I told you so.. and assorted queries thereon

[amritochates]

Why the reference to Dr. Hunter S. Thompson?? - I had to look him up on the Wikipedia(the fastest though not necessarily the most accurate online source)
and found no connection between him and my article, so I am .
Also I expect no changes in EB through this article, what I am looking for is the official POV of the EB team on both POD and ATL.

Now getting on with serious business, referring back to the Post by Epistolary Richard, where he states that:
ATLs and PODs are, of course, a favourite topic of pop history, not only that they are the Lifeblood of CA. All their games are based on the creation of a POD and its subsequent ATL. To illustrate in STW one had to lead any one faction to secure the post of Shogun which meant that clans that were in OTL unsucessful contenders to ultimate power like the Takeda can now form the Shogunate. Similarly in MTW one had to conquer all of Europe, something that no nation has been capable of doing till date and continuing onto RTW where it is possible that the Aedui or the Casse end up ruling Rome instead of the other way around.

So as you rightly pointed out given the limitations imposed upon any mod maker what are his/her options- well in my opinion three possibilities are open to the Modder:
Firstly, to allow any faction to recruit faction units from any region after a suitable period of cultural integration or what I term as the CIV approach.

Secondly to create a sub structure of regional mercenary units based on the different cultures, for ex. Arveni recruiting Pezhetairoi in the Middle East or the Romans recruiting Indohellenikoi Hoplitai from the regions inhabited by Baktria.

Thirdly and finally to create a sub structure of assumed units- units that have no strong base in historical reality but are the logical assumption of a POD and its subsequent ATL, a good example being the Silver Shield Legionaries in Vanilla RTW.

But these are merely my opinions what I am still interested in and what has not yet being clarified is, since as Jerby so rightly points out that because if it's not treated 'good' factions could, quite possibly, not expand much further than they 'historically' did...as stated above:

Whether such POD's and their subsequent ATL are actually considered by the EB team when the Unit lists for each facton is drawn up and what is the attitude of the entire EB team regarding such events.

I was expecting either Khelvan or Mongoose to have commented on this by now. .
But other Patrons I am equally intersted on your POV so do elaborate.