lands, found itself completely decimated by a horde of Chimeras just appearing out of the blue, with seemingly no intent other than to kill them.
(If a stack attacks a Chimera, the Chimera will get an attack, defense, and morale boost whenever they attack that stack. This effect lasts the entire battle.)
Bloodsucking: Manticores heal themselves upon drinking blood of the dead; Chimeras are content to that with the living. When attacking, a Chimera will most often pin its jaws into its opponent, before guzzling its blood to heal itself. With a very strong grip and terrifying strength, it is quite hard to make a Chimera let go of you once it is biting you. Soldiers have given terrified reports of them seeing Chimeras bite into their comrades, who would struggle for a little before giving up, hanging limp as they were bled dry. Occasionally, one sees several Chimeras hanging onto a creature at once, bleeding them out in multiple places at the same time.
(When attacking another creature, the Chimera can heal itself. Additionally, it can choose to hang on to the other creature, during which the Chimera can’t move (unless it lets go) and nor can the creature. However, the other stack can fight back. The enemy stack takes damage over time each turn (dependent on the number of Chimeras) until either it dies or the stack of Chimeras dies.)
Statistics: Much higher attack, lower defense, slightly higher speed, same initiative, same HP, growth 3
Strategy: A more aggressive version of the Manticore, these units are better built for wading into the enemy arming, as they heal themselves upon attacking and get a damage boost to anything that hurts it back. The ability to hang on to another creature is quite interesting; it basically takes both stacks out of the game until one or the other is dead. Extremely useful for immobilizing dangerous units like Sun Riders or Panther Warriors, you may want to try to have another stack with two or three Chimeras, just to stop a creature from reaching your front lines in its first move.
Hydra
Description: Nobody knows for sure how Hydras came around or for how long they have existed, but the cave systems in the mountains have been riddled with them for as long as anyone can remember. Very aggressive and snappy, Hydras have a deadly speed, and their bite is venomous enough to kill a dozen fully grown men. Their only weakness is their short lives and their weak armor; most soldiers can usually slice off a Hydra’s head with one swing. The problem is reaching said Hydra. Taming these creatures took many years of hard work, mainly painstakingly stealing eggs and training them from their birth. However, once there is enough to raise an army (and Hydras breed rapidly) they are indeed formidable. Although easy to kill, one bite is all a hydra will need to make your life a living hell.
(This creature occupies a 2x1 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Toxic Bite: If a Hydra bites you, consider yourself dead; of all the venoms in the Coliseum army, there is not one more deadly than that of Hydras. Lasting longer and dealing more damage than that of a Manticore or Gorgon, Hydra venom is renowned across Ashan as one of the most poisonous substances in the whole world. Hydras produce this in such large qualities that you can extract it from them (how you can extract it is an entirely different question) in pints. However, this poison cannot kill undead, as it does not have that acidic property Gorgon poison has.
(When the Hydra attacks a stack, it receives poison damage for the next four turns)
Acid Spit: In addition to its already formidable poison, Hydras have a separate organ that produces an acid strong enough to melt armor. When suitably threatened, Hydras will launch this acid from one or all of their many mouths, dousing everything around them with the burning liquid. They do not have quite as much acid in their organism as they do poison, but still more than enough to last a battle. This acid stays on you, burning through your skin even after the Hydra is long gone.
(An activated ability which sprays all the squares in front of the Hydra with half of its regular damage. In addition, these units suffer a damage over time for the next two turns. This move takes three turns to recharge)
Statistics: Very high attack, low defense, high speed, high initiative, low HP, growth 5
Strategy: Hydras are basically a suicide unit, a one-way ticket to hell for both them and any enemies they meet. You can be sure Hydras will win the initiative battle, and due to their high speed they can reach their enemies very quickly. Once you’re there, the damage will be huge, the enemy will be poisoned, it just won’t be very rosy. That’s right before your Hydras start dying like flies due to their low health. If you have a chance, use your Acid Spit on the second turn to additionally poison the enemy and give them a last kiss of goodbye.
Upgrade: Pestilential Hydra
Description: Deep in the mountains, where it is so dark creatures have no need of eyes, Pestilential Hydras have lurked for centuries, possibly millennia. When an expedition went astray looking for Hydra eggs, they ended up deep in the mountains, and encountered these creatures. Unlike their cousins, they were non-aggressive and calm, almost to the point of stupidity. Nothing had ever threatened them in their ancient existence, and so they cared little for these new things. The soldiers managed to take a bunch of eggs and leave. When trained, it was found that the scales of these Hydras were quite hard, and they were much harder to kill. Much more useful on the battlefield, for some reason they have developed an ability to spread diseases and curses with a bite. With a much longer longevity and still a mean bite, the only downside to these creatures is their smaller numbers, as journeying deep into the mountains for replacements takes quite a lot of time, and unfortunately, they breed much slower than regular Hydras do.
(This creature occupies a 2x2 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Toxic Bite: Much like regular hydras, Pestilential hydras have venomous bites as well; though theirs aren’t quite as lasting or painful, the venom of this type of Hydra is still incredibly dangerous and scary to come up against. This venom is more likely to be cured, but most people’s chances are still slim.
(When a stack is attacked by this unit, it receives a poison damage over time for three turns)
Pestilence: Nobody is quite sure why or how Pestilential Hydras developed this ability, but when they bite an enemy, they not only poison them, they also spread a disease or curse. The curses they spread are similar to the ones used by Necromancers and Demons, and so most are no strangers to them. However, having a Hydra curse you is usually quite a big surprise and most are not expecting it the first time they run into these.
(When a stack is attacked by this unit, a random level one or two curse is placed on it for three turns)
Regeneration: One of the mightiest warriors in the land tells this story of his encounter with a Pestilential Hydra, “Kill a hydra they said. Easy. They move fast, but die like flies; I killed three at the same time. All right, they say, no problem. Kill one of those, um, Pestilential Hydras. I had heard about the curses, and about the poison. Nobody told me when you smash one of their heads, it’ll fall down to the ground for a few seconds before rising up again, as if I never hit it. It was impossible to kill!”
(At the start of its turn, this stack regenerates some of its health if it was injured)
Statistics: Lower attack, much higher defense, same speed, lower initiative, much higher HP, growth 3
Strategy: A more defensive unit, Pestilential Hydras are useful for absorbing pressure; it poisons the attacking stack, casts a curse on them, and regenerate the damage they deal! However, due to its high speed and still decent initiative, these creatures are also useful going forward, dealing damage to the enemy player. Ultimately, it depends on your style of play and what you need in the battle.
Elite Strategy: The different strategies and combinations you can use increases ten-fold when you have the elites; you can have Savage Minotaurs and Lancers going forward with Medusas, Pestilential Hydras and Manticores staying back, or you can have the monstrous attacking trio of Gorgons, Chimeras and Hydras with Cavalry archers guarded by Legionnaires and Minotaurs in the support. Due to all the poison damage you have, you can focus down any one stack ridiculously quickly; with Manticores, Pestilential Hydras and Gorgons you can have three different poisons and a random curse in act on any one stack, which will deal major damage. Of course, you can also sacrifice your Medusas to get rid of any one stack; the choice is yours. That really is the way to play Coliseum; do whatever you want, there are many ways to win and each one of them is more fun than the last.
Champion
Hellhound
Description: Monstrous hounds, these creatures are bred at the westernmost tip of the Roman empire, on a secluded island, to make sure they cannot escape. They are raised from childhood to become deadly killing machines, strong, fast, dangerous; few things can escape a Hellhound. They are blindly loyal to their masters, and would do anything for them. However, if you do not know a Hellhound, it is wise to steer clear of it, in fear than it will attack you for no reason.
(This creature occupies a 2x1 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Strike and Return: Despite not being very fast overall, Hellhounds are notorious for bursts of pace for several seconds to dash up to a target, attack it and flee. Their acceleration during these bursts is truly incredible and nigh impossible to stop. However, they can do this for no more than a few seconds, and otherwise traverse in a loping run, quick but not anywhere close to their terrifying speed. This can be deceitful, as many people have been fooled into thinking Hellhounds were slow. Anything but.
(This creature attacks another stack and returns back without being retaliated upon)
Statistics: Medium attack, medium defense, medium speed, medium initiative, medium HP, growth 2
Strategy: Despite a very strong Elite three, or perhaps because of them, the Coliseum has a pretty weak champion. Although their growth is double that of normal Champions, they only have one ability and their stats are nothing special, just average in every department. The Hellhound is honestly a better fit as an Elite creature than a Champion, and the only reason you would build this unit is if you were going to upgrade them to Cerberi.
Upgrade: Cerberus
Description: These creatures are born with Hellhounds, but their mutations make them much more powerful. Visible early on, they are larger and more ferocious than their compatriots, and much, much more dangerous. Shipped off to a different island, they are kept tightly locked up and only let out in battles, where they can release their bloodlust to the fullest. Giant beasts, they have monstrous jaws that can crush stone, and paws that can smash through towers. Their hunger is never sated, and would eat anything without a second thought about it.
(This creature occupies a 2x2 space on the battlefield)
Abilities
Destroy Wall: A Cerberus is huge enough and strong enough that upon encountering walls, it can simply smash them as it would anything else in this way. Even dwarven bastions, which we all know are made out of the hardest stone possible and with the greatest technique known to anyone are still broken by the Cerberi. When defenders see these things coming, they often trample each other in their haste to flee from the walls, so much do they fear the power of these creatures.
(This unit can attack a wall like it can a creature, dealing the same amount of damage as they would to a regular unit)
Fearful Aura: One of, if not the most powerful weapon Cerberi possess is not in their physical arsenal, but rather a psychological weapon. Ever since entering the battle, these monsters were feared by everything; then again, that’s natural, right? Who wouldn’t be afraid of a giant, monstrous dog large enough to swallow you whole? But when even the normally brave to the point of cockiness Sun Riders spoke of them in genuine fear, people figured something wasn’t right. And when this was delved into, it was discovered Cerberi actually cause irrational fear in people, though how is not yet known.
(All creatures two squares away from the Cerberi experience a two morale decrease)
Reach: Honestly, one would be more surprised if this wasn’t here than if it was. Seems pretty natural that one of the main problems in fighting a giant, three headed dog is getting close enough to attack it. And really, there’s not much more to say to it than that.
(This unit can reach over two squares in any direction to attack an enemy unit)
Three-Headed Attack: You know the normal myths about how a creature takes down a Cerberus or some other multi-headed creature by making the heads argue with each other? Yes, well that doesn’t happen here. Each head is perfectly in sync with the others and knows exactly what it needs to do, enabling the Cerberus to attack in any direction it wants to at the same time, killing many different soldiers, sometimes in different squadrons all at once.
(When this unit attacks units adjacent to it, it attacks all the ones in front of it)
Statistics: Much higher attack, same defense, higher speed, slightly higher initiative, same HP, growth 1
Strategy: Now this is a champion, no? Although buying this building costs a ton of gold and resources, the buy is more than worth it. With excellent statistics and some frightening abilities, Cerberi present a very scary opponent. Reach is unfortunately not cumulative with three-headed attack, but they are still both intimidating enough on their own, reach especially. What’s good about Cerberi is that they really have no weaknesses; their lowest statistics are still in the averages, and their attack is quite scary to behold. Useful in both offense and defense, your use of them is limited only by money and your imagination.
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SenorPlaet
Tavern Dweller
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posted August 06, 2013 04:51 AM |
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The kingdom has slowly but steadily expanded over the years, recruiting the few local villagers here, establishing contact with the Nagas to begin a trading partnership, and generally expanding. Now ruled by General Rolan’s son, he dubs the new kingdom “Byzantium”, “Rome” for short, inspired by nothing in particular save for the sound of the name. The first Coliseum is built in the capital, and by it came the other name for the country.As you may suspect, when we're [url=http://www.takinglingerie.com/sexy-dress]sexy dresses[/url] our sexiest, we're dressing for other women.
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Vindicator
Supreme Hero
Right Back Extraordinaire
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posted August 06, 2013 04:58 AM |
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It's sad when one of the few replies on your faction is from a bot, it really is. I guess it's a punishment for all the RP's I deserted. 
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