First, champions is quite a misnomer. One would be hard pressed to find elite troops being called like that in any serious source. They are usually called, well, "elite". There's of course the issue that ranks are "Basic", "Advanced" and "Elite", the first two again terms that one will basically never find to describe how experienced units are. I think better would be "Recruit", "Seasoned" and "Veteran", all terms I've come across multiple times in sources. Second, what about ships and engines being able to be "champions"? One could make use of elite triremes for Athens for example, instead of making up things that weren't characteristic for them. I guess the main point of champions is to indicate that organic units do not work, but I think there's also a "good unit" implication being made that could be useful for a few inorganic units (they could also have some particular restriction or characteristic, like auto repair? Repair only at Dock/Arsenal? No repair? Whatever is balanced).

@Emacz you can always launch a missile more ineffectively. But what is it that you are thinking, exactly? What would be your Spartan and Athenian ranged units roster? The helots you are talking about are already psiloi, while trained Athenian "archers (toxotai) and lightly armed troops, generically called psiloi" (Dahm). Some sources (like Elliott and Rawlings) make a distinction between psiloi and peltasts, probably because of the latter's shield.

I have a lot of suggestions, i think i will start with Cimbrii (i'm tired and will continue later)   I think spears could probably still be available, it was largely the most important weapon for all germans (and the Cimbri are described fighting in formation) Bows are not mentioned in any sources about Cimbri, but seem to appear in some Scandinavian finds (maybe could be auxiliaries instead). There is no evidence of greaves for Germans Shields could have a wooden spina, possibly wicker shields for skirmishers in first tier (but the later is a bit of speculation)     I'm not sure they would have had that many Scandinavian auxiliaries (the Cimbri were already from Denmark so i assume you mean Norway or Sweden) Volcae and Helveti allies are more attested. Maybe they can have these in an allied camp instead or all German civs can recruit allied units from the Great Hall or similar building (with regular champions on the fortress). Also no evidence for German tattos in this period.   Suiones and Rugii appear in later sources and dont seem to have joined the Cimbri The Scandinavian archers could maybe be included as allied units (if you want the civ to portray the larger region) but probably not champion. Infantry champions could be the Cimbrian front rank infantry who fought chained to each other    probably champion spearmen since they did this to not break rank. They could also have swordsmen (A mix of single edged german swords and Celtic swords are found in Denmark) Maybe even some sort of champion axe raider as well  like the current Germans(perhaps Ambrones, since at least their women used both axes or swords).  Most plausible helmets would be Montefortino or Coolus Manheimn types    Description of priestess        For the cavalry we have the following description   the helmets seem to have been decorated with animals (probably  figurines like the ravens and boars on some celtic helmets) Breatsplate are almost certainly chainmail (Celtic influence, maybe captured Roman armor as well), and the long swords are probably Celtic style.     Maybe replaced Caesorix with Lugius (little info on both,  Lugius died in combat and Caesorix was captured).   So my idea for Cimbri rosters (excluding possible allies)would be: Citizen Spear infantry (framea) Citizen Sword infantry (single edged sword) Citizen javelin infantry Citizen slinger? Citizen javelin cavalry Citizen spear cavalry (not much evidence for axe cavalry) Champion Cimbrian spearman  Champion Sword infantry (Celtic sword) Champion Ambrones raider (axes and clubs) Champion Cimbrian sword cavalry Champion seeress     Tacitus' Germania: https://topostext.org/work/676   Plutarch's biography of Mariushttps://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Marius*.html   Strabo's description of Cimbri https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/7B*.html

I have thought about some of these things for Classical Warfare AEA. Was easy with Sparta, we classified them as helots and changed their stats a bit.  The question for Athens (and I would think Thebes too?)  If we were to lower their cost, how do we "penalize/balance"?  Say a Javelineer for greeks was only 30 wood (20% cheaper overal)  The Javelin would probably still do the same "dmg" right? It wasn't like they used weaker, less effective javelins? And we have "Athenian Peltasts" and "Boiotian Pelatasts" along with the Theracian merc.

This is a very valid point. After all, in the game, it's mainly tech trees and how they look like what differentiates the various civs. This is material culture, not so much geographical origin or ethnolinguistic classification. Of course, since that is quite important and one wants to be accurate, the situation should be noted somewhere, and if eventually a progression through different civs is made, that tree should be determined by their apparent origins, and both things would come into play.