Solium Infernum has been on my radar for some time now. A multiplayer-focused 4X game from the developer behind Armello is already more than enough to get my attention, and a setting inspired by Inferno, Paradise Lost, and Ars Goetia is brimstone on the cake.
The folks at League of Geeks were kind enough to give me an early chance at playing one of the single-player scenarios, Diablique. Like standard games, it pits the Lords of Hell against one another, vying for dominance in the wake of Satan’s sudden disappearance. Unlike standard games, not everybody starts on equal footing.
Diablique puts players in the role of Murmur, a reclusive Archfiend with dominion over death, the dead, and pain. Murmur and the other contenders for the throne of Hell find themselves boxed in against one another as Astaroth, the Dragon Knight, surrounds the infernal capital of Pandaemonium. Temporary truces and preying on the weak are an important part of the early game, but eventually, Astaroth will have to be dealt with.
While the winner would typically be determined by who has the most Prestige at the end of the game, Murmur can’t win politically in this scenario. The only way to supplant Astaroth as the next ruler of Hell is to break his lines and lay claim to Pandaemonium yourself. To win, Murmur needs to gather the schematics for infernal mechanisms that will reduce the power of his enemies, then use them to personally eliminate Astaroth.
Schematics are scattered in fragments across the Infernal Realm, so your best bet is to ensure that you have enough money on hand to buy them when a merchant has any available. I start with a piece of the Machine Of Agony already in my possession, so I focus on getting the rest.
In the meantime, something has to be done about the neighbors. Belial, the Prince of Lies, is too far from my territory to do anything about, so my main rivals are Mammon the Lord of Greed in the north, and Erzsebet the Temptress to the east. Beelzebub, the Lord of the Flies, could also prove troublesome.
As it turns out, Murmur isn’t popular amongst the lords of the underworld. Insults start coming in from all directions, forcing me to declare a vendetta against my neighbors or lose Prestige, slowing my rise to power. I send my undead legions to exact punishment on Mammon and Beelzebub, overextending myself but getting enough clout from my victories to rank up, getting more votes in the Conclave and better tributes from my underlings.
While I wait for my armies to replenish and my coffers to fill, Erzsebet swears herself a Blood Vassal to Astaroth. As useful as it would have been to take advantage of her falling behind, that’s no longer an option - messing with Erzsebet will now invoke the wrath of the Dragon Knight.
With two more pieces of the Machine of Agony in hand, I use another insult from Mammon as an excuse to claim his holdings around the fabled City of Dis. Taking Dis would be an important milestone, but I’m not in a position to lay siege just yet.
Suddenly, a flash of light appears near Astaroth’s stronghold - a host of angels has invaded Hell, intent on destroying at least one army belonging to each player. The unstoppable servants of Heaven tear through Astaroth’s forces - excellent! They then fly across the map at lightning speed, headed straight for my legions - not excellent. My Infernal Engineers never stood a chance.
By the time the angels leave, everyone’s armies are greatly reduced. Since mine were among the first to go, I spend the next several turns building up the funds to get the best pick of replacements. As you might expect, demons are quite mercenary and will only join the highest bidder, but the laws of Hell demand their unwavering loyalty once they’ve sworn themselves to an Archfiend. I even decide to enter into a deal with Mammon, using his fiendish affinity for gold to earn us both additional income.
I end up recruiting no less infamous an army than the legendary Lost Legion, Roman soldiers who disappeared from the historical record without a trace - an appropriate pick for Murmur’s theme of tormented undead souls. With my new general, Gusion, at their head, I command the ghostly Romans to march on Dis. I’m sorely low on Prestige, and I’ll need some for what I’m about to do next.
Expecting Astaroth to refuse, I boldly demand that he pay me tribute. Despite having his holdings ravaged by Leviathan, who has awakened from the Abyss to wreak havoc on Hell, the proud Dragon Knight tells me I’ll have to fight him if I want anything at all. I rush in with the Lost Legion and my personal guard, dispatching two of Astaroth’s own armies and getting a princely sum of Prestige.
Unfortunately, Prestige won’t win this scenario. I no longer have enough time to feasibly reach and conquer Pandaemonium before Turn 50, Solium Infernum’s limit. It’s a harsh lesson, but an important one - every single turn needs to be optimized as best you can to pull out a win.
Looking over the rules of the game more closely after accepting my defeat, I already have a strategy for next time. Picking fights with Astaroth while he’s occupied and taking easy wins - sniping weak legions and sneaking territory out from under him - I can eventually declare a Blood Feud, a permanent state of war. From there, I’ll need to pour everything into destroying Astaroth’s Stronghold (which is forbidden without a Blood Feud). If his castle falls, he’ll be eliminated, paving the way for my armies to march on Pandaemonium.
Capturing the seat of demonic power brands the offending Archfiend an outcast, effectively sending them into a Blood Feud with everyone at once. With schematics in hand and armies of skeletons ready to defend my own Stronghold, though, victory should be within my grasp next time.
