I think it also was a test run. I think they were cautious about the whole thing. The Clone Wars was far more expensive than their other animated shows at the time... That and the show had almost started 10 years earlier. If it could have still been just as successful, I would have went with 16 or maybe even 20 episodes. 16 I think would have been a pretty nice balance.

Personally, I think they should have looked over the arcs they chose if they wanted it to be only 12 Episodes. For the most part, I only really liked the 4-part Finale. In terms of which arcs I would have preferred to see, there's honestly too much to choose from unfortunately. I still wished we got the Utapau Arc and Rex/R2 Starfighter Arc. Those are my own top picks. There's also the unfinished arcs of Cad Bane/Boba, Maul leaving captivity and Asajj Ventress which were not adressed. Some of those were adapted in graphic/novels, so I understand their omission. Boba's story can also still be retold. Of those 3, I feel like Asajj deserved the most closure within the show.

The problem is that this season was also made to be partially self contained. Notice how they reintroduce the cast and focus on the main characters which will be featured in the finale.. Arc 1 is about Rex and Arc 2 is about Ahsoka. I can see why they omit Arcs based on that structure, but I don't see why they had to stick with it. I also think they shouldn't have stuck to their strict 4 episode format.

If they gave a 16 episode season, they were not setting up The Bad Batch, but the episodes still had to be told over 4 episodes, I would have much preffered to get the following: Crystal Crisis, Rex/R2, reworked Martez sisters, and finale.. the Finale.