This will be part of a new thread hopefully this year with how much I have to do irl, with this being based on a DLC concept for Africa. I think Africa needs to be represented with multiple new civs and new architectures that fit their building style overall and as such, I’ve decided to envision 3 new civs that will be put together in a DLC called “Dynasties of the Dunes”. And as a reminder, this topic will be updated, so no other threads with this topic, unless it exceeds the maximum number of words allowed.
The Kanembu
Kanembu (also known as the Kanem-Bornu Empire) is known as one of the most enduring empires in African history, often called the “Empire of the Two Shores.” Usually portrayed as just wealthy traders or middlemen in the Sahara, the Kanembu were actually a resilient empire that survived while everyone else around them collapsed. They were known for being a disciplined nation, mainly because they were early adopters of guns and had a legendary cavalry force to protect their caravans.
But how they would perform as a civ in AOE2? For me, I think they can be explained as a Cavalry and Gunpowder civ that combines elements from the Kanem and Bornu eras with a unique defensive economy, as they’re using their unique cavalry to chase down archers and their heavy musketeers to smash through infantry lines. It’s a civ that rewards you for playing defensively at first, then pushing out with a high-tech army once you’re ready.
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Architecture : African / New Set
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Wonders : Ngazargamu (The Royal Palace) [Ngazargamu - Wikipedia]
Civ bonuses:
1. Stone miners generate 20% food in addition to stone.
- The logic behind this bonus lies in the unique geography of the Lake Chad basin and the Kawar Oases. For the Kanembu their economy was based around salt, which was their currency to sustain their empire. This civ bonus does not eliminate the need for other means of gathering food, since it is a small amount overall and since the stone is a finite resource, once it runs out this bonus ends.
2. Gunpowder units (Ribat) (excluding Bombard Towers & Bombard Cannon) gain benefits from Ballistics.
- This has the potential to make Kanembu among the strongest civs that are using gunpowder units, simply because of all the gunpowder units in game, only Grenaders from Jurchens gain the benefits from it. Given that Ottomans were instrumental in Kanembus adopting gunpowder in their arsenal, this helps them define them as a gunpowder civ, while also being a Cavalry Civ.
3. Market technologies cost -40%.
- This is similar to Babylonians’ civ bonus (that is -30%) and it is a direct nod to their identity as the “masters of the crossroads.” The reasoning is that the Kanembu controlled the flow of goods between North Africa and the sub-Saharan interior, effectively acting as the market managers of the entire region. While other civs might just trade, the Kanembu regulated the administration of it and as such, this bonus helps them maintain a tempo above all civs.
4. Cavalry units gain +2 melee damage for 3 seconds after they reach an enemy.
- It represents the martial ferocity of the Bornu cavalry, which were known to be among the most feared units in their army before the usage of firearms. As a result, they lack Blast Furnace in their tech tree.
Unique Units:
1. Lifidi : Trained in Castle Age, it is a heavy-armored anti-archer cavarly unit, simiar to Savar, but slower than a Knight/Paladin. Costs 70F and 60G, has +0/+4 melee/pierce armor, 105 hit points, 10 melee damage and +3 against archers.
- They are esentially “what if Cataphract but with a focus on pierce armor rather than melee armor and no trample damage”. Historically speaking, the armor used by the Kanembu was so thick that arrow tips were basically stuck into it, but never managed to reach the skin. For gameplay purpose, they will have lower melee armor than pierce armor.
2. Ribat Musketeer: Replacement for Hand Cannoneer in Imperial Age. Costs 55F and 60G, has 6 range, 50 hit points, 1 melee armor and 1 pierce armor, slower rate of fire, but better accuracy (also granted by Ballistics) and deals 16 pierce attack. Their attacks can pierce enemies, dealing 20% of the original damage to adjacent units. They do not gain any elite upgrade.
- As part of their relations with Ottomans, Kanembu gained access to Hand Cannoneers. But instead of giving them a stock Hand Cannoner and calling it a day, I’ve decided to switch up elements to make them a side-grade to the conventional unit. As a result, they have less range than the usual HC (6 instead of 7) and a slower rate of fire (it being 1.15x slower), but they are slightly more tankier and deal more damage. In that regard, giving them pass-through damage makes them more of a “shotgun unit” than a hand cannoner.
Unique Techs:
Castle Age : Desert Levies - 400F/300G - Camel Riders and Pikemen cost -30%.
- Mahrams were designed to grant exemptions to religious leaders (clerics/Ulama), scholarly families, and sometimes specific clans or noble families and in return for these privileges, the recipients were expected to maintain loyalty to the Mai (King) and, in some cases, provide prayers or service, reinforcing the political legitimacy of the ruler. As such, this UT makes your pikemen and camel riders cheaper and considering that you don’t gain Blast Furnace in your tech tree, it helps you establish an army that’s cheaper and easier to manage, sort of like going for a quantity over quality style, much like Karambit Warriors without the downside of lower HP.
Imperial Age : Sayfawa Legacy - 650F/400G - Ribat Musketeers gain 50% more HP.
- Makes them tanky. That’s it.
Team Bonus: Camel units have +2 Line of Sight.
Tech Tree:
Archer-line:
- Missing out on Thumb Ring, Arbalesters & Ring Archer Armor
Infantry-line:
- Missing out on Blast Furnace, Champions.
Cavalry-line:
- Missing out on Blast Furnace & Paladins.
Economic-line:
- Full tech tree.
Naval-line:
- Missing out on Cannon Galleon, Dromon, Fast Fire Ship, Shipwright.
Siege-line:
- Missing out on Siege Onagers, Siege Ram.
University-line:
- Missing out on Architecture, Treadmill Crane, Heated Shot
Monks-line:
- Missing out on Redemption, Theocracy.