The optional skirmish mode where the objective is to kill the enemy dragon the most times? Maybe make it a custom mode where there's no recruitment centers only a Citadel or two where you can upgrade your dragon skills. Recruits are also gained when killing a enemy dragon perhaps?
A good deal of that could be easily done with just a custom map.
Two fatal flaw in that objective is that: 1.) you can go back and forth in dragon mode; 2.) the jet pack maneuver gives you the chance to escape from death.
I do like customizing your dragon before the skirmish match, but I think that's the reason why there are three dragons to cater the needs of the player.
Customizing dragon skills before the battle gives you an advantage for a short time because the enemy player does not know the skills you've chosen and vice versa. That's the only benefit I could derive in this.
I do like the idea of fiddling the recruitment in the option. It is already the norm anyways that you have those options in skirmish much like command and conquer.
