[Squirrelloid]

I can vouch for alteration being something Atlantis is going to research anyway. BK thug/SCs are not going to do squat against KotD, even with a good bless (E9N4 no help, even if you give the BK armor + 2x bracers to use the +4 protection 3x). Casting earth meld, numbness, and boil (and Destruction/Ironbane eventually, but not necessary) from behind an infantry screen will kill KotDs. Alteration is your go to school for UW combat.

Construction 4 will get you wavebreaker, which replaces the need to actually research friendly currents. Its a priority (and Enchantment isn't a very good school for you anyway until you can get some serious research done). I'd get at least Alt 2 first, however. (You can also make staves of numbness to give to non-mage commanders so your mages can cast the important stuff - like earth meld.)