The resource thing is obviously intentional. What is the point of having strategic resources if everybody can get one? The limited resources is actually one of the things I like about the game, since it can force you to rethink your plans half way through the game.

The combat system is really messed up though. The flattened the power levels of units, so higher tech grants less of an advantage. It does solve the race for gunpowder that was a problem in Civ2, but they could have found some other way to fix that.

As for diplomats and spies, they are not units anymore. You can still do the same things by selecting cities and having spies there attempt things but you can't stockpile them anymore.

And I do agree that non-combat units should have a chance of going down fighting rather then being automatically captured. It does make defending your territory a significant factor though, which I do like.

Jay