option 8 - correct the food on these super units so it is even with the builders and buyers, if we want to spend money that is our right but the reduced food and increased power will let the spenders buy a force limit the builders can't compete with.

Plarium, if you want to talk about game balance, this is what it means.

Iso force limit, which will always have undesirable side effects that cripple the game one way or the other, better get rid of three things:

1. Overpower limits losses - instead, have losses depend on a) random and b) strategy, tactics or some choice of players, so that attacking and defending becomes more pluriform, smarter and more complex.

2. Have a way to see attacks coming, like castles. Defenders, except in castles, are now just sitting duck. Attackers make all the decisions now. For example, allow decense to be moved between beacons when an attack is launced against a beacon.

3. Introduce to deceive, lure, trap & trip, so attack/defense is not just tan(power a/power b).

So I vote more complex (interesting) mechanics and force limit none. 

Have you ever heard the saying

"Can't see the forest for the trees"

When you are too close to a situation you need to step back and get a little perspective. When you do you will notice there was a whole forest you couldn't see before because you were too close, and focusing on the trees.

Simply that you have focused on the many details and have failed to see the overall view, impression or key point.

Option 2

It's the better option to do this game better!