The base game was fine, but with only 2 factions you would think they would be unique. The only difference is the unit colors and what the ai storyteller tells you is the difference between the factions. You can only play that for so long.
Take Warcraft for example. The first one only had orcs and humans, but they even had some npc mobs like ogres, slimes, and daemons. Even still, the factions units were similar for balance, but also completely different. You had orc necromancers that raised the dead and had destructive spells, but the humans had clerics that healed and summoned water elementals in place of the necromancers skeletons. Similar, balanced, but completely different at the same time.
WC2 came along and added air and sea units, as well as multiple races to the horde and alliance factions. The story naturally progressed to add elves, trolls, dwarves, ogres, gnomes, goblins, gryphons, dragons... still only 2 factions, balanced, but completely different feel. I spent hundreds of hours on those games with only 2 factions. An expansion was released that was half the price of the original game, but added 2 new full length campaigns, story, and im pretty sure units too. They didnt beat you over the head with little DLCs that only added what should have been in the original game and still didnt change anything.
Then comes WC3 with 4 factions, 4 completely different play styles, a grand story, and another expansion the size of the original game.
Go back to AoTS with 2 factions, an irrelevant story, and no variety what so ever, but then club us over the head with $10 DLCs that really add nothing at all.
I did enjoy this game for a time, but they would really have to release something bad ass for me to get into a sequel. And with how long its been since the original released, i cant imagine anyone is excited for yet another uninspired, overpriced DLC. Its sad because it really did have potential to become a really badass and lucritive IP for them.
I also dont understand because SoSE was a badass strategy game that I frequently go back to, especially with its great mods, its a very successful gsame, but they did it without beating us over the head with DLCs. Its really a shame because this game has the foundation to become something like that. They even couldve made a sequel with ground and space combat on a grand scale, but instead spent three years putting out another worthless overpriced DLC that doesnt even move this game a centimeter closer to what it has the potential to be.