Atomatons make awesome armies. Combined twith cheirobalistas only heros/other myth units can slow them down. Atomatons are better than prometheans because
They cost less favor, favor is way harder to get than gold, especially for atlanteans
They are better units statistically. Yes you can say prometheans split into two, but you might as well be fighting with villagers. Those midget things die in a matter of seconds. In the original form Promethans are weaker and have less balanced armor than automatons (thus easier to counter)
Backed by a few cheirobalistas, even automatons can survive hero attacks. Even if you loose a few, they rebuild after the heroes are killed by the cheirobalistas. Plus tehy can be pumped more continuously becasue they coust less favour.
Another benefit of the automaton/cheirobalista combo is the fact that it costs no food. This food can be used to thus give the atlanteans a super economie while maintaing a strong army.
About the valour god power/ hero techs, if you are using the combo like I said, you have nothing to turn into heroes and no heroes to benefit from hero techs. The cheirobalistas are awesome with a meat shield. The automotons serve as a very strong ealry meat sheild that regenerates and can be realtively massed due to the low favor costs. If you used prometheans as a meat shield not only would you not get to use valor anyways nor the other hero techs, but it would be difficult due to their increased favor costs. If you used katepletes instead of prometheans, then there is no point to the promethean verse automaton debate. Plus your now using food in your army which looses one major benefit of the cheiro/automaton army.
Behold the power and grace of the Kingdom of FrancoAmerican[This message has been edited by FrancoAmerican (edited 11-04-2003 @ 10:23 PM).]