List top 3 MA MP races

[Xietor]

I am not an expert, and i think small map v. lap map is very different. So for this thread, you can assume the map is Aran with 9 players. Yes, that means blitz is possible, or even likely. So defending yourself early from some f9 w9 vans needs to be in your thinking.

1. Arcosphale

I think having level 3-4 astral mages, that can get mind burn very early, coupled with tough infantry, healing priests, and elephants(combined with hyperists), can make early expansion easy, as well as the ability to hold off a zerging army. Late game, you have astral magic.

2. Vanaheim

Air magic is tough, glamor troops, and the ability to pummel most races early on. Vans being able to be recruited at all castles is also insane. Also gets a free scale pick with the plus 1 cold.

3. Ryleh

Many advantages to an underwater start. You can pick your fights. Astral magic, mind blasts, decent priests, summons.
Many spells that can target on land capitals cannot be used to target underwater provinces. Seeking arrow, fires from afar, etc. Stealth troops typically cannot attack you underwater. You get pd on land and sea.

[Evilhomer]

I think you listed some of the best for sure, I would replace arco with caelum (very strong air, mobile, mammoth) but that might just be my personal preferance.

[Xietor]

Caleum's pd is so bad though, that i think that one point takes them out of top 3. Who would they replace?

Air, mammoths, and 120 free design points are huge though.

[Evilhomer]

flying (high mobility) makes up for the lack of low pd with ease. I stated that it was arco I would replace.

[Tyrant]

Those are reasonable though badly spelled choices. Caelum, Pythium, Jotunheim and Ermor would be the other contenders IMO.

1. Caelum- Crappy flying troops, but excellent build anywhere mages give Caelum matchless strategic mobility and crazed firepower. They also get 120 points free on nation design because of the temperature preference and a fistfull of little advantages such as water item forge bonuses and magic weapons on most of their troops. Late game is not first rate, but they can overcome that by kicking butt in the early and mid games.

2. Jot- Giants smash! Wide magic, bonus for the cold, blood for the late game, thugs.

3. Ermor- Sturdy line troops that will give the excellent casters time to destroy the enemy, useful cheap sacreds, free undead, death and astral magic (two great tastes that go great together) and top notch PD. They got game all the way from start to finish.

3.5. Pythium (Ermor's cute but *****y little sister) Pretty much the same army as Ermor, communion from hell, and Hydras.

Nearly all the MA nations are viable. I think Ulm and Argatha are the two duds in the bunch

[Evilhomer]

MA is easily the most balanced era i think, so yes most nations can do well.

[Xietor]

Spelling fantasy names has never been my strong point(:

[Xietor]

I had actually included Ermor in my original 3, but realized the R'lyeh could not be left out.

Caelum and the Giants, both have their strong points, but I just cannot tolerate races whose pd is totally useless.

[Shovah32]

Rlyeh and shinuyama are both pretty good due to their strong magical powers and good ranged armies(mind blasters and cheap flaming arrows respectively) and i would rate them among the top. My third choice is a little harder but i would probably go with Ctis.

Ctis has good death and nature access aswell as some water and astral(or good astral with couatl). They have fairly good general purpose troops(heavy infantry and elite warriors), great skele spam capability, poison slingers who work great with skele spam, good national summons, strong priests, great assasins and a very good dominion(40 free points from heat, income bonus for themselves, income penalty for others, disease for living, non cold-blooded troops).

For a miamasa pretender a Dom9(10 is too expensive) Prince of death works great. His death magic fits in with the national magic, the national mages can forge a variety of useful items, the PoD is a great early game expander, raider and late game SC and is also immune to the disease dominion(which spreads quickly with dom9).

[Xietor]

Ctis is not in my top 3 for a couple of reasons.

They have no ranged troops, and cannot effectively augment their troops with independents(because they are not immune to disease). Mercenaries can be used, but they also get diseased, which s not too bad since you use them for 3 turns.

If you play a map with lots of water squares, Ctis cannot defend those against water races too well. Its dominion kills off the indies you purchase.

Ctis sacred is weak, and their best infantry is just sufficient. Poison slingers have short range, and many times you poison your own troops.

They do have awesome priests. When I play Ctis i use a dom 10 awake Wyrm for early expansion. He can solo provinces, sea or land, on turn 2. Cash never seems to be a problem for ctis, marsh masters mages do not have old age, are good researchers, and ctis has access to many magics.