[BigJMoney]

That's one exact strategy I have been comntemplating in my current game.

I haven't really noticed any problems bringing Oceania to land, myself. The merfolk are weak, but I have an untouchable set of underwater provinces from which to recruit and afford millions of the little buggers. My plan is to slowly waste away my opponents by taking their lands one by one until my economy eclipses theirs. At some point, I'll have so many more inferior troops, it won't even be funny. Also, there is that one cheap water spell that does strong damage to a single target (I can't find my manual right now) so even the weakened mermages can cast that. Creating armies of Triton Kings to make use water bracelets and fish amulets and casting falling frost is working well, too. When they run out of gems, I'll have them assist my puny armies by casting those dehydration AoE spells.

Of course, this wouldn't work in MP, but in MP I wouldn't pick EA Oceania unless someone else was also playing an underwater nation, in which case my goal would be to dominate the seas to gain safe territory.

Also, I don't know what your earlier strategy has been to this point, but it's well known that Oceanic nations do well with very strong dominion and temples everywhere, since it is hard for enemies to go into the water to destroy those temples. This makes shore assaults pretender and prophet friendly.

=$= Big J Money =$=