How to beat the AI on Hard or Master?

[Hans Brotmeister]

Are there any special tactics? I've tried a couple of times and don't know what to do. The AI can't only perform all actions at the same time, it also cheats like a mofo. While I scramble for points in the veins of evil they same to have it all unlocked from the get go.

[Lycalys]

Set up defences with garrisons. Use bombards to scare off enemy imps.
I usually just wait them out, convert all of their minions, then rush in with haste and a behemoth.

A specific trick I've noticed is that if you manage to claim their bridge (or you can do it preventively with your own) is sell the bridge in pieces so it's like XOXOXOXOX, every time I've done this, the AI will stop trying to reach the area with bridges.

[Woudo]

New players should always set gameplay speed to 50 or 75%.

[Biervampir [AUT]]

I usually just bombard rush it

[Korvek]

The AI does not cheat. Although it has good micromanagement, it has several limiting handicaps which make it considerably worse than a player of the same level. These include an inability to limit/increase gold spending, or an ability to change tactics depending on maps. The AI knows how to research quickly, and if you want to compete with it then you need to research quickly too. This means building an early archive, training your cultists, using obey, using work-a-lot potions, reinforcing the archive walls, etc.

Regarding how to defeat the AI: it is really best to either practice defeating easier AIs and become better at the game or to play on a map which grants you a large advantage over the AI; you can generally tell what maps would favour what AI by the personality.

It is not really possible to say how to improve without knowing how you play currently. There are plenty of common mistakes, such as early slaughterpens/lairs/taverns, but more detail would need to be given such as unlock order, map choice, room size/how fast you build, and timings.

[Luna]

I've found a cheesy way to do it on the Abyss map. Basically as soon as it starts you make a bee-line for the gold shrine in the middle while unlocking the infernal urn and construction spell. Use that to get through to the shrine, immediately set your imps to reinforcing the Brimstone blocking you off from the opponent's side of the field, and as soon as it's claimed drop another infernal urn to turn it all into quartz. That gives you a full 900 health of reinforced tile as a buffer space.

After the central lane is secure I turn the brimstone at the flanks into quartz walls as well then start actually building my dungeon. At that point you just have to keep an eye on it, maybe casting the fortification ritual if it ever gets outside your comfort zone until you can unlock the Well of Souls. Put at least one of those on each wall and they'll keep killing the enemy imps before they have a chance to bust through and after a time they should start summoning a bunch of wraith's on the opponent's side of the wall.

At that point you just sit back and let attrition do it's thing. After the enemy has stopped being able to respond to the wraiths you kick down the wall and waltz on into the core. As I said, it's super cheesy but if you're just wanting to unlock Korvek it makes things much easier.

[Hans Brotmeister]

@Deteno
Construction Spell? Do you mean the Construction Ritual down in the left tree? It's pretty deep down though, so wouldn't I have the urns ready before I ever get there?

[Luna]

Oh my bad, the forge spell. the Infernal Urn came with the Under Games DLC which I forgot not everyone has access to. Basically it's a defense that you can put next to brimstone instead of an underminer and when activated it converts it to super-dense quartz tiles.

[Hans Brotmeister]

@Deteno
Ah, the Forge spell. Ok, I'll try that and see what happens. Just found the infernal urn too. I wasn't aware of that one yet.

[Hans Brotmeister]

@Deteno:
I just tried it and it works like a charm. Yeah it's cheap and takes a while but it sure gets the results. Thank you. :-D