Any Advice for Nightmare Mode?

[A³]

I've been really enjoying the harder difficulties, but NIGHTMARE mode really lives up to the name. I Just can't get a run past the Act two boss. I've been using The Order for most of my runs but no matter how clean my Tetris, how good me econ, or how strong my military I just can't seem to do enough damage.

My best run so far capped out a 260 military before the act 2 boss, but the boss has over 300, and that's without triggering the trap tiles, or giving the boss any buffs from skipping combats. It seems like completing a run is impossible the way i'm approaching it. The worst part is I had to sell my entire econ in order to afford two upgraded Alarm Towers those things usually cook that boss, but they barely got me a third of the way to the finish line. The worst part was that even if my best run did clear that boss I'd be cooked in act three without any food/wood/stone/etc. production.

Which makes me wonder has anyone actually completed a Nightmare run? If you have please tell me the secret. What can I do to improve my play? I'll try to attach a screenshot of my last fight with the boss if that helps.

[A³]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3480210953

[lembos-hauser]

Originally posted by A³:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3480210953

I did not complete any nightmare run, but when I see those numbers, I highly doubt that it is possible to beat the game in this mode without cheats or console commands.

[Sleepy Mill Studio]

Originally posted by lembos-hauser:

Originally posted by A³:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3480210953

I did not complete any nightmare run, but when I see those numbers, I highly doubt that it is possible to beat the game in this mode without cheats or console commands.

It's definitely possible, there's someone over on the Discord who beat Nightmare with all three factions. There are some buildings and tech that scale very very high

[A³]

Originally posted by Sleepy Mill Studio:

Originally posted by lembos-hauser:

I did not complete any nightmare run, but when I see those numbers, I highly doubt that it is possible to beat the game in this mode without cheats or console commands.

It's definitely possible, there's someone over on the Discord who beat Nightmare with all three factions. There are some buildings and tech that scale very very high

I did it! Only just barely but with the help of fluvial guard, and strength in numbers I just barely managed to clench a victory without losing any health! Thanks for the encouragement Sleepy Mill.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3480512467

Update
I just completed the run! I got so lucky with my deck in the final chapter pulling a castle card, tactical advantage, and Irrigation which allowed me to cross the finish line by the slimmest margin. Just 3 HP and a dream
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3480547290

[turtl]

I certainly didn't think rivers would be the way to go, cool run

[lembos-hauser]

Originally posted by turtl:

I certainly didn't think rivers would be the way to go, cool run

Once I got the rivers I thought they will be the OP combo in late game. But since you unlock a lot of other cards aswell, your chance getting the good ones getting smaller and smaller. I should restart my progress and just unlock river buildings. They are just very good.

[ろくいち]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3481922416

If your luck doesn't last, you'll have a lot of trouble.

[Spawnling]

Don't know if it's intended, but the boss counts as a building. So the Order main building counts it as 32 (+ any of your connected buildings) squares.

Originally posted by A³:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3480210953

Looking at your screenshot, you had 10 building-squares connected to the boss (42 * 2 = 84) + 220 from military buildings, so a different approach might have beaten the boss there.

[Tillmeister]

Just beat nightmare for the first time, took me three attempts and its definitely possible. To be honest: that victory came with a large amount of cheese i.e. a military hospital lvl 3 while my defense was down to almost zero but barracks and wheelbarrow would have done the trick as well I guess...

[Lord_Eol]

@Tillmeister, that is the point. Nightmare isn't suppose to be "fun", like in all games it's for the autistic min/maxers so they can have "fun" too, i.e. you can't cheese the hardest setting, it was developed to be cheesed.

[Tillmeister]

@Lord_Eol, yup, thats me...

[higowlet]

I did it. Moat+2placeAtArms+Irrigation+fluvial guard. Dungeon a the end was 676 power, but I still did it.
Tips:
1)banish most of the cards you dont need but do not touch religion and noble, which then would be banned with gipsy. Also do not banish mountain cards, cause they still wont appear in the 1st act. You would still have 5-6 rerolls
2)use strong build
3) restart if boss is gate, not wall
4)dont afraid to restart at start
5) wall can be negated completely with 4long stick at the end
6)save\load is your friend. Savescum if needed, it still wouldbe tough
7) dutchy is way to go (at least if no DLC), republic and crusaders are weak at start and too dependant on peaceful rounds