Here are various items jotted down while playing the latest Beta...
* [Suggestion] Random Sovereign Selection.
It would be great to have the ability to choose Random as a sovereign selection at start-up. Perhaps the first sovereign could simply be a question-mark. Clicking this then picks from the sovereign list randomly.
* [UI] Randomise opponents better and then reset after game
At present if the size of the map allows less players than are selected it picks randomly your opponents. It would be great if this was fleshed out a little more where you could choose the number of random players for a map (eg. 2 random opponents on a large map). And it would also be good if the game remembered YOUR choice the next time you start a new game instead of automatically excluding the races that were left out randomly last time.
* [Bug] When gaining a wolf from a quest the wolf is named 'Annie' instead of 'Wolf'
* [Balance] There is a book (can't remember the name) that gives +1 attack. This is too weak.
Suggest making this +5 or there abouts.
* [UI] Animation for Earth Elemental stops tactical battles
When starting a tactical battle with an Earth Elemental, the initial animation takes quite a lot of time. The UI says you can use your first unit but in reality you can't do anything until the animation has completed. Suggest either allowing turns to play out as animation runs or clicking to finalise immediately.
* [Performance] Zoomed out tactical battles frame-rate struggles
I didn't test the actual frame-rate but noticed that if there are a number of units in a tactical battle and the map is nearly zoomed all the way out the frame-rate is very jerky. Zooming in slightly fixes it. Looks like a bug. This was particularly happening when attacking cities in the mid/late game where there were a number of units on a large tactical battle map. Zooming out even with a few units will cause this error as well.
* [Suggestion] Allow placement of units in Tactical Battles
It is SO frustrating when your powerful melee units start behind your ranged units. If placing troops is an issue at the start of battles then how about making use of the 3x3 grid shown when clicking a stack in the strategic map. If you could change the box slightly to read 'FRONT' on the bottom row and 'REAR' on the top row of this grid, then allow players to drag and drop into any tile within the matrix swapping the dragged tile with the target tile (including not-allowed tiles). This way you can force certain units to start in front or behind at the start of a battle. Units in the middle row could end up in either.
* [Bug] There are two buildings called 'Monument'
There is the monument you can build in a city and also the monument you build on scenic views. Suggest changing the title of one of these.
* [Suggestion] Start tactical battles with units in defence mode
If you can get hits in the first round before the opposition gets a chance to defend it can be a big advantage. Suggest making the initial stance in battles 'defending' right from the start.
* [UI] Can't see roads clearly under certain terrain
Roads are difficult to see through forests. If it is too difficult to make them stand out a shade more then it would be good to have some sort of indication in the top-right tooltip that displays the terrain type.
* [AI] AI not capturing some goodies
During mid game it is surprising to come through AI territory and see treasure locations that haven't been captured even though the monster has gone. Noticed this with some spider lairs and bear lairs.
* [Bug?] Poison not doing damage each turn
This may be working as designed but it looks as though Poison I sometimes doesn't do any damage. I'm fine if it is WAD but just wanted to mentioned it in case it isn't WAD.
* [Suggestion] Upgrade squad size or start game with all sizes
It would be nice to be able to upgrade squad sizes as they become available - even if it means averaging the experience down again. Or don't bother with squad size research and allow all sizes right from the start so players can choose to pump out some weaker troops quickly or get stronger troops more slowly. Would make an interesting strategic choice for the start of the game!
* [Bug] An AI had built an outpost over a 'Modest Inn'
Only saw this once but the Modest Inn and the outpost shared the same tile.
* [AI] Keeps spamming same message turn after turn
An AI player kept trying to entice me into a war with the same message turn after turn. Even after declaring war against the target player the same AI player kept asking me to join them in the war.
* [AI] AI player hadn't built on gold deposit
There was a gold deposit right next to the capital of an AI player in the late game that hadn't been built on.
* [Suggestion] Reset resources when territory captured
It would be good if resources such as shards etc were reset if you capture the territory so you need to spend the time building them up again.
* [Suggestion] Nerf the troop level-ups
Troops very quickly become unstoppable with the HP bonuses etc as they level up. This unbalances the game quite quickly as a player can protect his troops (even by save-spamming) while the AI tends to lose its troops regularly. By nerfing the amounts troops gain as they level it would keep the game more balanced between the AI and player.
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General Comments
I'm enjoying the game very much but it is starting to become a little bit the same each time. Still developing a single stack of doom and then marching around the map wiping out the AI. Each iteration is better than the one before as far as the beta is concerned and I love the direction for the unique factions.
The special areas are nice to have but I tend to ignore them as they are a distraction from wiping out the AI. It would be great if some-how certain races could tie-in with the special areas and that you can't declare war until the special area has been cleaned out. Or perhaps if a race has a 'relationship' with a special area (perhaps through a spell) they get a stack of the special area type to use against you if you do declare war. Would bring the special areas into the game more that way.
Keep up the good work. 
