the only way to please vets who have been playing since Shogun is to offer solid gameplay, a capable AI and an original and exiting idea.
Bold statement. Some vets I'm sure feel this way but we all certainly don't. Heck, a few vets have stated on these forums that they won't even play Empire because it dosn't have spears and swords.

Now to be certain there are many schools of thought on this, heck since CA seems so gun ho on putting the option up I'm even willing to say it's one way, but surely not the ONLY way.

Each time setting I think offers it's own unique advantage. Some people may not want to see Rome 2 or Shogun 2, but some of us do.

I'm not sure how the poll will break out exactly, but given fact on these forums there is at very least a large chunk of vets who have no interest in more gunpowder age weaponry. I'm not so sure.

Once you can carpet bomb cities, I'm just not sure a game hold anymore tactical value other then on the world map.

As a invidual army as in Company of heroes, sure, but as a Nation? Not so sure.

I think you discredit classical greece, there is alot of difference in that time frame.