I'm trying to get up to speed on a lot of this.
I have noted with interest some of this discussion.
Dan and I have played this game for a loooooooong time.
We settled on it years ago, as our "mecca" of gaming after many years of going through many games.
Dan doesn't care for Black Powder, otherwise I'd play more of those games also...
We got our start over boardgames, when there were NO electronic games...
Hard for some of the "younger" members of this forum to fathom, but us more "mature" players can still remember...I think... :O
I won't let one change "color" my view of an otherwise excellent game.
And, it's an optional rule, so it has that going for it... :)
I see the J.T. leadership team involvement here as a positive step toward the improvement of these games.
Ideally, they get it right...
Ideally, they listen to those that play...
At the end of the day, though, and you can verify this through Dan, I am the ultimate practical Realist... :)