You might not be able to improve a unit's mapmove based on the armor it wears, but, you might be able to add elite units which could travel farther simply because they've been trained for speed and stamina over long distances. I'm thinking this would be great for a late-era Machaka (Zulu reference) and middle-era Mictlan (with the superb but narrow paths and system of messengers used by-if I remember correctly-the Inca). One of the reasons it can't be assumed that weight-of-arms will be a major factor in the speed a unit travels is that humans, atleast, can readily carry 70lbs over indeterminate distances starting at 20 miles, and in the military many soldiers regularly do just that, while people who are fat and out of shape like yours truly could probably sprint 30 yards before dropping dead in a suit of high gothic style armor, or nekkid. I'd also like to add that, if we can alter the mapmoves at some point, I'd like an option to make it based on Dominion and based on scales. An orderly kingdom like the Incas would be able to build, maintain, and use the footpaths mentioned in their own dominion, and I could see such units as Jotuns or Late Age Atlantis using dogsleds in the snow. Maybe even a Late Age Abyssia where other Abyssians have followed in the footsteps of the Demonbred and ride the thermals produced in their dominion on hang-gliders. Maybe Death rides on swift wings in a late age Ermor or C'tis. I think a lot of special things could be modified by scales, making nations a little bit more like I understand the concept of "themes" (and while I'm not promoting bringing themes back-I've never had them, so how can I miss them? I do think it's a shame that scales don't have more than just a numerical effect on the game, while having different levels of magic ofcourse gives you cool things like powerful spells to cast and blessings-the coolest thing about scales right now is that they might, possibly, maybe, be linked to the effects of good and bad luck-that and it's visually fun to move them back and forth
), this is just one example of how to bring scales back.