: I've heard this argument used time and time again. But
: those who use it are not seeing the whole picture.
I'm some inclined to agree with it but not much.
: When Balor attacked, it was against the civilised
: nations. Thousands of well ordered men, with their own
: cultures, armies, etc. Well built cities, well ordered
: methods of defense, etc. He had to establish a niche
: for himself somewhereo n the map, carve it out, and
: slowly advance from there, destroying oh so slowly the
: powerful empires opposing him.
"...In thirty years they reduced the civilized nations to carrion and ash, until the free city of Madrigal alone defied them..."
: Soulblighter attacked in a time of rebuilding. The
: population was way down from the fight against balor,
: so there was less to stand against him. Cities were
: still being rebuilt. Armies were not completely
: reorganised, people wanted a state of rest after the
: Great War. So he took advantage of the unpreparedness
: of the world, and attacked swiftly, defeating
: everything in his path with superior power.
"After the Great War, the armies of the Dark collapsed and the Fallen Lords were swallowed up by history. We believed we had entered a golden age, a new era of peace, and our armies laid down their weapons to begin the long task of rebuilding the world. For sixty years we worked our fields and tended our cattle and did all the things that we had fought to defend, until the war became something that fathers told their sons and grandfathers their grandchildren."
Regarding to the "Soulblighter kicked our butts so much faster its grim and all that"
Using the Journal Writer again...
"The cities of Scales, Covenant and Tyr have all fallen to him in the last three weeks. It seems that too many years of peace have softened the once legendary armies of the West. Rabican, Murgen and Maeldun have been dead sixty years, and today only Alric remains of the great leaders who defeated the Fallen Lords."
"...the once legendary armies of the West." never had to face Myrkridia. As the Journal Writer says in the next level. "...Even men hardened by combat cowered in miserable terror at the first sight of them."
So I think that the grimness of Myth II is made up for by the fact that we know we can win...I mean anyone who can win with a "mere handful of men." can certainly win the way Alric did against Soulblighter.
In Myth TFL, as we get near the end its very much the last desperate gamble shake of the dice...the slightest mistake and its all over.
In Myth II by contrast, you are facing an army with an army, and although your causaulties are great, so are Soulblighter's as you push him back.
And also the "Kill him! KILL HIM!" of Alric as he desperately holds Balor in place is a very grim touch I think.
Seraph
