[QUOTE=frogbeastegg]
My current thought it adding some pop growth to a building which also has the correct happiness bonus built in to counter the squalor and unhappiness effects the extra growth would have. Not sure how the numbers for this will work out either, but say having +1% pop growth and +5 to law on the first level barracks ... but I think that may be a bit excessive on the law front.
QUOTE]

That's what I would do too. I tried the following with the 1.1 and it helped the AI expand faster (although it made it easier for me, as well):

1. Add law bonuses to core_buildings (+2 for first level , +4 for second, +6 for third etc..) This makes the AI have less rebellions (less of an issue in 1.2 anyway) and get more money (less corruption)

2. Add population bonuses to the low level core buildings only . This helped raise population for smaller towns, but slowed down once large size was reached since the bonus disappeared. (someone even suggested giving negative bonuses to the imperial_palace. Problem is this might trigger an irreversible population decline).

3. Made all AI factions Genghis

With those settings, I saw Egypt take over all of Asia before distance from capital and other issues slowed them down. The early-mid game (250-240 BC ) then became a fight between medium powers with large stacks. Unfortunately, the bonuses benefited me too and removed some of the challenge.

So, what i am really still trying to figure out is how to give those bonuses to a few factions and not others (ie exclude my faction) so that the "blessed" AI factions become more of a formidable opponent in the mid-game. Alas, no luck so far.