Unequal Confrontation

I like the Hive the most, but whether it will be effective or not still depends on the opposing army (number of units and initiative of enemy units). I always develop magic, but in the later stages, when there is enough mana to build and maintain Hives, there are usually more effective means of magical influence, except perhaps against Liches (and even then, crystals can be used). Although, it's a matter of taste...