Hello,
What about unique elite troops and field abilities for factions ?
Elite troops require to be a vassal of this faction and a good relation with it. They can be recruited in town and are very expansive to hire and upkeep.
Swazi : Ubersoldat. Basically like in Wolfenstein the new order : huge mechanised guys, though and well protected, armed with a big machine gun, but slow like hell.
Vaegir : ArtilleryMaster. Armored guy calling artillety strike (he got a unlootable weapon, with a very long reload time but with a big AoE and good dammages)
Nord : White death. Freaking good sniper. With repetition rifle. Very easy to kill.... if you manage to stay alive enough longer
Kergit : Militia leader : above average protection and weapon, but can spawn militiamen (weak, ill equiped but numerous). Just in case you need canonfodder
Abilities will required to be a vassal too. They could be triggered by pressing a configurable key. Each one will have a cooldown. I think that each faction should have a spawn ability and a buff/damage ability. Spawned troops should be uncontrollable (they should be managed by IA, like lords troops in battle)
Swazi :
- spawn : mechanized deads. Like in SuckerPunch
. Poor, slow fighters but though and well protected.
- effect : gas. Huge amount of damage to unprotected infantery in a large area. Troops wearing GasMasks are immunised.
Vaegir :
- spawn : human wave. Spawn a large amount of ill equiped soldiers, forming a line.
- ability : artillery barrage. A lot of explosion occurs in the battlefield in front of the player. Random localisation.
Nord :
- spawn : volunteers. Good skills but random weapons.
- ability : Molotof coktails. Burn parts of the battlefield in front of player.
Kergit :
- spawn : guerilla. Good skills, good weapons, few in numbers
- ability : heroic charge. Huge speed improvement for player troops.
I have no ideas for others factions but it's the idea