MG: 2maintanace+3garrison vs 3maintenance+2garrison.

So, I'm about to invest codexes into MG. However I have big issue. All guides for skills suggest putting 3 maintenance+2 garrison.

My problem is that you never use more then max 200 artillery (most often like only 100 besiegers are used on MG) and only on few of the camps. Though smaller camps probably are taken out more efficiently by ANS or VAR. So 2 maintenance + 3 garrison are better on champions rather then on MG? Still, there are adventures nord-like, which go rather with xbows. I fail to see any xbows or mounted marksmen skills in general science. Having 2 MG+champs usually speeds doing the adventures. For sure there are few camps, where +10 dmg to artillery will give huge boost, but in majority? Plus I never do evilj guides. I do only wiki ones.

What should I pick for best long run, for best overall performance? Should I set for 3 maintenance+ 2 garrison on my MG or 2 maintenance +3 garrison?

Way I see it, it's not just those 2 skills which count, there is also Confident Leader which reduces round times thus making blocks safer if you block. That said with 2 MG I think the prudent option is to have one with 3 in Maintenance and the other with 3 in Garrison thus giving you maximum flexibility even if it does mean sometimes you will be attacking a chain of camps with one while the other is idle.

With the extra damage the fighting rounds drop bigtime, don't really need the Confident Leader. Check out whats best for you on fast sim. Suggest VLT sector 1 leader as that takes some rounds to kill. Then test that skill set on your favourite adventure.

The idea that new guides will come along with blocks that need certain skill sets is a little hard to believe. Yes you can create your own and find that you could block x too but looking at the maps there aren't gonna be many of these. More damage, lose less troops and adv more is the way I wanna play.

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Originally Posted by EasyTarget1

With the extra damage the fighting rounds drop bigtime, don't really need the Confident Leader. Check out whats best for you on fast sim. Suggest VLT sector 1 leader as that takes some rounds to kill. Then test that skill set on your favourite adventure.

The idea that new guides will come along with blocks that need certain skill sets is a little hard to believe. Yes you can create your own and find that you could block x too but looking at the maps there aren't gonna be many of these. More damage, lose lesstroops and adv more is the way I wanna play.

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in most of alies, I'm using Swift units not heavy (btw AM is swift, heavy o just normal?), because of vargus even less use for heavy units, so it become almost not a big deal, also reduce block time if you do block, will make more blocks become possible and less risk to fail on other tight blocks, if you looking for fewer losses, think out of the box here (the box here is the general on certain attack).

this is my setup, not applied but what I'm thinking about:

http://i.imgur.com/sycUwbw.png

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Originally Posted by TheVictorious

I'm using Swift units not heavy (btw AM is swift, heavy o just normal?)

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Swift units = First strikers (Cavalry, Knights, Mounted Marksmen)
Heavy units = Last strikers (Cannoneers, Besiegers)

There are no skill that affect AM beside the top skill Master Planner.

Well, I wouldn't go with Confident Leader myself, because of the same reasons people already mentioned (the number of rounds already reduces with the extra damage). I agree with the 3 maintenance+2 garrison setup because, from what I tried simulating, these few more troops don't make that much of a difference, but it depends on the camps that you do your simulations on. I'd like to hear from other people who tried simulating...
The_Sarmatian, what other skills did you put on your MG? I think that could also be an important factor.

AM are normal troops. With Ali's most battles are over in the first round if using swift, MM units. If you are going to go for Garrison Annex for more swift units think about adding 1 lvl to unstoppable charge.

I always block so thought that Confident Leader was a must but I thought out of the box and saw most tight blocks were reduced anyway making them way easier. So save those codex slots for other maybe cheaper books.

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Originally Posted by numa

Well, I wouldn't go with Confident Leader myself, because of the same reasons people already mentioned (the number of rounds already reduces with the extra damage). I agree with the 3 maintenance+2 garrison setup because, from what I tried simulating, these few more troops don't make that much of a difference, but it depends on the camps that you do your simulations on. I'd like to hear from other people who tried simulating...
The_Sarmatian, what other skills did you put on your MG? I think that could also be an important factor.

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Confident Leader 100% reduce rounds, whatever the units you are using, maintenance is just reducing rounds if you using heavy units, also, sometimes it is not made really a difference, maybe 1 round less save 20 seconds but with leader skill, 30% of time whatever could be better even more than 20 seconds.

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Originally Posted by EasyTarget1

AM are normal troops. With Ali's most battles are over in the first round if using swift, MM units. If you are going to go for Garrison Annex for more swift units think about adding 1 lvl to unstoppable charge.

I always block so thought that Confident Leader was a must but I thought out of the box and saw most tight blocks were reduced anyway making them way easier. So save those codex slots for other maybe cheaper books.

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skills mentioned here using codex + you almost use these skills on main attack generals anyway not all generals, also, I know the troops' types, I just ask to show that there is almost no use as a "heavy" units only cover 1 elite type, 1 normal type.

Sharing thoughts helpful for all anyway, so as I think I really made long discussion with these skills with guild mates and in global channel.
Anyway, I, saw many builds, I got my own (but based on Evil_J's setup as well).

About unstoppable charge, 1 dmg is not really a big deal especially in Arabian adventures, also, splash dmg is already low chance for MG and useless for already splashed CoA generals, in case it save 1 or 2 units, I could save more by more opened blocks.

I am considering following skills on my MG. lv3 first aid, lv3 jog, lv3 juggernaut, lv3 overrun, lv3 battle frenzy...but on codex levels besides lv1 master planner there are issues what to pick as priority nr1.

Unstoppable charge utterly useless. MM (=100dmg) have splash ability already. Also MG is not VAR.

So I should worry not only about garrison, maintenance, but also confident leader?

On 1st thief last block (wiki guide mg+ans+var+nus+besiegers) is tricky and you can't really shorten attack in rounds. It is like 5 secs touch and go lag-situation. Confident leader would make there some improvement like -2/-4/-6 secs maybe, but is it worth it. I didn't fail that block yet, though I didn't enormous amounts of ali thieves yet either.