For those who maybe interested, I've completed my in-depth look at LA nations for game 3. I think I will go with 3 human teams (4 players each) and the 4 member AI team, plus maybe 1 merc nation. 12 or 13 human players total.
Each team gets their choice of several nations, I've listed them below in the order they meet the paths/themes. Path limits will be similiar to this game, 9+ in your team's paths, 3 or less in everything else. The genocidal AI team might be rainbow themed (level 6 or less in all paths).
Underworld Realm:
- Thematic Paths: Fire, Blood, Death
Themes: Devils, demons, darkness, undead, spirits, heat, hellfire, bloodlust, you get the picture.
Common unit attributes: Heat resistance, darkvision, H3/powerful preists, blood sacrifices, reanimation.
Nation Choices:
Abysia
Marginon
C'tis
Mictlan or Gath (not both)
Agartha
Earthly Realm:
- Thematic Paths: Earth, Nature, Water
Themes: Humans, animals, creatures, plants, forests, mountains, lakes, dirt, rocks, sticks, etc.
Common Unit Attributes: Mountain/Forest/Swamp Survival, Assassins, Castle defense/seige/forge bonus, etc.
Nation choices:
Pangaea
Patala
Pythium
Jomon
Ulm
Man
Mictlan or Gath (whichever one is not taken by the Underworld Team)
Heavenly Realm:
- Thematic Paths: Air, Astral, Water
Themes: Sky, stars, celestial magic, wind, snow, rain, ice, cold, storms, clouds, thunder, lightning, light, mental magic, temporal & dimensional magic, astrology, etc.
Common unit attributes: Cold resistance, fortune tellers, stealth troops, etc.
Nation choices:
Caelum
Midgard
Utgard
Bogarus
T'ien Chi'
Atlantis
Arco
AI gets whatever is left including choice of Ermor, R'lyeh.
Next up: Pretenders.
Comments, suggestions, balance experts?