Some ideas: raiding, seiging, spell AI and more..

[Graeme Dice]

Soapyfrog said:
I'd say Construction 9 reuires "a lot of effort" yes, considering you will have to be fighting my mile wide mass o' devils well before that.

Construction 9 doesn't require a lot of effort. It's easily reachable by turn 40 without sacrificing any expansion or defense for most living nations. Even Ermor can manage level 9 conjuration, level 6 alteration, level 6 construction, and level 4 enchantment by turn 45 or so.