Let me talk about the conclusion first: the balance of this game does not lie in numerical crushing, but in rhythm control. If you play it like a MOBA, with development in the beginning (refining the economy/recruiting talents), team battles in the mid-term (counterinsurgency/foreign war), and later games (cultivation of the prince/matching of famous ministers), the idea will be clear.
I think the design of unit restraint is quite interesting. Riding, footwork, bowing, and strategy all have a restraint relationship with each other, but it is never a mindless restraint. Just like the hero counter in KPL, you have to look at the lineup. You just pile up cavalry to charge, and there is a shield array + strategists on the opposite side to reduce damage, which will directly teach you how to behave. This thing tests the players' BP thinking.
Let's talk about the general card pool, this is the problem of “hero pool depth”. In the current version, some people think that the more famous generals the better, but I have observed that those who are really good at playing the game pursue "adaptability". For example, if you follow the trend of tyranny, you need to raise more generals who have been surrendered by the previous dynasty. Loyalty is a risk, but the benefits are indeed attractive. Balanced? There is an imbalance, but there is a choice. This is the "available imbalance".
This mechanism of prince development is most similar to the e-sports youth training system. You start from a "zero basic young general", teach him martial arts and martial arts, and randomly trigger events to develop his character. You raise according to the "Fmvp template" and expect him to start wildly, but random events will often bring you down. This randomness reminds me of LOL's critical strikes, which is unscientific but very exciting. European emperors can raise hexagonal warriors, while non-chiefs can only watch as they raise a "family with difficulty in going to Oita".
The random event system is the variable of the game. It's a bit like the little dragon refresh in King of Kings. Sometimes a master directly changes his life, and sometimes there is no rhythm in team battles for several consecutive waves. You manage the affairs of the country, and an assassination incident suddenly occurs. If you don't handle it well, it will collapse, but if you handle it well, it will stabilize the morale of the military. Therefore, this thing tests reaction and on-the-spot decision-making, which is exactly the same as the logic of e-sports players' on-field judgment.
Finally, let's talk about version updates. The frequency of updates to this game is not high, but every time there is a change, it can be seen that the official wants to do something about "balance". For example, a previous update strengthened the weight of "powerful factions", forcing you to adjust the bureaucratic structure and forcing players to develop new routines. Isn't this a bit like changing equipment in a new version and bringing unpopular heroes back into play?
So if you want me to say, "Emperor's Growth Plan 2" may not be as competitive as a formal e-sports project, but it does have balanced design ideas, and it has research value if you dig deeper. As the saying goes, there is no absolute balance, only constant adaptation to the version. If you only know a "cooking lineup", you will be eliminated by the version sooner or later😏.