Is the tech tree too slow in this game?

[Captain Fishpants]

There's an extra level of decision making concerning arts: you can speed up research considerably if you are willing to spend generals' skill points on the right "peaceful" skills, instead of concentrating on turning them into uber-killing machines. You don't have to do this for every general, but it's worth remembering that a small think tank of generals with the appropriate skills can pay off in research terms. Sometimes this can be better than buffing up a general's skills: after all, research benefits apply to everything across your domain, while a general's bonuses only apply where he is standing.

ps: I rather like the tone of civilized debate round here! :)