[Baalz]

No, I disagree, which is kind of my point. These are very competitive tactics that most people overlook, and depending on the circumstance can often be a more effective use of your resources. It's kind of silly to say they aren't main research goals when we're not discussing a specific nation or strategy...so which path is it that you think is better to always research? You unlock lots of spells with your research choices, it's very misleading to suggest that the opportunity cost is so high.

If you are speaking specifically about the Atlantis example I think alteration is, in fact a very high priority for early research because of the way underwater combat works. Finally, as we keep coming back this Basalt King thing: tell me how many gems/gold/mages(forging and fighting) to stop 20 dual blessed knights of the deep with a couple bishop fish spamming smite. Construction 4 with no bless or alteration using the gems you've accumulated in the time it takes for Oceana to swim over to your territory? Good luck with that, I'm not clever enough to figure out how to do it. Even if you do have the luxury to get the gems and research you're still sharply limiting your strategy to insist on depending on one or two guys who move around one territory at a time rather than striking from whichever fort is closest with stuff you can recruit in one turn (assuming you had research mages there anyway)