With few exceptions, most nations capital bought troops will be obsolete by midgame. So the strength of a nation will be determined by their mages.
In fact, in the 1st big game ma ctis castle bought troops were obsolete after turn 8-9, and it was their powerful mages that carried me.
When you run into stuff like this, a battle MA Ctis won incidentally, you know that you better not be relying on Lizards:
