Combat suggestions

SPELLS
. Dumping my lords mana pool on the 1st turn, casting 3-4 spells seems a little overpowered
- Limit 1 spell per game turn (per unit)
. Like MOM of old , casting and moving has more strategy. Although the combat would take longer
- Or Spells have a movement/action point component, ie Casting Blizard takes up 2-3 points whereas haste only .5 – 1 point. 

ARCHERS
. A large group of archers is doing a ton of damage making it a combat nuke before anything vcan get close
- Perhaps change accuracy or damage of archers
- maybe  [Normal , Aimed] shots. Giving up move/action points to make make your next shot aimed and therefore more damage/accuracy
.Aimed shots would allow more strategy even in unit construction equipping archers with combat speed rings and mounts as well as limiting slowing armour
- individual damage indication for the group archers/mele
.I suppose it would take more processor power to have a string of (damage) numbers pop up around a target but it sure looks more impressive. Or even more informative if you notice 3 of your 5 shots did 0 damage or missed because of opponents armour.

FLANK
.Im guessing you want combat to be quick, as u are starting armies 1 – 2 squares away. This leves little strategy however.
- perhaps a placement phase, Combat could start with a preset of placed units but allow you to change there location within a preset area.
- FLANK skill would allow that preset area to be larger and more surrounding the enemy. Enemy flank skill would reduce you expanded flank area so that = flank skill means no bonus.

PROTECT
.adding this ability to all units would further enhance the strategy in placement and flanking.
- Have units adjacent to friendly targeted  unit in mele ,increase its AC
. eg your lord is across from a bear but on both side of you there are well place peasants eager to help there lord. When the bear attacks its damage/accuracy is reduced another 2 point due to the helpful peasant (or more AC depending what AC even does in the game) . also not that if the bear attaked corner to corner on the lord he would only have to overcome the AC bonus of 1 pesant.
. PROTECT would make flanking and mounted units more important as they get around to a more better position to attack. You could even give an increase to PROTECT to units or units with shields

-Have units in front of friendly targeted unit in ranged, increase its AC