[Taqwus]

Perhaps when in the lab with an item selected, and choosing which commander it should go on, commanders which would get no use out of it (not enough free slots of the right type, already has same item which has only non-stacking abilities, does not have C'tissian lizard head, does not have the magic path which would be boosted when path boosting is the only effect, etc) could be greyed-out.
Repeat-forging would be nice, especially if there were a way to select a research booster and have the game dump it on a random researcher who did not already have that booster.
Repeat-recruitment, especially with a default order ('research', say) would be good.
Speaking of research, researchers should probably go on Defend in the odd eventuality that all magic has been researched. Not much point in staying in the pool, except for being ignored with 'n'-type idle commander iteration.
Messages regarding commanders being arrowed, et al, should mention not only commander name, but province and possibly task.