I would actually say that a 4.4 in difference is quite big once you take in considerations that you had less people doing the 1.5.7 test than the 1.5.6 one.Here all test results since 1.5.4 updated with 16 x 1.5.7 results
Actually 1.5.6 and 1.5.7 results are nearly same 60.4 vs 64.8, maybe if we continue collecting 3-4 samples they can be even equal.
So improvements done in 1.5.7 seems effected less while some other developments like longer wars and xp limit changes can be neutralized developments. Its interesting Khuzaits have both 46 average score. Probably this can be related to luck, normally 1.5.7 Khuzait average should be less. Actually there were no big developments in 1.5.7 (even a small number change maybe most positive effected can be reducing cavalry ratio speed bonus to 40%) so it can be normal having similar results with 1.5.6. After that finding something reduces snowball score much will be harder. We can do this of course with small additions like having more militia at settlements or less hostile actions / less wars or adding cheat money to poor clans so they will defect less but gameplay can be effected badly and I have no control over troop trees for suggestions at there. Probably I cannot change these and I do not think they can have major effect.
I personally see it as an issue that the Khuzaits are guranteed to survive in either their original or expanded form while never losing too much.
The Southern and Northern Empire are always underperforming except for a few fringe cases. Which I understand because of the civil war, but it's never because one defeats the other and the Khuzaits destroy the weaker one. It seems to always be that they weaken eachother and the Khuzaits wrecks both.
The Western Empire I got no issues with. They're a hit or miss faction, which I'm fine with.
Sturgia is a faction that's hit or miss as well. I'm fine with this too.
Aserai seem to always stay in their dessert (As can be seen in their average number of mid 20's). This is a pretty big ssue since it makes them a very stale faction.
Battania and Vlandia is bound to kill one another. This makes sense lorewise, but it makes whoever wins too strong for the other kingdoms to handle. The ideal would be either kingdom gets split between 2 different kingdoms, but due to their locations this is very rarely the case.
Yeah, but make sure you label it, so people don't confuse a modded test run for vanilla.
Stronger factions get stronger. Weaker factions get weaker. It builds slowly, and from very little, like a snowball but it is the long-term effect of too many deterministic outcomes in a game.
I understand that's what happens, but my issue comes from when it's only 2 factions that are snowballing. The ideal in my world would be 3-4 factions in the end game. All of them fairly equal in strength. As it stands right now it seems more to be 1-2 strong factions. 2-3 moderate factions and the rest are too weak to become a moderately sized faction. It gets worse when you know nearly 100% which factions are gonna start snowballing (Like the Khuzaits and whoever is winning in the western part of the continent)