[Huzurdaddi]

well, don't forget that water 9 already comes w/ a +4 bonus to defense,

No chance of me forgetting that! That's what I was banking on! +5 defence from 10 water, +3 more from the quickness. Woot. With just the +5 alone some troops become real death machines. But add in another +3? Crazy!

As well, the water-9 50% quickness is a great blessing for your sacred mages,

Good point. I was only thinking about what would benifit from the bonus to defence. The haste is a nice effect on mages ( and not bad on the normal troops as well ).

Still even with this the race I was playing was not QUITE as good as pythium. The early game was just as good but not really much better. And their late game was, of course, much worse. And to top if off I had to cripple my pretender.

Still all and all the next best combo I have found.