[Graeme Dice]

The banelord you described is outfitted to kill province defense and troops without mage support. He shouldn't expect to be able to survive against anything that's designed to kill tough targets. And really, nations like Caelum need something to do against cold and lightning immune thugs, and _something_ to spend air gems on that's worthwhile.

Killing 50 unsupported heavy cavalry is doable by just about any worthwhile thug chassis for similar or less cost than the Shishi you've outlined. A Skratti or Vanjarl for example. Death cannot be the only path that has useful summoned commanders, or else everybody needs to use death magic. This means that it is going to be a less powerful path, but that really seems to be the point of this mod - to bring the elemental paths into better balance.