@Stagger Lee : Well, the fight was very fun for me too.
It happens I scripted tons of stuff before going AI, which probably helped the AI a little. (mostly tons of summons !) Overall you learnt me TC is a very bad target for mid game warring !
@all : I went AI for several reasons, mostly very personnal ones I wont expose here, but also because the pace of PBEM games tends not to fit with what I like (really too slow).
The way people reacted make me think that I should have stalled, which is stupid, because the AI actually plays its turns (and I guess it will use my kitted thug, and my mages already recruited), even if in a non optimal way. Stagger Lee would already be sitting in my cap if I had stalled for two or more turns. Finding a sub can take some time, and I really couldn't play in the meanwhile.
So I'm not going AI because of a bad position (actually I went to war because I was in a bad position !), I have no other games ongoing and probably won't ever partake in another PBEM game. Especially looking at the reactions of some guys around here. (I knew I should have corrupted some of you with gems, just so that you wouldn't come crying).
Actually a guy replacing me would have found an effective demon factory, but not much more due to bad choices in the first 20 turns (my bless was a bit too mild too, I wanted average scales, which is stupid with a sacred troop strategy, as you can't buff troops as you do with thugs), and it would have required an experienced player to turn the tides of the war once more. The only good point being the impressive gem income, but I lacked mages and research to exploit it in the very short delay I had.
I swear I haven't helped anyone in any way, be it with gems/gold/whatever.