This can definitely be done. But I don't know if that helps the razed city problem, though.
Alright so these are all the revisions that I think should be made for 600 ad Arabia and Middle East. (This is a long one, Feedback wud be appreaciated)
Arabia starts out with 5 Camel Archers, 4 Longbowmen, Two Swordsmen, 3 Settlers and 2 Workers. Here how it think these units should spawn:
1) Mecca should start out with a longbowmen and worker.
2) When all the territories flip to the arabs, 4 camel archers should spawn: 2 near Libya and 2 in Persia ( I dont know if the Camel Archers can spawn ouside cities: if yes than the ones in Libya should spart south of Benghazi and the ones Persia should start on the desert oasis north of Sihraz).
3) The swordsmen should be removed and the settlers can either be removed or start out in Baghdad and Cairo.
4) In place of the swordsmen, a worker should spawn. Since that would make 2 workers; one should spawn in Baghdad and one in Cairo.
5) As for the longbowmen; 2 should start in North Africa( to defend after the camel archers conquer Tripoli and Beng.) 1 should start in Baghdad to counteract the Byzantine and 2 in Iran to protect Samarkand after it is conquered by Arabs.
I only tried to specify regions since i dont know if units can spawn anywhere or just in cities In think this would help since the arabs will the cities before the Barbarians
. Maybe u could test it out as an Svn if its not too hard.
Now as for the cities:
1) Mecca should be nerfed (if i am right the population of Mecca only was never more than 50,000 for most of its history); Resources should be added near because although it becomes big it never truely becomes the most productive and largest city of the medival ages. (historically the first city to reach the population of 1 million).
And is it possible to make Baghdad the capital?
2) Anitoch should really be replaced with either Damascus or Aleppo. (Anitoch is to Damascus as Adrianpole is to Constantinople) you get the point right.
3) There should be a better chance of Isfahan and Al-Uqsur being settled rather than Al-Kuwait or some other desert city. (I think thats where the two other settler should settle if possible.)
4) Lastly if u do decide to make Baghdad more powerful make sure there is Barbarian pressure on the city in 1300 or it falls to the Turks; either will make serve the purpose
( Is it possible for a city to have certain resources from x year to x year) If it is that would be great in showing the rise and fall of Baghdad.And if u replace Anitoch with Damascus or Aleppo make sure it flips to the Turks.
Maybe Carthage should have a slightly higher settling rate?
I dont think that would be required since Leoreth will add the Moors some times in the future.
Feedback would be appreciated. Want do u guys think??
Here are the pictures of the latest svn; it shows the problem with central asia, Tripoli, Tisfun (not strong enough) and Anitoch surving that long.Also notice in the last one how low the poplulation is for cairo and Baghdad compared to Athens and Constantinople and hinduism spreads into BARBARIAN central asia. (These are from Mali Mongol and turk spaw)