Okay, let me pitch Dominions 5 to you

[deuterio12]

As for harpies, I like to think of them as flying markata. Except that markata are at least useful at soaking a cavalry charge. Back in Dom 3 they actually did have a use, in that Pangea (much like Caelum) could run with an overtax rush strategy where you tax your capital at 200 to fund the early war machine, patrolling with flying troops. Sadly Dom 4 took that away.

IMO, good riddance for the removal of taxes control. The last thing the game needed was more micro.

Also remember that in Dominions 5 mages taking any amount of damage can lose their concentration and be unable to cast, so harpies can wreck havoc in an exposed mage backline.