[DLC suggestion] The Wealth of India

After the second DLC for Age II DE was announced and following lots of discussions here in the forum, I propose a new DLC about the Indian subcontinent!

As I have been inspired by many suggestions circulating online, I want to thank everyone sharing great ideas for new civilizations, units etc.

I am looking forward to your feedback and will continuously update this post with new content suggestions.


SUMMARY:

The wealth of India attracts explorers, traders and conquerors from near and far. Step into their shoes or build and expand a powerful and wealthy Indian realm yourself.

FEATURES:

  • 2 new campaigns for existing civilizations
  • 2 new civilizations with a campaign each
  • Perhaps some new game mechanics / features

CAMPAIGNS:

1. Mahmud of Ghazni 997-1030 (Persians)

Usurp power to become the first Sultan and raid India acquiring war elephants, plundering temples and distributing the spoils of war. Will you manage to establish vassal principalities in the Punjab and North India?

Missions:

  1. Contest and capture your brother (Battle of Ghazni), afterwards becoming the first Sultan
  2. First invasion to India (Battle of Peshawar) and western expansion (Sistan), afterwards vow to invade India every year
  3. Conquer the Punjab against Anandapala
  4. Sacking and looting temples in Northern India (e.g. Thanesar, Mathura, Somnath) while protecting wandering Al-Biruni studying India
  5. Defeat Jat fleet in Sindh (using naphtha archers and fire ships)

Features:

  • Campaign highlighting parts of the Islamic Golden Age with Ferdowsi as narrator (writing the Shahnameh) and Al-Biruni studying India. The relation to Malik Ayaz could also be featured
  • Interactions mostly with Indians (2.-5.) and Persians (1.-2.). Sometimes Turkish, Tatar or Saracen allies to reflect Ghaznavid mix culture and trade networks (possibly also special units like Mamelukes etc.)
  • War Elephants not available in mission 1 and their upgrades will only become available through the missions (representing acquiring and training them in India)
  • Naphtha Archer as a new scenario unit (bonus damage vs. ships). Alternatively, Naphtha could be a new general technology for the archer line with the same effect (available at University or Archery Range).
  • Persians could get Central Asian architecture instead of Middle Eastern one
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(reserved for future updates or change log)

There is an indian civi mod you should check that out.

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We definitely need more South Asian civs.

Due to an unfortunate 30-days-limit for editing posts here, I could no longer edit this topic. So I had to work it out more or less completely before putting it online all at once:

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