War of Magic v1.3: Changes Implemented
Base HP lowered from 10 to 2 for trained units.
Minimum trained unit group size changed from 1 to 4.
In my humble opinion that's not a good idea. It feeels really good to discover almost everything at the begining of the game. I understand why you do it. The purpose is to speed up things a bit. But instead of starting with a group of 4, why don't you make the tech to train a group of 4 a very cheap tech? That way, players could have it since very early, without having to wait 20 turns or more to research it, but still have to research it.
Iy's like Civ4 (the last good Civ). I am sure you have played it. In that game, EVERYTHING has to be researched. Including very very basic techs, like the ability to work sea tiles, the ability to build roads. Some civs already start with the tech to work sea tiles, other start with the tech to build roads, and you could do the same in E:WoM. Some kingdoms or empires know the tech to create squads since the begining, others know the tech about how to work farms, and so on.
There is also a game called GalCiv2 (I think you know it 
) in which the player even needs to research a very cheap tech before being able to talk with other players. And that also feels good.
So, sumarizing, I thing that having to discover everything (or almost everything) since the begining is a very interesting thing in gameplay terms. You just need to tune down the research points required for the first levels. Imagine, the first level may require only 10 research points, or even 5, but be formed by very basic techs:
- Squads (To train groups of 4 units)
- Basic diplomacy (To be able to talk with other players)
- Magic research (To be able to research magic spells)
- Weaponry (To be able to use weapons)
- Colonies (To be able to train pioneers)
- Farming (To be able to use farmlands)
- Researching (To be able to build research facilities)
- Exploring (To build wanderers)
- Dinasty (To be able to marry your sovereign)
To help starting things up, the Palace in the capital city would provide 1 research point. So at the begining right after founding the first city, you start researching at the rate of 1 research point (enough to research all those first levels that require only 5 research points and maybe also the second levels requiring 10 research points).
This also would help customizing factions, because when creating a custom faction (or sovereign) players could choose techs from the first level or maybe the two first levels.
Death of a sovereign will cause the rest of the faction to go over to the faction with the best dynasty connections
What about allowing each city in the empire to choose its loyalty? Sometimes two nations will be very close friends, and all cities will go to the allied nations. Some other times no clear ally will exist, and each city will choose who to join.
No special building requirements to train special unit types
Do you really think it's a good idea? In my opinion, that's one of the features that work best in Age of Wonders, and also here in E:WoM
