Back again after absence, polling interest for a MA (learning) game

[Yskonyn]

Does CBM do away with all gems and hammers? Or does it merely streamline it?
Gathering gems and forging hammers is a big gameplay feature in the game IMO, and every nation is able to do so, so where lies the problem?

If gems are dropped, doent this make the game a much more standard wargame with some magic added for kicks instead of the cool wargame where you have to build your strategy around magic and gems?

I might be totally ignorant here, because I have not yet played any CBM, but if the above is true I dont find them to be 'little gameplay tweaks'.
Could someone elaborate please?
Besides, I dont think the devs where ignorant as well. Game design takes a lot of forethought and I would like to experience the real game first before I could agree or disagree that it needs balancing.
In my many years of gaming I have learned that 'balancing' is something very personal for many players. Most are stuck playing a certain way and scream fire and hell when their tactic gets nerfed in a patch eventhough it might actually improbe balance. They will scream it has become unbalanced, however, because they are unable to win anymore. Instead of adapting.