[chrispedersen]

Sorry burn..

I absolutely think this is not necessary. There are no shortages to stop any of these situations. There are effective counters to almost everything, as low as research level 2.

Tangle vines
Earth Meld
call horror
dust to dust
bows of botuf
panic/frighten
smite

The problem is *not* that the counters don't exist. Its much more of a rock paper scissors problem - and no amount of modding is going to solve that, until the game becomes - we all play ulm.
(ie., the same nation) -ie., some nations only have counters to *some* tactics.

Even in instances where counters are available, players will not diplomaticize or send scouts to find out whose adjacent. Or upon finding it out they don't take reasonable precautions.

For example - recent game, pangaia cast carrion woods - and then looking at the charts it was demonstrable that the gem income was climing and climbing - whereas research was flat and nonexistent.

That player was site searching for gems. All well and good - but had no counter to Niefle when niefle came a callin.

The vagaries of who you start next to - recognizing what counters to be developed, and holy cow I better grow so niefle choses a different target are part of the charm of the game...