[Tuidjy]

PvK, the real issue is whether Ulm needs boosting or not. I may agree with you
that Ulm does not need even better armour, or that the random elemental makes
Iron Faith more or less pointless. The reason I am pushing for changes is that
I believe that Ulm, as it is, is simply horribly underpowered. This is why I
am playing the three games against CUnknown - if Ulm cannot win one on one,
on a small map where the enemy capital is known, under conditions tailored to
favor Ulm, there is something wrong with the race.

To answer your question - what gets developped in 5-10 turns that removes
Ulm's advantages in troops? My Caelum will have Alteration II at the end of
turn 2, Construstion II when the tenth water gem rolls in, and will go for
Evocation... That's a buffed pretender, clamming and hastened lightning
casters. Now, I agree that Caelum is an exception, but Pythium, C'tis,
and Arco are not far behind.

By the way, the first game - Ulm vs Pythium - in on. Yes, I am fielding a
Ghost King - my standard MP pretender.

And finally, while the heaviest crossbows indeed use winches or levers to
makes reloading easier, these devices do not make strength irrelevant, but
rather amplify it. Thus, a stronger person will have an easier time. I
imagine arbalests simply as crossbows that are a bit bigger and stiffer -
built to a scale suited for the stronger Ulmians.