Yeah i'd love something, anything - other than insta-raze. Not just for monsters, for when you lose a city to another faction also.
If raze has to be instant, maybe make it so razing doesn't completely wipe out all trace of the city. Destroy 50% of buildings and population instead or something. Or as suggested maybe the amount of buildings/population destroyed is based on army/monsters strength.
I wouldn't mind seeing a "pillage" kinda option too. A lot of TBS have 3 choices when you take a city:
1) Occupy
2) Pillage (gives you gold, causing minor damage)
3) Raze (causing major damage)
Something along those lines would be awesome, particular given the focus on the strategic gameplay in FE/LH... insta raze is a rather unstrategic gameplay element.
Whatever is easiest... But still keeping insta-raze as an option (for the hardcore crazy people) would be ideal.
Hopefully this can get on the think-table at Stardock
Thanks.