The extra Town Center the Cumans get in Feudal age is known to be overpowered. However, there aren’t really that many things that could be tweaked about it without causing unforeseen consequences. So here’s my idea: a new unique-ish building that is weaker than a TC but also cheaper.
My proposed statistics are as follows, but they are still flexible:
Name: “Village Center”
Cost: 175 wood, 50 stone
Build time: 130/110/90 seconds in Feudal/Castle/Imperial
I expect the overall effect would be that it is less impactful, and more tweakable, than a second TC while still maintaining the identity of the civ as having “an extra TC in feudal age”. The weaker building, potentially allowing players to push it easier, and the lengthened train time for villagers would be the main nerfs bringing it into parity with other civ bonuses while the reduced cost (and build time relative to their current bonus) and availability in all ages would allow it to have a positive impact on a wider variety of strategies, even a fast castle into boom. Additionally, it would fix the issue of the long build time for a single TC when both get destroyed.
The attack value of 5 is so that it is compatible with the garrison firepower of villagers. If it is too strong it could get some negative bonus (some maluses) vs various unit types, cavalry, for instance.
Now you may have noticed I haven’t been very specific as to how many of them the Cumans can build. That is mostly because I am torn between a few options:
The build limit is one (at a time) beginning in Feudal Age and remaining that way for the rest of the game. The advantage of this option is its simplicity, which is not insignificant. But the hard single item limit is only shared by heroes, and in castle age access to town centers and its fragility could cause it to be completely irrelevant in the late game. This is the option I expect would be used if my idea was implemented.
The build limit is one per currently standing Town Center beginning in Feudal age. The advantage of this option is that it scales with a normal economy keeping it associated with regular play. The main disadvantage would be that it could have some really weird balance implications in a full-boom scenario vs in general usage.
The build limit is one in Feudal Age, another in Castle Age, and a third in Imperial Age (or some similar numerical scaling situation). The advantages of this are the simplicity (like option 1) and scalability (like option 2). The disadvantages of this are also a combination of those two options, but overall, it could be a viable compromise between them.
Additionally, I will mention the usefulness a lesser Town Center could have on mods, maps, and other creative works. Perhaps Metropolis has 1 TC and 2 VCs instead of the 3 TCs it currently has. Perhaps a map could start each player with one in an interesting location. Perhaps a map could have one, or more, capturable ones for players to fight over. Perhaps a campaign scenario could have a bunch of villages with one of these in each. Perhaps there is an even better usage for them I haven’t thought of. Or perhaps I’m overestimating the value of such a building.
Lastly, I will mention that allowing every civ to build them could be an interesting shakeup in the meta, but I’m pretty sure it would not be popular, especially with Arabia players.
I would actually tend to go a similar, but not quite the same direction.
I would give ALL civs the option to build a second TC in Dark Age already, that has lower produtction rate and doesn’t deal anti-building bonus damage. It’s even thinkable they cost more and/or vills cost more untilf castle age.
The cuman variant could just work a bit faster than the others. (Civ Bonus)
The reason is that currently we have no way to add land eco until caste age which makes games at these times extremely snwobally depending on if the attacker manages to get eco damage in or not. Also with the latest addition of Champi, going for an extra TC in Dark Age could actually be a very promising counterstrat solution. Odc this would then need some kind of Buff to militia in return aswell.
PS: What I also refer to that in general the Games of (economic) greed vs aggression are usually those who offer the most entertainment value, be it as player or watcher - and are also way less snowbally then mirroring strats, offering different ways to approach being a bit “behind”. Especially this could make Maps featuring water finally appealing even for players who don’t like to play water - they could jsut try attempt staying on land.
The issue remains that cumans are the only civ that have it.
Also I think it would be way easier to balance if it was something that was available from dark age (but ofc at a way lower rate of eco addition) -as in the current meta feudals can be - also heavily depending on the eco bonusses of civs - quite short. That’s why we currently rarely ever see cuman booms because it’s really hard to get to a good boom with cumans but then not die to the incoming siege pressure.
But if we would buff the cuman boom it could turn easily the other way around again, especially against “slower” civs.
I think it would be way better if all civs had the option to add early eco, even in dark age. But cumans would get a bonus that just would make it more appealing for them than other civs.
my understanding is that it really depends on the map: on open maps Cumans are very weak, as punshing their 2nd TC play is easy, and without a 2nd TC they are very weak
on closed maps Cumans are very strong, but other strong eco civs can keep up, especially if they get some early harassment in.
What if Cumans just lost the ability to build the 2nd TC in Feudal altogether, and got some other thing in return. Bracer to start, but probably one more small thing (perhaps a way to upgrade their palisades into fortified palisades in castle age). They can keep the bonus allowing them to build a siege workshop (and battering rams) in Feudal.
What used to be a fringe minority of civs who were bad in open maps and insane on closed maps have become a large part of the roster and they are annoying to balance
I originally conceived of the building for a mod which would grant it to all civs, but the pros and originalists would never like it as a sudden addition to general play. But this idea… introduce it to one civ first, work out the bugs and balance implications, then expand it to more civs that could make good use of it, then, if all goes well, give it to every civ. The water rework followed a similar trajectory: introduce the thing to a special situation first to get feedback, allow players to vent their displeasure, then let those who like it tell how they like it, so everyone slowly accepts it before it gets added to general play. The scorpion ballistics followed a similar path: first the Romans had it, then every civ had it. Pastures could also follow a similar integration flow (in theory).
Basically, let the players have time to realize that “Yes, this thing fits the game just fine.” before “This new thing is OP!”
This will slow down the meta with second TC in open maps (if it can be meta) while speed up meta in closed maps. I prefer a bit slower meta in open maps. (Fighting in Castle age is more fun than in Feudal age)
Perhaps we may even weaken a bit the eco boni across strong civs and potentially avoid too OP eco civs in future.
But I am not sure whether this is a good idea for Cumans.