Hoplite Guide.pdf - e3Gewinnt

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4000+ Player Hoplite Guide This is a guide to play Hoplites, but also and mainly towards my specific Hoplite setup (which is very similar to and adapted by Henclucky's Hoplite army). Hens army I was stealing My army So, why would you play Hoplites? – They are fun. – They lead to very tactical games. – They lead to games with a much shorter move count. – They are not as strong as a good stall army, but they are quite strong right now. – They can abuse bots and bad players fast. You shouldn't play Hoplites if you like strategical, slow paced games and/or if you are afraid of calculating variants. Why did I choose my setup? So, why did I choose to use two Hoplite0s? Usually in closer games the Hoplites will get exchanged and uptraded instead of promoting, so it's important to have your Hoplites as cheap as possible. There are situations, in which the mobility of a 4th or 5th Hoplite+ could make the difference, but they are to rare imo. Anyway using Hoplite0s is probably a question of favor. Why use Hoplite+++? It allows double attacking, is a counter to Hoplites and its armor can be quite neat. Using more than one Hoplite+++ can be good as well. Why use Hoplite+? They are necessary to create the Hoplite brick (please refer to Opening) and one is the “leader”, making this brick able to move in all 3 forward directions. Why use Rooks/Bishops? They are the only (playable[There's also Arachnid+++, but you can't use its Poisson and Harpy+++, but she's paying value for some random mobility and has a blind spot]) full range Champions in CEO except Queen. As a full range piece they are developed at their starting position. Full range or at least range 5 pieces are needed for a successful Hoplite army. Why the Rook++? With its help and with Rook+s you can triple your Rooks within 3 moves, if needed. It can also defend several attacks by jumping to f3. Why the Bishop+s? The reason for a Bishop+ on g1 is probably obvious and explained in Ignore the Dove. I'm running two Bishop+s, instead of Bishop0s, because I'm appreciating that they aren't colourbound, which is pretty important in later stages of the game. Nevertheless the h1 Bishop+ upgrade is a question of favor. Why don't use Hoplite++? It's not worth its price. Why use Bat+++? It's the fastest and one of the few one move promoters in the game. Usually promote doesn't exist, but Hoplites are possibly the only viable archetype which can force material endgames or open lines consistently. As a relevant bonus the Bat defends the otherwise unguarded Bishop on h1. Princess++ is a good replacement for Bat+++ especially, because she just costs 0, but she's two times slower at promoting, doesn't protect the Bishop and is less reliable in order to switch her flank fast. Bat+++s mobility Why use a Prince? Probably every rush army should use a Prince. It lets you ignore checks, which leads to tempo advantages (please refer to ignore the first check). Why don't use Ghost? Dove costs 0. Opening Since you always face different set ups in CEO, there isn't such thing as opening theory. And most armies have to react different depending on the opponents setup. However for Hoplites the very beginning is nearly always identical. Basically the main part of the opening consists of three moves: Setting up your Hoplite brick. You will play this three moves in nearly 100% of your games as your first moves. Setting up the Hoplite brick: A Hoplite brick consists of 6 Hoplites which can move together thanks to their leader in the center of the Hoplites. I would recommend trying out to form the brick in Lab for some minutes and then play some practical games. After 3 or 4 practical games forming the brick should start getting into your muscle memory. Setting up the brick (replay code): 55,e3Gewinnt,PrivateAccount,3500,2000,v55_replay,226,45,34,11,1,6,0,35,48,13,1,2,3,0,White,1,1 ,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,,,,,,,Hoplite,,,,,,,,Hoplite2,,,,,,,,Hoplite2,,,,,,,,Hoplite4,,,,,,,,Hoplite,,,,,,,,Ho plite2,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,49,42,53,44,43,34 As you can see all Hoplite+s are needed to construct the brick. Initial Hoplite brick after 3 moves As a Hoplite player the opening phase is especially short, since all your Champions are developed at their starting position. The opening flows into the middlegame quite fast. The fast nature of the Hoplites, is the reason why the average Hoplite game doesn't last many moves. Middlegame General plan: You try to promote your Hoplites, check mate with the help of them, exchanging them against more enemy minions or you try to up trade your Hoplites against more expensive minions or champions. Usually you advance your Hoplites as fast as possible. If the opponents army isn't very strong on your Rook side, you want to advance your Hoplites on your Rook side, since all your pieces look in this direction. But it's completely fine to adapt an attack into the other side, if this side is defended well. It's important to calculate what happens when your Hoplites collide with the enemy minions, ideally before you advance your Hoplites, since that's the way how you decide where your Hoplites should collide with the enemy minions. In the majority of the games you will advance your Hoplites to the Rook side, but not always. Your Champions can change flanks much faster than the opponents, since your pieces are all long ranged, so you can use this to your advantage. I don't recommend sacrificing Rooks or Bishops without any reason. But sacrificing them can be good to kill counters, to open up the enemy King or to force a Hoplite promotion. Always make exact calculations before sacrificing! Ignore the Dove: The only purpose of your Dove is to allow your Bishop on h1 to be developed in 0 turns and your Bishop on g1 to be developed in 1 turn to g2. Making up a battery. If your Dove gets attacked just ignore it, never waste a turn to move or defend it! Rare Dove cases: You can start thinking about Dove if it reaches enemies 6th or 7th row if its square on 7th row before promotion line is unguarded and on a close square on promotion line there is no enemy piece. That's a very rare case. If your opponent has a Samurai on the g file, there's a chance, that you can use its auto attack, to attack something on the f file with a Rook or Bishop and getting them instant enchanted. But just use this tactic if it occurs, don't try to force it, even if there is a g7 Samurai. That just happened for me against exactly one setup, but against that setup several times. Abusing the b2 Samurai Ignore the first check: You are running a Prince, because you want to invest every tempo into attack and don't want to waste any for defense, so you should nearly always ignore the first check, it's completely fine to move your f Hoplite if it's pinned. If your first King gets captured it's the same as if your Prince would get captured adding a 5 morale penalty. To win tempi it's completely fine to take this exchange even against 9 morale pieces. Sometimes it can even be worth to ignore a check by e.g. a SpearMan+++, but around 9 morale enemy attack there's definitely the moment in which you can think of defending against the check, if possible. Of course you can't ignore checks by (Ranged)/(Magic) e.g. Poison. Usually you should protect your second King if possible. There are matchups tho, in which you can lose your King twice and should do it, but this cases are still exceptions, and you should just sacrifice your second King if you have a realistic winning plan in mind. Keep in mind, that your King is in real danger, if it's attacked by two units. The most common match ups to double sacrifice King are opponents who play check mate rush, and who at the same time have bad or no minions or bad defended positions. Never move your Bat: Only move your Bat if you already forced a way to promote it or to threaten its promote. Tactic motifs (independent of enemy army): As your Hoplites move all at once, you often can threaten different pieces at once. Don't forget the armor of your promotes! Every Rook and Bishop related motif of chess applies to this army as well. Specific ideas/ strategies/ plans/matchups: One of the most common themes of HopliteRush is to collect all Hoplites to force them to get though the point a6. The edge of the board is often defended at least by your opponent. Your Hoplites will move similar to this: 55,e3Gewinnt,PrivateAccount,3500,2000,v55_replay,226,45,34,11,1,6,0,9,11,45,1,2,3,0,White,1,1, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,,,,,,,Hoplite,,,,,,,,Hoplite2,,,,,,,,Hoplite2,,,,,,,,Hoplite4,,,,,,,,Hoplite,,,,,,,,Ho plite2,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,49,42,53,44,43,34,34,25,25,16 Forcing your Hoplites through a6 can open up the a and b file so much, that you can force your Bat to promote there, if you couldn't make a Hoplite survive promotion. PoisonMage going to h3: This does happen quite frequently, just move your Rook++ to f3, it's completely fine to downtrade him or your Bishop+ in the corner against the PoisonMage, your opponent wasted important time to get the PoisonMage to there. Playing against “counter pieces”/”nuance”: Against pieces with (Magic)/(Ranged) e.g. Ranger/FireElemantal(FE)/Pyromancer/SoulKeeper(SK)/Lilith/VoidMage(VM)/Necromancer you can ignore them and sacrifice one or two Hoplites while advancing the other Hoplites. You often can trap FE/Ranger/Necromancer and exchange around 2 Hoplites against them. Against SK you can sometimes use the fact that Ghosts are transparant, to x-ray attack the SK with a Rook (sometimes with a Bishop). If the SK moves out very early and threatens to be used against your kingside weakspot offensively you might need to move your Rook++ prophylactically to f3. Against Lilith/Necromancer, if you can't ignore them, by some reason, it's often a good idea to sacrifice your Bishop against them. VM++/+++ can easily be chased away with your Bishops or Rooks. Sometimes you can chase away or trade against Pyro/Lilith/SK/Necromancer by threatening them with your Hoplite+++ and another Hoplite at the same time. Rarely you can promote Voided Hoplites. Against (Unblockable) nuance (e.g) Paladin you can play normally. They aren't an actual problem, you just have to remember that your armor doesn't exist, and so defend the enemy base line properly. Against a Fencer or Crusader check you can move your Prince diagonal to your King or vise versa, this is often good, but not always. You can sometimes ignore Freeze/Petrify and afterwards free your piece by giving checks, promoting stuff or creating other threats. Against Samurais it often happens that you can trade two cheap Hoplites against one Samurai (Doesn't work against Samurai++/+++), this can often be useful. This exchange goes like this: 55,e3Gewinnt,PrivateAccount,3500,2000,v55_replay,226,45,34,11,1,6,0,139,11,4,1,2,3,0,White,1,1 ,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,,,,,,,,,,,Samurai,,,Hoplite,,Rook2,,,Samurai,,,Hoplite2,,,,,Samurai,,,Hoplit e2,Hoplite4,Rook3,,,,,,Hoplite2,Hoplite,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0 ,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,19,26,43,34,34,34,34,43 ,59,43 Against Samurai it's often fine if you let one Samurai Trigger go off, if two go off at once, there's a good chance you did something wrong. Against a full Samurai wall a6 will be the only way to go, if the opponent doesn't play weird. It also can be fine to sacrifice the Hoplite+++ armor against a Samurai Trigger, if this is needed. A Samurai wall is annoying for a Hoplite player, but not always a bad match up. Behemoth/Behemoth+Minotaur: There are much different users of Behemoth. Some players use just one high tier Behemoth, some use Behemoth spam and others use Behemoth+Minotaur, with about two Behemoths and two Minotaurs+/++. The exact strategy against them can differ quite much, but against all you should have a playable game. One main idea is not to use your usual brick against Behemoths, since the Hoplites can't protect each other. This is probably the only match up, where you don't wanna always create a brick. Another idea is sacrificing a Hoplite to buy time to advance the others, this can work with or without brick against Behemoths. Playing against Hoplites (mirror/semi mirror match up): Some Hoplite match ups are pretty bad for this army. This is because the Hoplite+++/++ armor (Hoplite++ is bad enough anyway to not be a counter to us) counters Hoplites and even your Rooks to some extend. The Betel Hoplite setup (full Hoplite+++, some Greebs etc.) can only be won if the Hoplite+++ player makes several blunders. Winning against Hoplite setups, which aren't full +++ should be possible by playing better than the opponent tho. Against Hoplites you wanna play out your Hoplite brick as usual, there are the games in which both sides bricks collide and the ones in which they move past each other, the latter results in insane games, in which all Hoplites promote, all Kings fall and both sides can't protect their Rooks. The Bat+++ can make the difference in those insanity matches. Lich+++ is the worst match up for us. You can only win against it, if the opponents army is bad enough. If it's bad enough your plan usually will be to attack on the side where Lich isn't. If you can down trade Rook/Bishop against Lich, do it! Lich0-++ can also sometimes be beaten on the Lich side. E.g. if the King is there and it's your Rook side, you should be able to out tempo the Lich spawns and kill the King. A good Lich+++ set up combined with a good/ semi good player is the only case, where you should surrender at turn 1, since it's completely pointless to play the game. It's completely unwinnable. [Grand nerf Lich+++] Btw you can usually entirely ignore Null and often your King can ignore Null/Void. Endgame If your opponent has a good army and/or plays good, you won't be able to win before exchanging some stuff and running into an endgame. The game will actually feel a bit similar to a chess endgame with Rooks and Bishops. Ideally you should have either a little morale advantage at this point (Remember you will have lost some of your minions, and you will probably have less minions than your opponent and so will not really have equal material on equal morale [Rooks/Bishops are also arguably overcosted in otherwise equal situations]) or you should have a positional advantage, pressuring your opponent, e.g. by permanent fear of Bat promotion. So chess endgame knowledge can be quite useful now. Usually you will still have your Bat+++ and 1-3 Lonely Hoplites. If you still have your Prince, you have a 9 cost King mover. That's terrible, if you don't aim for a morale victory soon, and/or can't stall the position to infinity it's completely fine to down trade your Prince, if it's possible. Care, you can't sacrifice your first King, if you're under 25 morale, this can be important in some promotion lines while calculating. In endgame your Rooks are your strongest weapon, to defend against several enemy promotion pieces and support your promotion threats, threatening the enemy King and keeping your position safe in general. Don't forget, that your Bishops can help at all 64 squares. An advanced Hoplite can be a very important piece, the same can be true for one which can't be stopped by minions in future. Some of your Hoplites will now be trash, and it's completely fine to sacrifice them to get tempi or a better position. Game play footage Games of today 55,StarkRobbs ,e3Gewinnt, 2500,3500,v55_replay,3,41,11,8,28,28,1,226,45,34,11,1,6,1,Black,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,Bis hop2,Bat4,,,,,Princess3,Queen,Bishop2,Dove,,,,,Duelist,Lilith2,King,Hoplite2,,,,,Fireball2,Dragon3, Prince,Hoplite,,,,,Militia4,Pyromancer3,Rook3,Hoplite4,,,,,Militia4,Lich2,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Fireba ll2,FireElemental,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Militia2,WindMage3,Rook2,Hoplite,,,,,Bomber,King,1,1,0,0,0 ,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1, 0,0,0,0,0,0,60,46,14,21,59,37,10,19,37,18,20,29,18,2,3,2,60,44,29,38,46,38,30,38,62,38,37,46,54,4 6,0,63,62,63,38,46,49,41,14,21,56,42,1,10,44,45,39,47,61,47,54,62,63,62,6,62,61,62,7,14,45,46,10, 46,62,61,46,28,42,34,28,20,34,39,21,30,39,35,14,11,35,26,20,12,26,2,11,51 People tend to forget that the Bishop on h1/a8 attacks the King on a8/h1. Besides of that fact a King on h1/a8 is a big advantage for us, since the minions on g2/b7 is pinned at t1, helping us to use the a6/h3 Hoplite force strategy. This game also shows, that it can be fine to ignore low tier Lichs. Against this particular army it could have even worked to ignore a Lich+++, due to the unlucky King position, but probably it wouldn't against perfect white play. I think white could improve like this: 55,PrivateAccount,e3Gewinnt,2000,4000,v55_replay,56,6,1,1,2,3,1,226,45,34,11,1,6,1,Black,1,1,0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,Bishop2,Bat4,,,,,Princess3,Queen,Bishop2,Dove,,,,,Duelist,Lilith2,King,Ho plite2,,,,,Fireball2,Dragon3,Prince,Hoplite,,,,,Militia4,Pyromancer3,Rook3,Hoplite4,,,,,Militia4,Lic h2,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Fireball2,FireElemental,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Militia2,WindMage3,Rook2,Hopl ite,,,,,Bomber,King,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0 ,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,60,46,14,21,59,37,10,19,60,44,20,29,37,29,30,39,37,30,5,3 7,53,37 55,Combofrz ,e3Gewinnt, 2000,3500,v55_replay,255,69,26,15,11,2,1,226,45,34,11,1,6,1,Black,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0, Bishop2,Bat4,,,,,Drake2,Pyromancer2,Bishop2,Dove,,,,,Shieldsman,King,King,Hoplite2,,,,,Drake2, FireMage,Prince,Hoplite,,,,,Bat2,Pyromancer3,Rook3,Hoplite4,,,,,Gnome2,Paladin3,Rook2,Hoplite 2,,,,,Slime2,FireElemental,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Ghost,Wisp3,Rook2,Hoplite,,,,,Sylph2,Wizard3,1,1,0, 0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0, 1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,63,45,14,21,45,61,10,19,55,47,20,29,45,29,28,37,45,29,37,45,53,45,0,45,61,45,30,3 9,45,27,39,47,56,34,30,38,34,33,38,46,54,55,47,55,62,54,55,63,58,61,46,55,54,62,63,54,48,32,55,6 3,32,18,1,10,59,35,54,52,60,52,52,60 FE gets trapped. White runs literally no minion, Hoplites abuse that fast. Paladin being irrelevant, since we control everything on our rook side. Old games 55,miki_hadar ,e3Gewinnt, 2500,3500,v55_replay,11,13,4,10,5,6,1,226,45,34,11,1,6,1,Black,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1, 0,0,0,Bishop2,Bat4,,,,,Hoplite2,Rook2,Bishop2,Dove,,,,,Hoplite2,Rook2,King,Hoplite2,,,,,H oplite2,Rook2,Prince,Hoplite,,,,,Hoplite4,Rook2,Rook3,Hoplite4,,,,,Hoplite2,Prince,Rook2, Hoplite2,,,,,Hoplite2,King,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Dove2,Bishop2,Rook2,Hoplite,,,,,Bat3,Bishop 2,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0, 0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,49,42,14,21,53,44,10,19,43,34,20,29,34,26,29,37,26,18,3 7,44,18,11,44,52,11,3,53,61,10,2,51,59,3,4,59,58,4,5,58,57,5,6,57,56,6,7,61,62,60,52,44, 52,63,45,52,61,55,30,61,45,2,1,8,33,30,5,45,18,12,3,33,58,10,2,18,2,3,2,58,50,3,2,50,2 That's how wild Hoplite mirrors can get. I think mainly having the better Bat won me the game. 55,yhaou ,e3Gewinnt, 3000,4000,v55_replay,34,1,43,9,8,8,1,226,45,34,11,1,6,1,Black,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0, 0,0,Bishop2,Bat4,,,,,Samurai,King,Bishop2,Dove,,,,,Samurai,Comet,King,Hoplite2,,,,,Samu rai,Lich4,Prince,Hoplite,,,,,Samurai,Envy3,Rook3,Hoplite4,,,,,Samurai,Lust3,Rook2,Hoplite 2,,,,,Samurai,SoulKeeper3,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Samurai,ThunderMage4,Rook2,Hoplite,,,,,S amurai,Fencer4,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0, 0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,58,44,14,21,61,45,10,19,44,36,20,29,36,28 ,20,28,45,51,29,37,52,45,29,37,53,46,37,46,60,53,4,11,58,43,30,22,53,52,1,55,62,55,44,5 2,51,52,6,15,51,61,30,39,43,44,39,47,55,62,0,1,61,46,1,46,58,51,11,51,59,51,47,55,63,55 ,47,55,55,54,47,55,54,55,15,55,62,55,7,55,57,55,5,6,46,37,6,62,56,49,62,61,50,43,8,14,3 7,30,3,12,52,51,55,52,51,52,61,54,49,42,54,30,42,35,14,39,45,38,30,38 It can be possible to win against Lich+++ and Samurai wall at once. The game also features some Samurai interactions and the very specific abuse of Lust. 54,whitename,blackname,2500,2500,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1, 1,0,0,0,Bishop2,Bat4,,,,,Swordsman,King,Bishop2,Dove,,,,,Swordsman,Dryad,King,Hoplite 2,,,,,Axeman,Gemini4,Prince,Hoplite,,,,,Axeman,VoidMage4,Rook3,Hoplite4,,,,,Axeman,Th underMage4,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Axeman,Lich4,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Axeman,SoulKeeper3,R ook2,Hoplite,,,,,RoyalGuard,Fencer4,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0, 0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,61,43,13,20,43,35,19, 26,35,27,26,33,63,18,3,11,18,34,6,38,27,35,33,40,34,32,40,49,57,49,24,32,32,24,38,35,2 4,25,4,28,25,16,5,12,16,8,1,8,57,40,8,26,40,32,0,27,52,44,35,39,54,46,39,23,40,41,2,10,5 0,42,7,0,58,50,26,40,48,40,27,26,56,48,26,40,48,40,28,24,40,33,24,32,33,25,0,24,25,32,2 4,32,59,45,21,28,62,52,12,13,51,43,13,45,52,45,11,19,43,35,28,20,42,34,32,16,34,26,19, 12,50,34,12,11,52,36,20,12,36,30,23,14,30,28,14,30,28,13,30,29,13,7,29,5,7,23,16,23 King attack off Rook side, since I have to respect the Lich+++ on the other side. On a strategic side this game mainly shows how fast Rooks can swap the flank in the open positions, the Hoplites create. 54,whitename,blackname,2500,2500,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1, 1,0,0,0,Ninja3,Duelist,,,,,Hoplite,Rook2,King,Duelist,,,,,Hoplite2,Rook2,Paladin2,Samurai,,, ,,Hoplite2,Rook2,Rook,Samurai,,,,,Hoplite4,Rook3,Rook,Samurai,,,,,Hoplite,Prince,Ranger 3,Samurai,,,,,Hoplite2,King,Ghast2,Duelist,,,,,Dove,Bishop2,Paladin3,Duelist,,,,,Bat4,Bisho p2,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0, 0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,49,42,10,17,53,44,11,18,43,34,12,19,42,50,19,26,42,34, 17,26,42,34,26,35,43,35,13,20,34,25,3,59,60,59,2,10,62,26,10,26,58,26,7,21,25,18,9,17,1 8,11,6,5,11,2,4,2,9,1 This opening was one of the rare cases, where it was good to move back the Hoplite brick, to reposition it. This is very rare, but it occurs from time to time. 54,whitename,blackname,2500,2500,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1, 1,0,0,0,Bishop2,Bat4,,,,,Spider3,Fencer4,Bishop2,Dove,,,,,Archer,Behemoth4,King,Hoplite 2,,,,,Skeleton,Antimage4,Prince,Hoplite,,,,,Militia2,Medusa,Rook3,Hoplite4,,,,,Dove4,Necro mancer2,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Apprentice4,Dryad2,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Skeleton,King,Rook2,H oplite,,,,,Duelist,Berserker2,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1, 1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,53,60,14,21,60,52,10,19,49,35, 20,29,61,46,21,13,46,61,21,28,61,44,27,35,44,45,28,36,53,36,43,51,58,51,28,20,57,49,20 ,12,49,25,21,30,44,46,30,39,46,38,0,36,52,36,4,36,52,63,36,29,25,41,30,37,46,36,37,46,5 4,46,46,53,52,53,6,38,36,37,5,12,36,46,38,37,46,38,37,28,56,35,11,19,35,17,1,10,17,18,2 ,11,18,9,8,2,46,37,29,21,37,29,28,24,51,35,12,28,53,44,28,27,35,21,27,59,62,53,7,4,44,2 8,24,28,37,36,11,18,9,16,18,11,41,42,28,27,37,35,27,25,21,14,59,63,48,6,25,57,35,52,63, 61,53,44,10,9,16,43,4,36,44,51,61,59,14,11,3,11,42,21,59,51,43,51,2,8,51,58,57,33,6,13, 36,52,13,31,52,54,21,13,11,18 This was the extreme of moving back Hoplites in the opening. 55,OMEGAULTIMATE ,e3Gewinnt,3500,3500,v55 replay,206,8,43,29,29,20,1,226,45,34,11,1,6,1,Black,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,Bishop 2,Bat4,,,,,FrostMephit,Dragon3,Bishop2,Dove,,,,,FrostMephit,King,King,Hoplite2,,,,,Portal, Behemoth,Prince,Hoplite,,,,,Ghost,Minotaur2,Rook3,Hoplite4,,,,,Ghost,Minotaur2,Rook2,H oplite2,,,,,Portal,Behemoth,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,FrostMephit,FireElemental3,Rook2,Hoplite,,, ,,Shieldsman2,Greed4,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0 ,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,53,38,14,21,50,35,21,30,38,29,30,38 ,56,42,38,47,54,47,6,62,60,62,62,63,59,63,3,2,42,25,39,47,25,17,0,63,55,63,47,55,63,58, 55,63,17,2,4,2,29,21,63,54,35,28,7,63,58,63,54,63,28,35,2,4,52,53,21,30,29,30,5,53 Game against one of the best Behemoth+Minotaur players. Against this particular army of this opponent I always do double King sacrifice. I think that's the best strategy for the Hoplite side, anyway I think overall I lost a small majority of our match ups. 55,michand1 ,e3Gewinnt, 4000,3500,v55_replay,1,48,1,13,18,1,1,226,45,34,11,1,6,1,Black,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1, 0,0,0,Bishop2,Bat4,,,,,Duelist3,Temperance3,Bishop2,Dove,,,,,Militia,Lust,King,Hoplite2,,,,, Duelist2,Ranger3,Prince,Hoplite,,,,,Samurai,SoulKeeper,Rook3,Hoplite4,,,,,Samurai,Berse rker2,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Samurai,Wizard2,Rook2,Hoplite2,,,,,Samurai,King,Rook2,Hoplite,, ,,,Drake,Phoenix,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0 ,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,52,45,14,21,51,44,10,19,53,46,20,27,58,5 1,22,30,51,43,27,35,43,44,4,36,45,36,5,61,60,61,27,36,44,52,34,43,52,53,6,13,55,37,44,5 2,59,51,44,53,62,53,30,38,37,29,13,11,53,52,7,4,52,53,1,9,63,45,9,17,53,46,0,1,46,47,17, 10,45,44,11,15,38,31,10,11,47,38,4,6,44,30,15,13,38,45,11,18,45,52,43,51,59,51,13,20,51 ,52,20,19,51,58,19,59,56,59,3,12,59,43,18,25,43,36,25,26,29,28,8,33,28,12,33,56,30,28,1 ,28,36,27,26,12,31,22,2,11,22,13,6,14,13,4,11,4,61,45,4,11,45,29,11,19,27,43,12,20,43,20 ,14,54,29,21,54,61,50,59,61,59,58,59,56,57,59,51,57,49,20,19 I think overall this was a very good game by both sides. I felt like having the better position the hole game. Obviously white should have stopped my Bat+++ promote. And in the end I forgot my own Vampire passive, which well, was terrible. Fun enough my opponent ignored it for one turn two. But then I ignored it for a second turn [: That's actually a quite funny nuance among Vampire, Temperance and King. The following game is my subjectively best Hoplite game so far: 55,e3Gewinnt,PrivateAccount,3500,4500,v55 replay,226,45,34,11,1,6,0,125,56,35,1,2,3,0,White,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,Legionary2,Royal Guard,,,,,Hoplite,Rook2,Valkyrie3,Apprentice4,,,,,Hoplite2,Rook2,Ranger3,FrostMephit,,,,,Hoplite 2,Rook2,Antimage2,Skeleton3,,,,,Hoplite4,Rook3,Taurus3,FrostMephit,,,,,Hoplite,Prince,Necroman cer2,FrostMephit,,,,,Hoplite2,King,King,FrostMephit,,,,,Dove,Bishop2,MageTower,Skeleton3,,,,,Ba t4,Bishop2,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0, 0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,49,42,12,19,53,44,5,12,43,34,10,17,34,25,13,20,25,17,3,17,59,41,1 2,3,33,25,9,25,41,25,3,18,16,8,0,8,25,32,19,26,57,48,20,27,63,27,11,19,24,16,19,27,16,8,1,12,62,5 4,27,20,54,47,4,22,47,54,7,5,56,49,5,37,32,41,17,33,41,43,33,49,48,49,37,61,60,61,20,19,43,44,31, 30,44,12,30,12,49,1,2,1,8,0,1,10,0,1,3,4,54,47,10,9,1,2,4,5,2,3,12,21,3,10,21,37,61,54,37,30,54,45, 30,21,45,53,21,37,55,45,37,35,53,54,35,51,54,46,51,44,58,56,44,28,46,53,28,35,53,54,35,42,56,0,4 2,51,54,46,51,60,46,38,60,62,45,46,9,10,10,9,5,15,9,2,15,22,38,45,22,30,47,55,30,46,55,46,62,46,4 5,46,6,15,2,3,5,13,3,4,13,21,0,56,15,23,46,37,19,20,4,11,18,19,11,10,26,35,56,63,23,22,63,62 Here's an analysis of this game by me (this code works in GluttonyMains ReplayTool, which is pinned in the #replays-and-scenarios on CEO Discord): {"setup":"BLegionary+,BValkyrie++,BRanger++,BAntimage+,BTaurus++,BNecromancer+,BKing,BMageTower,BRoyalGuard,BApprentice+++,BFrostMephit,BSkeleton+ +,BFrostMephit,BFrostMephit,BFrostMephit,BSkeleton++,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,WHoplite,WHoplite+,WHoplite+,WHoplite+++,WHoplite,WHoplite+,WDove,WBat++ +,WRook+,WRook+,WRook+,WRook++,WPrince,WKing,WBishop+,WBishop+","moves":{"move":"","variations":[{"move":"b2c3","variations":[{"move":"e7d6","variations": [{"move":"f2e3","variations":[{"move":"f8e7","variations":[{"move":"d3c4","variations":[{"move":"c7b6","variations":[{"move":"c4b5","variations":[{"move":"f7e6","variations": [{"move":"b5b6","variations":[{"move":"d8b6","variations":[{"move":"d1b3","variations":[{"move":"e7d8","variations":[{"move":"b4b5","variations":[{"move":"b7b5","variations": [{"move":"b3b5","variations":[{"move":"d8c6","variations":[{"move":"a6a7","variations":[{"move":"a8a7","variations":[{"move":"b5a4","variations":[{"move":"d6c5","variations": [{"move":"b1a2","variations":[{"move":"e6d5","variations":[{"move":"h1d5","variations":[{"move":"d7d6","variations":[{"move":"a5a6","variations":[{"move":"d6d5","variations": [{"move":"a6a7","variations":[{"move":"b8e7","variations":[{"move":"g1g2","variations":[{"move":"d5e6","variations":[{"move":"g2h3","variations":[{"move":"e8g6","variations": [{"move":"h3g2","variations":[{"move":"h8f8","variations":[{"move":"a1b2","variations":[{"move":"f8f4","variations":[{"move":"a4b3","variations":[{"move":"b6b4","variations": [{"move":"b3d3","variations":[{"move":"b4b2","variations":[{"move":"a2b2","variations":[{"move":"f4f1","variations":[{"move":"e1f1","variations":[{"move":"e6d6","variations": [{"move":"d3e3","variations":[{"move":"h5g5","variations":[{"move":"e3e7","variations":[{"move":"g5e7","variations":[{"move":"b2b8","variations":[{"move":"c8b8","variations": [{"move":"a7a8","variations":[{"move":"b8c7","variations":[{"move":"a8b8","variations":[{"move":"d8e8","variations":[{"move":"g2h3","variations":[{"move":"c7b7","variations": [{"move":"b8c8","variations":[{"move":"e8f8","variations":[{"move":"c8d8","variations":[{"move":"e7f6","variations":[{"move":"d8c7","variations":[{"move":"f6f4","variations": [{"move":"f1g2","variations":[{"move":"f4g5","variations":[{"move":"g2f3","variations":[{"move":"g5f6","variations":[{"move":"f3f2","variations":[{"move":"f6f4","variations": [{"move":"h2f3","variations":[{"move":"f4d4","variations":[{"move":"f2g2","variations":[{"move":"d4d2","variations":[{"move":"g2g3","variations":[{"move":"d2e3","variations": [{"move":"c1a1","variations":[{"move":"e3e5","variations":[{"move":"g3f2","variations":[{"move":"e5d4","variations":[{"move":"f2g2","variations":[{"move":"d4c3","variations": [{"move":"a1a8","variations":[{"move":"c3d2","variations":[{"move":"g2g3","variations":[{"move":"d2e1","variations":[{"move":"g3g4","variations":[{"move":"e1g1","variations": [{"move":"f3g3","variations":[{"move":"b7c7","variations":[{"move":"c7b7","variations":[{"move":"f8h7","variations":[{"move":"b7c8","variations":[{"move":"h7g6","variations": [{"move":"g4f3","variations":[{"move":"g6g5","variations":[{"move":"h3h2","variations":[{"move":"g5g3","variations":[{"move":"h2g3","variations":[{"move":"g1g3","variations": [{"move":"f3g3","variations":[{"move":"g8h7","variations":[{"move":"c8d8","variations":[{"move":"f8f7","variations":[{"move":"d8e8","variations":[{"move":"f7f6","variations": [{"move":"a8a1","variations":[{"move":"h7h6","variations":[{"move":"g3f4","variations":[{"move":"d6e6","variations":[{"move":"e8d7","variations":[{"move":"c6d6","variations": [{"move":"d7c7","variations":[{"move":"c5d4","variations":[{"move":"a1h1","variations":[{"move":"h6g6","variations":[{"move":"h1g1","variations":[],"comment":"1-0 Surrender under the pressure of the outrunning morale."}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}],"comment":"Probably it was a bit lazy that I allowed this trade, but position is won after ti anyway, so wathever."}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}],"comment":"The Taurus dance begins."}]}]}]}]},{"move":"b7c7","variations":[],"comment":"A nuance better I think."}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}],"comment":"!! Not gonna lie, that's a great Rook sacrifice. Gets rid of the Ranged thread on a8. A Phalanx is much better here than a Rook, since it will be better at supporting bat promote. Black can also not avoid to exchange his ranger for the armor after Phalanx promoted."}]}],"comment":"!? "}],"comment":"? +-"},{"move":"e7b6","variations":[],"comment":"\t!? Like this black should still be fine.∞ "}],"comment":"!? The peak of the game gets initiated."}],"comment":"!?"},{"move":"d8c7","variations":[{"move":"g2g3","variations":[{"move":"e6e5","variations": []}]}],"comment":"\t∞ \n"}],"comment":"?! This move seems pretty unnecessary."}],"comment":"? Prince probably isn't worth much more that a kingmover in this position, since black won't be able to make serious threads to the white King with his pieces. So I think this was a bad trade for black by black, despite Prince 5 morale penalty.\nThe nexts moves will prove how important a Major piece could've been for black."}]}]}]}]}]}]}],"comment":"After this move black will be able to force me to downtrade, probably this is inevitable tho, since my Rooks are quite crowded."}]}, {"move":"h5h2","variations":[],"comment":"A neat way to guard something"}]}],"comment":"This dove is just decoration anyway, but I helped Taurus develop with my useless move."}],"comment":"?! ..."}]}]}],"comment":"I start a useless Bishop maneuver, because I didn't that the Ranger guards e6. It would've been a useless one anyway probably, if that guard didn't exist."}],"comment":"If not losing it, advancing the Hoplite over the Ranger thread is a huge progress for white."}]}]}]}]}]}],"comment":"? Doesn't see the following little combination."}]}]}]}],"comment":"? Idk why I didn't take AntiMage instead here, probably brainlag."},{"move":"b5b6","variations":[{"move":"b8b6","variations":[{"move":"c5c6","variations": [],"comment":"± Valk is under double attack. If it moves away white can attack the RG on a7 with his Hoplite and then already thratens Hoplite promotion. Quite won for white."}, {"move":"b1b6","variations":[{"move":"c6b6","variations":[]}],"comment":"? Activates BonePile in the worst moment."}]}],"comment":" "}]},{"move":"b6b5","variations": [{"move":"c6c7","variations":[{"move":"d7c7","variations":[{"move":"c6c7","variations":[{"move":"d6c7","variations":[{"move":"a6a7","variations":[{"move":"a8a7","variations": [{"move":"b1b5","variations":[],"comment":"⩲ White should have a slight advantage. He's slightly up in morale and has much more active pieces. Black arguably has more material tho."}, {"move":"g1a7","variations":[{"move":"b5b6","variations":[{"move":"a7b6","variations":[{"move":"b8b6","variations":[{"move":"b1b6","variations":[{"move":"c7b6","variations": [{"move":"c1c8","variations":[{"move":"d8c8","variations":[{"move":"a5a6","variations":[],"comment":"\t∞ \n"}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}],"comment":"AntiMage might take Rook.\n\n\n"}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}]}} Crushing the CEO AI Having a nearly 100% win rate against the CEO AI (the private account one and the Dev Bot) should be possible with any army and is no rocket science. With Hoplites you win especially fast. I'd recommend thinking in your first games against CEO AI, later it should just be kind of muscle memory and you can stop thinking. (Don't get me wrong, always think a bit to avoid blunders) Usually you win against the bots without moving your Rooks or Bishops once. Random game play example: 55,e3Gewinnt,PrivateAccount,3500,2000,v55_replay,226,45,34,11,1,6,0,131,21,23,1,2,3,0,White,1, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,King,FrostMephit2,,,,,Hoplite,Rook2,Fortress,Undine,,,,,Hoplite2,Rook 2,Fortress,Phantasm,,,,,Hoplite2,Rook2,Toad,Bomber4,,,,,Hoplite4,Rook3,Illusionist3,Bomber4,,,,, Hoplite,Prince,EarthElemental3,Phantasm,,,,,Hoplite2,King,Knight,Undine,,,,,Dove,Bishop2,Glutto ny,FrostMephit2,,,,,Bat4,Bishop2,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0, 0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,49,42,9,18,53,44,14,21,43,34,4,19,34,25,18,2 6,34,26,19,29,63,0,29,61,60,61,1,0,25,17,8,17,25,17,15,22,16,8,0,17,57,17,10,18,58,2 This Hoplite army isn't ideal against Infernal or Hell mode. Winning against Infernal AI needs some luck and is significantly harder than winning against normal bots. Against infernal bot some thinking is always required. You should win over 50% of the games against it. Random game play example (Using the a6 method): 55,Loading,Loading , 3500,3500,v55_replay,226,45,34,11,1,6,0,92,10,12,1,2,3,0,White,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,Air Elemental2,Snake3,Penguin2,,,,Hoplite,Rook2,Rook,Samurai4,Penguin2,,,,Hoplite2,Rook2,Legion ary3,Gluttony4,Penguin2,,,,Hoplite2,Rook2,Legionary3,Bomber3,Penguin2,,,,Hoplite4,Rook3,Ran ger3,SoulFlare4,Militia,,,,Hoplite,Prince,Legionary3,AirElemental2,Militia,,,,Hoplite2,King,Drago n2,Wizard4,Militia,,,,Dove,Bishop2,King,Templar4,Militia,,,,Bat4,Bishop2,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0, 0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,49,4 2,12,27,53,44,27,43,51,43,21,28,43,34,6,12,34,25,17,25,25,16,13,37,16,8,0,8,24,16,37,61,60,61,23, 30,16,8,18,26,8,0,14,20,0,1,10,1,1,2,10,2,24,16,26,34,16,8,9,27,62,17,34,26,17,3,2,3,8,0,28,37,0,1, 3,1,57,1,20,37,55,48,27,45,59,41,20,27,41,45,37,45,63,45,4,13,1,5,13,5,48,0,12,21,56,49,5,12,49,1, 27,36,1,7,15,7,0,36,21,36,45,36 Winning against HellMode seems to be possible, but needs an insane amount of luck with this deck and some thinking (I didn't win against it so far in about 6 games, but was close to winning and blundered). Other decks are clearly better for this purpose.