Even better:

Unit:  Charge (extra damage inflicted if attacking on the move)

Unit:  Momentum (ability to push the target unit back a square)

I've been thinking that the game would benefit in more variety of units by creating specific traits, like the slave or jug trait.

The idea is that each of the traits suggested gets unlocked with a tech, so as the game advances, new traits are available. Also, they can be attached to certain buildings (wich is almost the same, just have to build after the research, to gain access). Or even to a certain level of city (that would give a good excuse to upgrade to different kind of cities than now (strike garrison, +10%HP, and 20%-50% research are the typical now, no good excuse to change).

Let's go then:

- Magician trait. To create really magic units (the magic staff is just a special ranged weapon). Adding new traits for spells, we can get specific magicians, like monks (heal etc), summoners, druids (entangle, daze, web...), warlocks (flame dart, fireball, curse, etc). These units will give variety to the tactical combat. I know that is taking part of the role of the heroes, but this way we might access to magic schools that the heroes do not know. And magic is now reserved to heroes. Why?

- Administrators/governors. Yeah, why waste a hero on that path? Heroes should be in the battlefield, not taking dust in a room. Just allow us to create governant units with traits that increase gildar, production, research or growth, or to decrease unrest (a trait for each). And one of the most desired: a road builder unit!!! Now, all units are combat-oriented, so creating these units will give impulse to the develop of the empire, and not only killing. But with some decent gear, they will help in defending the cities too

- Master trainer. To create a unit specialized in improving the training of troops: less prduction (less time), less resources, more accuracy, more dodge,...a trait for each? They might require influence.

- Specific faction traits. Traits taken from the lore and the Paths, could be given to units, so they get more variety and uses. I can think in double strike, stun, or any other. List is long here. The best would be attaching them to a specific faction (or two). This way, we will get more difference playing each faction.

- Beast unit. Some factions could develop a unit with traits from beasts (web, poison, daze, bite, ...) without being mages. The wages would be half, and they could have negative traits too to give balance...

- Spies/scouts. I've seen the spy unit in a mod's post. Haven't tried, but I think in something more simple: The spy trait should have +1 light of sight and +1 movement. Should be invisible to the enemies too (stealth trait?). And should have the trait "not attacked by monsters" (optional but recomended). Other traits could be: counter-spy (show invisible units), stealer (robbing part of the resources of the nearest city), saboteur (decreases production, research and growth -by poisoning-). I think that destroying city buildings is not good idea (hard to implement? random building? Nah, better not, but the way is open).

So basically, what I'm proposing is to share the traits from heroes (and monsters) to the designing of units. Many of the traits are already created, the rest is just adapt from the spells.

I have a mod that adds faction traits and features a Horselords trait.

They only help if you've actually got unrest in your cities, which you generally shouldn't if you've been constructing the right buildings/etc and your city is in a developed state.

The Path of the Governor is sadly just counterintuitive. You only get the benefit when you station the hero into a city, but he won't get XP (except maybe with an Adventurer guild) if he is located in said city.

Yeah, it can totally be done -- I added it quickly as a defensive trait and assigned it to a combat unit, just to see if it would work.  It does -- when the unit was posted in the city, training times went down by 10%.

I could add levels of it to the governor path, or create a "Path of the drill sergeant" ( joking ) or something.  Ideas?

I got the magician trait going half-way the other day, trying to create a group of battlefield priests, but set it aside for other things.  I'll keep working on it.

As for the administrators, that's an interesting idea, but what's a fair trade-off then, massive reduction in strength to keep you from building ironclad bureaucrats, or just up the cost of such traits to make them too expensive to give across the board, or both?  And how would the AI use them (would the AI use them, or just waste time and money on them)?  It's worth a shot though, I'll see what I can come up with.

Judging by what I've done so far, I think all of this can be done fairly easily.

As for the AI... there is an "AI Priority" that can be set, though I haven't done much with it.  I'll play with it after I get the meat set up on these.