This might sound insane, but, Halberdiers, I don't anymore think there is a problem with their balance or them being non-standard... I think they're just boring. Would it be possible to replace them all with unique units? I guess they'd have to use the same art.
But hey? instead of my previous suggestion about, yes, keep them standardized, how about make them all much weirder?
I'm starting to feel like all my favorite races are the ones that don't really need or even have access to Halberdiers because they do something more zany. Maybe give Halberdiers a double racial bonus? It's the blandest zaniest idea I can think of that uses the current art.
Like +2 to hit for high elves, +4 defense for klackons is OP so maybe +3? maybe give nomad pikemen their bows back? Find a solution for Orcs because horde is just WAAAAAY to similar to their Halberdiers? (I'm not in game atm though so maybe orcs already had that change made?)
Troll Halberdiers's could have +6 hit points instead of +4?
Change the ratio of fire breath to melee attack up slightly for draconian Halberdiers
Dwarves another bonus hit point. Gnolls another melee damage or two. etc...
Remove negate first strike or increase cost as necessary? In theory this would make it so Halberdiers weren't just a mid-level tech option players would HOPE to never need and might hope they could just skip past producing in the tech tree. Ideally they'd be a choice. Maybe gnoll Halberdiers would work well against units with 15 resistance? although jackal riders are already an amazing unique so maybe gnolls are a bad example. Maybe high elven Halberdiers should have higher raw damage output than elven lords if your opponent has no armor or has negate first strike or something?
Although in some cases if you raise the power level of lizardman Halberdiers you risk ruining the dragon turtle entirely (because it's already fairly bad).
The same might be true with regards to klackon stag beetle. Or beastman minotaur.
In fact the only situation in which there is room to wiggle here would be buffing Halberdiers for races that already have amazing top tier units, which feels like a very bad choice. Although if the cost penalty is sufficient it might help slow down the mid game for races with powerful uniques? which might be good?
EDIT: Also going through the first post I see a huge problem between high men and nomad pikemen, if they're actually like that in game. 8 figures versus 4? same cost either way?
The only idea here that might actually "work" from this brainstorming is giving nomad Halberdiers (pikemen) their bows back. It would step on the toes of rangers though. So heck? Give the high men Halberdiers the bows instead :-p In fact nomads while a strong race really do lack a solid purpose built melee squad. Griffins are amazing but flying expensive and 2 figures. Maybe the nomad pikemen could be sturdy and the high men pikemen could for some weird reason use bows? or to account for the missing art call them darts or throwing spears or single load crossbows or w/e. I've just played two nomad games back to back, and I've realized I never once built a single pikeman, so either I'm bad, I have no idea what pikemen do, or it doesn't matter because they're boring and midgame spamming nothing but rangers was more fun.
EDIT2: My idea is pretty bad so how about some Halberdiers INSTEAD lose their racial bonus, of a defense or an attack or a hit point, whatever it might be. Making them more similar to nomad Halberdiers (who lose their bows to become pikemen). This could be good for any race with access to an armorer's guild unit, as it could come with a slight cost discount, for a race that might have overall fairly expensive units and so having a 160% or 190% swordsman unit called Halberdiers could be more useful than having the 266% swordsman you refer to in your post where you mention you're not sure Halberdiers are perfected yet.
But hey? instead of my previous suggestion about, yes, keep them standardized, how about make them all much weirder?
I'm starting to feel like all my favorite races are the ones that don't really need or even have access to Halberdiers because they do something more zany. Maybe give Halberdiers a double racial bonus? It's the blandest zaniest idea I can think of that uses the current art.
Like +2 to hit for high elves, +4 defense for klackons is OP so maybe +3? maybe give nomad pikemen their bows back? Find a solution for Orcs because horde is just WAAAAAY to similar to their Halberdiers? (I'm not in game atm though so maybe orcs already had that change made?)
Troll Halberdiers's could have +6 hit points instead of +4?
Change the ratio of fire breath to melee attack up slightly for draconian Halberdiers
Dwarves another bonus hit point. Gnolls another melee damage or two. etc...
Remove negate first strike or increase cost as necessary? In theory this would make it so Halberdiers weren't just a mid-level tech option players would HOPE to never need and might hope they could just skip past producing in the tech tree. Ideally they'd be a choice. Maybe gnoll Halberdiers would work well against units with 15 resistance? although jackal riders are already an amazing unique so maybe gnolls are a bad example. Maybe high elven Halberdiers should have higher raw damage output than elven lords if your opponent has no armor or has negate first strike or something?
Although in some cases if you raise the power level of lizardman Halberdiers you risk ruining the dragon turtle entirely (because it's already fairly bad).
The same might be true with regards to klackon stag beetle. Or beastman minotaur.
In fact the only situation in which there is room to wiggle here would be buffing Halberdiers for races that already have amazing top tier units, which feels like a very bad choice. Although if the cost penalty is sufficient it might help slow down the mid game for races with powerful uniques? which might be good?
EDIT: Also going through the first post I see a huge problem between high men and nomad pikemen, if they're actually like that in game. 8 figures versus 4? same cost either way?
The only idea here that might actually "work" from this brainstorming is giving nomad Halberdiers (pikemen) their bows back. It would step on the toes of rangers though. So heck? Give the high men Halberdiers the bows instead :-p In fact nomads while a strong race really do lack a solid purpose built melee squad. Griffins are amazing but flying expensive and 2 figures. Maybe the nomad pikemen could be sturdy and the high men pikemen could for some weird reason use bows? or to account for the missing art call them darts or throwing spears or single load crossbows or w/e. I've just played two nomad games back to back, and I've realized I never once built a single pikeman, so either I'm bad, I have no idea what pikemen do, or it doesn't matter because they're boring and midgame spamming nothing but rangers was more fun.
EDIT2: My idea is pretty bad so how about some Halberdiers INSTEAD lose their racial bonus, of a defense or an attack or a hit point, whatever it might be. Making them more similar to nomad Halberdiers (who lose their bows to become pikemen). This could be good for any race with access to an armorer's guild unit, as it could come with a slight cost discount, for a race that might have overall fairly expensive units and so having a 160% or 190% swordsman unit called Halberdiers could be more useful than having the 266% swordsman you refer to in your post where you mention you're not sure Halberdiers are perfected yet.
