I have decided to cover all the different individual tweaks made I can remember. Unfortunately I can’t remember who did they and where if I knew I would make links to the correpsonding posts.
When I’m done with this I want to make an overview page linking to the individual page.
I plan 5 Categories:
A) Base-stat changes
B) Changes to technologies, cost, creation time…
C) Changes and/or implementation to other units
D) Addition or changes of utility
E) Addition of micro features
For a better overview I also plan to make something like a Tier list. One Tier for how viable I think the individual change is to POSITIVELY impact gameplay with and against the line. And a second one for the potential this change could have when it’s done together with some other changes.
The tiers would be
S - Can make the line comparable to the current “power units” (probably very, very rare)
A - Can pit the line in a “solid spot” - not usable in every game, but it will have a good place in the meta
B - Can make the line “situational” - not something we can expect to see played every odd game, But a strong play when the situation is right
C - Would have little to no impact
D - Could make the line “stronger” but at the same time only “worse” off as it has the potential to break it where it’s already strong (eg low elo)
F - Absolute abysmal idea that would lead to mass complaints and people leaving the game.
And lets start with the first (possibly even only) F-Tier idea so we get that out the way.
Just make them cheaper!
We already see what happens then with Goths. in the early game this is somehow atm just compensating the general decline of the line. But in certain maps like socotra we already see how influential this can be when the line sees way more play - as there isn’t a lot you can do against it if it’s the meta,
But the big thing is ofc the lategame. The famous “goth spam”. Which is just swarming the enemy base with super cheap units, making it an absolute nightmare to play against. Yes, the real Goth spam is also driven by Goths cheaper Halbs and Huskarls and the faster training. But guess what. If you reduce the cost of the line in general at least some civs will have Champs that can immitate the whole Goths spam composition with just only Champions.
This isn’t interactive, this is just pure terror.
It’s fine if there is one civ in the game that can do that stuff. A civ that has a terrible midgame you can use to work against this happening. It’s fine then because in most maps it’s like every hundred game there is even the potential it goes there. And it’s sometimes even refreshing to a stale meta then.
But it’s nothing for the general gameplay. If there are changes to be made to the line they have to lead into an INTERACTIVE gameplay. Not some one-sided horror you need to stop before it’s getting there.