Since introduction of CoM for windows and 13 opponent wizards, I notice something about how each retorts actually become more or less useful as map get bigger and/or more opponents than standard original CoM 4 opponents in DOS version was. Some retorts scale rather well with bigger maps and more opponents (such as Guardian/Warlord/Tactician/Omniscient/Cult Leader which effect scaling up the more cities or units wizards have so they scale up much in larger map, or Astrologer that bigger map mean more opportunity to gain benefit from this retort, or Channeler which basically allow wizard to ignore one aspect of scale up problem you would have in bigger map completely, or Charismatic which benefit scale up well with number of opponents) While some retorts have effect that not scale up or down with map size or number of opponent (such as Alchemy/Sage Master/Archmage that gives the same scale of return depend on amount of resources to put on so bigger map means greater resource lead to great result with little to none deminishing return, or Famous that effect scale of fame that although technically fame could be raised faster on bigger map but output of it still not quite scale with map size or number opponent, or Runemaster/Myrran/Specialist/Artificier that benefit actually fixed in aspect that not related to map size or resource input).
But of some retorts are scale up poorly in larger map size and more opponent as map scale become bigger, especially for human player due to ai have resource use advantage that human does not have such as Spellweaver and Conjurer. Both of this retort have benefit scale up with casting skill that equation intentionally made it scale more linearly with constant investment time rather than shear resource input until very late game. This technically both of these retort suppose to have power growth somewhat as empire get bigger and has more resources on large map but target and need for using both retort scaling up quadratic along map size as wizards has more target to enchants or more cities in need of summons creatures to protect them but casting skill prevent players from actually use it on all the needed, so return of the benefit of both retort actually not scaling up for human players for their intended playstyles on smaller scale game. Among these two, Conjurer gives worse benefit in larger map due to there is no option to use conjurers to return resource for invest into expand its scope in the way that Spellweaver could until very late game for some specific combo.
On this issue, I think problem originate from casting skill growth (forced linear in relative to time by huge deminish investment as skill get higher), empire's growth (quadratic), and empire's needed (also quadratic) not grow at the same rate. This become more apparent in larger map and more opponents. This lead to overland-casted heavy playstyle such as summon-based and unit enchantment-based not scale well on larger map. Human player would never able to go fully summons army across empire in larger map as players would need more field armies and need to deal with several different fronts with a lot of logistic problem. Doom stack become less and less important as map get bigger too as players would need several good stacks to deal with a lot of different fronts that more than what player need to handle on smaller game.
But of some retorts are scale up poorly in larger map size and more opponent as map scale become bigger, especially for human player due to ai have resource use advantage that human does not have such as Spellweaver and Conjurer. Both of this retort have benefit scale up with casting skill that equation intentionally made it scale more linearly with constant investment time rather than shear resource input until very late game. This technically both of these retort suppose to have power growth somewhat as empire get bigger and has more resources on large map but target and need for using both retort scaling up quadratic along map size as wizards has more target to enchants or more cities in need of summons creatures to protect them but casting skill prevent players from actually use it on all the needed, so return of the benefit of both retort actually not scaling up for human players for their intended playstyles on smaller scale game. Among these two, Conjurer gives worse benefit in larger map due to there is no option to use conjurers to return resource for invest into expand its scope in the way that Spellweaver could until very late game for some specific combo.
On this issue, I think problem originate from casting skill growth (forced linear in relative to time by huge deminish investment as skill get higher), empire's growth (quadratic), and empire's needed (also quadratic) not grow at the same rate. This become more apparent in larger map and more opponents. This lead to overland-casted heavy playstyle such as summon-based and unit enchantment-based not scale well on larger map. Human player would never able to go fully summons army across empire in larger map as players would need more field armies and need to deal with several different fronts with a lot of logistic problem. Doom stack become less and less important as map get bigger too as players would need several good stacks to deal with a lot of different fronts that more than what player need to handle on smaller game.