I have a suggestion for changes to the template.

Firstly, make the starting towns native to the player. This will provide at least some semblance of an economy. Options will appear – either build a lot of lower-tier units or invest in higher-tier ones. You'll have to consider the layout of the map to see what is more profitable. Currently, the economy is simple – we collect money for free and build a 7th-level dwelling with a citadel/castle. It's boring. At the same time, this will improve the balance between factions – building a 7th-level dwelling will no longer be so essential.

Secondly, make the center zone the territory of the brown player. Of course, it will be a computer-controlled player. The idea is that if it matches the color of one of the players, the map should be restarted. Because having a native center is a huge bonus... in the above-mentioned game with Dirty, thanks to the native center, by the 3rd week, I had not 10 Behemoths, but 25 (!). And not 6 Cyclops, but 36. And more lower-tier units because I built several dwellings in the central stronghold.

Thirdly, make the passage to the center multiple. The idea is to reduce the pressure on the Grand Order. Some will get Hydras/Pit Lords/Dryads, while others will get Titans. With multiple passages, the choice of who to attack will increase. The downside (or maybe a plus) is that there may be 2-3 roads leading to the center, making the road network more complex.