I agree with the OP, and find this aspect of the game about the biggest single negative to the fun of the game for me (perhaps it is my wargamer roots ). IMO commanders should matter *much* more than they do now, especially the army commander; besides choosing tactics they could add to morale or give direct bonuses to casualties inflicted or taken per round of combat. As is, I've sadly seen even rank 0 commanders routinely defeat far better commanders (20+ ranking) if they have a little bit of numerical superiority. Better commanders should definitely add a *big* boost to morale and perhaps reduce the morale of foes.
As with some others I'd much rather see this feature addressed in a patch than in a mod. Troop type should probably have a larger effect as well, with heavier troops generally having more staying power. Just my 2 cents, but it really seems odd for poor commanders to do so well and "great" commanders to be virtually worthless on the battlefield. Most of the rest of the game I really like, but this part could really use a big change.
As with some others I'd much rather see this feature addressed in a patch than in a mod. Troop type should probably have a larger effect as well, with heavier troops generally having more staying power. Just my 2 cents, but it really seems odd for poor commanders to do so well and "great" commanders to be virtually worthless on the battlefield. Most of the rest of the game I really like, but this part could really use a big change.