[Twan]

Between prod 2 and prod 3 the difference isn't big for early expansion. Having a forest or a mountain near your capitol makes more difference (and anyway if you have only farmlands/swamps around Ulm is screwed). I prefer growth to reduce the old age affliction chances of the priest smiths (and heat... I always take 1 heat or 1 cold as temperatures varies with seasons anyway) and offer a little increase of income as we speak about a long game on big map.

Then I prefer the great sage because it give the edge on research even against other rainbows, and for some more turns against magic nations, but I agree the enchantress is a good choice too (probably better if you aren't lucky with site searching).

I find rushing straight to construction 8 risky. With the new evocation spells I find more logical to learn some battle magic first, and gnome lore is a must have since early game too.

Then my choice of searching conjuration 6 before construction 8 is discuttable, as someone really rushing the artefacts may beat Ulm. But I prefer to summon some spectres as early as possible to have more than one mage with death, to search sites or summon bane lords (of course if I have no death income by turn 20 I'd rather skip this phase, trolls kings don't worth the effort as you have hordes of earth mages).