ok, the title's just to attract some attention.

btw, it's kinda lengthy, so, if u would, stay w/me plz.

i downloaded this mod a week ago, and i have a few issues i'd just like to put out there.

1. Why are freed slaves so badass?

I'm playing as Carthage, and I'm currently warring against the ptloimaoia(sp?)
and the romans. I first encountered the freed slaves unit when i counquered an egyption city that i couldn't hold (libya) that rebelled. the units that this rebellion consisted of (freed slaves) proceeded to besiege a town of mine whose garrison were 2 units of mercs (pretty good ones as i recal, the hoplites with the A on their shield w/like 60 guys) and a few heavy skirmishers, some lib-pheonocian spearmen and a general. All they had were 6 or 7 units of these slaves. Now usually, i like to command the defense against a siege, 'cause if u let it automatically resolve itself, u might take more casualties than ur willing to give up, even when the computer indicates that the odds are like 8/5 in ur favor (which is what i think it was). anyways, i command this thing, and i got messed up. i think maybe 1 of their units routed.

i again fought them vs. egypt in a small town like 5 hours ago (this little oasis town below libya). they had one of those 60-guy A phalanx merc unites, a general (23 guys) and a freed slaves unit. i had 6 egyption natives units, an experienced lib-pheno spearmen unit, and two hellenic archer units. I won, but i lost over 220 guys (out of 350). and this was totally due to those slave guys (they put the phalanx unit on the wall, and i just had an archer unit run around the wall while the phalanx chased 'em, so they were a non-issue) and the general died pretty quick due to the spear unit. those slaves tho, man... even when i had them encircled, they just wouldn't die, and they killed my captain, i was dismayed... it was traumatizing.

Anyways, my question is: Why the hell is this unit so badass? They're too badass.

2. Allies.
Why do allies always attack you. If you're neighbors w/a faction, they attack you. Period. I am currently at war with my former allies, and only neighbors. I wasn't really expecting it either, i mean egypt had the seleucid empire on it's hands, why start a two-fronted war?? it makes no sense from a tactical standpoint.
As for the romans, i kinda saw it coming, and i've managed to rape 'em up to that new city that starts with a B (Bononia?w/e). The point is, they have a bunch of territory past the alps, like illyria. As a matter a fact i've been fighting mostly illyrian units lately, i think they've run out of their good stuff. The point is, neighbors automatically attcking you doesn't work both way: They'll (ai controlled factions) attack me if we're neighbors, but won't attack them (other ai controlled factions). You see, the romans are allied w/the sweboz (who've gotten HUGE up there to the north) and with the greeks (who've taken the greek peninsula and are moving north at an alarming rate, they've almost eliminated getai). What I'd like to happen is for one of these guys to attack the already-on-the-ropes romans. I mean, y not, they're ripe for anyone who wants to take 'em. I'm having a wee bit of trouble just 'cause i'm fighting two major wars at once and i keep having to send my armies back to Kart-Hadast or Libieo for retraining.
Don't get me wrong, I'm down. I'll fight both the f**kers at the same time... let's not split hairs here.
But why can't allies stay with you to the end??
Or can there at least be some consistancy (sp?)? Have allies attack eachother, just don't limit that experience to the player.
And, can there be some consequences to factions who break alliances or deals? An earthquake? A leader falling ill? Some sort of manifestation of the god's anger at the dishonest party??

3. Stars.
Leaders don't seem to gain stars. Like, at all. I have a guy who's commanded two herioc battles ('cause of me ) and he's only 4 stars. Plus he's commanded numerious battles (it says over 9, but it's gotta be over 15, maybe 20 by now, he's 64 years old). It may be because he's Dull. That's a possibility. Still tho, u'd think experience would make up for low intelligence.

Sorry for the length, but just a few things i thought I'd say. I dunno if any1 could do anything about it, but it'd be cool to hear from ppl who have similar issues, and ways to resolve 'em, thx.