[st.patrik]

I think that the game balance is shifted too much towards SCs right now.

The way I see it there's a continuum between few, powerful troops and many weak troops, and right now Dom II is definitely more toward the 'few but powerful' end - this is simply the biggest bang for your buck. I think we'd see more strategic depth if SCs were made a little less potent.

I know that there are counters to SCs, but some nations don't have easy counters, especially for high MR SCs (most all the items mentioned (eye shield, etc.) have an MR check, so they become pretty much ineffective with a SC with a MR of 20+). These nations are hard to play competitively. NE Pan is a great example - also Ulm - of a nation that would do much better if SCs weren't so powerful.

I also agree with the comment about life-draining weapons - this is the single factor that often pushes a SC from 'challenging' to 'impossible' for a regular army to deal with.