For any DLC I believe what I look for are few specific things such as the number of scenarios, the amount of graphics, and the new gameplay mechanics.
- The scenarios while not having endless replayability like the other aspects of aoe2 still make up the heart of the game. I love playing scenarios but don’t like to grind it again and again.
- Making new civs requires a lot of additional assets apart from unit and building graphics such as its UI Interface and the voice set. So the number of civs also matter.
- New Mechanics to the Game Engine are stuff that were earlier impossible to do but were hardcoded and now possible to do. These add a lot of value to the longivity of the game.
- New Unit Graphics and Buildings with Destruction Animations are used by everyone. Since there are not many graphics artists/modders for DE, these are the lifeline.
Lords of the West
- Grand Dukes of the West - 6
- Edward Longshank - 5
- The Hautevilles - 5
- Number of Civs - 2
- New Mechanics to the Game Engine - 3
charge mechanism
upgrade all units on map
military units able to build - Units and Buildings - 21
hero roger bosso
hero dafydd
hero llywelyn
serjeant
queen west
burg castle
medi donjon
medi wonder sicilians
sici castle
west wonder burgundians
coustillier
flemish pikeman
flemish pikeman f
hero bernard
hero bohemond
hero edward longshanks
hero gilbert
hero johnthefearless
hero philip
hero robert guiscard
Grand Total = 6+5+5+2+3+21 = 42
Price at Store = INR 349
Cost for value = 349/42= 8.31
(On a positive note this was the first DLC and explored the expandability of campaign menu, controversial note is that it introduced new Castles to DLC civs which broke the consistency of one castle per architecture)
Dawn of the Duke
- Algirdas and Kestutis - 5
- Jadwiga - 6
- Jan Zizka - 6
- Number of Civs - 2
- New Mechanics to the Game Engine - 3
folwark mechanism
absorb damage for units behind
break armor - Units and Buildings - 19
bohe castle
dark folwark age1
pole castle
scen pagan shrine
slav folwark age2
slav folwark
slav wonder bohemians
slav wonder poles
hussite wagon
crusader knight
hero algirdas
hero jadwiga
hero jogaila
hero kestutis
hero ulrich
hero zizka
winged hussar
obuch
sie houfnice
Grand Total = 5+6+6+2+3+19 = 41
Price at Store = INR 265
Cost for value = 265/41 = 6.46
(On a positive note this DLC is having the best campaign storyline and design. Controversial Note is that it first time made a unit tagged as unique unit shared by two civs)
Dynasties of India
- Babur - 5
- Rajendra - 5
- Devapala - 5
- Number of Civs - 3.5
- New Mechanics to the Game Engine - 6
pass though damage
dodge projectiles
switch melee archer
garrisoned herdables
area effect
UI icon location adjustible - Units and Buildings - 22
elephant archer
siege elephant
chakram thrower
ghulam
urumi swordsman
shp thirisadai
beng castle
gurj castle
hind castle
indi caravanserai
indi wonder bengalis
indi wonder gurjaras
indi wonder hindustanis
scen minaret of jam
cam camel scout
hero araiyan
hero qutlugh
hero rajendra chola
ratha archer
ratha melee
shrivamsha rider
armored elephant
Grand Total = 5+5+5+3.5+6+22 = 46.5
Price at Store = INR 265
Cost for value = 265/46.5 = 5.70
(This DLC revised a lot of campaigns too such as the prithviraj one is now brand new and large number of asian campaigns and it used the architecture set which was least used, but the negative is that it didn’t complete the set with user interface, ship sails, king or trade cart. And it started the practice of locking a civ for which you can play the campaign in base game in DE)
Return of Rome
- Sargon of Akkad - 5
- Pyrrhus of Epirus - 5
- Trajan - 5
- Number of Civs - 2
- New Mechanics to the Game Engine - 1
revamp the mod mechanism - Units and Buildings - 15
roma castle
all centurion
all female villager
all trade cart
all trade cart empty
all heavy catapult
all heavy cavalry
all helepolis
all horse archer heavy idleB
all legion
cheat nuke trooper
cheat winsett black
cheat winsett white
cheat zug
shp dromon
Grand Total = 5+5+5+2+1+15 = 33
Price at Store = INR 499
Cost for value = 499/33 = 15.12
(On paper this DLC introduces the largest number of civs, everything from AoE1. It perhaps took the highest amount of work to make since importing a game into new engine is no joke. This DLC revamped the mod system breaking a lot of mods. While it introduced new mod facilities it gave rise to equally large number of bugs including possibly the start of path finding issue)
The Mountain Royals
- Tamar - 5
- Thoros - 5
- Ismail - 5
- Number of Civs - 2
- New Mechanics to the Game Engine - 2
moving dropsite, interface cursor added
relic being able to shoot when garrisoned - Units and Buildings - 13
arme castle
geor castle
medi fortified church
medi wonder armenians
medi wonder georgians
misc cart mule
arc composite bowman
hero ismail
hero tamar idleB
hero thoros
monaspa
savar
warrior priest
Grand Total = 5+5+5+2+2+13 = 32
Price at Store = INR 899
Cost for Value = 899/32 = 28.09
(This DLC was expected to come with a new Architecture Set yet it populated the Mediterranean Set populating it to a staggering high of 8 civs. It was the first general DLC (excluding RoR) which was priced higher than the rest)
Conclusion
Taking the cost for value into account the ranking of the DLCs comes out as follows -
- Dynasties of India (5.70)
- Dawn of the Duke (6.46)
- Lords of the West (8.31)
- Return of Rome (15.12)
- The Mountain Royals (28.09)
What do you think about my analysis? Did I miss any unit/building/mechanic that needs to be mentioned? this was just a thought experiment, one can take his own weighted factor multiplication to the count and the rankings will vary. If you read it all thanks for your time. 
