[Ygorl]

I don't know that it would have made a big difference in the long run, but I was really hurt by one particular stale... I was trying to make it home from NY in time, but it just didn't happen... As a result of it, I lost seven Kings of the Deep, and also (maybe even more importantly) lost my front. From then on, I was chasing down packs of undead roaming around my interior, fragmenting my armies and not gaining ground, and it was the familiar story - my losses hurt me, Ermor's very rarely did.
Vanheim really did put on a strong showing. Twice I tried to start things, and twice I was beat down hard by a fireball-lobbing Moloch and a horde of glamorous elfkin.
Jurri and izaqyos demonstrated that even in a game with low gems and high research costs the research is hugely important. Some skillful maneuvering from both of you as well.
I've decided that I really like Atlantis's lineup of leaders. The big three are really all standout units. The only thing it's hurt by is the lack of an obvious mass-researcher (the WWWSS guys aren't too bad, but are capital only, and nobody's sacred so the bills get high; the W guys are more cost-effective, but they're so otherwise-useless and also capital-only that I couldn't bring myself to hire any. Maybe this was a mistake?) There aren't any sages underwater either.