I’ve also been considering fighter development, of late. When a fighter PC improves, what choices are available? Simply increasing bonuses to attack or damage rolls doesn’t add any new capabilities or variety. New equipment can add a bit, though not enough. So what else is there?
Added fighting capabilities are likely part of the answer. I’m not fond of many of the feats that I’ve seen added in so many OSR/NSR systems, as they feel like superhero powers to me, and thus something I don’t care for. I’m looking at such things as increasing the number of opponents engaged at the same time without penalties and squad tactics involving other fighters.
That leads right into another development route I’m trying out–squads. Fighters develop squads of fighters–small mercenary units of sorts–in lieu of general henchmen. Well, all the henchmen are part of the fighting squad, and required to also be fighters. Not that the full squad will be with the fighter at all times, as the PC will also likely have a home base of some sort that will need attendance when the PC is off adventuring. The squad is part of building personal holdings and eventual domain play.
Soldiers have also been called on to build fortifications and siege engines and all that sort of combat engineering, so I figure adding some capabilities of that sort will help. Perhaps basic leadership (building a squad, yo). General physical abilities of running, leaping, and the like. Let the fighters have a capable physical presence in general.