Some suggestions for improving SP (and perhaps to a lesser degree MP)

[tinkthank]

Hello there,

I'm probably one of the few people here who really enjoy SP games (because of odd work hours, family, etc.), although perhaps a poll might prove me wrong. In any case, here is a tiny list of things which might be helpful in improving SP games and, to a lesser degree, MP in the process as well. Please excuse me if the general consensus indicates that these things are just way too much worth for their effort, since I know nothing about programming.

1. A handicap setting. In "game setup" view, each nation can have a +/- 5-50 % setting in 5% increments (e.g. 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%...) which affects the global HPs of all those units of that nation, thus allowing one to set AI and human nations to be stronger or weaker. (This was implemented by the Blizzard game Warcraft III, which -- despite what you may think of that game -- worked fairly nicely.) Thus in SP, you could make yourself slightly more weaker tactically, or Ermor, or whatever. In MP, one could conceivably agree to give a "weaker" nation a mini-advantage of a "stronger" nation (I dont want to argue about what those could be here, I think the nations are very balanced in general), or a weaker player (me!) an edge-up vs. an experienced player (you!).
2. Strategic setting: Let the AI nations build fortresses. It seems they do not as of yet. I am sure there is a good reason for this, and perhaps the simple request "hey let there be an algorithm which lets them build fortresses" is probably very complex, but .... I think that would solve many problems. Now, I only have problems vs. Ermor, since they are basically the only nation that doesnt starve when on AI.
3. Strategic Setting: Let the AI nations have a higher interest in Gems. I dont think they search enough.
4. Strategic Setting: Let the AI nations have an interest in dispelling global enchantments. I don't see them doing this "enough". (I say "enough" because although I have not yet done a comprehensive systematic empirical check, I have yet to see an AI nation dispell one of my global enchantments, even the ones that hurt them badly (such as WoG or BoT.)

Well I suppose that "improving AI spellcasting" could also belong to this list, but I won't mention it here. (Argh: performative self-contradiction sorry.)

I know now that PBEM is the "main telos" (paraphrasing a wise person here, think it was Gandalf Parker), but it would be really excellent for weirdos like me who enjoy SP games to see more goodness.