[Micah]

My still-limited experience with genless games argues to the contrary on your last point, the latest RAND game is perhaps the best game of Dominions I've been involved in.

If the defending player wants to hole up in their fort in supposed "revenge mode" without gens they're welcome to do so, the world will pass them by, and eventually a player with income will be able to muster a force strong enough to crush them without significant casualties.

With gens the defender is able to constantly bolster their forces and have the effectiveness of their reinforcements multiplied by their defensive advantage, and/or the defender can fire off 10 earth attacks a turn from their blood stone income.

Gens cause the attacker to have to take stupid risks to eliminate the threat of an opponent with significant resources/income, but don't allow the attacker the benefit of being able to capture those resources. In fact, the defender can send those gem items to the attacker's enemies if it becomes clear that they're doomed, creating a double-jeopardy situation. Late game this can easily result in the winner of a hard-fought war ending up with less to show from it than the loser's ally, since the gen income can exceed the province income. I don't see how that is in any way a desirable mechanic to have. Do you disagree?