@Kraxis

most of the points we discussed may be subject to personla opinion and attititude...i just like it when my prince is able to fight......most of the other stuff is also of minor importance.

Barry Fitzgerald points out correctly that its majorly the ai, which has to improve a lot. if the ai does not use elite training that does not mean to remove it but to make the ai use it(i know this is the tiniest problems with the ai unfortunately).
the different difficulty levels, as far as i can see, dont work as well. it just increases numbers of units, money and other stuff for the NP factions, while it dimishes eg your chances for assasinating a spy with a certain level.
the ai does not get better.......just the numbers are changed.
and its really frustrating when the ai isnt even able to pick the high ground on a battle map when defending...........

i really like this game(thats why i played all predecessors) but im very unhappy to see the ai as bad as it ever was.............the developers have to put more effort into this than into anything else.........unfortunately i dont see this coming , as it didnt come yet despite its a well known problem ......