Best upgrade path for hard mode?

[ichobi]

Hey I am quite new to this game. Reached the final island in normal a couple of times and got to 70-80% on hard mode but always find flat islands very difficult especially when the brute archer turns up.

What's your ideal upgrade path?

My preferred combo is either 2 infantries, 1 archer and 1 pikemen
Or 2 infantries and 2 pikemen.

I found the first combo very difficult to do well in flat islands. Especially when you get multiple berserkers from every direction. I got my archer to elite, but may be at the cost of everything else.

Is it wise to get everyone to elite? Or do you pick up skill along the way? I tried get everyone to elite before upgrading items and picking any skill. This did not go well at all.

Please share your success spending strategy!

[smooglez]

My list that is at all time adaptable depending on gold income from rng, to items i get from rng, and whether im spliting troops up for efficient upgrades.
Troop splitting helps a lot currently since you can have your 2 strats progressing at the same time.

1. Prioritize having 3-4 veterans by end of early game
   
2. Priotitize having elite over upgrading anything
   
3. Prioitize Ring of Command upgrades on one Infantry and one Archers
   
4. Spending 7 gold on Archers' Volley
   
5. Warhorn upgrade level 2 (for second infantry)
   
6. Upgrading Warhammer or Bomb for Pikes
   
7. Finish upgrading Warhorn
   
8. Finish upgrading Volley
   
9. Sometimes pick up Pike Charge over upgrading Volley
   
10. If all else is Spent which is RARE then Plunge

Having Elites with even level 1 items with sparse skills can do alot more than veterans with skills and items upgraded.


*Plunge* is situational requiring elevation to capitalize. i seldomly ever pick it up, ususally last if i had a good run and i had gold to spend.
However many argue its great for flanking and escaping defensive highgrounds that are lost causes.

Pike charge might be good on one pike unit (for you personally i feel it should be picked on your main one) but again it falls on bottom of list just above Plunge because my style of play is defensive pikes that hold ground always.

[strategicarts]

archers are useless.
upgrate to elite first then ring of command, usually there's nothing else left then

[Dio Brando]

Originally posted by smooglez:

My list that is at all time adaptable depending on gold income from rng, to items i get from rng, and whether im spliting troops up for efficient upgrades.
Troop splitting helps a lot currently since you can have your 2 strats progressing at the same time.

1. Prioritize having 3-4 veterans by end of early game
   
2. Priotitize having elite over upgrading anything
   
3. Prioitize Ring of Command upgrades on one Infantry and one Archers
   
4. Spending 7 gold on Archers' Volley
   
5. Warhorn upgrade level 2 (for second infantry)
   
6. Upgrading Warhammer or Bomb for Pikes
   
7. Finish upgrading Warhorn
   
8. Finish upgrading Volley
   
9. Sometimes pick up Pike Charge over upgrading Volley
   
10. If all else is Spent which is RARE then Plunge

Having Elites with even level 1 items with sparse skills can do alot more than veterans with skills and items upgraded.


*Plunge* is situational requiring elevation to capitalize. i seldomly ever pick it up, ususally last if i had a good run and i had gold to spend.
However many argue its great for flanking and escaping defensive highgrounds that are lost causes.

Pike charge might be good on one pike unit (for you personally i feel it should be picked on your main one) but again it falls on bottom of list just above Plunge because my style of play is defensive pikes that hold ground always.

I agree with almost everything here, but id put the warhorn on Pikeman and the Warhammer on the second infantry unit

[smooglez]

I'll try that next time, it's quite practical too. You have your second smaller infantry being the vanguard with hammer. And then your warhorn incase the line broke somehow one wave or archers picked a few off