My first idea is to have additional Spoils options:
(1) "No Spoils first turn" - reduces the huge luck factor involved in the first turn. So often unlucky first trun=defeat.
(2) "Escalating after 20 rounds" - reducing build-up games (or maybe 30 rounds or some other number).
My other idea is perhaps to have "Double Chained" and "Double Adjacent" reinforcement options.