If I were to guess, the bad design was probably due to the heavy handed producers and top-level management for DoW3. Actually I don't even have to guess because the glassdoor reviews after Dow3 launch were really telling with what happened with Dow3.
If you look on the credits of DoW3, you can see that the main producer is now at another company while the director is back to a narrative lead.
Who would have thought that people who don't play video games make bad video games.
Dow3 Director: Philippe Boulle
Now: Narrative lead for AoE4
Dow3 Senior Producer: Lee McKinnon Pederson
Now: Senior/Executive Producer at Blackbird Entertainment
Exactly. I remember those Glassdoor reviews. Top tier management wanted a game to please everyone (mUh bRoaDeR AudIEnCe) and basically ruined everything.
This never works. Just ask DICE with the new Battlefield... or any other game that tried to please everyone.