[Vynd]

I agree with the sentiment that SCs should not be the be all and end all of this game. I think that one aspect of a good strategy game is that there are multiple ways to win, and if the only strategy for winning Dominions II is with SCs then it's not meeting that standard.

But by that same token, I don't think it is right to argue that things should be changed such that it becomes impossible to follow a SC strategy, and that everyone should have to rely on national troops. That is just swapping SCs for national troops at the top of the heap. The best thing for the game, in my opnion, is a rough balance in which it is possible to pursue either of these (or some entirely different) strategy, and have a chance to win.

It does seem like things are out of balance, as I've defined it, and that SCs are the best thing going right now. Perhaps it would help if there were more ways to boost the strength of national troops. As others have pointed out, these never really get any better than they were at the start of the game. Well maybe if there were more spells that buffed up Groups of conventional units, they'd be more attractive. There could even be magic items that a commander could use to aid his men in battle, ala Standards.

Another idea would be to have settings that one could adjust during God creation that would result in better national troops, but at a price that would prevent you from getting a powerful SC Pretender at the same time. Like, say, a 250 point national theme (is that what they're called, I forget...) that would give your nation a set of national troops that are much more powerful than the norm.