Hello, it is great and very welcome news indeed. I mostly count on strong overhaul in northeastern part of the map. Its unit rosters with vanilla units, as well as province design are something definitely to fix.
I recently play on Hard/Hard in hotseat for Venice, Poland and Jerusalem Kingdom. Here below let me give you some feedback (please move my post if posted in wrong place).
North-Eastern Europe - some innacuracies.
As for Polish faction. 1st issue - titles. By any means it's a mistake to call a Polish ruler a senior duke (I guess this is vanilla issue). Correctly for 1100AD would be a prince, but still it was a temporary title between kingships, also for the historical period of "provincial division" - a senior duke was likewise a temporary title between kingship. Throu all period, the actual title for a legitimate ruler of whole Poland was a king, and this only is proper, especially since the game engine doesn't allow for "temporary periods without a king".
As for Polish provincial titles - there was nothing like "szlachta of [city name]". Szlachta means nobility. The naming convention was changing but much better would be either wojewoda (ruler of voivodship (a province)) or kasztelan (ruler of a castle). Ancillaries for high positions and titles need historical adjustment, too. Please PM if you need any my help about it.
I wish there are some fine unique Czech units to be available in Bohemia only, even if this faction is absent. Shame there is nothing.
As for viking mercenaries - historically they were present in military roster for that region in early period (and helped establish some states, namely Rus Kiev), but should rather dissappear by 1100AD. So not clear why they suddenly appear as mercenaries - since about ~1180-90 near Kiev.
Province system deficiencies.
Compared to other regions, Poland, Prussia and Lithuania look simply overlooked. Which is difficult to justify, as by default, the game should concentrate on regions of most interesting historical war campaigns, and for northeastern Europe they were, among others, the Mongol invasion and, especially the Teutonic Order campaign.
You can't have captivating teutonic campaign with this lack of provinces. And the shape of existing ones is historically questionable, too.
In Prussia there are only two regions - Thorn, melted also with Gdansk region of Polish heritage, and originally lithuanian Palanga. No separate ethnic prussian regions for such important places as Marienburg (Teutonic Order capital) or Konigsberg (latter capital). The core of Poland (except independent Silesia) being actually a vast terrain divided by only 2 provinces - an artificial one around Kraków, melted from several historical ones, and the 2nd one Mazowsze around Płock.
Compare it with multitude of provinces in Middle East, Turkey, Greek mainland, Iberian Peninsula or even North Africa (held by Moors). There is a number of regions to borrow from.
My suggestion: Prussia should consist of 3 provinces: Ziemia Chełmińska (germ. Kulmerland) without Gdańsk region (capital Thorn), Pomezania (capital Marienburg), and East Prussia (capital either Konigsberg or Elbing). As for proper Poland: Wielkopolska (capital Poznań), Małopolska (capital Kraków), Eastern Pomerania & Kashubia (capital Gdańsk) - a Polish region conquered by the Teutonic Order and finally won over back to Poland, and Mazowsze (capital Płock or Grodzisk Mazowiecki).
In order to keep ethnic prussian provinces not conquerable by Poland nor Lithuania before Teutonic Order appears, the script should overthrow any invader back to rebels.
In general I wish that the most interesting historical campaigns such like Crusades to Holy Land, Reconquista, the 100 Years War, and also including overlooked Teutonic Order campaign, will be specially supported by the gameplay design. First of all, by proper care about province design, and by all the rest - special missions and rewards, proper unit rosters, ancillaries, and more.
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Feedback about gameplay balancing issues.
- I never encountered internal revolt (disloyalty) - please make it possible! Suggestions - lost strategic province in war (like a capital, or last castle - about 90% probability of disloyalty disruption), excommunication by the pope (like 75% probability), etc.
- Seljuk Turks are regularly bitten by Byzantine Empire, to the brink of extinction. This need to be rebalanced - I hope to see at least once Turkish invasion on mainland Europe.
- Byzantines increasing domination is virtually unstoppable.
- Fatimids are quite well balanced, but still could be a bit stronger and aggressive towards Kingdom of Jerusalem, at least on Hard. So I would empower Seljuks, Fatimids, and KJ.
- in northeastern Europe Lithuania is regularly dominating surrounding regions, including Poland and eliminating them inthe quickest. I may be biased towards Poland but objectively I don't see those two factions properly balanced.
- Please remove possibility to set up a fort - this is ruining behavior of AI, and player can totally block some cities/castles against any AI invasion.
- Please enable garrison script for AI cities/castles to be besieged. I know it is rather a dream to make it for all sites, but at least for most strategic sites it is worth considering. Too often there is just very small garrison protecting many important places.
- Please remove or reduce possibility of a general being "severely wounded" - feature of automatically resolved battles. It's annoying as hell and its positive impact on gameplay is questionable.
- There is only one Polish diplomat available through first 50 years of hard campaign(!). Considering more strategic gameplay and less hassle, I suggest min 2 and max 3 diplomats for any faction (incl Kingdom of Jerusalem) at any given period, max 4 merchants (6 for merchant factions like Venice, Byzantines, Arabic), max 4 spies, max 2 assassins (say 3 for some arabic), max 4 priests/imams (needs to cancel missions "hire a priest in that city")
- Buying high level horse barracks offer little value and access for new units, at least compared with infantry barracks.
- Would be great to try and force AI to use armies with generals.
- Script making negative flow when being forced to be a vassal. Positive big one-time financial flow when breaking vassal dependency (attack on master).
Regards and cheers for the efforts of the whole team so far.