Magic
Magic
To defend against magical attacks and catapults/ballistae, keep a small strike force
of knights or ogres off to one side, outside the blockade. Only use them when
you're attacked by units your towers or archers can't take out. Once your strike
force has been upgraded to ogre-magi or paladins, they can be used to support
your archers/axe throwers by healing or bloodlusting them. After each attack, pull a
peon or peasant away from his normal duties and have him repair any damaged
buildings.
Invisibility
invisibility is perhaps the most versatile spell in Warcraft II. While blizzard is an
invaluable spell for siege-breaking, invisibility lends itself to so many creative uses
that it helps to break up the "build up, move out" method of playing. From
scouting to assassination, offense or defense, invisibility can give you a great
strategic advantage.
Examining the Spell
Invisibility has a nice long duration, and it can be cast on any unit in the game
(except buildings, of course.) An invisible unit cannot be detected or attacked by
enemy (or allied) units. The exception is that computer-controlled spell casters can
target invisible units with spells. Also, note that the unstable explosives carried by
sappers and demolition teams will detonate if invisibility is cast on them. The
biggest drawback of the spell is the high casting cost. At 200 mana, you need one
mage for every unit that you want to turn invisible.
Scouting
The simplest use of invisibility is scouting. An invisible flying machine is simply the
best scout that you can get. With the spell's long duration, you can explore a large
section of even a 128x128 map before the effects wear off. By learning where
your opponents' resources are located, you can better plan tactical strikes designed
to cripple their production.
Commando Raids
Once you've determined the best place to conduct a raid- preferably a nice
unguarded gold mine or a blacksmith that's been left alone- load your strike team
on a transport and turn the transport invisible. You'll be able to slip right past any
naval blockades and land your troops where they can do the most damage.
Conducting several raids in different spots can force your opponent to spread out
his or her defenses, making them more vulnerable to a large attack. If at all
possible, load the troops back onto the transport and bring them back to a safe spot
where they can be healed.
Assassination
Using an entire team of invisible units is generally impractical, but sending a single
unit, such as a mage or catapult, can be very effective for wiping out a specific
target or building. One favored tactic is to send a single invisible mage into the
center of a town and have that mage cast blizzard around himself. Since the mage
won't be hurt by his own spell, you can damage several units before the opposing
player can pull them back.
Stupid Peasant Tricks
For sheer annoyance value, try turning a few peons invisible and start building
towers in enemy towns. Building walls to block off access to gold mines can also
be effective; hopefully, your opponent won't notice until the gold stops coming in.
You might also try using invisible peasants as blockades if your opponent has a
crowded town or narrow route of attack.
Fire Storms
A tactic that can really drive your opponents crazy is casting flame shield on
invisible units. Although the flame shield doesn't last long, the invisible unit cannot
be attacked until it turns visible. As long as you are careful to give the unit
movement orders only (use those hotkeys) it won't turn visible until the spell wears
off. This is especially effective with destroyers, which can use their speed to circle
around larger ships.
Defending Against Invisibility
The basic defense against invisibility is simple: don't let your opponents build
mages! If you can keep your opponent busy building non-magical troops and
repairing damage to his/her town, you may be able to keep this spell out of reach.
Use quick raids and tactical strikes to destroy mage towers and individual mages.
To protect yourself against incursion, limit the points of attack on your town by
using farms and/or walls as barriers. Use scouts, towers, and holy vision to keep
track of what your enemies are doing.
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