[TirAsleen]

1) For many freespawns you need always a very high dominion and it leads to a very high upkeep sooner or later. Except you somehow manage to kill all these spawns off in some battles, but it requires a lot of micro. Scales are not very versatile for LE Ryleh, as you NEED order3 and growth3. If you play with a low dominion it nullifies the advantage of having freespawns as their numbers are too minor, the death and especially insanity disadvantage still lasts. How high should the ideal dominion be for the right freespawn rate, not too few and not too many? And why can't some freespawns cost no upkeep, like aquatic ones, which are less useful? If player manages to take all land provinces, the other player may surrender and there is no need to battle them anyways nor do they pose a big thread overall as they are limited to a few water provinces. Afaik only auqatic commanders can go on land with the amulet of the fish. Problem just is with aquatic freespawns if you do not want them you cannot do much to kill them off and cancel some upkeep, except by slowly let them starve and die. So, if you know a better solution to that one in a high dominion scenario, i would love to hear it.

2) Thats a very good counter-argument with dogs and hyenas, its also why starspawns sometimes have to battle void creatures at the void gate. But technically, its a hassle to deal with insane mages, the starspawns have the advantage to have mages that can be 3000 years old so never will see old age easily or at all. But then again, there is ME Ryleh too without insaness on them and cheap units to control with better control on your expenses and upkeep.

Maybe this thread is more thought of a contest between ME Rlyeh vs LE Rlyeh. I never hesitate to take Ryleh in ME as there are no heavy disadvantages or special scale requirements. That does not mean LE Ryleh is not more interesting to play, though.