[Baalz]

must...not...get...pulled...into...playing...theor yminions. Dang, failed that savings throw. You go right ahead and field shamblers and see how they fare against mournful mixed in your Arrastuts. What's that? They can't scratch the size 3, 15 protection guys and get demolished by their halberds? Or was R'yleh fielding illthids and shamblers and chaff and slave guardians all at the same time? Come on, this is just silly, you've got the tools to fight the good fight not a silver bullet.

I must say, I'm getting a surprising amount of pushback on this guide.

1) Nobody said R'yleh is a pushover no matter what you do. Atlantis is much better equipped to fight them than any other nation in LA, and if you can take them out you are absolutely entrenched under water even more so than R'yleh was.

2) Atlantis is also at least as well equipped to take down LA Ermor as anybody else with net 0 encumbrance troops well protected enough that their small regen is mostly all they need vs chaff in order to live forever, backed by priests and all the best anti-undead spells. Plus Arrastuts hit hard enough that they kill Ermor's undead chaff even when they hit their tower shields. Try it out - they *demolish* practically unlimited amounts of undead and never get tired. I really can't see how a W bless is superior.

Those two points alone make this build worth considering seeing as how LA games often pan out. Add to it:

A solid initial expansion
A very low upkeep
(those first two more than make up for the death scales, by quite a lot)
Sacred infantry that is very effective at killing everything from chaff to SCs - with MR and resistance to be relevant the whole game.
A very good defensive position few want to attack - punishing scales & partially being underwater means it's both difficult and expensive to take you out.
Great mobility for heavy infantry coupled with sailing coupled by the fact you're focussed on operating around the water (unlike other sailing nations)
Recruitable holy thugs who can cast soul vortex and ironskin or mistform with full slots, an earth bless, can quicken self (goes great with soul vortex and earth blessing), and small regen.
Great summons with national mages
Good combat magic which is a bit different than what most people are equipped to handle
Strong death mages - great for end game
A strong astral pretender - great for end game
A strong earth pretender - great for mid/end game
Every magic path other than blood site searched, and everything other than air/fire/blood with a strong mage to use your income.

All in all a solid build for a solid nation. Certainly there are other ways to play them, but I have to say I'm a bit surprised so many people think my suggestions are weak.