Malakim Ashen Veil Theory

[Blackmantle]

No, you don't. As already noted here and recognized by nealhunt two posts above yours.
For Ritualists you would. But those are far from mandatory with so many others being a decent choice as well.

 

[orgonebox]

Since Malakim going FOL was mentioned, I thought that if you wanted, you could try the following:

1. Spring your desert into plains

2. Forest it up with your PoL.

3. Scorch it back to desert.

Suddenly you've got deserts with production and ancient forest food.

Feasible?

 

[heisenberg]

ancient forests adds 1 hammers and 1 food iirc. So having your desert with ancient forests would leave you with... 1 hammers, 1 food, 1 commerce. I'd rather leave it as plains with ancient forests for 2/2/0 honestly.