[Dragar]

yeah i only use labs in the field if I have mages there I want to cast rituals with, which is unusual. There is some value if you get unexpectedly high unrest for a turn, due to a random or great hunting turn - you can then switch your mages to research briefly

I think a lot of the preference is situational, we all agree both units are good. Certainly, if facing an early SC or trample threat, hitting up thaumaturgy and warlocks is king (although bonds of fire isn't bad). And if i don't get an early warlock with Earth I'll keep recruiting them. But I always almost find that after 2 years I have probably 2 demonbreds for each warlock - cash is an issue for abysia early, massed warlocks are too expensive in upkeep and disease loss.

One other note on blood items like Boots and sanguine rods. While they appear very cheap, especially with hammers, you won't have a lot of hammers, if any, to go around, and it still takes a mage's action. Forging a SDR costs you the 8 or so slaves that would have been hunted with that caster, or the 10 rp. I tend to make boots earlyish only for the special warlocks, with E1 or 2 or S4. It is of course to kit them all up over time, but there are often competing interests for slaves. Naturally a nature less alleviates the risk, but I find that nature rarely makes it on to my pretender for MA aby.