Forum Overview :: Reviews :: Re: Superior tactical combat?

[quote name="Mischief Maker"][quote name="fabio"]What's really pissing me off is the independent armies. At least the overwhelming neutral armies didn't move around and capture cities in HoMM 5, and it's not like Civ where you can control barbarian spawns with culture borders. It seems like it forces turtling on you since you absolutely can't leave cities lightly defended, even if they're nowhere near enemy players. Independents will just magically spawn out of thin air and take it. The problem is compounded by each unit costing upkeep so production and development is stymied by having to guard against the damn independents.[/quote] Independents spawn from bandit camps and monster lairs. The random map generator always spawns one bandit camp within a hex or two of your starting city. Conquer the bandit camp and it never spawns any more independents. The one time independents DO spawn out of thin air is if you accept a "Hunt down X" quest from an independent city, and that stack will be marked by a big chalice icon. A better "turtling" strategy than keeping a full garrison in your cities is to use builders to create watchtowers at the outside corners of your city's domain to give you a few rounds advance warning if an enemy or independent is closing in. Scouting is god in this game.[/quote]