MP: Pointy Sticks MA started

[don_Pablo]

Hi.
A short review from a person played Shangri-La in TestingGrounds (http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=47232).
- Mages and the diversity are really wonderful. So are lovely national heroes (Ascended one’s).
- Sacreds are not worth investment in heavy bless. They are very situational. And cap-only.
- Heavy troops require a lot of resources to be amass. So it takes a time to rally a significant force of them.
- They actually have difficulties with early expanding. So awaken pretender or extremely good scales are the must. And its’ player will feel a constant shortage of money.
- As for national spells I’d note only assassination in blood school(It’s cheap and effective) and Tau lvl-0. Most of the rest seem to be just for fun but not for effectiveness.

I would estimate SH-L as a strong but not super nation.
SH-La could be easily rushed by Ashdod/Mictlan/ArgaDis but you are OK with them.
Strong astral makes Shangri-La better than Shinuyama but all the rest seems to be equal (if you are choosing between them).

I recommend to give them a try.