[WraithLord]

@alexti, I want to point out that the example you give isn't neccessarily a rule. You picked up for your example one of the best bless nations in dom. This alone is not enough to conclude that dominions now plays like a main stream "rush" game. If tests and/or players experience would indicate that *all* nations with ubber bless are unstoppable rush machines then that would have been something else.

As for example you gave, maybe an awake SC with access to fire resistance (or inherent fire resistance) and high prot. would have fared better?

I'm not saying that bless isn't a better strat. in dom-III then it was in dom-II, may very well be that it is, I'm saying that there may be specific counters available for different nations to deal with them.
If someone would do the research and find no such counters, well then, I hope to devs will introduce some, to keep dominions interesting.