It really is a feature.
And by "feature" I don't mean "thematically interesting weakness, you rube!"
I mean feature.
Hi! We're the Drums of Ahlat, a newly formed Solar Circle. Ahlat, Southern God of War and Cattle, is acting as our patron, and we're trying to drive the Realm out of Harborhead and unify the nation into a military theocracy which reveres Ahlat and the Unconquered Sun, and which we will eventually use to reclaim the South in the name of the Unconquered Sun! There are four of us: Maddiz Chawadi, a Dawn Caste master of the spear and world-class athlete; Crowned in Flame, a Zenith Caste master of oratory and inspiration and hardy survivor of the hostile wilderness of Harborhead, who knows a little bit of Solar Hero Style; Blood on Ivory, Night Caste infiltrator and assassin, adept with throwing knives; and Kaminaro of Halta, Eclipse Caste adventurer, master of courts and horseback riding, who just gets by with a Melee Excellency.
Out of this group, Chawadi is an assbeating machine, Crowned in Flame can fight a little, Blood on Ivory is decent in a scrap, and Kaminaro is very scary if you're a heroic mortal and not really all that intimidating otherwise.
Hi! We're the Lamp in Distant Darkness, a recently-commissioned Alchemical Assembly. We recently seized the enormous Bent Creek jade mine in Harborhead, and are using it to rejuvenate the national infrastructure of Sova, which is on the verge of collapse. There are four of us: Clockwork Dominie, an Orichalcum Caste currently loaded out with analytic and crafting Charms, is in charge of upgrading the mining operation and designing new technologies to extract the jade more quickly and efficiently; Minister of Righteousness, a Moonsilver Caste currently kitted out with stealth, mobility and Perception Charms to aid in ranging through the surrounding area looking for additional useful resources and regularly reporting back to base; March of the Millions, a Jade Caste currently loaded with labor-assisting and teamwork-promoting Charms with which to physically excavate jade with the strength and speed of thirty men; and Ever-Vigilant Trigger, a Soulsteel Caste, outfitted with a wickedly effective combat suite. He's guarding the place from those crazy half-naked broads with the spears who sometimes show up.
Out of this group, Dominie can't fight, Minister can get a tiny bit of sneak attack on thanks to his stealth Charms, but only has a Dexterity excellency backing it up, March can incidentally fight a little bit because he's got his Strength jacked through the roof, and Trigger could effectively throw down with a young Full Moon Lunar.
Now. The Solars, recognizing that they need the Bent Creek mine to fund their ambitions, go to retake the place. Minister sees them coming ahead of time and reports back. The Alchemicals quickly arm some of the miners and arrange the mine guards into a perimeter; the Solars go through it like a hot knife through butter. Chawadi takes on Trigger while the rest of the Circle engages the other Alchemicals, handily routing them. With the fight already going against him, Trigger calls for a withdrawal. The Alchemicals retreat, abandoning the mine. The Solars rejoice!
The Assembly escapes to the manse they captured and converted into a rough Vats Complex. There, Dominie outfits himself with an integrated Essence cannon and an effective ranged combat and dodge suite; Minister loads himself out with combat-centric and mobility-boosting Dexterity Charms; March becomes a soak tank who can hit like the Incredible Hulk; and Trigger simply spends a day recovering from his injuries, then guards the manse during the rest of the refit period.
Twelve days later, the Assembly returns to Bent Creek. Minister engages Chawadi, fighting him at first to a standstill; it's obvious to both combatants, however, that if the battle becomes a war of attrition, Chawadi will win. Trigger, Dominie and March plow into the rest of the Circle. March beats Crowned in Flame to a pulp, Trigger eats an early unexpected attack from Blood on Ivory but counters with a devastating hit that leaves her dangerously injured, and Dominie blows Kaminaro off his horse with a well-timed Essence cannon shot early into the fight, knocking him out. He then joins Trigger to gang up on Ivory.
Chawadi, recognizing that his Circle is about to get pwned and that he's soon going to be fighting four-on-one, and wondering how the hell these jokers got so strong so fast, calls for a retreat.