OK OK, you win (sort of).
Rain, however, is not the *only* reason why Ra Fast Heroic is so popular. The other reasons are:
*Free tower upgrades
*Better Camels
*Better Chariot Archers
*Better Pharoah
*Better Priests
So overall, 3 of those are military, 2 are economic, and 1 is both. I believe it's the combination of all of those that makes him the civ of choice.
While I do concede that the Ra is the civ of choice over the other Eggies because of his rain, I would also say that the difference between Ra and Isis, or between Ra and Odin, is not nearly as large as that between the Chinese (pre-patch, original) and the Byzantines, for example. I would also say that the Fast Heroic could dominate even without rain, as Isis' prosperity could lead to a slightly weaker Fast Heroic, but with much better GPs (Ancestors + Plague). And, I also stand by what I said before: all gods have some aspect that boosts their economy (isis-prosperity, poseidon-lure, odin-hunting, thor-dwarves, etc.). So, while there are some balance issues to address with Ra, I would say that they are not only due to rain.
Finally, take note that the Odin Fast Heroic also looks to give Ra a run for his money in patch 1.02.
Overall, I'm glad that ES is taking an infinitely better patching policy than it did previously. GLHF.
EDIT: Also, keep in mind that I played the alpha, where the Fast Heroic was for the most part unheard of, believe it or not. And, I also assumed that ES would balance the econ bonuses a little more evenly. So, for example, if rain is too powerful now, if ES had Odin's hunting bonus and Isis' prosperity to match rain, then there wouldn't be a problem.
Bouncer Says:"Have A Nice Day!"
[This message has been edited by TheSmurfster (edited 12-21-2002 @ 06:57 PM).]