[Quitti]

Concerning the enc issue of Ulm, how about making a national e3 or e4 spell that costs one or zero gems that copies the effects of relief, either as battlefield-wide or large aoe? It's 1+DRN-DRN reinvig iirc that can't go below 0. It would somewhat alleviate the high enc problem of the troops, and it would boost the mages slightly. Call it 'Revitalizing earth' or something, add it to around the same place as tempering the will (thau4) or one-two levels higher. Still this would not touch the national mages paths, which on MA are quite horrendous. Also, Iron angels being cheaper/easier to get would also fix quite a many problems.