Half the conversations seem to ignore the decions the other individual or group make.

There is an over emphasis on what skills to use in combat when they need to focus on how do I influence the enemy to use a particular skill or fight in a parituclar place or at a particular time.

True strategy and tactis is influencing your enemy as much as it is choosing your own moves. The logs over the last month seem pretty evident that village is epic fail when it comes to group engagements (or fighting bards)