Slitherine

I think aa Napoleonic version of Empires set between 1790 and 1815 (or somewhat later eg 1830) with a Napoleonic version of FOG II to fight the battles would work extremely well. For me it is the tactical battles that really make or break this kind of game. For this period I would have monthly turns for peace time with the option of weekly, two day or even single day turns for war Tactical units would be battalions, cavalry and artillery. More emphasis on formations, ability of a unit to deploy skirmishers, lines, columns, squares. Command and control should permit deployment in brigades, divisions and corps. Reinforcing corps or divisions might arrive during the course of a battle depending on decisions made on the campaign map. Strategically one of the key development lines would have to be the evolution of doctrine and command & Control/staff work over time. This should be dependent on the state's culture. How successful the reforms are might well be influenced by how conservative the state is. Hence Hapsburg Austria might reform very slowly after the shock of repeated defeats. Revolutionary/Napoleonic France might reform very quickly. You could adopt conscription and field big armies. High casualty rates would delete the qualities of armies and leadership over time as happened to Napoleonic France

It's a good idea, there already is a Pike and Shot game wich pretty much covers that period. There is also a Sengoku Jidai which would also work well with Empire kind of grand strategy but obviously with a map of Japan