[Fate]

Actually, I have had experience with an actual Dominion loss. I was T'ien Ch'i against my friend's Abysian sacred rush. He is good at it, but he prefers to claim around 2/3 of the map and then turtle (which defeats the purpose of the "rush").

I eventually push him off with masses of crossbows + celestial soldiers on the front lines. Then I realize he has Dominion in every province except my capital. I start marching to his capital while spamming temples and setting my entire stack of celestial masters to preaching, but it is too late.

My measly 6 Dominion and 2 temples (I was building more) are defeated by my opponent's 10 Dominion and 10+ temples.

Obviously this can only happen on small maps, but I have been wary ever since...