A New Dawn at Noon: Season 4’s First Ride in AoH

A new season of AoH is upon us, and it brought significant changes. And I'm not talking about the changes in game😅, I'm talking more about our roster reorganization.

After a controversial Season 3, we've decided to split in 2 groups. The bigger accounts with a more competitive attitude will continue to play the 18:00 slot, while the rest of us, who prefer a more chill and casual experience, have moved to the 12:00 slot.

Since my account is more on the weak side than anything else, it only feels natural that I'll be playing in the "friends and family" chill group at noon.

But a nice surprise is waiting for us even before we start. While our usual accounts are sitting around 50k rating as per the new system, a few of the new people are over 70k. So I fear we'll get another unbalanced game, like before in the evening group.

But it's just the first match of the season, and matchmaking needs to get accustomed to our new score just like we have to get accustomed to the new updates.

Just as I say that, we notice the roster isn't even full. Since not everybody got the memo, and with missing people, we have to fill the spots with alts. Several of us are playing two accounts, with a lucky winner playing three. This is going to be an interesting match for sure.😱

We haven't even decided what troops to bring in or who'll be sitting in the house, and we have to jump in. Fingers crossed at this point, if we don't lose rating from the first game, I'll be happy. So I pack an equal number of Cavs and Spears and port in.

It’s a bit late and not a lot of our people are in. At least they added this new feature where we can pilot AFK accounts, so it’s all good. We're already playing mains and alts, might as well play extra accounts on top. ^^

But before the game starts, we get everyone in and we’re off to the races! The first line of buildings goes unexpectedly well. You can’t even tell there are, what, 5? Maybe 6 players in here? Masters of puppets for 10 accounts. We’re looking very decent, racing to the first row.

We’re also able to reinforce quite well. I’m a bit surprised how smoothly things are going, given how shady the events leading up to this point were.

By the time the second row opens, I expect to see the same results, but we’re a bit slow. Flashback hits me to a time not long ago, where we couldn’t reinforce the first row fast enough and missed the start of the second. Something similar happens here. Even my Stronghold was late to finish upgrading, and I felt like I was keeping other players’ troops trapped, not letting them expand our glorious house empire.

And as the first actually useful altars open up, we’re so far behind nobody is able to race for our own Maiden. We end up losing it to someone coming for it all the way from across the map. Slow pokes we are, and this is turning into a rollercoaster of emotions. I started hyped, following the changes; had a dip from the missing people and slow start; went up in hope as the game started and we quickly jumped on all Strongholds from the first row, despite most of us playing multiple accounts, and now I’m going back down in disbelief as we’re not on time to take the most important building that opens up in our own yard.

Well... in all honesty, the City of Glory is the most important building, but I haven’t stepped foot in that in so long, I even forgot what it looks like. Maybe this game will be a reminder? Probably not. Most likely, I’m just dreaming.

Now, to make things even better, I don’t know where our bigger accounts are, but apparently, there wasn’t anyone strong enough available to claim back our Maiden for the full two minutes, and their bubble comes up.

Like Septa Unella from the Silent Sisters repeatedly yelling “Shame!” while escorting Cersei on her path of atonement, I too would chant “Shame!” at us for not being able to contest the very first important objective of the match.

But we move past this slipup and quickly snipe other Altars from the other houses. I really don’t understand why all this running around is necessary. Can’t we all just take the Maidens in our own vicinity? Why the drama of racing across the map to take a stranger’s Altar?

Anyway, all’s well that ends well, and we ended up with three Maidens. Granted, none of them close to home, but that’s not as important as having three Maidens.😀

Shortly after, my assignment comes up. I don’t even know if I’m required or expected to take the Sept of the Seven, but it’s muscle memory at this point. I instinctively take it like I’m supposed to. Cheaper heals from now on, my treat, enjoy team!

This is the point that usually marks the "All Hell Breaks Loose" moment of the game. That's around the midpoint where everyone’s going crazy because everyone else has claimed an Altar in their vicinity. The entire map is buzzing with excitement.

But we hold strong, and for a change, I too hold strong! I’m seeing a lot more reports where I stand my ground this match.

There are still big accounts on the map that can tear me to shreds, especially when they even have my counter. But nevertheless, I feel like I’m able to contribute a lot more. Maybe this time slot is lighter on the whales? Or maybe it’s just early matchmaking and the system isn’t really well tuned yet? I don’t really care, lol. I’m having fun! Something I can’t say I remember feeling in any recent AoH games.

Even a crushing blow like this doesn’t affect my morale.

I keep seeing more and more reports where I win, and it’s making me feel like a valuable part of this match.

Again, something I haven’t really felt on my main account in quite some time.

I’m so confident in my account’s strength that I even send my off-march out for a spin. And despite it not being my Lord march, and despite my account not really being built for two lines or a second troop type, I’m still able to make an impact with my off-march.

I see the usual spam march and "cat-and-mouse" games have made their way into this time bracket as well, but these cheap strategies are nothing new to me. I was molded by them in the dark 18:00 slot. These 12:00 players merely adopted the spam marches... I was born in them.

They don’t even know how to properly spam march. Look at them, leaving 1 million power worth of troops defenseless! More elimination points for me I guess. No problem. I’ll take it!😏

Getting past the midpoint of the game, the City of Glory is about to open. We all know how important this moment can be and how a house can jump from the middle of the pack to first place by taking it. We also know there are two houses this game that chose the Troop Camps strategy and are in a prime position to jump on the City of Glory. And yet... we seem to be very relaxed?!? Much like we’ve been for most of the game. Nobody seems impatient about the gates opening. Nobody’s making plans. Are the all too caught up in the game that they haven't noticed the time?

Since we usually don’t hold the City of Glory, I assumed by default we wouldn’t even be going for it. We haven’t been able to hold it in so long, it’s basically tradition to just ignore it. We usually forsake first place altogether and focus on the small mines. For our team, the mines have been the pivotal part of AoH games, and I’m at least expecting some planning around those.

But it seems I’m not the only one feeling ballsy this game. As the City of Glory opens, we’re the first ones lined up at the door. And without exchanging any pleasantries, we march right in and comfortably take our seat at the throne. Perks of having a super strong account in a sea of only mediocre ones!

I noticed there was a rally, but I was busy, you know, actually being able to do things, not just mindlessly reinforce rallies. So I wasn’t even there for the barging in… but I soon joined the party once it was under our house banner.😊

This feels weird. Why are we still here? Shouldn’t we be planning for the mines? The mines can be our biggest downfall. We’ve lost placement in previous games for not planning the mines phase correctly and yet, all we’re doing now is chilling at a banquet in the City of Glory?

But looking at the reports that follow, I think I understand why. Nobody in this match is able to contest our claim. It’s both a bit of a shock and a very pleasant surprise. Quite the refreshing change of pace for my AoH team.

Of course, not having planned this game very well from the start, our City of Glory holder is spear... and I’m spear... and only my strongest dragon is spear... and we’re holding the house with another spear account... and obviously, I didn’t bring nearly enough spears for all this.

So while usually I’m just waiting for rally reinforcements to be called and sending accordingly, always having available troops because I can’t do much with them under my own banner, this time... when my banner actually means something... I don’t have any more troops to send out.😭

Here I am, practically jumping out of my seat, just waiting for some opportunity to murder somebody's troops, but at the same time, I can’t, because I need to reinforce the City of Glory with my drake and my last remaining spears.

Only now, the moment I’ve actually been waiting for is upon us. I’m talking about the small mines opening. I’m so desperate to do something that I straight up announce I’m going for the one closest to us, the one the left side of our house.

I also tell my team I might not be able to hold it once I take it, and they don’t understand why... until I actually take it and ask for Cav reinforcements. Only now do they realize I’ve taken a mine… with my off-spec and not the main Lord march.

This entire game we’ve been... let's say "courageous", so it would only make sense to see how far we can push it. My companions are going along with this crazy attempt and even send me reinforcements. They probably have more faith in my off-spec march than I do. I definitely wasn’t thinking I could hold on to a mine, but with a few reinforcements and the current account strength on the map... guess who’s not being kicked?

I tank a few more hits, then catch a good moment to recall my Spears from the City of Glory in order to “heal” them.😜Heal them... riiight. Heal them after I’ve already wounded them myself, throwing them at some players.

Now, with my alt march holding a mine and enough troops available for my Lord march, I want to see who else I can annoy this game. I find another mine without many troops hiding inside and decide to swing by.

Needless to say, I murder what’s inside with no remorse.😏

Funny how they felt insulted and decided to come back… only to feed me even more elimination points. Their Cavs vs my Spears? Their stats vs my stats? 13 million power dead vs my 0.5 mil? Yup, that pretty much sums it up.😅

Later I get another visit, but with my reinforcements arriving as well, I can safely drain the remaining points from this second mine, just in time for my absence to be noticed from the City of Glory. So I quickly recall, heal up, and go back to the middle of the map, where all my friends and their troops are having fun.

Looking at the reports, needless to say, nothing of great concern was about to divert us from our path to Glory this time. Center was solid. Our house was solid. We’re on the fast lane to numero uno. Something I haven’t seen in a very long time… probably around the start of Season 2.

So when the rolling text appears, we’re first... by a long and comfortable distance from the rest. Not only did we hold 3 Maidens for most of the game, we also did really well on the mines while our biggest armies were confidently defending the City of Glory. I’d call this a triple win.

This game went so well in our favor, I even checked the rankings, something I'm usually too ashamed to do. And while I’m not surprised to see our two new companions sitting comfortably in 1st and 2nd for eliminations, my personal achievements aren’t bad either. I mean... not bad compared to where I usually rank. But that’s probably due to the impact I had and all the things I was actually able to do this game, unlike my usual playstyle.

Now that’s how you end an AoH match.

And may this be the trend setter for every game to follow in Season 4.🙏I need to upgrade that Glory Drake, and it’s getting really expensive after it reached Adult.

And on that thought, I’m off to see what Elite quest we have going on. Since the new Daily system has been added, I’m trying to find a way to double dip the quests with the Lord of Lords event and get as much back as I can for my spent resources and speeds.

And on that final note😀, I’m leaving the first AoH match of the season extremely satisfied. It was an emotional rollercoaster from even before it started, but it went well, dare I say even great, and we finished so far first, we didn’t even need the City of Glory. Even without it, if nobody else took it, we’d still have won first place. Now that’s something I’m going to remember for a while.