[Manuk]

AOW has an issue that Dominions resolves good.
Balance
Despite of having much less units AOW has poor balance between units and in between races too. There's never better to have many weak units than few powerful, as weak units cost too much upkeep. Ussually you end up using only melee lvl3 units like yetis or warlords. Maybe Anti-air units like druids or spiders to help.
Draconians are maybe the most useful race. They are neutral, so they relate good with others and they generate research by population wich is the best bonus. And they have a lvl 2 units with true seeing, regenerating hydras as grunts and top of that their end unit is the red dragon. Result: overpowered.
Halflings are only good to generate money with their bonus or leprechauns (if you invest quite a bit).

even then the game is cool. I would like to play MP online to have tactical battles. I played in PBEM before I learned of Dominions, When I´m tired of Dominions I play AOW just to rest my mind.