Making leadership matter

[WraithLord]

sourdust, I concur with your observation but not so sure about the solution you present.
I tend to favor more iRFNA suggestion re. commands/placement but doubt that it's doable.
So, perhaps good commanders can be recruited together with a few of the troops of same race/kind.

Oh and in modern warefare there's at least one army in which the motto and practice is for commanders (low - to medium lvl, not top generals) to be in the thick of battle. Said army has sadly been involved in too many wars over the last century