The lack of Thugs is a problem for MA TC. As is the weakness of their very varied communionable mages (inc. with matrixes the expensive Imperial Alchemists). Like all these all rounder mages they can cast just about anything in battle with enough slaves but little outside it. So globals, overland spells and decent forging is a problem.
For example I don't think you have a reasonable shot at a Hammer builder (Const 2 but Earth 3). So that means you have to go top Const 4 for the boots (just earth 2?) before you can build the hammers to start cranking out the cheap matrixes. That's a significant detor for a power that needs some mages backing its armies with decent combat magic as soon as it meets anyone with a decent sacred or elite troop. Or thugs. Or an awake SC Pretender....
Do you think you need an awake SC Pretender? With Blood or Death of course
To keep the wolves from your door at the beginning? You can expand vs indies especially with Prod 3 but can you really fight off an early attack. Or rather persuade your neighbours not to attack you. Especially as your gem income should be expanding fairly early with your strategy.
Lastly the Imperial Alchemists (I think) have nature 2 and sometimes more. Plus high upkeep. So even the nature 2s with a mace (which it will probably lose) or a moonvine bracelet (that it should keep) are these not perfect candidates for transformation? Unlike Pans or Capricorns you are likely to have plenty of decent Astral mages knocking around to put off mind hunts. And in battle you are likely to have plenty of proper mages along to make enemy targetting of the magical moose at the back more problematic than with some other nations that commonly try this tactic.
I have always considered them a bit like a MA version of pre patched Jomon. Nice but resource hungry troops but no real killer units. Great communionable mages but they are frail and generally weak outside of combat for forging and overland spells. Thugs hard to come by. You want a dormant rainbow to round out the overland weaknesses and missing schools but really need an awake SC for defence. And you have no points as you want decent scales. Plus a minor earth/nature bless for you expensive sacred or shrouded battle mages (many soon get old age too) would be nice but basically unaffordable with the other things you need.
Anyway great guide as always
I had never considered half the archers before - just defaulting to the cheap composite in most cases. But the fire and charge (especially with wind guide etc to make them hit something and some buffs) on the cavalry is something to try. And of course, like most people I suppose, I would have assumed the Celestial Master with its sacredness the automatic first choice. But the Alchemist has some advantages I had not considered like its extra move.