A question, we have a faction that are good in open maps? Example the African Kingdoms have some new faction created for African maps similar to our savannah.( Kilinmanjaro)
is a place holder, now with parade of Daphne is good question because, the parade of Daphne was militar exhibition of Seleucid power after the defeat against Romans.
May be implement tactics into the buildings, selection a percentage from resources rate to trading and other for stockpile. Like Asian Dynasty ( AOE 3) http://ageofempires.wikia.com/wiki/Export They change their stockpile resource vs other things
almost all year the team working with this and we reporting bugs in the SVN version. I'm sure there are more bugs, but these should be fixed eventually.
For me battle longer are the formula, you can have time to think more like total war, order your units make formations, like total war You can save units , if you are been defeated by a counter, and you can hold an attack.
Each phase decision in AoM have consequences , you must especialice your units into siege or have other kind of units. And you reach other technologies , technologies for cavalry or technologies for spearman etc.
Mercantilism nah, other name. Hegemony... May be Republic or Hellenization Building Alliance, may be Clientelar State. I suggest that mechanic , but I'm glad you support the same as you own way.