[Huzurdaddi]

I, too, tend to eschew the use of mages in battle, relatively early in the game:

When I play Pythium I find that a pack of Theurg Acolytes casting body etherial make expansion rather painless. Not to mention that your pricipes tend to live for quite a few extra battles with when they are etherial and they quickly seems to get 17 defence which ain't shabby.

So I *think* that mages are decent almost right off the bat with Pythium. With other nations I do not know. I don't think ( but am not sure ) that my armies would do nearly as well without the body etherial.

Not to mention 5-6 theurg acolytes are pretty cheap.