Community standards for existing unit modifications

I am starting a thread in the hope of generating some community standards for mods to existing units to deal with issue seen in the standard game.

For instance Egypt's Desert Axemen, how should they be modded to make them less uber but without through the game balance right out the window? Should the German Spear Band have the Phalanx special ability? Does giving all units double hit points make for a better game?

These things are scattered around the forum and it would be nice for us part time modders to have easy access to the opinions of the more professional in the community...

I have had a go with the infamous Desert Axemen:

type egyptian infantry
dictionary egyptian_infantry ; Desert Axemen
category infantry
class heavy
voice_type Light_1
soldier egyptian_infantry, 40, 0, 1
officer egyptian_standard
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest, can_sap
formation 1, 1, 2, 2, 4, square
stat_health 1, 0
stat_pri 10, 5, no, 0, 0, melee, blade, piercing, axe, 25 ,1
stat_pri_attr no
stat_sec 0, 0, no, 0, 0, no, no, no, none, 25 ,1
stat_sec_attr no
stat_pri_armour 3, 6, 4, leather
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat -1
stat_ground 2, 2, -2, -2
stat_mental 8, normal, trained
stat_charge_dist 30
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 1, 420, 200, 50, 70, 420
ownership egypt

I have left them pretty powerful as they are fairly high up the Egyptain tech tree, but has replaced there invisible metal armour with reduced leather armour, a defensive skill bonus and a slight shield bonus... This actually puts them more inline with the Desert Horsemen whom look very similar... And tests show they can still put up a good fight but are no longer practically immune to missile weapons... Any comments?