Hello there,
I would like to share a reflection about the game, starting from my respect to the developers and the good work in the historical content, the music is simply spectacular.
However, do you think that the factions names are historically and etymologically precise?
For example, the Arabs have the name of a specific dynasty (caliphate in fact), while the Chinese have several dynasties in their own faction. Then, France are “French”, unlike the previous ones. What do you think of these decisions?
PS: I do not intend to generate any confrontation. I am just curious to know what you think.
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I think it’s inconsistent but I don’t mind so much. It’s just weird.
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I was actually just thinking about this yesterday! I suspect they tried to be specific enough to be a distinct group from about 1000AD-1500AD (give or take a hundred years or so depending on the civilization), while also being broad enough in their terminology to thoroughly cover that time period.
The Abbasid Caliphate is relatively easy to include because it existed from the late 9th century to the early 16th century. The English are easy to include from 1066 to today. Other civilizations are difficult to be more specific about though because that was a period with so much change. Can’t really specify the kingdoms of Kiev, Novgorod, or Moscow, so we just get the Rus. Frankia wasn’t really a definite thing for that entire period, and France would be anachronistic thanks to Burgundy, Aquitain, and the English, so we just get the French. Even the Mongols and Chinese are difficult because of the change within the peoples, and the overlap between the history of the two.
All in all, I think they did a great job for what they appear to have been aiming for. I personally wish I could see more specific states like the English and the Abbasids, but I understand why that would be difficult to do while maintaining consistency.
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This is absolutely true. This can also be transferred to certain units. For example, I have no record of the Rus streltsí. As far as I know, the streltsí were created in the 16th century by the Russian Tsarate. I don’t think that in this period there should be units with triggers on firearms.
Regarding the Mongols, perhaps it would be more accurate to call them “Mongol Khanate”?
There are basically no rules to naming civs in AoE4. I don’t really understand what the thoughts were going into it.
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I’m fairly certain that the arquebus and the blunderbuss were relatively available in the latter end of this period (though the blunderbuss wasn’t really used in war), I don’t have a great grasp on the development of the trigger, or the history of the streltsy though.
… According to Wikipedia, the streltsy were formed in the mid 16th century by Ivan the Terrible and were armed with arquebuses. So I guess they could just barely fit in the end of the time period AOE4 seems to be going for.
Also according to Wikipedia, apparently matchlocks started appearing throughout the 15th century, which pretty comfortably fits in the end of AOE4’s time period.
That was interesting to look up, thanks for the prompting!
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they just going for the majority of each civ representatives
It feels like they were going with what sounded different from other games in the series.
It is difficult to know when to cut the historical period and units in a game like this. As you say, arquebuses could be included, but with the use of a fork for aiming and without a trigger system. Possibly Spain or Germany would enjoy the first models of arquebuses as we know them.
Anyway, do you think that Spain, regardless of its divisions, should be a playable faction in the game? I say a resounding yes.
And thank you for your interest! It’s always nice to chat with someone who enjoys these chats 
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I’m hoping when they went to Russia for their research they got slightly better information from the Russian historical society than what wiki had to offer. But who know, maybe they just talked to a history teacher and called it good
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Oh yes, I almost feel like they have to include the kingdoms of Castile, Leon, and Aragon as the Spanish!
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