I love this game, even with it's many flaws. What makes this game so good is how you create your own world. That being said as they game progresses and becomes more "complete," I feel as though it is falling further and further from the original ideas that made it so great. I have a few ideas that I would like to share. Also I would like to state that as I am not new to this game I am new to this forum. So please forgive me if any of these ideas have been discussed in the past.

1. Bring back single units and bring back the ability for them to re-equip. This would give the player more role-playing options as well as making single units useful late game. The ability to re-equip could be a research option. This would require the player to focus on the items part of the tech-tree to make this option more useful, but this does give the player more options and after all that is what this game is good for.
2. Give the player more options with Hero unit's. For example, allowing Hero unit's to marry one another.
3. Give the player the option to capture Hero unit's. Taking enemy officers hostage and making them prisoners was a common strategy used in medieval warfare. This would give the player the diplomatic advantage or disadvantage if the tables were turned. Being able to barter the release of prisoner's would give this game another great dimension. Also, a big problem I always have is computer player's wantonly killing of their children and thus leaving my sovereign's offspring without available suitor's. This would help eliminate such problems.
4. Number three ties in with number four as this relates to better diplomatic options. Late game diplomacy is not what it should be. The ability to negotiate terms with the various sovereigns on things like resources and land claims would be interesting. This would be like how you could trade planets and mining bases in Galactic Civilizations 2.
5. Better siege options. For examples giving the garrisoned player a castle in the battle map and the attacking player more siege unit choices.
6. A council option where a player could go to a council screen with all of his children and other Hero unit's sitting and discussing strategy. This could be an interesting way for a player to receive game tip's. It is also a very fun role-playing option as a player would feel more involved in the world itself.
7. A wider selection of items. I often find myself wishing early game items could be used late game. A two handed mace would be cool. A one handed spear and shield option. A played should also be able to deck out his unit's in his faction's banner. Giving a unit a standard for an aura effect. The list for this is endless, but I am very adamant about the ability to put the player's faction's banner on the unit's armor. For example on the chest and shoulder's.

Any sarcastic comments will be disregarded I am only interested in sharing my opinion about how the game can be improved.