Long we've been awaiting a significant implementation of content. The odd bit here and there has been nice, but I fear it's all too slow. Thus I suggest the following.

Level 50 quest similar to crisis quest that yields a one off special adventure map. Reward for this map would be a new island. Obviously this island would have to be very, very tough to hold anyone's attention. But I doubt it would be hard to create new units and generals with different abilities to make it challenging. Perhaps even randomise the troop numbers and camp locations to make players work it out themselves. Along with this, a new building: shipmaker. Shipmaker you can make a goods transport where you can send goods but transport time takes 24 hours and ships that can search for loot, similar to explorers.

Whole new economies to build different troops and a tavern where you hire mercenary generals with higher hit points and different abilities.

At the end of clearing the island there would then be an arena. The player would have to defeat all challengers before taking ownership of the arena where they could buy challenges (island version of adventures) and this is where PVP would happen. The arena would work differently to normal battle modes in that players bring all their generals and troops. Battle would work on a turn based scenario. Each turn the player can move, assign or attack. Add in some towers and other structures you could occupy and the idea would be the game ends up similar to a game of chess. Once a general is defeated, they cannot be used again and the player wins when all enemy generals (regardless of troops remaining) are dead. Loot would be determined by how "epic" the battle is. The more you kill, the better the loot. The more you lose, the better the loot. The closer the result, the better the loot. There would also be a badge system and leaderboard. Badges earned through winning streaks, generals killed and epic battles won with a leaderboard showing who has the most badges, best wins etc.

Good part of this is no longer will recruits be the mainstay of production, gem buyers will have something new to get and a distinct advantage while non gem buyers will still be able to compete. By its nature, the game will constantly present new challenges as players try to attain and retain rankings. Anyone not interested in PVP can still participate simply by buying set scenarios, akin to a gladatorial situation.