[thejeff]

Yeah, commanders that can be thugged are an obvious exception to the recruit only mages when possible rule. Commanders with specific resistances can be another, using indy commanders with Abysia can be problematic.

The problem with the lack of scouts in EA is that you generally don't want an occasional scout here and there when you can't afford a mage, you want a lot of them. For scouting, gem carrying, etc. I've had problems with lack of scouts even when I've found a single scout province. But devoting a castle or two to just producing scouts is such a waste of money, even if you save by not building a lab or temple there.