Hello world,
I'm rather interested in this "Four path magitech" mod. Are there any particularly deep ideas regarding Path of Reason, aside from the sketch in
https://docs.megaglest.org/Four_path_magitech#Technology:_Path_of_Reason ?
Since Path of Enlightenment is based (at least thematically) on the Priestess, I suggest an "equivalent" thematic unit on the Path of Reason: the Philosopher.
The Philosopher is trained at the University, and does not attack (in opposition to the Priestess that has rather nasty attacks of her own). Instead, all Reason-specific researches are performed by Philosopher units. The University does no actual research; Philosophers do them. For example:
Art of War - allows construction of War Counsel, which allows upgrading of guard -> sergeant -> lieutenant -> general (at least, if the "hierarchy of command" is still planned for Path of Reason). We don't actually need a War Counsel building; this research may be enough...
Wealth of Nations - allows construction of Mobile Storage Unit and Trading Post (this proposed structure is a drop-off point, and also generates a trickle of resources).
Magna Carta - allows workers to be upgraded into swordsman.
Germ Theory - reduces damage from disease damage type.
Theologico-Political Treatise - increases damage to divine armor (I believe that a "holy" damage type was also proposed; possibly we can reduce that damage too, or instead).
More would be necessary - obviously there also has to be something that's anti-Path of Nature to join with Germ Theory and Theologico-Political Treatise (Origin of Species? Descent of Man?). And I can't think of a good work or theory to be the research target for the Armored Siege Unit thing.
Also, in my opinion, balance is not so only a property of the factions in the game, but also of units within each faction. This means that no unit should ever be practically unusable. Current Glest, for example, has "practically unusable" units like Tech Air Ballistae, Magic Tower of Souls, and Magic Drake Riders (i.e. no one who wants to win the game will want to actually build those units, ever).
Since Philosophers only do research, they would be practically useless when massed, and would be "unusable" once they've researched all the useful bits. I propose that not only do Philosophers do research, they also provide a "control" resource, which is needed to support the sergeant->lieutenant->general command hierarchy.
It seems that the command-hierarchy can be made an "emanation", with sergeants affecting swordsmen/guards/air ballistae, lieutenant affecting sergeants, and generals affecting lieutenants, but I haven't studied emanation very well yet. For one thing, the lieutenants would have to affect the sergeant's emanations, not the sergeant's static modifiers.
