How to Skarbrand?

[Shogun Sho'nuff]

Having some trouble playing as Skarbrand the Exile. I understand that I need to keep winning battles to keep the blood fury streak going. That also seems to be the only way to increase settlement growth.

The economy is fairly weak and even with five settlements, over two provinces, I can't really afford a full stack of tier 1 and 2 units. I think the game wants me to make my money via raiding and sacking.

Anyone have advice? Besides git gud. I already know that.

[Xhal]

My advice would be to forget your start position, its just garbage.

Go north and get Wurrzag's trait on Skarbrand for an extra 10% physical resist, obviously burn everything on the way for money. Around this time you should get a cult building north in the chaos wastes, teleport there and demolish everything on your south settlement, don't invest in it.

Once north then you actually start building up, occupy major settlements and burn small ones, they will get auto recolonized anyways.

Move to beat Sigvald and get his trait, this will give you another 10% physical resist making Skarbrand way more powerful. Secure the NW corner of the map a much better position than the middle of the badlands.

[SpeaksTooFast]

Skarbrand's faction can be incredibly strong but you need to keep fighting, more blood, more skulls, more better. Don't worry too much about holding territory or your economy just worry about sending skulls to the skull throne.

Run in the red, have more armies than you reasonably should, it's all good as long as you have someone to fight.

I think raiding may be a bit of a trap as in most cases as the money you gain will not offset the moment you lost. Normally it's more important to get to the next fight faster.

[Shogun Sho'nuff]

Thank you both for your responses. Factions can play so differently and I appreciate learning how y'all made it work. I am going to restart, teleport north, and keep applying violence until my situation improves.

[Verchial]

There’s a very detailed well written post that was made in the last few days on exactly this.

[Verchial]

OP was SJJev and post authored by The Fifth Archon. Search for that - very good and accurate info on How to Skarbrand.

[Shogun Sho'nuff]

Originally posted by Verchial:

OP was SJJev and post authored by The Fifth Archon. Search for that - very good and accurate info on How to Skarbrand.

I found the post you mentioned. Definitely good advice there as well. Thanks for pointing it out.

[DarkFenix]

I actually found his start location fine. The distances are a bit long, but that cuts both ways. While it restricts your ability to maintain your momentum, it also provides security for your recruitment settlement.

You only need one developed settlement, functioning as your recruitment hub. Everything else is just a throwaway to spread corruption (which gives you more free settlements eventually) and delay the enemy from going after anything important.

Sacking is indeed your economy, you should be at a negative income basically always. You shouldn't even be trying to build anything resembling an empire, leave a ruined wasteland behind you and let your allies colonise it (Queek should end up loving you as you murder literally everything else).