if you try it a couple times to find out you don't like it, the AI keeps using the units you designed.

I like unit design in principle, e.g. in SMAC and Galciv, but in E:FE it hasn't captured my interest yet.  It is a little sad to me that all the civs have these special units, "Rangers of the Ebon Chasm" or whatever, but unless you were purposely handicapping yourself to roleplay they aren't as good as your generic "Archer Mk.3".  Not gamebreaking by any means but its just kind of a weird vibe.

So you made your argument against it, and move on. If the resources are already spent on developing the feature, what good does it do to require the devs to spend more resources on putting in a function to disable an entirely voluntary function? 

It just sounds like sour grapes.

Anyway, I would never say this isn't the game for you, because that's a determination only you can make, and its a kind of smug response, and Ive already given you enough smugness. But I do think you are bound to be disappointed. The game was built around this concept, and it's a core philosophy of Stardock's strategy games. 

Being able to define custom names in a game makes more work for developers too, but they add it because people enjoy it, and it has a value.  Being able to design custom units is a hallmark of some of the greatest games, and we know its entirely possible to still make a good game with them. A rare game that people like because it offers things that garden variety strategy games don't.

If this game doesn't work, it won't be because of the concept of custom designed units.

Now that specific issue, *is* something I can see wanting to be able to disable.

Agreed.  I think the only strategy game I've played that had enjoyable unit customization (outside of RPGs, not strategy games) was Alpha Centauri...and even then I got tired of it.  I wanted to shape the future of Planet, not decide the make-up of my latest Chaos Impact Rover.

EDIT: Master of Orion 2 was fun to design units for.  I'd almost forgotten that one

The wonder of the Elemental series is the potential to strategically participate in the unfolding story of a fantastic world.  Player decisions should be focused to this end.  Unit customization is not an important decision.

If unit customization is in, it should be reserved for champions.  Run-o-the-mill units should lose the grand scale customization.  Instead, implement equipment quality the same as training options; something like "re-purposed farm equipment", "battered military equipment", "standard issue military equipment", "exceptional military equipment".  Pick a basic unit template, pick a training level, pick an equipment level, and keep the game play focused on shaping fantasy kingdoms/empires.

I know unit customization is in, but I can live without it.  It definitely isn't a deal maker for me.

Sounds good then.

As far as custom unit design resources, I really think we need more time devoted to the champion/sovereign customization. Those are actual people, versus some unknown soldiers, and customization thus plays bigger role there.

I also agree with Napean's perspective above.