Never understood the idea behind allowing a single critter (wolf, bear, etc.) or even a group, to destroy a city in a single turn because it has no garrison.

Certainly there should be risk, but should it be 'total' destruction in one turn?  This is just silly.  So how about building some story intelligence behind this game mechanic.  Here are several suggestions:

• a critter sits on a mine tile, preventing it from producing - can a wolf destroy a mine or would it scare workers from tending the mine?
• a critter razes a farmland; or roams the field preventing it from being used by the workers
• a critter or bandits block a trade route, stealing gold instead of detroying the trade
• bandits moves into the city and start to raze one bldg per turn
• bandits enter the town and take it over, thus giving you the chance to take it back - the longer you wait, the more powerful the bandit become
• who couldn't come up with a dozen more interesting story ideas for this?
• these events would stay in effect until the critters/bandits were destroyed or run off.

The biggest problem with Elemental is not building story-related elements around the game mechanics - where's the imagination?  There is so much potential in this game, but it is so A-B-C. 

Haven't played in several months. Thought the gameplay would have been much improved by now.