Populous: The Beginning Tribe Guide By Daniel Cowlishaw (darth_daniel@hotmail.co.uk) =================================================================== Contents =================================================================== You can navigate through the contents by selecting the section code (e.g. [PTB-A]), copying it, pasting it into the Find box (usually opened with Ctrl+F) and then pressing enter. The section you wanted should appear before your very eyes! [PTB-0] - Version History [PTB-A] - Introduction [PTB-B] - Dakini [PTB-C] - Matak [PTB-D] - Chamara [PTB-E] - Other information [PTB-F] - Copyright Stuff [PTB-G] - Thanks =================================================================== [PTB-0] - Version History =================================================================== -Version 1.00 (14/8/2006) - Probably the final version, but I may add something -Version 1.01 (14/8/2006) - Added more sites that can post this guide and the Other Information section -Version 1.02 (11/9/2006) - Fixed a few errors. Not much really. -Version 1.03 (26/10/2006) - Fixed a few more spelling errors. -Version 1.10 (13/3/2008) - Been a while. More spelling errors fixed and some prettiness to make each section stand out a tad more -Version 1.11 (5/5/2009) - Another big block of inactivity. More spelling errors sorted out and some extra information added to certain sections. =================================================================== [PTB-A] - Introduction =================================================================== This is a guide to the different tribes of Populous: The Beginning. Ok, so it's been quite a few years since P:TB was released, but I still play it! This is quite a short guide and I forget why I decided to create it, but one day someone may find a use for it. It goes through the usual way that the tribes have acted during my playthrough of P:TB, such as how and when they attack, their settlement defenses and the order that I advise you take them out. I have listed the tribes in the order that you meet them. This guide is mainly for the later levels when you have more powerful armies and spells and are facing all three tribes at once. You may be able to use something you read here in earlier levels, but the later levels are the main focus. This guide will follow a pattern. Each section will have a brief description/introduction to each tribe. Following that there will be two paragraphs; an offence paragraph and a defence paragraph. These will contains details of that tribes attacks and defenses respectively. I will also say when I personally eradicate them from the planet. If you have any questions regarding this guide, or any suggestions to make it better, you're very welcome to e-mail me. Just make sure that the subject mentions something about Populous, or I may delete it without reading it. ################################################################### WARNING - This guide may contain spoilers. This is the only warning you will receive. ################################################################### =================================================================== [PTB-B] - Dakini =================================================================== The Dakini are my least favourite tribe in the whole of P:TB. They are okay early in the game, but the later you get the worse they are and harder to defeat they become. I have failed more than one World because of these warmongers, and have stopped playing out of sheer frustration because of something they have done (might be a slight exaggeration). Anyway, moving on... Offence - The Dakini are fierce attackers. While the other tribes may send five or so followers and cast one or two spells, these guys will lob a full army your way and cast whatever they have charged up. As with all three tribes, they prefer to attack on land with a large force, but have no objections to using boats. If there is a way into your base, you can be sure the Dakini will be the first there to attack. They usually send a large force combined of firewarriors and warriors, maybe with a few preachers. Their main attacker, though, is their Shaman. As soon as she arrives she will begin casting, and you may have lost most/all of your army and a few buildings before you have noticed they are there. And when I say spells, I don't mean Blast and Swarm. I mean Volcano, Tornado, Earthquake, the really nasty spells you could do without. My advice is take out the Shaman as soon as you can when they attack. The rest of the attacking force will be easily taken care of once she is dead. Watch out for boat attacks from these guys. They attack anywhere they can land a boat, but aren't too keen on using balloon attacks, even if that is the only way they can attack you. Defence - Apart from being horrible attackers, the Dakini usually have a hard defense. On some of the later levels, you will realise that the Dakini have a full settlement built when the level begins. Their usual defense is comprised of alot of Guard towers with firewarriors, patrols of all fighting classes and the Shaman in or near a tower on top of a hill or other high point. The Guard towers can usually be taken down with a quick cast of Lightning, but be warned when you enter their territory. They will send everything they have at you. The patrols can be taken out by putting a Swamp in the patrol path. As for the Shaman, she will stay in her tower and not do anything unless you get too close, in which case she will cast spells to split up your army or turn them against you. When I get rid of the Dakini depends on what they are doing. If they are mercilessly slaughtering my enemies, I'll leave them to it for a while and pick on some one else. If they are mercilessly slaughtering me, I'll make sure I get rid of them quite soon... =================================================================== [PTB-C] - Matak =================================================================== The Matak are my favourite tribe. Not only are they the green tribe, they also tend to not do much apart from build up. I have found it quite rare to be attacked by the Matak, and even if I am the attacking force is usually small. Offence - As mentioned above, the Matak are much more peaceful than the other two tribes. But if you let them, they will attack and do damage. When they do attack, the force is usually comprised of quite a balanced number of each class, with maybe a few more preachers than any other. They don't use too many spells either, maybe one or two quite damaging ones, but nothing on the same scale as the Dakini. Defence - Defence is the area in which the Matak seem to excel. I have been quite severly taught a lesson when underestimating the Matak defenses. They seem to like guard towers and placing firewarriors in them. This defence is their best way of blowing your Shaman out of a balloon. They also have a few preachers hanging around in strategic points to stop any preacher-less army in its tracks. The best thing the Matak seem to have is numbers. Because they rarely attack they breed a fantastic amount of braves and train them. This provides a large army and plenty of mana for the Shaman. I usually get rid of the Matak last. They don't usually do anything to provoke me, and they don't do anything to anyone else either, so there is never a hurry to finish them for me. You may think this a reason to take them down first. If so, do that. I am only going on my personal experience. =================================================================== [PTB-D] - Chumara =================================================================== The Chumara appear to be a neutral tribe, by which I mean they concentrate on both attack and defence. I have a grudge against them for what they did to me on 'Fire in the Mist', but apart from that I don't mind them that much. Offence - The Chumara do attack, but it's not very regular and not a huge assault when it does happen. Once the ballon hut is unlocked you may notice that all they build are balloons after they have done everything else. Watch out for that. They always attack when you aren't expecting them to, and they always send their Shaman. Her usual tactic is to Lightning a building or two and retreat, but sometimes she does more (such as during my 'Fire in the Mist' experience). Another thing the Chumara seem to be fans of are spies. Every single spy that has set foot into my territory, that has burned one of my buildings, that has been bludgeoned to death by braves, every single one from the Chumara. They love sending in boat loads of spies. By that I don't mean a boat full of spies, just lots of boats with one spy. Luckily they only get one or two buildings before the braves get annoyed and kill them. Still, rebuilding something could be a hinderance that costs you a World. Defence - From what I have noticed, the Chumara don't seem to intend to have any defence, it just happens. They have the occasional patrol and tower, but nothing more. The armies they build are often in the right place at the right time, but have no set location. They do always have at least 10 firewarriors though (after the firewarrior training hut is acquired, of course), which are either in a large group around the Shaman, in towers, or patrolling an area. I usually get rid of the Chumara second, because they aren't as aggressive as the Dakini, but do much more than the Matak. When I do get rid of them though, I don't do it quickly. I let them stew in their own failure for a little while before making the final, swift blow... =================================================================== [PTB-E] - Other Information =================================================================== Whilst playing the levels following 'An Easy Target', I have noticed a preference in the spells or buildings that each tribe uses. On the world 'An Easy Target' the Dakini guard the Vault of Knowledge for Tornado, the Matak hold the Vault for Erode and the Chumara guard the Vault for the Spy Training Hut. For most of the levels after this world, the Dakini Shaman uses Tornado more than any other spell, the Matak Shaman uses Erode alot and the Chumara use spies more than anyone else. This is only a theory, but I think that each tribe prefers to use the knowledge they hold in a Vault on certain levels. This is based on my experience though, so you may notice something different. One other thing I'd like to point out is the 'relationship' between the Dakini and Chumara. You may notice that all these two tribes do when on the same world is fight. They seem to prefer to kill each other more than focus on the player or the Matak. You may be able to use this against them on some worlds to make them easier. Of course, it may not play out to your advantage if they use your settlement as a battleground. Just a thought... =================================================================== [PTB-F] - Copyright Stuff =================================================================== This section just contains all of the copyright information. All the interesting stuff is up there. Copyright 2009 Daniel Cowlishaw This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. If you wish to put this on your site, e-mail me first. My e-mail address is darth_daniel@hotmail.co.uk. Make sure the subject is relevant or I may disregard it as being spam. Sites that have permission to post this guide are: - http://www.gamefaqs.com. - http://www.random-gubbings.co.uk All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders. =================================================================== [PTB-G] - Thanks =================================================================== I would like to thank 3 different people in this section. Firstly I would like to thank Bullfrog for such a fantastic game, a game that showed me that being a God would be as much fun as I originally supected. Secondly, I would like to thank Danny for joining me in a good evil laugh as we both watched the other Tribes burn on the worlds 'Bloodlust' and 'The Middle Ground' Finally I would like to thank you for wasting your time reading this guide (which is my first), particularly if it helped you in any way whatsoever. Even if it just helped you remember where you put you car keys or that you had to feed the dog.