Hello developers,
I’ve been playing Abbasids as my main civilization since launch, and I recently reached Platinum rank in 1v1 using them exclusively. I’d like to share my honest experience and concerns after the latest update (Dynasties of the East).
1. Early Game — “No Real Counterplay”
Abbasids struggle heavily in the early stages because:
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Our basic units are too weak compared to early heavy units from other civs (like French Knights, HRE Gilded Men-at-Arms, or Japanese Samurai/Naginata).
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We lack early access to crossbowmen or any proper anti-heavy tools.
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We often face constant wave attacks while trying to stabilize our economy — one small mistake can end the game.
Even when I play perfectly, I usually fall behind in tempo just trying to survive and match their age-up timing.
2. Mid Game — “Always Catching Up”
If I manage to survive early, the midgame depends entirely on whether I can keep tempo control.
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I can sometimes push back thanks to eco advantage, but only if I take no losses early.
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The enemy usually ages up faster, unlocking stronger units while I’m still recovering.
It feels like I have to play twice as clean just to stay even.
3. Late Game — “Overpowered Units Make Eco Useless”
This is where things fall apart completely.
Some late-game units are simply too strong for eco-based civs like Abbasids to handle:
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French Ribauldequin — it has both ranged and melee armor, so it’s nearly impossible to counter efficiently.
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Rus Streltsy — their gun damage is fine, but melee deals damage that’s almost three times stronger than that of a normal Men-at-Arms.
These units melt through Abbasid armies, while our units don’t scale well or have any unique power spike to fight back.
4. Defense and Trade — “No Way to Protect Our Economy”
The new patch gave a +1 free trader with the Trade Wing, which sounds good on paper — but it changes nothing.
We still can’t defend those traders, because our mid-game army is weak and lacks strong defensive options.
So instead of becoming an eco advantage, the Trade Wing often turns into a liability.
The devs need to understand that economy means nothing without a way to defend it.
Suggestions
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Give Abbasids cheaper or slightly stronger core units, or
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Add a defensive mechanic or early anti-heavy tool (for example, faster build speed on fortifications or early access to crossbows), or
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Reduce the raw power of late-game snowball units like Ribauldequin and Streltsy, so eco-focused civs can compete fairly.
Final Words
I love Abbasids — they’re the only civ I’ve played seriously since launch.
But right now, the balance gap is just too big.
I’m sharing this not to complain, but to hopefully help make the civ feel fair and rewarding to play again.
Thank you for reading.