MA Pythium

[llamabeast]

Battle vestals can be pretty powerful I think with e.g. a W9S9 bless.

[VedalkenBear]

As far as units go in MA Pythium, I'd definitely go with Principe. I would skip Hydras and others, since they're not really needed.

Something to definitely consider is taking Nature on your Pretender, especially high enough to cast Gift of Health. That definitely tones down the old age issues on your mages. Also highly consider Earth on your Pretender to take advantage of Reinvigoration for your mages.

[Agema]

Mm, Vestals are definitely worth it if you've taken a good combat bless, although I expect if that's been done it's because the player is eyeing up the bless for the sacred angelic summons.

Yeah, I've done without hydras. You get over 20 velites/alaes/hastatii (or 16 principes) per hydra in gold. Instead of 5 hydra, buy 50-60 alae and you'll have about 600-700 gold left over to put towards a new castle, better mages or whatever, and you'll still be able to smash independents. Although you probably won't have enough res to buy that many units until you've conquered a few provinces around the capital.

[Ironhawk]

Omikron, a common early Pythium tactic which I dont believe has been mentioned in this thread yet is casting Body Ethereal on your Principes.

[calmon]

llamabeast said:
Battle vestals can be pretty powerful I think with e.g. a W9S9 bless.

I really liked to use a F9W9S9 tripple bless with them in the old dominion 2 days. Its was a very good duel option because of a very fast early game expanding.

However never tested in in dom3, maybe just because of that many other nations and an awe pretender alternative here.