[curtadams]

In terms of arguments that the Heims are not overpowered -
So far we have two tracks attempted, neither very successfully.

Some have posted strategies for particular nations to beat the Heims. I've seen Abysia, Niefelheim, C'tis Miasma, Arcosephale (with a very complex idea), and elephant users. That's not enough nations and not enough testing although most are plausible. There would also need to be some counters tested - e.g. elephants are very vulnerable to archers so an archer/Van combo might allow the Heims to deal with that (their defense alone might be enough - failed tramples don't kill very effectively and those easily routed elephants are very painful to the owner)

There was also a claim that hobbit chaff can thrash the Heims. That's a legitimate idea, although you can't always find hobbits, and that also needs some testing. I'm also majorly unimpressed with hobbit meleers - there's an issue with wasted costs.

In terms of patching I have a general principle and two ideas.

First, I think an "emergency patch" should be conservative. Overnerfing is hard to reverse. The specific ideas:

1) weaken glamour so that if the *mirror image* takes a hit it goes poof. Obviously a programming change but it would get rid of the disturbing synergy between mirror images and hard-to-hurt units while still leaving it useful. Thick missle fire would pretty much fry mirrors but the mirrors would still waste a fair number of shots. In addition to balance benefits, this is "logical" to most people.

2) Raise the costs of the sacred units in view of their double-bless benefit. They would no longer have much use otherwise but that's OK - the Heims still have very strong other units. IMO Vanheim in particular seems to have really strong units in general based on how much damage they do me but it doesn't seem a runaway problem.

I'm not sure about the best approach but frankly, def 24 armored units are just too good for the early game. They are excellent in comparison even to fairly high-level summoned troops like lamia, naiads, and devils. If "summoned double-blessed van troops" were a fairly high-level spell it would still be a major target of research, probably ahead of lamias, and that's saying something.