✦ Japanese
▴Unit Change
▹Ashigaru Musketeer : HP decreases to 160 (from 170)
▹Naginata Rider: Melee Attack decreases to 25 (from 28)
▹Yabusame Archer: Ranged Attack increases to 12 (from 8)
Japanese has too many auras, improvements, and shipments to strength their army’s HP and damage, the final damage of Exalted Naginata Rider vs skirmisher almost equals to the final damage of Imperial Lancer vs skirmisher without Missionary of Unction. But Lancer cannot defeat Naginata Rider even with Missionary of Unction.
▴Card change
▹Yabusame Archer Attack: The Attack increases to +25% (from 20%)
▹Zen Diet: The build-time of Villager -15% (from 0%)
▴Asian Wonder
▹Golden Pavilion:
◦It will take 5 seconds to change the mode of the other ability like Ceremony at Community Plaza.
◦Advanced Arsenal Improvements move to Arsenal by choosing Dutch Allies at Consulate, but the advanced improvements should be available by building Golden Pavilion.
▴Shrine Trickle
For related reasons, please refer to the previous paragraph on Economic Building.
In addition to the previous paragraph, Shrine can protect the huntable animals; thus, your food disappear until Shrine is destroyed, which means that Japanese boom their economy and suppress your economy at the same time. Japanese Villagers can stay nearby Town Center and do not move to the other place to collect the food; thus, Japanese Villagers don’t be afraid of Cavalry and don’t need to drive the animals or build an outpost to protect Villagers from attack. It let Japanese have a very stable food gathering like the food trickle. These are some of the reasons why Japanese cannot hunt but have a good economy.
I adjusted it like the table below.
▹The number of Animals at Shrine decreases to 2 (from 4)
This change can reduce Japan’s dependence on the map and prevent to snatch prey from teammates or opponents.
▹The bonus of Huntable and Herdable Animals at Shrine decrease to 0.025 and 0.05 (from 0.07 and 0.13)
▹Heavenly Kami (I): The work rate at Shrine increases to +80% (from +50%)
▹Toshogu Shine (Wonder): The work rate at Shrine increases to +100% (from +80%)
▹Tempo Reforms (improvement in Age 4): The work rate at Shrine increases to +500% for Food trickle (from +350%) and +450% for Wood and Coin trickle (from +300%)
The trickle of Shrine is nerfed in early-age, but it is buffed in later ages.
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General Summary
✦ UI
These changes just give players convenience to play the game.
✦ Animals
This suggestion is for balance.
✦ Treaty
In Treaty, many civilizations won’t train some units because the cost of these units require Wood.
Per-shipment experience-points required is adjusted to increase the usage of infinite card in Age 4.
✦ Building
Some military buildings that can recycle their Wood are buffed. The cost of Wall is increased but balanced.
In addition to recyclable building and Wall, the main adjustments are focus on the economic building providing a steady trickle. These buildings have too many benefits; consequently, their HP, LOS, and building-time are nerfed.
✦ Units
A Work Point is set to prevent some situation that may cause extreme economy.
Some units’ usability is adjusted and struck a balance between Melee Heavy Infantry and Musketeer, then Light Ranged Cavalry is nerfed.
✦ Native Alliance
The initial threshold is decreased, and the build-limit is increased to strengthen the usage of Native Warriors. In addition, Native Trading Post is given a bonus to encourage the players to build it.
✦ Revolutions (Europeans)
Because I don’t have a chance to try Revolutions, I didn’t adjust the detail of different Revolutions. The adjustment of the balance should be tested by a lot of games. But Revolutions have a high threshold with a weak economy and military that it’s not as strong as the troops in Imperial Age. That is why I decreased the threshold and reset the per-shipment experience-points required.
✦ Church Cards (Europeans)
In order to strengthen the Europeans features, I made Church Card be like another civilization bonus.
✦ Big Buttons (Native Americans)
The Adjustments mainly buff Aztec in 14 minutes.
✦ Economic Improvement (Native Americans)
Native Americans (except Inca) have a weak economy because of their economic improvements. In order to highlight their features, Lakota is good at hunt, Aztec is good at mining, and Haudenosaunee is a generalist.
✦ Reworked Support Card (Native Americans)
In order to strengthen and highlight their features, the Support Card of Native Americans are reworked. Haudenosaunee Support Cards require two resources that you can easily gather. Lakota Support Cards require Food that you can gather by hunt. Aztec Support Cards requiring Coin will give you 500c because of Religious Unity. Inca Support Cards requiring Wood will be shipped fast and give you 100w because of Imperial Unity.
✦ Community Plaza (Native Americans)
Haudenosaunee and Lakota now can let the healers as a villager occupy at Community Plaza. Aztec and Inca still have advantage of Community Plaza because they have Warriors Priests or Priestesses as 2 villagers’ effectiveness.
Priestess is buffed by decreasing the population cost, the cost of Coin, and train points, but her ability of convert is removed, and the ability must be obtained by choosing the Council Member of The Wise Woman. Warriors Priest is nerfed by increasing the population cost.
It’s rare to use some ceremonies especially productive ceremonies. The Community Plaza should be like the Factory of Native Americans.
People Ceremony, Founder Ceremony, Garland War Ceremony, Tokala Ceremony, Moon Ceremony, and Supay Ceremony are buffed.
Charging Ceremony is nerfed.
War Ceremony is a bit restricted.
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Civilization Summary
✦ Inca:
Military:
The Inca Kallanka units are reworked. Bolas Warrior become a Ranged Shock Infantry like Eagle Runner Knight to defeat the Cavalry. Huaracas have a bonus against Archer or Skirmisher now. Inca units are afraid of Lancer, so Bolas Warrior change the type. If their Archer cannot defeat the Archer or skirmisher from other civilizations, Inca will rely on Chimu Runner, but it is very dangerous because Chimu Runner is not as strong as Heavy Cavalry. Furthermore, Chimu Runner have a bonus against Artillery, it will let Inca have a choice of Chimu Runner or Huaracas to defeat Artillery and Skirmisher.
In addition, Kallanka can increase their population to 220, which means that Inca will have 120 military population, and their Priestess population cost is decreased, which means that they have 110 military populations with 10 Priestesses at Community Plaza.
These changes may cause Inca become French that have 120 military populations.
Economy:
Because their military is buffed, their economy will be nerfed. They have the strong economic building; even though they don’t have villagers’ card in early-age, they still have the stronger economy than the other countries. Therefore, they should be nerfed.
✦ Swedes:
Military:
Swedes have the same problem as Inca. They don’t have the Light Ranged Cavalry (Ranged Shock Infantry) to counter the Heavy Cavalry especially Lancer, but Swedes have other problems. Swedes don’t have the Archer or Skirmisher type units. Leather Cannon cannot substitute for Skirmisher because they are not the same type of unit. If you want to contract with Mercenaries instead of Skirmisher and Dragoon, they are too expansive in Supremacy.
In addition, Carolean is too weak in Age 2, and many civilizations can beat them by Musketeer, but Carolean is too powerful in Age 4 due to Svea Lifeguard, Snaplock, Platoon Fire, and their powerful economy. Carolean is very unbalanced units.
Therefore, Carolean is buffed in early-age but nerfed in later-age.
Economy:
All trickle economies are too powerful now, so they should be nerfed. Swedes military is buffed because they can be active Crossbowman, Skirmisher, and Dragoon. Carolean and Leather Cannon are buffed too.
On the other hand, even their Torp effectiveness is nerfed, but their Torp Cards have more powerful than before to compensate for the nerfed.
✦ British:
Military:
British have a problem to deal with Heavy Infantry. If there are Heavy Infantry that British Musketeer cannot defeat, British will be in a bit of a predicament like Swedes. Artillery cannot substitute for Skirmisher.
Therefore, Church Card give Yeomen that it grants Longbowman Ranged Attack a multiplier +0.75 vs Heavy Infantry. In addition, Grenadier Ranged Attack multiplier is granted +0.5 vs Heavy Infantry, and Church Card give Musketeer / Grenadier Combat (III) that it adds 4 Grenadier’s maximum range.
Additionally, Church Card also increases the speed of Musketeer.
Economy:
British have the most powerful boom in the short time especially Virginia Company, but I like this card; however, the build-limit of Manor House must be decreased to reduce the maximum free Settlers.
The boom is nerfed in Age 2, but the boom will be buffed in Age 3 by Estate (a card in Age 4) to compensate for the nerf.
✦ Spanish:
Military:
Spanish is good at Hand Cavalry and Hand Infantry, but Hand Infantry is the weakest unit in AoE3; thus, it’s rare to use Hand Infantry in team game. (In 1v1, you will use Pikeman to protect Artillery.)
Therefore, Melee Heavy Infantry is adjusted their HP, ATK, multiplier, etc. Church Card grants Infantry Breastplate and Cavalry Cuirass +0.1 Armor for Archaic Infantry and Hand Cavalry. Furthermore, Spanish Square now can add +0.1 Armor for Hand Infantry too. Spanish Hand Infantry will be a little dangerous.
Economy:
There is no big change for Spanish, because Spanish is strong in 1v1 when the per-shipment experience-points required was adjusted to the original condition. (72%)
However, Spanish is nothing special in team game because Spanish don’t have the way to boom or very strong units. Maybe, Spanish can ship Spanish Gold.
✦ French:
Military:
French has no big problem like Spanish, but Cuirassier is too strong in later-age; therefore, ESOC nerfed it by decreasing its Imperial upgrade. I recover the upgrade but give Cuirassier a multiplier 0.75x vs Heavy Infantry, Light Ranged Cavalry and AbstractEagleRunner.
On the other hand, Dragoon will be a little stronger than before due to the speed and cost.
Economy:
French have no big change, but Church Card will reduce the build-time of Cuirassier, and Code Napoleon is available in Age 1 with the cost 300c, 300w. Code Napoleon is like Economic Theory. These changes will buff French economy a little.
✦ Germans:
Military:
The Mercenary is buffed by Church Card and Church Improvement to increase the opportunity to use them.
Civilization Bonus is nerfed, but per-shipment experience-points required decreases to 106% like Indians.
Economy:
Germantown Farmers is developed by Church Card that can grant this card that the population cost of Settler Wagons decreases to 1. It can strengthen the land-economy in later-ages and have 110 military populations to ease that Uhlan occupy too many populations.
✦ Russians:
Military:
Russians have too many problems in Supremacy. Musketeer is reduced their HP and Attack due to Civilization bonus, and Russians don’t have Pikeman; therefore, it makes Russians the weakest against Heavy Cavalry in Age 2. Many civilizations train many Heavy Cavalry to defeat Russians.
Therefore, Church Card make Socket Bayonet be active in Age 2 to compensate for the Civilization Minus.
Russians cannot train Dragoon but Cavalry Archer. Dragoon can kite many units, but Cavalry Archer can’t. Cavalry Archer are afraid of Skirmisher because they don’t have the ranged resistance. Cavalry Archer attack damage is too low even vs Heavy Cavalry. If you cannot handle Heavy Cavalry quickly, your fragile Artillery and Skirmisher will be annihilated.
Therefore, Church Card make Tatar Loyalists be developed.
The Russians players don’t want to use Halberdier because they cannot find any reason in Age 3. I don’t know why Blockhouse just trains 4 Halberdier at a time.
Strelet have a short-range problem. I know Strelet have a powerful suppression to defeat the other Infantry by speed and huge amount of them, but as a Skirmisher type unit, their range is too short to counter the units they should defeat in Age 3. If your opponent has Heavy Infantry or Light Ranged Cavalry that they have a longer range than your Strelet, what unit you will train can defeat them?
Therefore, Strelet Combat add to 2 range in all actions.
Economy:
Russians civilization bonus depends heavily on how many Settlers they can train continuously, but Russians must train Settlers and Infantry in groups. It makes Russians require more and more food. It is hard to train settlers and infantry at the same time.
Another problem is the build-limit of settlers. If your settlers are not killed by yourself or your opponent, you will kill 2 settlers by yourself to train 99 settlers.
Therefore, Settlers and Infantry now can train individually. Church Card make Hunting Dog be active in Age 1 and Steel Traps in Age 2.
✦ Dutch:
Military:
Ruyter and Halberdier are buffed a little.
Economy:
Dutch Economy is buffed as 99 villagers’ effectiveness, but they will lose their advantage of 150 military population. The build-time of Bank is also increased, which means that If Dutch don’t ship the Dutch East India Company to reduce the build-time, Dutch will spend more time to boom than before. However, their Cards increasing the build-limit of Bank are merged into a card to ease that Dutch must ship too many cards to boom.
✦ Portuguese:
Military:
There is nothing changes.
Economy:
Whether Portuguese will be strong depends on how many villages the Town Center continues to train. This is like the Russians, but the Portuguese bonus of training villagers is stronger than Russian bonus. If you want to keep training villagers to boom, it will require much Food.
Therefore, Church Card will give a bonus to decrease the cost and build-time when you have more and more Town Center.
Another problem is sometimes enemy will kill your Covered Wagon or destroy your Town Center construction.
Therefore, Church Card will reduce the risk.
✦ Ottomans:
Military:
Maybe Ottomans is the best designed among all civilizations because the Ottomans players have a lot of strategy they can choose. Rush, FF, FI, Revolution, etc. If you don’t scout what Ottomans want to do, you will lose this game.
Ottomans have a problem to handle Heavy Cavalry, and the reason is like Russians. Janissary has a lower multiplier vs Heavy Cavalry; thus, New Order Infantry is granted the new benefits for Janissary, but the cost is too high.
Therefore, the cost of New Order Infantry is decreased.
Another problem is Abus gun is still powerful. Therefore, Abus gun is nerfed by decreasing the damage vs Heavy Cavalry and Shock Infantry.
Economy:
There is nothing changes.
✦ Aztec
Military:
War Chief is buffed vs Treasure Guardians. Warriors Priests is nerfed. Garland War Ceremony is buffed.
Eagle Runner Knight now can decrease their build-time by Scorched Earth but be nerfed vs Hand Infantry and Ranged Infantry.
Aztec must rely on Otontin Slingers and Jaguar Prowl Knight to defeat Heavy Infantry especially Musketeer.
Therefore, Great Temple of Quetzalcoatl Support increases the damage of Jaguar Prowl Knight vs Heavy Infantry.
Arrow Knight is buffed vs Artillery. Coyote Runner is buffed vs Skirmisher. Aztec has the same issue as Inca. Eagle Runner Knight and Jaguar Prowl Knight are too hard to defeat the Artillery and Skirmisher. Therefore, Arrow Knight will be more perfect vs Artillery than before. Coyote Runner will be more efficient vs Skirmisher.
Their Temple Support Cards can easily ship now with Religious Unity.
Economy:
Aztec can ship 3 Warriors Priests to occupy the Community Plaza to boom Aztec economy. Now, they are good at mining.
✦ Haudenosaunee
Military:
Musket Rider is nerfed. Mantlet and Ram is buffed.
Their Support Cards can easily ship now with National Unity.
Economy:
Haudenosaunee is a generalist like their resources’ cards, and their resources’ cards are reworked. It will give more powerful strategy to Haudenosaunee.
Additionally, they can ship 5 healers to occupy the Community Plaza to boom Haudenosaunee economy.
✦ Lakota
Military:
Teepee and Tashunke Prowler are reworked by simple interest to make them more balanced.
The new Big Buttons give Lakota a opportunity to defeat some civilization that have very strong Light Ranged Cavalry. Lakota rely on their Cavalry, but if opponent have Light Ranged Cavalry your Bow Rider cannot defeat, you will need something to defeat them.
Economy:
Lakota is good at hunt, and they can ship 5 healers to occupy the Community Plaza to boom Lakota economy. Additionally, Teepee can give an economic aura for villagers.
✦ Chinese
Military:
The Banner Army system is adjusted to make them more flexible. Especially, the upgrades are merge into two types of the upgrades.
Keshik and Steppe Rider are buffed.
Ming Army change the combination to 3 Chu Ko Nu and 2Keshik.
Economy:
Their Cards increasing the build-limit of Village are merged into a card.
✦ Indians
Military:
Sepoy is nerfed in Age 2, but Sowar is buffed.
Agra Fort in Age 3 and 4 is stronger than before.
Howdahs decreases the damage vs Infantry; thus, they will be less powerful than before.
Economy:
Indians economy in later-age will be buffed by Karni Mata and Grazing a little.
✦ Japanese
Military:
Ashigaru Musketeer and Naginata Rider are nerfed.
Yabusame Archer is buffed.
Golden Pavilion is a bit restricted.
Economy:
Japan’s dependence on the map is reduced, and Shrine avoid snatching prey from teammates or opponents.
The trickle of Shrine is nerfed in early-age, but it is buffed in later ages.