Actually, this whole business about the Ottomans and the Holy League brings to mind something I've been marinating on.
In a way, I kinda hope that Italy doesn't make it into BNW, because it would make for some rockin' DLC! Not just a civ, but an entire scenario based around Renaissance Italy with a focus on BNW's new trade and culture systems. Whaddya think?
You get to play one of the maritime republics: Venice, Genoa, Ragusa, or Florence. The Ottomans, Spain, and Holy Roman Empire would be AI civ's, with varying levels of established friendship or enimity at the beginning of the scenario, allowing certain republics to have a edge on early international trade routes. Hungarya and Switzerland would be represented as military CS's, with their unique elite hassers and pikemen, resepctively. Not sure what to do with Rome and the Papal States; being understandably immune to DoW, they couldn't be playable, so it's either AI civ or CS.
The scenario starts in the Middle Ages, and finishes at the Industrial Era, perhaps with Napoleon showing up with beaucoup cannons to wrap things up with a climax.
Instead of great generals, they generate a condotierri, drawing the long list of distinguished condottieri. Unlike most great persons, the condottieri, they would have a varied pool of abilities to from which to draw.
Venice would probably have the strong naval edge courtesy of its Arsenal. Florence, OTOH, would be the smallest and least militant, but with a big advantage in generating culture and great persons. Genoa would have a strong land army couresty of its crossbowmen and be better at generating condottieri. Ragusa could have a bonus trade route, or some other benefit relating to its Ottoman ties, or maybe a production benefit tied to forests.
Just throwing stuff out there. Feel free to toss some ideas back.