A couple points with regards to the Pangean comparison...
'difference of 4 in MR'
Although it requires research in Thau 5, Ulm gets the amazingly inexpensive "Tempering the Will", providing all your units +4 MR. Because of its low fatigue, you can cast it even with a level 2 earth mage, even if you don't research conjuration or construction ... though that is a bit unlikely.
And while Thau 5 is a bit pricey, at a aggregate cost of 620, it can fit in your research budget easily, later on.
The defense hurts... but Ulm can get Tower Shields. While they're fairly easy to bypass in melee...
Shield (Pan) 4 parry
Tower Shield (Ulm) 7 parry
attacker generally rolls DRN+6
At the start of a battle, before melee causes fatigue...
Pan: 10+DRN (Diff of 4, or 18%)
Ulm: 16+DRN (Diff of 10, or 3%) CORRECTION EDIT
I am curious what spells these missile hit mathematics apply to. Blade of wind certainly, possibly even fire spells... Page 77 certainly implies that many fire spells count as missile weapons, though I don't know about splash damage. Can a shield parry lightning?
Anyways, before you even factor protection into the equation, you're getting hit only half as much, even by crossbows.
The cost for Infantry of Ulm (not Black Plate)? 10, 26. The lack of recuperation is notable, but where as the hoplite has a dinky little spear (dam3), Ulm has access to various weapons. The one I'm looking at has a hammer, with 7 damage.
Attack, Prot
Pan/Ulm 14+DRN versus 17+DRN
Ulm/Pan 18+DRN versus 15(body)+DRN
This is balanced by the variety of factors the Satyr Hoplite has in its advantage, such as defence and recuperation. And while the encumberance is equal (8) with these two units, fatigue decreases defense twice as fast as attack, which works in Ulm's favor in this matchup. In this particular matchup with the shield we get a defense of 11, which while inferior isn't as dramatically ineffective as a defense of five, especially while facing an attack of 11.
A small correction to Valandil. According to what I've read off of the forum, there is no free forging. The minimum is 10% cost.
I don't have enough Ulm or Pangaea experience to say who has the better infantry, but it isn't quite as one sided as you make it seem.
MA Pangaea generally has much inferior weaponry for a similar cost. I mean, EA Agartha uses spears... And we know what a super power their strong and hearty Pale Ones are. The War Minotaur is another story and price range, but spears really are of little comparison to the advantages of hammers and morningstars. Can someone refresh me as to what flails and morningstars, have as a special ability? I've forgotten.
EDIT:
Quote:
--> True. You can hold the enemy up for several turns. And... Oh crap. You can blade wind, if you forewnet construction, got conjuration 2, AND evocation 4. Not impossible, but arrow fend makes this totally useless. Also, BW is crap against anything with prot over 15, and weak vs. 12-15. You really need better stuff. Like Magma eruption, except that its even harder to get.
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Really, you don't need conjuration 2 for Blade Wind or Magma Eruption. You don't have a heck of a lot to spend gems on other then forging. At a measly 30 fatigue, you can spend a single gem on it. With Blade Wind, you can boost your path temporarily with one gem. Not economical in the long run, but in the short term, Blade Wind and Magma Eruption are viable even without booster magic or items. In fact, you can think of one pair of earth boots as being equal to 7 Magma Eruptions.
It's even more costly, but you also have access to fire three spells with a gem cost of 2 or less in combat. Pheonix Power can be cast with a spare gem, taking you up to two, and thereafter, you can cast 22 damage, ap flame bolts for hardened targets with Evo 1. Very late game, after you've capped construction, you can cast Pillar of Fire for 20 fatigue (f2) at Evo 8. 34 Armor piercing damage will threaten even a cyclops pretender.
As no one expects to need magic resistance against Ulm, you may even be able to pull of something with Hydrophobia, also an extremely inconvenient Thau 8. It's also more effective in a hostile empire with positive magic scales for a penalty to MR.
More practically speaking, Rage and Prison of Fire are also along the research path to Tempering the Will. They aren't world shattering, but they are effectively research free, unless you're ignoring Tempering the Will.
If you ARE going for BladeWind and summon Earth Power (EP first), you'll get Pheonix Power as well, and plenty of fire spells will be opened up along the way.
As well, you have Destruction, Strength of Giants, and Legions of Steel readily available. early. Making their fewer attacks that hit much more deadly, and more survivable.
Yes, Ulm's magic variety and power still is quite poor. But you do have a few more options available at all stages of the game than just Blade Wind and Magma Eruption. The magical victory still goes to other nations.