How would you design the perfect strategy game?

I love strategy games, but it seems like they always end up having some fatal flaw. I've never seen a game that really satisfies every aspect of strategy.
There are essentially 4 interrelated levels of strategy- a sliding scale which starts with the broadest national objectives, ie: expansionism, and goes all the way down to the tactics used on the battlefield, ie: take the hill on the enemy's flank. Hand in hand with those goes a 5th level- logistics- moving your troops, keeping them supplied- as General Forest said, "Gettin' there the firstest with the mostest".

I think a truly great strategy game would have to be just as detailed as the real world, which means it would have to take place in a very small area. I don't think a world-wide map would be possible. I think you'd have to play on a subcontinent at the most. Perhaps, for example, a map of the Eastern seaboard of the United States, which included all major routes of travel, all cities, all terrain, etc. This would make it possible for the forces in the game to form realistic strategic objectives, move realistically, etc.

Then you'd need realistic hardware with programable orders, realtime play, detailed realistic stats- experience, fuel, ammo, speed, firing range, visual range, armor capabilities including weakened flanks and rear, terrain traversibility, etc (there's nothing worse than a game where infantry can whale on an tank with M-16s and destroy it, but a minefield hardly puts a dent in them).

Gameplay would have to be variable- playable in real time, or able to accelerate during lulls. Turn-based really can't cut it I don't think.

Unit sizes would have to be realistic. You should have infantry platoons, companies, batallions, etc. Not a dozen little guys who represent your whole army. They should be configurable into formations, etc. They should be able to detach, perform separate missions etc.

Communications should be necessary. No god-like gameplayer to coordinate between the units- the artillery doesn't fire unless the FO calls in a fire mission and the game player as given them priority call.


I'm sure there is more. What would the perfect strategy game need?