I would like to state something regarding what we have seen in the movies, what we can actually implement in gameplay and some historical facts:
1. The most iconic part of seeing the chariot in the films is when the company members capture it and try to break the lines of enemy orcs. Here you can see that it has 3 levels of the machine: 1 seat for the driver, 1 for the repeater crossbow and possibly 2 more for extra soldiers acting as support. That was shown via the main fantasy style and emphasis of the characters. Before that, when Dain arrived on the hill, we saw very short moment of how actual chariot crew looked. There we saw again the driver as a main component of the war machine companied by other, 2 rotating soldiers acting as additional fighting force beside the machine it self. In terms of battle scenes, the main weapon is the actual device by it self, everything else that comes is extra. The crossbow is also an extra feature that the regular one doesn't have nor the amount of additional troops supporting the vehicle.
2. Now lets get to the gameplay: the main difference between the new looking battlewagon/chariot and the old one is mainly its visual apperiance. That is obvious, from visual look this one suits more to all realms because of the movie implementation but according to me it should not be equal for all 3 realms. So let's get started: the main weapon as stated before is the actual war machine that not only have the pulling power of the rams, but also the sheer weight of the construction and the additional blades will do the work for most of the killing. That is somehow similar to the vanilla, but in terms of usage it should definitely have the stronger impact and thus stronger charge/trample damage which in physics will reflect to higher innertion and pushing forward but after that, slower acceleration in order to gain the needed speed for continuing forward ( even though it has 2 rams, physics is way more complex ). In more precise words: there should exist additional armor back-up in terms of small boost from start of recruitment alongside bonus blade damage for tight masses and pitch battles. What I think should make the diversity is the ownership by the different realms in terms of equipment.
Iron Hills as seen in the WIP sneak peak, should have the option to put battle standards/banners accompanied by two side pike man ( in heavy armor ) in order to represent the iconic look of the movie style chariot. By this meaning the IH chariot will provide military might over the battle field, intimidation to enemies and thus inspiration for allied soldiers. In terms of gameplay this will provide increased leadership bonus, attack bonus and fear resistance. The main goal is to give this defensive realm a unique offensive unit to compensate their high armor-> low attack values and their will to fight against more, numerous odds.
Erebor in other words is War of the Rings true flourishing Dwarven Kingdom respected for it's wealth, wise ruling and proven valor in the past days. Even though they are shown as faction in the mod that favors strong arm instead of armor craft, the chariot should be equipped with a statue similar to the base one. Why ? According to me the statue will represent the highest peak in Dwarven history of founding/retrieving their Lonely Mountain Kingdom after the loss of Kazad-dum and will resemble the might of the King under the Mountain and the unification of the Dwarven might once again. Gameplay wise mounted statue should bring forth to allied soldiers experience bonus, armor buff and protection to nearby heroes since the mounted statue itself represent the strong will to defend the rulers but also strong endeavor in order to protect the chariot that carries it.
Ered Luin as we all know is mostly oriented and bound to it's heroes which rely on uncommon Dwarven war tactics. They are more like guerrilla fighters that regular shield wall infantry. So, I support the idea of giving them the option to have access to the popular repeater crossbow. This will give them 2 unique feelings as a realm: firstly it will strongly correspond to the movie scene were the main characters used that weapon to shoot orcs, wargs and the troll. Secondly it will show that Ered Luin dwarves used intelligence with crafting. From one side you have a "tank" to crush tight lines and from other side you have mobile armored vehicle able to shoot from afar big targets.
3. From historical knowledge most of the antique nations used chariots in order to disrupt battle lines, cause fear and above all to wage psychological warfare with their enemies. The main advantage of a chariot is the terrain. If it not flat, than they are useless. Most of the known empires/states such as Egypt, Persia, Hittites, Chinese, Assyrians, Carthaginians, Indians deployed them as frontal weapon for delivering one-way charge. The main part alongside was a driver somethimes accompanied by one/two side soldiers in forms of archers. spearmen, javelineers. There were moments of developing wheel blades that replaced the other additional soldiers and the chariot was reduced to a single driver.
From that point of view the player will be able to choose weather to stay only with one man driven dwarven war chariot that will act like real life scythe chariot or will choose the possible option depending what faction he has chosen. Also I will suggest an additional equipment that will bound all realms together to their mobile, war creation: supplies. They are race of stubborn miners and fighters that often don't like long term travels so what and ordinary dwarf likes over the most non shinny thing is meat and beer to keep it's stomach full and his axe steady in his arm. So, my point of view is to give the chariot an option to provide health regeneration every 4-5 minutes to nearby allies when not in combat so that they can use logistics and tactical maneuver over their foes. As seen in the new spell book, they have lost the beer healing and strategy wise they too have lack in numbers thus are slow, so why wont we give them something to eat and drink in their true path in Edain ?
Another note that connects real life usage of chariots and further implementation in Edain: in most battles that occurred in antiquity for example: Cunaxa ( 401 BC ), Gaugamela ( 331 BC ), Ipsos ( 301 BC ), Raphia ( 216 BC ) chariots were mainly used for disrupting the enemy lines in one, single massed charge. Most of those chariots were pulled by 2 horses or in some cases 4. They were never meant to engage in prolonged combat. In Edain since it is most logical to have a chariot with 2 rams because in the movie the machine pulled with 6 is fiction. In reality, column position of horse drawn chariots are seen in Royal families parades. Now on the 2 rams: they are indeed better than horses in terms of endurance but when engaged to long weapons should suffer great counter attack. I think that if you try to use them on units with short variation of anti cavalry weapons such as spears ( in Edain for example: "Orc Spearmen" ,"Dunleding Spearmen", "Rivendell Spearmen" ) they should not take big damage since in reality chariots that charged units such as hoplites endured. But in scenarios for massed battle when confronting pikemen in terms of Isegards one, Mordors Minas Morgul Orcs with pikes, Gondorians and even other dwarves, they should be decimated because of the reach of the weapon that confronts them. Sarrisa spear for example was very effective at Gaugamela and later at Hydaspes