Why do gamedevs work so hard to balance singleplayer games?
I mean..... do they?
It just makes the other content in the game worthless when one troop is the best at everything.
I do agree with this, I just think the problem is more with the poor performance and lack of bonuses (like map speed) on other troops and not the KG and
ranged troops being too good. I would look at KG as the gold standard that other t6 units should be, 1 way or another. I do agree about damage adjustments though, just not that "makes glaives bad" is the adjustment needed. I also think can come up with some kind of support bonus/need for infantry too.
The game would be much more fun and interesting if all that content and knowledge wasn't worthless.
Hmmmm... using the bad troops in the most advantageous way is also part of large technique. I don't know that troop details will ever be useful as whatever you can get ahold of without sacrificing campaign time (tempo) will be the best choice. I suppose if we had more HP and armor or an addition mechanic (like special weapons type defenses) then particular troop stat/gear could become more useful to consider. I just think it's not going to happen for Bannerlord, maybe a advanced mod or M&B 3.
Two troops being a bit better than the rest is fine.
Two troops being way way way way way better than the rest to the point all tactical advice boils down to "just get Khan's Guards and Fians and win easy" isn't fine.
Okay, I agree. I will say though, that advice can be applied to other ranged troops too. I don't think that KG are that much better then other HA or Fians other foot ranged. They're just good enough that if you have choice, with no other considerations (like at the games start/1st party) that it's worth making them over something else. Cavalry and Infantry just die too easily and kill too slowly (well... infantry just need to get to the enemy, then it's a good killer) so trying to use them too much gets players into unpleasant situations where a large battle causes too much down time (from troop loss) to make progress, or at least progress that makes the game feel enjoyable.
The thing is the Khan's Guards tend not to die
I don't want my Elite Cataphracts to die either! I mean they last longer then any other direct attacker, but still I want them to be even tougher!
you don't have to give the tactical side of the game much thought
I don't know, you still have to position and micro your troops or you will lose some, even if they're all t6. I think positioning KG and ranged to kill enemies safely is a lot more effort then watching a SW slowly waddle into another SW. And again, the time of the game where I have all KG or mostly KG is a very small window. And as my army capacity gets bigger, the amount of HA spawns are less and less in a full sized battle. I could try to retreat stuff, but I just deal with it. Maybe you can ignore live tactics, but you shouldn't, sooner or latter it will ad up.
As you said, other troops are just garrison fodder.
Yes, but garrison fodder is important too! I hold them back or even retreat them or separate usable infantry from riff raff and nakey horsemen from armored just so I can have that fodder left to shove into the garrisons and move to the next target.