[Squirrelloid]

I empowered an F1S2B3 warlock in blood, because its cheaper overall since slaves are cheap. I couldve empowered an S2B4 in fire, but it anti-synergizes with rushing lantern spam (and as long as you're rushing construction...). I could have empowered earlier and not wasted a turn by empowering with fire.

G3 mitigates old age quite a bit, I had no old age problems at the end of year 1. Generally speaking, you might get 1 afflicted if you built nothing but warlocks (i had some demonbreds and apprentices, since they're more reasonable bloodhunters)

I really got a B4 warlock. It happens 25% of the time... More actually, there's a second <100% random. you can expect one in the first year pretty trivially. Basically, buy warlocks until you get a B4 warlock, then switch over to other mages. (especially if you're going to empower in F1...)

My scales are luck dependant, and i didn't get very lucky, and i still managed that. (Ok, the castle was entirely a windfall from events, but that was about the sum total of cash events i got). In a more average game, you'd expect higher cash from luck scales than i got. Despite nasty indies and poor events, i still ahd 11 provinces by turn 12. With more average indies/events, you could easily do 14-15+. In a lucky game you could easily have +2 castles (at least building) by the end of year 1.

Also, my strat is a research/blood rush aimed at midgame dominance, which it will achieve. Turmoil scales give it low opportunity cost for bloodhunting, since the lost income is minor at best. Growth scales let you bloodhunt aggressively. It should hit 100 slaves/trn in or before year 3.

And yes, you can aggressively hunt your capital right from the start, but this kills your income and thus your mages (and thus your research). I think we'll both agree that's a bad idea.

Oh, the other thing my strat gives you? a good manual site searcher in your pretender (probably to be started right after you hit constr 6), and a caster who can hit N5 for GoH and/or forge the chalice, to make old age far less worrying.