Yeah your points are good BigMoney. I'm also saddened by how little national troops get used as well. Dom2 definitely has a bias towards summoned creatures for combat. The only way you could really get away with it is with an uber-bless on a small map as Arralen pointed out. But of course thats just a niche case.
That said, I still think that Dom2 is the best MP game out there. National troops aside, it still has the most depth of anything I've seen. Plus it really has the format and pacing for long term multiplayer games down *pat*.
As for how to solve the problem of national troops... dunno. Maybe you could have it where mortal/national troops gain exp
way faster? Or perhaps there could be national spells which effect only national units? Kind of like a bless but on regulars? That would make national units increase in power as you put in more research.
Might also be interesting to have new buildable structures. They would add on a nation-specific site that would allow you to recruit really really powerful national elite troops on par with summons. Could make the sites cost like 2000gold and like 30gems of whatever that nation normally uses? Some kind of mechanic like that where you can put an investment in that is not based on Research and magic/gems.
Oh - I forgot to mention the battlefield killer spells (wrathful skies, etc). Gonna have to do something about them if you want to have more emphasis on troops. Right now battle magic goes: single target, ball target, slightly larger ball, and *entire battlefield*. Might be nice to have some more granuality there and less extremeity at the end
