I'm well into the first Act (10 of the 11 Asia Minor sectors conquered) in 17 hours and I can say that this game is less of an RPG than I would have preferred. I spend a lot of time just marching my legion back and forth across the map, or going into and out of camps with my party doing busywork stuff. The parts where I'm exploring a map, talking to people and doing quests, is a small percentage of the game. My gaming time lately has been more limited, and sometimes I'll play an hour and feel like basically nothing has happened, and it doesn't motivate me to boot it up the next time.
I like a lot of things about the game, but unless for some reason there's a lot more story stuff after this first act, it looks like I'm going to be disappointed by it overall.
Sorry you feel that way, I hope it'll get better
I'm a little over 25 hours in the game, though with fewer sectors in act I, but I don't feel that way at all. It's just my personal impression though, and it could yet change later.
The combat takes time for sure, in good part because it's turn-based. And it's a war setting so we have the battles, the sieges, and the main focus on the theme of combat on top; overall it's more omnipresent than other games. But I have the impression there's enough story, companion development, quests and dialogues to offer enough variety and substance.
I do feel it's somewhat lighter on story, quests and dialogues than some other RPGs like PoE, Pathfinder for example. But while there are some strategy elements that were not in Viking and others that have been removed, I don't feel it's that much different to their previous game (which I haven't finished either), I would even say there's more story - perhaps the fact it's fully voice-acted makes me feel that way.
Again, just a personal impression. I enjoy its tactical combat a lot, and I love the historical setting too, so there's that. But let me give an update past the first arc, in case it becomes too repetitive or if the story becomes too scarce.
At this point I'm just addicted to the game.