Anyone played the Ulm Black Forest in MP ?

The reason that the VC is powerful in my mind and should be illustrated is because it requires no research to get. The multiplayer dominance is not because of one VC against them. but 4, 5, and on and on, shotgunning all over your territories tearing down economy, before they have a chance to field anything similiar.

Scouts = Blood Hunters I'm sorry if I didn't illustrate it well enough. And you can use the 2nd Tier for initial blood hunting to get your first few VC's.

Flaming Arrows, Curse, Paralyze, Blindness, Low MR and being banished, Vengance of the Dead, etc, etc.

What it does do is provide a basis of hyper-expansion that will let you build massive armies of Rangers and Infantry (your real army) and masses of Raiding Vampires.

I can't say late game against a human opponent, but I've almost always found a very strong initial expansion provides you with the resources for a stronger mid-to-late game. And it's hard to say in large games if you won't fubar your diplomacy or look the wrong way and get double or triple teamed. How else could we consider 'balance' for any other nation based on 'length'?