Hello @Domen and welcome to the Throne Room! Thank you for your input. Allow me to elaborate:

1. Loading is not allowed because we (usually) play for fun here. Our player base is all above 20 years of age (with several above 30) and as such they lack the time to meticulously load a save to get the perfect results for their turn. There is one game currently on that allows loading - Europa I, but that's a lead battles game anyway. For me, the worst things from loading are getting more scouting information (loading to move agents and armies in different spots, spying on army compositions, checking out forests and choke points etc.), trying to AR a fight to see what happens then deciding not to do it, getting a Heroic Victory at sea and at the very last spot - reloading an AR fight on land.

Sea battles are very quirky. Attacking 5 cogs with 3 cogs can get you a Clear Victory but can also get you a Clear Defeat, and anything in between. It's possible to beat 10 ships with 6 of your own via Heroic Victory. I've actually had a Heroic Victory in a HS game at sea and reloaded it because I knew the player would suspect me of loading to get one, and I felt he had to win the naval engagement there due to having two more boats than myself. Overall though, naval shenanigans will quickly get one discovered, because our players are experienced enough to gauge more or less adequately on how powerful a given fleet is. Hence, naval engagements are usually not close battles but overwhelming massacres, since the enemy usually flees or disregards the navy if he sees he cannot compete.

As for fought battles - archers can help, yes. Especially in SS where the AI gets bonuses. However, you'd be surprised at what other human players can do with their armies. You haven't played HS until you've left a full stack besieging Silver's fort or in reach of Monkey's HA's and jav-cav, and then suddenly, the next day, the only thing that remains of your full stack are two crossed swords marking a year...

BTW which community is that you speak of? (the Polish one) Do you want to invite your buddies over for a big HS game? Perhaps a team game?