And did anyone say it was easy :) As for the guards, I simply have my own system here; I don't look at individual artifacts, but rather at what the player can get by completing a set—in this case, the Statue provides an advantage over its individual pieces, which is why the guards are like that.
P.S. In general, the map was designed so that you have to choose between two development paths (movement toward other towns), and each town has growth and resource "bonuses," though they are implemented differently.
