Caelum (Middle Age): a guide

This guide covers Caelum in the Middle Age. The plain text states what the nation file, unit pages and mechanics pages say. The shaded Opinion blocks are advice from one player. For general army building, see Composing an army.

At a glance

Caelum, the Reign of the Seraphim, is a mountain nation whose people fly. The nation file sums its troops up as flying archers and mammoth riders. Mages draw on Air 3, Water 2 and Holy 1, with Astral 2, Death 2 and Fire 1 as rarer paths. The people favour a Cold scale of +3, and their forts take one step off deaths from cold. Priests are listed as weak. Caelian ice weapons are magical.

How the nation wins

Every Caelian unit listed below flies. Fliers use a simpler map cost list than walkers, ignore the extra cost of Cold provinces, and cross frozen rivers and mountain passes without needing the right scales (Map movement). In a siege, flying units count double towards reduction and repair, and only fliers, ethereal units and missiles reach wall defenders (Siege). The archers shoot from range, and Air and Water supply the mages.

Early turns

Per the nation file every national unit is recruited at a fort, and you begin with one in the capital (New player guide). The cheapest recruit is the Spire Horn Militia. Spire Horn Warrior, Spire Horn Archer, Airya Light Infantry and Airya Infantry are the next price step. The Caelian Scout is a commander with map move 22 and the stealthy ability, but the unit file lists no leadership for it, so it leads no troops. A stealthy commander sneaks only if every unit under it is stealthy too (Raiding). Provinces away from the favoured temperature cost tax and supplies for every step (Province attributes).

Army and commanders

The fort commanders are Caelian Scout, Storm General, Airya Noble, Spire Horn Seraph, Ice Crafter, Caelian Seraph, Seraphine and High Seraph.

• The Storm General has normal leadership 100, the highest of the group. At that rating up to three squads gain +1 morale (Army management).
• The Airya Noble has leadership 75 and wears an ice hauberk, helmet and aegis.
• The Seraphine and the High Seraph have leadership 50. The Seraphine has Holy 1 and is sacred.
• The Spire Horn Seraph, Ice Crafter and Caelian Seraph have leadership 10, the poorest kind. Even one squad under them takes -1 morale.

The fort troops are the Spire Horn Militia, Warrior and Archer, Storm Guard, Airya Light Infantry, Airya Infantry, Iceclad and Mammoth Rider. The Storm Guard, Spire Horn Warrior and Spire Horn Archer fly in storms. The Iceclad has the lowest map move, 16, and an army moves at the pace of its slowest member (Map movement). The Archer carries a short bow.

Magic and research priorities

The Caelian Seraph has Air 2 and Water 1, the Spire Horn Seraph has Air 1, the Ice Crafter has Water 1, and the High Seraph has Air 3 and Water 2 plus random level 1 draws from Air, Water, Astral and Death. The nation’s spells include Parting of the Soul (Thaumaturgy, needing Death 1 and Air 1), Summon Yazatas (Astral 2), Call Fravashi (Astral 3), Call Celestial Yazad (Astral 4), Call Amesha Spenta (Astral 5) and Call Daevas (Death 2 and Fire 1). The summons spend Astral or Death gems, are rituals and need a laboratory (Summons, Forts). Each school levels separately, and a spell needs both its school level and the path skill (Research). No fort commander has Astral or Death except through the High Seraph’s random draw.

Pretender ideas

The pretender list includes Arch Seraph, Storm Father, Frost Father and Yazad King, among many others. The Arch Seraph has Air 1 and flies. The Storm Father has Air 2, the Frost Father Air 1 and Water 1, and the Yazad King Air 1, Water 1 and Astral 1 with flying. A path the body lacks costs more for its first level, and later levels cost more each (Pretender design). Paths also decide which blessings your sacred troops can get (Blesses).

Weaknesses and counters

The priests are weak. The troops resist cold, and the Spire Horn troops resist shock, partly. The Iceclad is slow on the map. The nation file’s description says ice armour is more durable in the cold than in warm provinces. The Archer’s missiles are affected by shields (Combat), and the commander mages wear no armour in the unit data.

Against which neighbours

The nation file lists no matchups, and nothing here is measured. The data says the ice weapons are magical and the army flies.