I have an idea and I wonder if anyone has tried it.
The mills, ships, blacksmith, etc. all have multiple layers to their graphics. All the ships use the same hull, but the sails differ by civilization.
What if someone did the same thing with units. For example, make a generic body or several skins for the same body (identical movements). Then make a number of different shields that would be placed with the units same as the moving sails are placed with a ship, or the wheels on a ram get placed with the ram body. You could do the same with headgear.
Now you can use the same set of slps for several civs, but use unique shields for each. The same could be done with helmets. This way you could make multiple combinations while animating fewer total units. One could use different shields and headgear for different civs. For example a Mediterranean pointed helmet could be used for the Saracens, Byzantines, Turks, etc., but each civ could have their own insignia on the shield. Then a more western spangenhelm could be used for the Franks, Goths, Britons, Teutons, etc., but with shields bearing a Fleur De Lis, spiral pattern, lion or red cross, eagle, respectively.
The mills, ships, blacksmith, etc. all have multiple layers to their graphics. All the ships use the same hull, but the sails differ by civilization.
What if someone did the same thing with units. For example, make a generic body or several skins for the same body (identical movements). Then make a number of different shields that would be placed with the units same as the moving sails are placed with a ship, or the wheels on a ram get placed with the ram body. You could do the same with headgear.
Now you can use the same set of slps for several civs, but use unique shields for each. The same could be done with helmets. This way you could make multiple combinations while animating fewer total units. One could use different shields and headgear for different civs. For example a Mediterranean pointed helmet could be used for the Saracens, Byzantines, Turks, etc., but each civ could have their own insignia on the shield. Then a more western spangenhelm could be used for the Franks, Goths, Britons, Teutons, etc., but with shields bearing a Fleur De Lis, spiral pattern, lion or red cross, eagle, respectively.