Combine Tiers and upgrades

[:1]supcom1 had 3 (4) tiers of units, one drastically out-classing the other.
supcom2 only has 2 distinctive tiers, with experimental units ravaging unit blobs of similar cost. These low units could then be upgraded to give un-upgradable experimentals a serious run for their money.
However, this dichotomy in supcom2 doesn't work very well with the structure classes: Basic, advanced, Experimental.
So what i suggest is to have two tiers of units, mini-experimentals/lors/generals/scu's, and full-blown experimentals.
Using TF2 sandvich analogy:
Basic units would be the bread of your sandvich: No basic, no bread, no sandvich. simple. Nothing makes these obsolete.
Advanced units would be the the cheese or meat on your sandvich. Important, but worthless without bread.
Mini-experimentals/lords/generals would be the mayonnaise or other sauce in your sandvich. Least important, but making the whole experience better.
Experimentals, or Legendaries, would be the olive on the top. not required for optimal consumption, but boy does it make the sandvich look good and makes it perfect.
Basic units would be your multi-purpose swordman, archer, pikeman, and basic horseman.
advanced units would be your megaraptor archer platform, your trebuchet, magicians, and slightly more expensive units that require basic units to work best.
mini legendaries would be the cement of your basic & advanced bricks, single powerful units that can lead your smaller army to victory.
Legendaries are simply Legendary.
Basic units will get simple research upgrades that maintain their effectiveness as advanced and mini's come into play, nothing drastic like AA on tanks. Advanced units get a bit more attention from research, getting weapon/armour upgrades and generally making them better at what they do best. Mini's get the most research-oriented attention, and the one or other manual upgrade.
Takes the best of multiple tiers and research combining them into a hybrid system that should be more sensible than simple tiers or dozens of upgades.|||I think I like it.
I also really liked the AOE system. There were both upgrades, +1 range, +2 armor. and A teir system, turn your knights into palidans, which are more bad *** guys on horses.
they also had two types of units and buildings. Their were wood only buildings, which weren't really important. ANd buildings that cost stone. Stone buildings had alot of hitpoints and could attack.
Food and wood units. And Units that cost gold. Gold units were much better.|||aoe2 really kept it simple which was good but some more advanced stuff under the hood :p might be even better if the player isnt conforted with it but still can see whats happening in the grand sceme(dont know for sure if that clear if not i apologize :d)