[HoneyBadger]

I'm all for more sprites per unit in the game, but I do understand and appreciate that just 2 sprites per unit makes things a whole lot easier to mod new things in.

To give you an example:
My 'Aksum' mod has 34 units that I've made sprites for, so far. Times 2, that's 68. With additional sprites, banners, etc. etc. and the like, let's say 80 sprites. If we add 1 additional sprite per unit-let's say for repelling, that's 120. A sprite for spellcasting/archery, that makes it 160. Add another for wounded/dying, you've got 160. 1 more for advancing-with-weapons-at-the-ready, 200. Berserk, 240. Resistant (fire, cold, poison, shock), 400. Fatigued, Paralyzed, Turned to Stone, Horror Marked/Cursed, Poisoned, Diseased, Morale-broken-peed-self-fleeing-in-terror, that's 560. You can see where this is going. Now take that times 80 for the approximate number of vanilla and mod nations in the game...2 sprites is ok. I don't have a problem with 2 sprites per unit.