I feel that every weapon and armour type should have more to show for in the tech tree, I would love to see early light plate for everyone, so there is strategic choice to construct plate-armoured warriors, or chainmail armoured warriors, the same with weapons, Why do I only start with a club, and then unlock spears.
So I agree

As my brother said when he was trying out the game: Wow, I have like no choices in designing units.

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

I modded the shortsword and shortdow in my game - not to show up sooner in the tech tree but as a common goodie hut item as opposed to an uncommon one.

I modded a lot of the goodie hut and lair reward stuff, and I continually add new items to it as a I go, because I think it's generally unfun to find a piece of leather armor that you'll be able to buy 5 turns in for 30 gildar.

Its not about wanting the short sword in particular, I was hoping the short sword was staying at its own place, and there were added more swords earlier on in the tech tree, I personally feel it would actually MAKE me make choices in unit design, instead of being locked to 6 weapons, 4-5 of them being next to useless.

So many things I would change, so many things I don't understand still remains the same .

Edit: rereads original post; Oooh, my wishful thinking made the post seem different the first time I read it, the Short-sword itself should not be placed earlier in the tech tree (I think), but I was hoping for some more fluid weapon-scaling (overall, not just on swords).

~ Kongdej

I WAS not intending for the Shortsword to be placed sooner, but for more options to show up. Since the first thing more powerful than a daggar seems to be a shortsword there would need to be some renaming. I really don't care what it's called or if it has 8 or 10 damage. Just more options along the way.

I think it is okay though that you don't start with armor and more than crude basic weapons.

I would love if I started with 1 piece of crude armour chestpiece, and a crude weapon of several version (you can make a make-shift spear out of a sharp rock and a long stick, stuff like that, so my starting designs have more personality.

I would also liked for the armour techs to either unlock 2 lines of armours, or have lesser and better versions of chainmail sown throughout the tech tree, with similar equivalents to blunt defense bonus. This would also help make the warfare tech tree look less... like the devs didn't care much for that section.

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

Thats what i was meaning lesser and better versions of armor and weapons. So there can be more variety in all stages of the game.

So I can build a castle right from the get-go, but I damn well learn how to tie a rope around a stick before I am able to make an axe?... hmmm.

I am talking from the mechanics side of things anyways, I think the game would be more fun, if the early-game had choices, and the midgame had more meaningful choices, instead of just "oh well, its midgame, every AI will be running around in chainmail, so I better avoid swords".

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

It's not about realism, it's about having a great counter-attack weapon early on outshine every other choice. The shortsword fits fine where it is.

Edit: Actually, looking at it, it should probably be moved to Blacksmithing for game balance. Possibly lower its damage by 1.