Flaming Arrows if you can cast it helps bow (and other ranged units) units. Doesn't increase the chance to hit but causes more damage when hits occur.
The
Well Behaved Wizard mod might help turn those Hogwarts flunkies into mages Gandalf the Grey would be proud of. No more spamming Phantasmal Wolves equals "I'm not a conjurer of cheap tricks!"
Vs the AI research is not so much a race but a gentle drive though the forest on Sunday with Grandma. Perhaps thats an exaggeration but still its generally easy to pull ahead in research and get the good unique forged items or global spells. Vs humans I suspect its more cut-throat. In this case don't spam researchers at the cost of early expansion vs indies or getting the second fort up but then go for it.