Hello, I recently downloaded the ELCP and tried a new game with the Cultist but I simply cannot compete with my neighbors The Vaulters and his army or range marines. I know much of the Cultist game plan revolves arround "luck" (having a good spawn position and good minor villages) but I ended up with an army of 2 supports unit and those hydra-looking creatures (so... no cavalry to rush their marines). They mop the floor with my main (and only) city, and it didn't seem fair since by my understading, Cultist capital should be REALLY though to siege, but they didn't even need to siege, they straight up attacked my city with the gauge only with 1/4 on my side. 

My only army was a few blocks away roaming for ruins and quests (since I needed to level up my minor faction units for the main questline) and my hero was doing managment on my city. Maybe I need to rush defensive buildings? I started up with some industry and food to get my city rolling, but maybe that was a mistake. Also, do you invest resources in defending converted villages? I only converted factions near my city, but even those where quickly erased by roaming armies. 

I dunnow, It feels that I only loose because the AI went murder-mode and rushed straight to my capital with any warning whatsoever. 

ELCP comes along with imroved AI. What difficulty level did you choose?

Groo wrote:

ELCP comes along with imroved AI. What difficulty level did you choose?

Normal difficulty, that why it take me by surprise how powerful their army was.

Are you sure it was not Normal Difficulty plus a +20% handicap to the enemy? I was playing at Normal difficulty with a +20% handicap to the enemy and they were suitably strong...but not overwhelming. However, if you procrastinate and don't do anything productive with your single city...then it may be that they saw you were weak and decided to attack you.

Did they give any indication that they disliked you before attacking and sacking you? And did you ignore it? Also if you are playing a single city race, it is really advisable to leave a few units in the city to help your militia.

I could imagine, you need to adapt the difficulty level to your skills, perhaps? So one level lower than normal? No offense!

The thing is that with ELCP, all of the things the AI never did before and just left open for you to exploit, are now mostly closed up and the AI is very tight and tuned in how it plays. Factions that literally did nothing before like the Allayi for instance, are now very much motivated and play to their strengths...that's true of all AI factions(and the Vaulters are one of the most straight forward ones to play) so some of the things that the AI does may catch you by surprise at first.