Hi Derek - I'm in a competitive game with very little metal, there is one mine we're fighting for in the middle, all in all a great game. But, I know others have posted about it (like Tuidjy) but wanted to illustrate a point regarding some basic upgrade costs. I noticed this when trying to make use of each metal asset at my disposal. In short, if I create a boar spear chick I'll spend 109 production and 8 metal. If I create a basic spear chick, I'll spend 95 labor and 0 metal. I can then immediately upgrade to a boar spear chick for 20 gildar and 1 metal, thereby in essence spending 20 gildar for the extra 14 production and 7 metal. Not a bad bargain. It's actually helping me this game but what I'm trying to say is - time permitting, I second the notion of doing a balance pass on upgrade costs, both weapons and armor.

Below is the shots...

Designed a meat shield pointy stick unit with weakness and a boar spear. Note the group of 4 requires 109 production and 8 metal to create.

Now the cost to make a meat shield pointy stick unit with weakness and a spear is 95 production and 0 metal.

To upgrade the spear to boar spear only costs 1 metal and 20 gildar.