Guide to MA C'tis

[Xietor]

I disagree about the Dominion strength. Since Ctis gets income based on dominion you want to start with a very high dominion, and also you want everything you can get to add to your income bonus, 3 order being a no brainer, but also growth.

Your high income allows you to build massive amounts of forts and mages. With a strong dominion, this fits hand in hand with an immortal pretender. Strong Dominion, Disease inside your dominion, large income, skelly spam, immortal pretender, you will not be high on anyone's list to invade right off the bat. You can get away with a sleeping pretender unless you get very unlucky.

Typically this large income surplus also allows MA Ctis to lead the way in research, making it an even less desirable foe to fight right off the bat.

You are right that the dominion may result in you getting ganged up on, but you can selectively control your dominion by limiting preaching and temple building on borders of friendly neighbors.

Some races you need to make the extra effort to be friendly with early are pangaea, who is almost tailor made to kill Ctis. Their recuperation lets them ignore the disease dominion. Ctis PD is not the best, and the stealthy Pangaea attacks can be a nightmare. If they have the E9N9 White Centaurs you do not want them rushing you.

Arcos. early can be bad as well. Elephants, solar rays, cheap h2 and great healers who also allow them to pretty much ignore the Miasma.