Oh, and are you planning to have a unit design workshop throughout the game or just in an advanced game?

Maybe until you or another civ builds Leo's Workshop the computer chooses the logical units for you and then after you can modify your own.

To me one of the more frustrating parts of CIV is the slow movement rate of units (especially later in the game), the inability to effectively use and coordinate large wars and the unrealistic carryovers from earlier technologies (like running into catapults with tanks, did this ever actually happen in a major historical conflict?).

Rather than creating units like we have now I would like to propose a radically different system.

Cities only build in terms of armies. Each city can have one army (specific facilities may allow additional armies for a city to have additional armies, ie garrison allowing one army which stays at home). Also cities, with the proper technology, could send production power to support armies which are created by other cities if desired.

When you select an army you are given a workshop type screen. This allows you to select from the full range of unit types permitted by your technological progress. You specify the quantity of each unit type (by men/materiel/or a more abstract combat factor) with which to create your army). All air power is part of an army (or navy).

Armies move as a single unit, but they have a "zone" of influence which would range from one square in the early game to a radius of four or more late in the game. Armies are able to attack enemy units within their "zone", with those units which have the required range to their attack. This represents the dispersal of forces that has gradually taken place since the end of world war I and indicates the technologies which might be needed for this effect.

Armies should be able to move a great distance in later ages, and even substantial distances as early as 1500 b.c. They are significantly slowed if they encounter enemy units (each round of combat is equivalent to a move) or if they encounter unknown terrain (which should be explored with "explorer" units and not a nations standing army).

This system would require you to monitor the army buildup in neighbors carefully, as they could conquer you quickly if you are caught without defences. World War II was over in six years. It always seems to be an endless low grade war in games of Civ.

Just some thoughts.