having specific tombs, caves, castles etc depending on quests and encounters is nice,something i've been lazily promoting for a while. of course having more complex battelfields with bonuses and tailor made tactics from the AI depending on what the tactical map is would be AWESOME. perhaps this would be more easily implemented into a campaign that resembles heroes of might and magic in structure, where there are more known parameters like what faction the player is playing and the resources available on the map.

That would be true if all land in the game was fertile, and could support cities.  But in fact, very few good cities are possible, especially since you're also competing with other factions for city sites.  Plus, most resources are nowhere near fertile lands.  Inevitably a Strangle strategy comes down to having far more outposts so you can hog resources and restrict land access.

Large empires are great, but that's not the same thing as a Strangle strategy.  This leads me to wonder whether we're discussing quite the same thing.

I love micromanaging large empires--provided the choices I make are real, relevant ones.  This is one of many areas where in my opinion FE has it all over WoM.  Rules-based AIs, though, can have problems with this, because they deal with immediate issues rather than forming longterm, coherent strategies such as you and I would employ.  SeanW's doing some nice things in his balance mod to adjust the AI and make it more challenging.  Judging from your remarks, I think you'd enjoy that as much as I do.

As someone who tends to prefer a slower paced game, I would like to see some sort of infrastructure tech that limits available cities.  For example Logistics 1 allows for 1 extra city, 2 allows 2 cities etc.  I like this structure because it still allows for a rush gameplay, but people have to invest their research if they want a sprawl so there is a bit more of a cost to early expansion.

Right now people are complaining that there is little incentive to build a smaller empire.  This would provide that.  By keeping the number of cities low at the start, players don't spend valuable research on infrastructure.  This investment would mean that they spend less research on the tech because by the time they want to expand their research abilities will be faster. 

Meanwhile the benefit to early expansion remains in early resources and choice land acquisition.

Obviously I have no delusions of this being put in the game, but I'm hoping it is something that could be modded in the future.

The Strangle vs. Brittle thing is also possibly broken by choke points. I generall am able to get very large and find a way to only have two or three entrances into my land. I would like to see the AI learn how to terraform their way to my backdoor and use boats for a surprise invasion.

Fair enough. My point was that there was no "small empire vs. large empire" balance. The only valid strategy in FE - based on empirical evidence, not theorycraft -  is constant expansion; there is no incentive to keeping an empire lean.

Aren't boats gone from FE? Also, and I've been asking this for a while, has anyone seen the AI terraforming?

I have not seem the AI terraform, but then again, I have not seem the AI cast strategic level offensive spells either...

The AI doesn't know how to use all the spells yet. I have to think that we will get boats after release. The logic on that is that they want to be able to add boats and at the same time, boat AI.

Fair enough. Although I can't say I miss the boats, but they could add a lot to the game if maps could be generated with separated islands.

Seanw3, how come you let Kael beat you to that one?

They added special code to move through mountains. I have been trying for flying units since WoM beta. What I really want is flying cities though. Now that we have that, it's just a matter of time before I figure out how.

Whatcha talkin' about, fool? My entire angel faction could cross any terrain in E:wom.

LOL. How did I never see that? I guess I always just avoided them out of habit.

Suggestion: Option that allows only champions to enter a tactical map and prevent army units from entering dungeon/cave/castle ruins.

That said, its a major improvement over the 1st beta. After the additional AI strategies are added, it should be even more challlenging.

Note: The work for FE could be used to build a Fallen Enchantress RPG.

Moving back to modding, there are a few things I would like to say as I fall into the category of "I don't want to try mods, vanilla should be perfect in every way for everyone". Well....almost fall into that category...

Vanilla should not require mods in order for it to be 'perfect'. All customers should have the right to expect that the product being released is in fact sufficent without requiring modificaiton.

In fact, imo, as a developer you know you have a GREAT game when the players actually DONT take the time to make mods because they are so immersed in the vanilla.

Naturally, their will be a eventual progression towards mods in a great game cause, afterall....it's a great game. However, the duration after release it takes for those mods to start being made, greatly impact the perception as to how great that game actually was to begin with. Again, imo.

I can see that, after release, if mods are being released within a week, reviewers are going to look at it and say "this game is incomplete. Modders attacked it almost right away. Pass"

Instead, if after release no modding pops up for awhile, reviewers are going to say "Wow. This game must be really good. Sales are high, yet no modding. This must be a REALLY spectacular product."  

That's the way I see it anyways. Just wanted to post my thoughts...