Helm of the Host is a neat addition from a while ago, because we now have two solid infinite combat combos.

that’s the key to my deck: it is trying to assemble the Godo+Helm or Aurelia+Helm combo. Balan doesn’t combo.

Nah, that would be Knight Tribal, not Equipment Wins. As said, I go for infinite combat combo, so Godo+Helm or Aurelia+Helm or Sword of FaF+Aggravated Assault. I really want to keep my sunforger package able to counter stuff, which requires blue. So it’s Kykar for now, or maybe Elsha – no mana accellaration from her, but card advantage from the top of your library, and more reactive play for equipment might make it worthwhile, allthough equip is hard to get instant speed reliably. So I am not that sure I actually would profit from her enough to make it worth to go up one mana in cost and lose the accellaration.

Another thing that Mardu loses, aside from counterspells for Sunforger, would be all the great artifact tutors in blue. Sure, white has it’s set of tutors, too, but Whirr of Invention and Reshape are just too good, as is Tezzeret the Seeker (he can give mana or tutor equipment, whatever is needed). Even if I don’t go for Helm all the time, Argentum Armor is something we like to find, too, and throwing it on a spirit can be fun, too 😉

I just feel that Mardu is inferior to Jeskai when it comes to artifact based themes.

[[Sunforger]] is so much more fun if it can also tutor up draw spells or counterspells, though – that’s why I love me some blue in my lists. UR and UW have so much fun instant speed stuff to sunforger up. [[Vanish into memory]] can be so spicy.