Units have too many stat upgrades
I used AI to translate, so it might be noticeable. My apologies.
This post is mostly about Divide et Impera, but I think the same issues apply to every historical Total War title, including the upcoming Medieval 3.
I may be in the minority here, and I could be wrong, but it feels odd that a historical game places so much emphasis on RPG-style stat progression. Armies can be upgraded, generals gain levels, blacksmiths improve equipment, and individual units become stronger through experience.
To me, this is one of the factors that hurts the mid and late game.
Players rarely lose veteran units and naturally focus on developing the armies they already have. I understand why—it's satisfying to crush an enemy force with seasoned troops—but it also creates a long-term balance issue.
At the moment, there seem to be two progression systems that add little to the game and, if anything, make it less enjoyable.
1. Units can level up all the way to Rank 9 (three bronze, three silver, and three gold ranks).
Since players rarely lose their units while the AI replaces its armies constantly, the player's forces inevitably accumulate far more experience than the AI's. As the campaign goes on, the experience gap between player and AI armies becomes enormous.
1.1. I think limiting units to just three experience levels would work better.
After all, a militia unit that has seen combat should still be inferior to elite professional soldiers.
Units would still become more effective as they gained experience through training and battle, but they wouldn't turn into unstoppable super-soldiers.
2. There are buildings that allow you to upgrade your units' weapons, armor, and shields.
I understand that these upgrades require resources, money, and time, but players will always prioritize unlocking them. The AI, on the other hand, rarely manages to take full advantage of the system. As a result, once these buildings are fully developed, the player's armies almost always end up fielding better-equipped troops than the AI.
2.1. I would either remove these buildings altogether or eliminate their combat bonuses. Alternatively, equipment upgrades could be limited to a single tier.
After all, craftsmen can learn improved metalworking techniques from their more advanced neighbors. They don't need to undergo an Industrial Revolution—or somehow get their hands on elven steel.
P.S.
Ideally, I'd also like to see the influence of generals on army performance reworked. Once again, the player rarely loses experienced generals, whereas the AI loses them constantly, so the player's commanders almost always end up significantly better than the AI's.
That said, I don't have a good solution for this one yet.