Pls explain how early summoning spells are useful

[jutetrea]

Unless desperate I just find the gem usage more appropriate to crafting and dominating the globals. Although it seems what usually happens is that i dominate the globals, and by that point I don't really need summons any more unless its a specific magic type. Although trolls are great if you can afford em. Cast 2 earth and 1 sea in a province and you have an army that'll go for quite awhile.