[Shmonk]

So, is VH research the next one up from Normal/Standard research, or is that Difficult Research and VH is the highest of the Research settings?

And thanks for the info. That's what I was wondering, because it doesn't seem to me that even with an SC Pretender, it will be difficult/risky trying to take a Province a turn in the first 4 or 5 turns, what with no spells other that the default and no equipment. But I can see maybe 2 or 3 provinces by turn 10, or 1 every 3 turns. Even with Alteration 2, which would take what, at least 3 turns to get to, even with the pretender researching?