Ok,

I finished my first small game. An I have come up some personal rules and mods to use/try for my next 1.6 "balanced" games:

1. A hero/sov can only use 1 instance of each jewelry. You can use 4 rings if they are a different item each.

Why? With loads of gold sovs/champs become fast truly immortal. Also the AI isn't using that trick.

I wish I knew how to mod this.

2. Normal is nerfed play the AI one level above that.

Why? Is is stated that on normal it uses 75% of all of its tricks.

3. Bows should be modded to:

All bows range: from 8 to 4

Attack strengths:

Cedar Shortbow stays at 3

Cedar Longbow from 6 to 5.

Why? Huge range is imba, sovs and everything can get 1 shoted, Groups of archers with Longbows and jewelry are too imba.

Since there is no tactical skill like in HOMM3 you can't make proper starting formations for your units, so the starting combat range should always have all of your units outside of any archery range. This also makes spells more important! Especially the ones with infinite range.

Notes:

You can change the weapon stats by looking at: C:\Program Files\Stardock Games\Elemental\data\English and editing Coreweapons.xml with note pad. Search for the weapon name and skimm down to the part:

        <!-- Equipment Modifiers -->
        <GameModifier>
            <ModType>Unit</ModType>
            <Attribute>AdjustUnitStat</Attribute>
            <StrVal>UnitStat_Attack</StrVal>
            <Value>6.0</Value>
        </GameModifier>
        <GameModifier>
            <ModType>Unit</ModType>
            <Attribute>UnlockRangedAction</Attribute>
            <StrVal>BasicBowAttack</StrVal>
        </GameModifier>
        <TacticalRange>8</TacticalRange>

change 8 to 4 for both weapons and 6 to 5 for longbows.