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computer AI is really low... I started to learn this game by choosing Impossible level and there proves out to be little challenge.

If you want a quick victory against computers(or maybe even other human players), choose pure nature magic (11 picks) and then make sure to select Stone Giant spell as well as Pathfinding spell... Then put all your power into mana and start summoning a stone giant at the first turn. When it is summoned put pathfinding on him, and start your conquer by flagging as many neutral towns and ruins/wonders as possible. When you have enough mana supply get a second stone giant... and also if possible try to get a huntress and team her up with the two stonegiants...... You will soon be able to claim most lands while the enemies are still struggling to build low-level units.

[Scatty]

You'll actually archieve the same, if not better result, with Death magic and Wraiths, and maybe 1-2 Shadow Demons added to them. Since Wraiths steal life, the regenerate and also create zombies after the battle who don't cost anything at all to upkeep, thus can be assigned to guard the city and remove the unrest.

This may test your patience, but I need a little help installing my MOM download (I'm not very good with computers yet). Oh I used to play this lots back in the day but have been away from computers for way too long. I just downloaded the game and the 1.31 patch and don't know what to do next. I have Windows XP. Can I use that? Any help would be great. Thanks

[The Fifth Horseman]

Use DosBox to run the game. You can download it here.

You might want to check out the official DosBox FAQ, and particularly this part of it. It is quite helpful for users unfamiliar with DosBox.

i didnt see anyone who liked lizardmen in the first few pages

they more or less have the same strategy as gnolls: dont bother with too many buildings, just get slave races. Your units are stronger and tougher than most units of the same tier and you can walk anywhere. Javelinmen are decent ranged units AND melee units and it doesnt take much construction to be able to produce them

quick tactics quistion: how do you beat air elementals at a sorcery node without having sorcery spells? other spells fail most of the time and most creatures cant beat invisible oponents

One sure way is to have Node Mastery, thus making you immune to the dispelling power of the nodes. Or it helps to have a mastery of one of the magic schools, which makes it twice as hard to dispel the spells of that school, additionally there's also Archmage pick which makes the spells together with the Mastery of a magic school almost undispelable.
Another choice would be to enchant your units with necessary spells already before entering the node, then there's not as much need to cast any spells.

[another_guest]

Indeed, cast any unit enchantments before entering the node.
Some non-magical units (non-ranged) do quite well against air elementals, try paladins or berserkers... Just make sure you send a lot of them in at once.
Or some big green creatures, again preferably a few at the same time. I'm not sure but I think some of the firebreating red creatures also did well against air elementals.

Hehe, to send a firedrake (the firebreating red creature) against air elemental is like to send a modern high-tech tank against a squirrel - owned. Same about the sky drake, they both will squash 5 or more air elementals without much trouble.
The basilisk though isn't as good against them, not that strong although with few enchantments he'll do fine too.

I found that out now too, after a looong time, but mostly because i conquered a lot of nodes lairs ets and finaly got node mastery retort and great drake spell :P

to rephrase my question: is there an easy way to defeat air elementals in the early game? even with node mastery and unit enhancement its usualy not a good idea, i think, or is it?