This is a really minor thing. But I think it would make the english vanguard and early men at arms stand out a bit more. Variety in unit appearances is soothing and it would establish a little bit more accurate depiction of the unit. While not breaking any readability or the style. In fact it could probably make readability more apparent.
This is only for the dark age and the feudal age. The heater shield that is present in castle age is more appropriate for that age.
So the suggestion is changing the shields from a heater to a kite shield.
Vanguard Men at Arms
Before
After
Early Men at Arms
Before
After
This campaign image, shows some men at arms with kite shields aswell.
Same goes for the knights. That’s what the game is really lacking…The unit design feels more like a medieval CoH, with the same units getting better equipments rather than “advancing through ages”.
Yeah I know previous Age games were also like this (musketeers start with bayonets, etc.), but at least most of the civs are visually “advancing through ages”.
This (image below) would be more accurate for English Men at Arms as the imperial upgrade. A weapon of choice was the pollaxe for dismounted Men at Arms and Knights in the later periods. Shields for armored men would become outdated in favor of two handed weaponry.
I’d say.
Vanguard M@A = Round shield
Early M@A = Kite shield
M@A = Heater shield
Elite M@A = Pollaxe (could be after researching the “Elite Army Tactics” university tech or simply after the elite upgrade).
Also the Pollaxe isn’t a halberd type weapon, despite its similar appearance, it is made for combat between armored men, where a more upclose and personal fighting style would apply. So it wouldn’t really need to change any stats other than the elite upgrade ones, it would still make sense.
And it would make the unit overall, still readable and differentiated, while being a more interesting unit! The english is the only one that gets MAA in 4 ages and as such, could receive a bit more love.
