Originally Posted by
Sphere
I think what is most important to keep in mind is what makes M&B unique, that is the idea that a lot of the skill building is actual done inside the players head, not through a typical point system.
For example, if you want to get good at horse archery, you actually have to get good at horse archery through practice. In the same way the trading system in Warband meant you had to actually have a mental map of good trade routes, and have a knowledge of market prices (as opposed to the caravans of F&S which are just point and click).
I think it would be good to extend this sort of human-based experience to the upgrading of troops system, so that it no longer is just clicking "upgrade" when allowed. Hell, I might say get rid the upgrading all together and get something like Fire and sword's custom merc system. Likewise with castles and town management; don't make it click-button, force some creativity out of the player.
Also, this is more fuzzy, but I'd like the battles to be more broken down in someway so it is less chaotic. Right now, reinforcements plop in from thin air and meander into the fray, with battles often getting spread out over the entire map. I'd like something more focused and organized, like in sieges were the defenders might sally, or you have to finish off the inner defenses after the main battle. Maybe in field battles you pair up lords to fight each other in separate battles, with the victorious lords from either side matching up until all the lords of one side are eliminated.