What I meant was that short swordsmen, and the broad sword tech, should require the axe but stay in the bronze age.
I don't think it would be worse than a camel rush.
Give spear chariots +5 vs infantry like cavs get now, and they'd be cost-effective counters.
main changes i'd like to see...
- farm upgrades also increase farming rate by +0.05f/sec
- double meat carrying capacity to make hunting easier
- land trade would be cool for gold civs
- short swordsmen and broad sword only require axe
- spear chariots +5 vs infantry
- cavs +2 piercing armor
- scythes -1 range and -2 damage
- weaker siege, I'm thinking half damage
- carth -20% age cost (400f, 640f, 800f 640g)
- choson +50% on all swordsmen (legions unchanged)
- greek +2 slinger range, ALL boats +30% speed
- palmy gets 300f in default start
- persian gets artisanship
- phoenie gets +25% wood rate (just enough to compete)
I think that covers the main problems as I see them.