How about a full 3D editor?
I'm not suggesting BTS waste their time building one, but if they were to seperate the map into a different file and publish the file format, I'm sure it wouldn't be long before you had a host of 3rd party map editors.
Like the mods at present, I'm pretty sure it wasn't BTS's intention at first to have people altering the game BMPs, but we now have an entire community of people largely dedicated to altering the game in their own little way.
I'm sure that it would go the same way with terrain editors, some will be crap, and some will be good, but they can all only add to the game.
I hope that BTS wouldn't see this as treading on their toes, they're fine with the image mods after all, and they would still retain control over the engine and models. (though the ability to model your own objects would be nice )
[stupid idea]
And on the subject of mods, I can see a way to retain the interest of all those historical simulation geeks almost indefinitely: the ability to assign unit markings to vehicles. You'd have the entirety of 15 SS panzer divsions plus Grossdeutschland and the Afrika Korps within days of release. It's dead easy. All you need is ten bmps for the numbers plus a few assorted letters and a plane 0.0001 units above the vehicle's sides, and you're away.
[/stupid idea]
nick
[This message has been edited by nick (edited 03-09-2001).]