Since I'm (loosely) basing my suggestions for a simulationist follow-up on cyberlore's prototype for Majesty: Legends, I was thinking that Majesty : Treasure Hunt (or what little we know of it) would be a good starting point if Paradox intends to take the series in a more solidly gamist direction.
(Recap on GNS theory.)
Essentially, you'd get rid of base-building entirely, and adopt an approach somewhere between a traditional RPG dungeon-crawl, lightweight MMO, and Real-Time-Tactical titles such as Myth II. You'd lead a band of heroes- starting with just yourself and an apprentice in the early game, later graduating to command large raiding parties- through a mazelike subterranean environment chock full of monsters, traps and precious loot! Other players are competing to do likewise, so you'll eventually meet in the middle of the labyrinth and battle it out to claim the rich booty at the heart of the map.
Since this is intended to appeal to Gamists, individual matches would be relatively short- perhaps 10 to 30 minutes- and you would have a very hands-on approach to managing your forces. Hero AI is strong enough that most heroes can fend for themselves competently without direct orders, but- since you're actually present in person- you can issue commands to individual troops, which, (if reasonable,) will be directly obeyed. The 'if reasonable' clause prevents this from being direct control- troops may still desert or ignore your orders if self-preservation or conflicted loyalties dictate otherwise. This allows you to keep micromanagement to a minimum while still allowing you to pull off quite subtle and intricate tactics and exert one-on-one authority when it's strictly essential.
Individual heroes can be assigned broad tactical roles that determine how they will, by default, behave in battle- specifically, Scout, Guard, Striker, and Support.
Scouts foray far ahead of the main party, use stealth whenever possible and proceed cautiously. They do not engage enemies unless cornered or once they rejoin the main group, but report back to the main party once they have assessed sufficient threats to warrant return.
Guards stay close to the main party and quickly come to the aid of heroes in mortal danger (particularly delicate support classes.) They will not normally pursue fleeing enemies unless instructed. Guards can be optionally assigned to protect one party member in particular.
Strikers pursue fleeing enemies and run them down, and specifically target vulnerable opponents in critical support roles. They will not normally aid endangered comrades nearby unless specifically instructed.
Support remain behind defensive lines when possible, but provide back up to offensive party members by indirect methods- ranged fire, backstabs, healing, blessings/curses or offensive spells. They will try to avoid direct one-to-one engagements if possible. Support can be assigned to give especial priority to one party member in particular.
Heroes can be assigned particular overall formations that they will fill in accordance with their tactical roles- guards on the perimeter, stikers to the fore, scouts ahead, and support to the back and centre. Many classes derive defensive/offensive bonuses from the right formations. Larger parties can have some of their members assigned to lieutenants, which can themselves perform broad tactical decisions on behalf of those under their command, and allows you to build up a chain of command to further alleviate micromangement.
ALL your heroes- not just a single 'Lord'- are stored online and retained from match to match, with automatic match-making services used to ensure that you only go up against opponents with similar track records and total strength of hero forces. Your heroes can also develop relative affinities or dislikes, depending on who gets a share of the treasure and who has come to their aid in the past, which in itself becomes a significant tactical consideration. Heroes expect a fair cut of the loot for their efforts and will be displeased if you can't deliver on that score, possibly leading to desertions between matches. (Poor command decisions and unreasonable orders will also lead in time to frictions with your troops.)
In between matches, your party can visit town and split up to sell and purchase items or upgrades, along with various temple blessings (to represent 'sovereign spells') that will generally last the duration of the next match.
Hero death should actually be quite rare and unusual in this system- whenever HP are reduced to zero, the hero simply 'falls unconscious' and is ignored until the match is won (generally by claiming the McGuffin at the heart of the map.) Serious casualties only result in the event of a total-party-KO, in which case some of your heroes will die and the rest are captured- and must, thereafter, be ransomed from their captors. (Resurrections are possible in major cities, but require victories on various punishing maps to retrieve the McGuffins needed to complete that resurrection, or earn favour with the temple faction.) Each city has a number of adjacent dungeons and cities which you can travel to each 'turn'.
As you've gathered, you, as king (or-king-to-be,) are personally present to command your heroes under this system, which means you can upgrade your stats and attributes like any other hero, and customise your build to a great degree.
So... that's the overall design concept as I'd imagine it. High points-of-contact, considerable skill supremacy, and bragging rights thanks to the leaderboards ranking parties in order of experience and reputation. But there's a whooole pile of features from majesty-as-we-know it that would have to be thrown out in the process.
(Recap on GNS theory.)
Essentially, you'd get rid of base-building entirely, and adopt an approach somewhere between a traditional RPG dungeon-crawl, lightweight MMO, and Real-Time-Tactical titles such as Myth II. You'd lead a band of heroes- starting with just yourself and an apprentice in the early game, later graduating to command large raiding parties- through a mazelike subterranean environment chock full of monsters, traps and precious loot! Other players are competing to do likewise, so you'll eventually meet in the middle of the labyrinth and battle it out to claim the rich booty at the heart of the map.
Since this is intended to appeal to Gamists, individual matches would be relatively short- perhaps 10 to 30 minutes- and you would have a very hands-on approach to managing your forces. Hero AI is strong enough that most heroes can fend for themselves competently without direct orders, but- since you're actually present in person- you can issue commands to individual troops, which, (if reasonable,) will be directly obeyed. The 'if reasonable' clause prevents this from being direct control- troops may still desert or ignore your orders if self-preservation or conflicted loyalties dictate otherwise. This allows you to keep micromanagement to a minimum while still allowing you to pull off quite subtle and intricate tactics and exert one-on-one authority when it's strictly essential.
Individual heroes can be assigned broad tactical roles that determine how they will, by default, behave in battle- specifically, Scout, Guard, Striker, and Support.
Scouts foray far ahead of the main party, use stealth whenever possible and proceed cautiously. They do not engage enemies unless cornered or once they rejoin the main group, but report back to the main party once they have assessed sufficient threats to warrant return.
Guards stay close to the main party and quickly come to the aid of heroes in mortal danger (particularly delicate support classes.) They will not normally pursue fleeing enemies unless instructed. Guards can be optionally assigned to protect one party member in particular.
Strikers pursue fleeing enemies and run them down, and specifically target vulnerable opponents in critical support roles. They will not normally aid endangered comrades nearby unless specifically instructed.
Support remain behind defensive lines when possible, but provide back up to offensive party members by indirect methods- ranged fire, backstabs, healing, blessings/curses or offensive spells. They will try to avoid direct one-to-one engagements if possible. Support can be assigned to give especial priority to one party member in particular.
Heroes can be assigned particular overall formations that they will fill in accordance with their tactical roles- guards on the perimeter, stikers to the fore, scouts ahead, and support to the back and centre. Many classes derive defensive/offensive bonuses from the right formations. Larger parties can have some of their members assigned to lieutenants, which can themselves perform broad tactical decisions on behalf of those under their command, and allows you to build up a chain of command to further alleviate micromangement.
ALL your heroes- not just a single 'Lord'- are stored online and retained from match to match, with automatic match-making services used to ensure that you only go up against opponents with similar track records and total strength of hero forces. Your heroes can also develop relative affinities or dislikes, depending on who gets a share of the treasure and who has come to their aid in the past, which in itself becomes a significant tactical consideration. Heroes expect a fair cut of the loot for their efforts and will be displeased if you can't deliver on that score, possibly leading to desertions between matches. (Poor command decisions and unreasonable orders will also lead in time to frictions with your troops.)
In between matches, your party can visit town and split up to sell and purchase items or upgrades, along with various temple blessings (to represent 'sovereign spells') that will generally last the duration of the next match.
Hero death should actually be quite rare and unusual in this system- whenever HP are reduced to zero, the hero simply 'falls unconscious' and is ignored until the match is won (generally by claiming the McGuffin at the heart of the map.) Serious casualties only result in the event of a total-party-KO, in which case some of your heroes will die and the rest are captured- and must, thereafter, be ransomed from their captors. (Resurrections are possible in major cities, but require victories on various punishing maps to retrieve the McGuffins needed to complete that resurrection, or earn favour with the temple faction.) Each city has a number of adjacent dungeons and cities which you can travel to each 'turn'.
As you've gathered, you, as king (or-king-to-be,) are personally present to command your heroes under this system, which means you can upgrade your stats and attributes like any other hero, and customise your build to a great degree.
So... that's the overall design concept as I'd imagine it. High points-of-contact, considerable skill supremacy, and bragging rights thanks to the leaderboards ranking parties in order of experience and reputation. But there's a whooole pile of features from majesty-as-we-know it that would have to be thrown out in the process.