I did not play Pythium before in MP - in general I had problems getting human nations. Lack of experience. I had a huge Water income very fast that's why I started to spam Hidden in Snow/Sand by the endgame besides making a lot of W boosters and frostbands and such. My D income was 20+ before the Well and 40 after could not do anything but summon bane/wraith lords.
The latter at least would need minimal equipment. I had AMA, Shock res + frost band + lucky coin.
I had only a minimal N income (8) so I really needed what I got from my pretender.
The Sidhes were simply PITA. I could manage with thugs/SCs but making armies lighting immune is not that easy.
Did my Mind Hunt have any success besides scouts and indy commanders?
I found the F2E4D4N4 Lord of Rebirth, with decent scales a pretty good choice. Looking back I should have one more candle or two against the aggressive dom push by both Ulm and Eriu.
With more careful planning I might have been ready 10 turns earlier for an aggressive war but as it happened, I was not ready not much before the war happened.
Sidenote, do not cast Mind Hunt on units sieging your own fort with Frost Dome on.
