I though Mictlan was bit boring and weak, but have realized that they have lots of interesting stuff and options (they will still get their new stuff, don't worry).
I'm surprised to hear that people are not impressed with Couatls. I play MA Mictlan in my current MP game and I have been pleasantly surprised several times, by couatls, nahuallis, the priests in general, and available options. Only thing that has struck me as not very impressive are the jaguar warriors.
Hmm, I think I'll comment a bit:
Since you dont have blood, you will research other paths. Alteration is great. Luck, body ethereal, haste, wooden warriors, swarm, battle fortune, and later on frozen heart and blindness for all those little priests you have everywhere. This will make your priests war mages, instead of blood gatherers and researchers. I think that suits my play style
. Thau is also nioce for site search and panic (which is quite good vs indeps at least).
Couatl: Great unit, flies to every battle in wich you need him. Bring a couple of gems for power of the spheres, battle fortune, haste on your jaguars. Have him cast Vine ogre, in the fortress of your choice. Most other priests tend to get stuck at one place, if there are terrain hinders.
Nahualli: Likewise. Turkey-rain on your enemies. With swarm, wooden warriors and panic they are very nice. Excellent to quickly replenish your gem supplies in your front lines. Particulary fire gems for your sun priests and nature gems for your swarmers.
Sun priests: Great. Cost 130 since they are not as powerful priests. With phoenix power and some gems they can cast flaming arrows on your slingers.
Mictlan Priest: Dirt cheap. Much more useful with a couple of random lvl1 than some B! mage in combat. Can be used to swarm, frozen heart, blindness, luck, phoenix power+fire spells etc.
Jaguar warriors: I have a F9D9 blessing, and it's been rather unimpressive
. I've been bladewinded to nothingness, and I'm way more impressed with my eagle warriors who actually arrived to wreak some havoc before they died. Only when I sucessfully got some wooden warriors cast on the Jaguars or when i got swarm and gems to cast it did some of them arrive at the far end of the battlefield.
Priest king: Useful for indy conquest. Very nice smiter at start. You need them to bless as well. Quite nice with panic.
Over all you have very cheap mages, that are also sacred. None very powerful, but powerful enough to participate in a war, and cheap enough to be expendable. It is also quit fun to have a wide array of mages in a battle. If you only have fire magic you don't have that many options.
I'm pleasantly surprised about the nation.
Surprises:
- my slingers, that were great when fighting indys, were suddenly mashed when they met air blessed sidhes
- my jaguars, that never were many enough to actually arrive at the enemy blade wind casters or their defenders