A lot of people hoped that Return of Rome would let them play AoE1 civilisations against AoE2 civilisations (despite the stats of both games being very different) or AoE1 playing more like AoE2 in general.
So I suggest a crossover game mode that turns the AoE1 civilisations into AoE2DE civilisations but with a bunch of shared differences.
Economy
Town Centre
Mostly unchanged.
- Loom removed
- Hand Cart unlocks Chariot units
- Spies moved from Castle
- Has an attack like in AoE2 (unlike AoE1)
AoE1 villagers are more fragile then AoE2 villagers, this theme will be carried over by simply removing Loom.
In AoE1 Wheel unlocks Chariots, Wheelbarrow and Hand Cart are the equivalent technologies in AoE2.
Granary
- Replaces Mill
- Drop off for all food
- 3x3 size
- Same technologies as AoE2 Mill
- Researches Wall and Tower upgrades too
- Cost 120 Wood
It’s kind of a hybrid between AoE1 Granary and AoE2 Mill. Unlike the AoE1 Granary you can drop of all food here (including hunt, fish and herdable food)
It also houses the the farm upgrades
Storage Pit
- Replaces Lumber, Mining Camp and Blacksmith
- Drop of Stone, Wood, Gold and Hunted Food (same as Mule Cart)
- 3x3 size
- Same technologies as Lumber and Mining camps (same as Mule Cart)
- Researches Blacksmith Upgrades too
- Cost 120 Wood
This is a similar compromise. It gives you all the economy upgrades on top of the Blacksmith upgrades.
The number of different technologies you can research at once will be a little high but still lower then a University or Monastery.
House
Same as AoE2 house. So it also has 5 population unlike AoE1.
Farm
Same as AoE2.
Dock
Same as AoE2 for economy units.
Market
Same as AoE2.
Does not have economic upgrades like in AoE1.
Military
Barracks
- Militia Line gets reskined but is unchanged
- Spearman Line but without Halberdier
- Obviously no Eagle Warrior
Slinger
- 1 to 1 the same stats as Skirmisher
- Same costs as a Skirmisher
- Tagged as Infantry instead of Archer
- Benefits from Infantry Armour upgrades but Archer attack+range upgrades
Technologies
- Supplies, Gambeson, Arson and Squires removed
- Logistics and Shield Upgrades added
Logistics
- All barracks units costs 0.5 population (excluding Condottiero)
- That includes Singers and Spearman
Shield Upgrades
- There are 3 upgrades
- Each provided 1 Pierce armour
- For all Infantry (including Slingers) with the exception of the Spearman Line (don’t have a shield)
- Available in Feudal, Castle and Imperial Age (unlike AoE1 where they are 1x Bronze Age and 2x Iron Age)
Infantry is supposed to be more sturdy against Archer (1+4+3 = 8 Pierce Armour same as Malaian Champion or Sicilian Serjeant) but slower and less efficient against Cavalry.
The Slinger doesn’t get an Elite upgrade but benefits from the Shield Upgrades with makes him nearly invulnerable to Archers (3+4+3 = 10 Pierce Armour same as Elite Huskarl or Elite Rattan Archer)
Archery Range
- Archer and Cavalry Lines get reskined but are unchanged
- No Skirmisher and Hand Cannon (obviously)
- Elephant Archers are available next to Cavalry Archers but otherwise unchanged
- Archery Range technologies unchanged (Thumbing and Parthian Tactics.
- Chariot Archer added
Chariot Archer
- Cost: 40 Food 70 Wood
- HP: 50 (Same as Cavalry Archer or Genitour)
- Attack: 5 (Same as Crossbow)
- Attack bonus: +3 vs Spearman (Same as Crossbow)
- Range: 4 (Same as Cavalry Archer or Genitour)
- Armour: 0/0
- Speed: 1.35 (same as Knight, 0.05 less then Cavalry Archer)
- No Elite Upgrade
- Requires Hand Cart
Stable
- Knight Line replaces with Cavalry Line
- Scout Line gets reskinned and ends after the first unit
- Battle Elephant and Camel Rider Lines unchanged
- Bloodlines unchanged
- Husbandry removed
- Chariot Line Added
Cavalry Line
Cavalry
- Cost: 70 Food 80 Gold (+10 Food +5 Gold compared to Knight)
- HP: 100 (Same as Knight)
- Attack: 10 (Same as Knight)
- Attack bonus: +5 vs Infantry
- Armour: 1/1 (-1/-1 compared to Knight)
- Speed: 1.35 (Same as Knight)
Heavy Cavalry
- HP: 100 (Same as Knight)
- Attack: 12 (Same as Cavalier)
- Attack bonus: +6 vs. Infantry
- Armour: 2/2 (Same as Cavalier)
- Speed: 1.35 (Same as Cavalier)
Cataphract
- HP: 120 (Same as Cavalier)
- Attack: 14 (Same as Paladin)
- Attack bonus: +7 vs Infantry
- Armour: 4/3 (Same as Teuton Paladin)
- Speed: 1.35 (Same as Paladin)
The Cavalry Line is a lot weaker then the Knight line in Castle Age, but that’s on purpose. The Knight is a power spike that makes the game feel Medieval.
In the Imperial Age the unit line gets a lot better but always stays behind the Knight Line in price/performance in most matchups.
They generally perform worse against Archers but better against Infantry.
Chariot Line
Chariot
- Cost: 40 Food 60 Wood
- HP: 100 (+40 compared to Light Cavalry)
- Attack: 7 (Same as Light Cavalry)
- Attack bonus: +10 vs Monks (Same as Light Cavalry)
- Armour: 0/0
- Speed: 1.35 (Same as Knight)
- Requires Hand Cart
Scythe Chariot
- HP: 120 (+40 compared to Winged Hussar)
- Attack: 9 (Same as Winged Hussar)
- Attack bonus: +12 vs. Monk (Same as Hussar)
- AoE: 0.5 Tiles with 33% damage (Same as Winged Hussar)
- Armour: 1/0
- Speed: 1.35 (Same as Knight)
The Chariot takes over the anti Monk role from the Scout Line but performs worse against Archers.
They don’t have base Pierce armour and move slower, which makes them worse raiding units.
The Scythe Chariot is generally pretty similar to Polish Winged Hussars since it also has AoE damage and effectively the same Pierce Armour (4).
Academy
- Replaces Castle
- Does not have any technologies!
- Trains Hoplite Line
- No Unique Units and no Unique Technologies
Hoplite Line
- Benefits from Shield upgrades (so 4+3 max Pierce Armour)
- Does not benefit from Logisitcs so always costs 1 population
Hoplite
- Cost: 60 Food 40 Gold
- HP: 80 (Same as Teutonic Knight)
- Attack: 10 (Same as Knight)
- Attack Bonus: +20 vs. Elephant (Same as Kamayuk)
- Attack Bonus: +8 vs. Cavalry (Same as Kamayuk)
- Attack Bonus: +6 vs. Camel (Same as Kamayuk)
- Attack Bonus: +1 vs. Mamluk (Same as Kamayuk)
- Melee Range: 1
- Armour: 5/0
- Infantry Armour: +5 (Negates Cavalry Attack bonus)
- Speed: 0.8 (Same as Teutonic Knight)
Phalangite
- HP: 80 (Same as Teutonic Knight)
- Attack: 12 (Same as Cavalier)
- Attack Bonus: +20 vs. Elephant (Same as Kamayuk)
- Attack Bonus: +10 vs. Cavalry
- Attack Bonus: +8 vs. Camel
- Attack Bonus: +1 vs. Mamluk (Same as Kamayuk)
- Melee Range: 1
- Armour: 7/0
- Infantry Armour: +6 (Negates Heavy Cavalry Attack bonus)
- Speed: 0.8 (Same as Teutonic Knight)
Centurion
- HP: 100 (Same as Elite Teutonic Knight)
- Attack: 14 (Same as Paladin)
- Attack Bonus: +20 vs. Elephant (Same as Elite Kamayuk)
- Attack Bonus: +12 vs. Cavalry (Same as Elite Kamayuk)
- Attack Bonus: +10 vs. Camel (Same as Elite Kamayuk)
- Attack Bonus: +1 vs. Mamluk (Same as Elite Kamayuk)
- Melee Range: 1
- Armour: 8/0
- Infantry Armour: +7 (Negates Cataphract Attack bonus)
- Speed: 0.8 (Same as Teutonic Knight)
Kinda like a Teutonic Knight with the attack of a Kamayuk.
The Centurion armour ends up as -2/+1 compared to a Elite Teutonic Knight with all upgrades so they are more resistant to ranged attacks but not as powerful in melee, but that is made up for by the fact that they have bonus damage against Cavalry and 1 melee range like the Kamayuk.
Their biggest weakness is still the slow speed.
Siege Workshop
- Scorpion Line, Ram Line and Siege Tower unchanged
- Mangonel Line replaces with Stone Thrower Line
- Bombard Cannon removed (obviously)
Stone Thrower Line
This line not only replaces the Mangonel Line but also the Trebuchet in some way.
Stone Thrower
- Cost: 180 Wood 180 Gold
- HP: 50 (Same as Mangonel)
- Attack: 40 (Same as Mangonel)
- Attack bonus: 70 vs. Building
- Attack bonus: 40 vs. Stone Defence (Same as Bombard Cannon)
- Attack bonus: 40 vs. Heavy Siege (Same as Mangonel)
- Attack bonus: 12 vs. Siege (Same as Mangonel)
- Blast Radius: 0.5 (Same as Bombard Cannon)
- Range: 11 (1 more then fully upgraded Castle Age defence)
- Armour: 0/3
- Speed: 0.5 (0.1 slower then any AoE2 unit)
Catapult
- HP: 50 (Same as Mangonel)
- Attack: 50 (Same as Onager)
- Attack bonus: 90 vs. Building
- Attack bonus: 40 vs. Stone Defence (Same as Bombard Cannon)
- Attack bonus: 50 vs. Heavy Siege (Same as Onager)
- Attack bonus: 12 vs. Siege (Same as Onager)
- Blast Radius: 0.8
- Range: 12 (1 more then fully upgraded Imperial Age defence)
- Armour: 0/4
- Speed: 0.5 (0.1 slower then any AoE2 unit)
Heavy Catapult
- HP: 100
- Attack: 50 (Same as Onager)
- Attack bonus: 90 vs. Building
- Attack bonus: 40 vs. Stone Defence (Same as Bombard Cannon)
- Attack bonus: 50 vs. Heavy Siege (Same as Onager)
- Attack bonus: 12 vs. Siege (Same as Onager)
- Blast Radius: 1 (Same as Mangonel)
- Range: 13 (2 more then fully upgraded Imperial Age defence)
- Armour: 0/5 (Same Pierce Armour as Bombard Cannon)
- Speed: 0.5 (0.1 slower then any AoE2 unit)
This unit line is probably the hardest to balance.
It has to play the role of a Bombard Cannon or else AoE1 civilisations have no unit that can outrange Castles and Towers but also provide AoE damage against ranged units.
I made the unit line slower then Trebuchets because they don’t have to pack and unpack and also slower then Mangonels so they are not as easy to micro.
The Blast Radius is also lower then the Mangonel Line but ends up higher then a Bombard Cannon.
The might still be a little to weak against buildings so the defender has more time to react by sending troops, which the Catapults have more tubules getting away from because of their lower speed.
Also unless you have Heavy Catapult with Siege Engineers you gonna have a bad time taking down Teuton Castles.
Navy
- Galley Line gets reskinned but is unchanged
- Fire Ship, Demolition Ship and Cannon Galleon Lines removed
- Dromon replaced with Catapult Ship and Juggernaut
- Careening, Dry Dock and Shipwright unchanged
Catapult Ship Line
Is kind of a mix between Cannon Galleon and Dromon
Catapult Ship
- Cost: 200 Wood 150 Gold (Same as Cannon Galleon)
- HP: 135
- Attack: 50 (Same as Cannon Galleon and Dromon)
- Attack bonus: +135 vs. Buildings (Same as Dromon)
- Attack bonus: +30 vs. Siege Weapons (Same as Dromon)
- Blast radius: 0.5 (Same as Bombard Cannon)
- Range: 12 (Same as Dromon)
- Armour: 0/6 (Same as Cannon Galleon)
- Speed: 1.2 (Same as Dromon)
Juggernaut
- HP: 200
- Attack: 50 (Same as Cannon Galleon and Dromon)
- Attack bonus: +135 vs. Buildings (Same as Dromon)
- Attack bonus: +30 vs. Siege Weapons (Same as Dromon)
- Blast radius: 0.7 (Same as Houfnice)
- Range: 13 (Same as Cannon Galleon)
- Armour: 0/8 (Same as Elite Cannon Galleon)
- Speed: 1.2 (Same as Dromon)
They do less blast damage then a Dromon and do less damage against buildings then a Cannon Galleon or especially less then Elite Cannon Galleon.
Their main advantage is the increased HP, especially for the Juggernaut.
Defence
- Watchtower Line, Outpost, Stone Wall Line and Palisades Unchanged
- Ballista Tower Replaces Bombard Tower
Ballista Tower
- Cost: 50 Gold 125 Stone (-50 Gold compared to Bombard Tower)
- HP: 2200 (Same as Bombard Tower)
- Attack: 16 (Same as Heavy Scorpion)
- Attack bonus: +10 vs. Ship (Same as Keep)
- Attack bonus: +8 vs. Elephants (Same as Heavy Scorpion)
- Range: 8 (Same as all Towers)
- Armour: 3/9 (Same as Bombard Tower and Keep)
- Ability: Pass through Damage in 0.2 Tile Radius
- Does not require Chemistry (for obvious reasons)
- Not Affected by Arrowslits
Ballista Towers are less powerful then Bombard Towers against low numbers of Strong units but probably better against large numbers or weaker units.
I decided to make them their own Building unlike in AoE1 where they are just an upgrade to the Tower line for balance reasons and because it allows to make them a little stronger.
Also AoE1 civilisations don’t have Castles so Towers are more important for them.
But not having Castles is definitely making their defences worse.
University
- Tower and Wall Upgrades moved to Granary
- Conscription moved from the Castle
- Everything else unchanged
- Uses Government Centre visuals
- Siege Engineers applies to all Siege units as expected
- Ballistics does not apply to Siege units unlike in AoE1
Monastery
- Heresy removed
- Everything else unchanged
- Monks get reskinned to Priests
- Uses Temple visuals
The AoE1 technologies are mostly more or less the same anyway so no reason to force some changes here.
Civilisations
Civilisation bonuses
- A lot of bonuses have to be tuned down since they would be OP in AoE2
- A lot of bonuses have equivalents in AoE2 so those should be used instead (since they are already balanced there)
Techtrees
The techtrees should be copied as much as possible
Example for equivalent technologies:
- Nobility → Bloodlines
- Engineering → Siege Engineers
- Architecture → Masonry, Architecture and Tredmill Crane
- Legion → Champion
- Composite Bowman → Arbalester
- Heavy Horse Archer → Heavy Cavalry Archer
- Camel Rider → Camel Rider and Heavy Camel Rider
- Elephant Archer → Elephant Archer and Elite Elephant Archer
In some cases AoE1 civilisations need more units technologies then they have in AoE1 because AoE1 techtrees are often a lot more restrictive then AoE2 techtrees.
Technologies that are completely new in AoE2 (for example Thumb Ring or Parthian Tactics) have to be given to civilisations that need them to be effective with the same units they are good with in AoE1.
Game start
You start the game with a Town Centre and 3 villagers.
No starting scout.
This will make the start a little slower but it’s an essential part of the AoE1 feeling in my opinion.
AoE1 vs. AoE2 balance
The goal is not to achieve a perfect balance of AoE1 vs. AoE2 civilisations, it’s intended that AoE1 civilisations are a bit weaker (at last in 1v1), which is what people would expect.
AoE1 civilisations will struggle against heavy defences, especially Castles since they have no Trebuchets.
AoE1 civilisations also don’t really have a good answer to Hand Cannons, which is intended (Singers have Infantry tag and therefore take bonus damage from Hand Cannons)
AoE1 civilisations are supposed to feel like AoE1
Unit counters are weaker:
- Infantry is more resistant against ranged damage (besides Spearman Line)
- Cavalry does more damage against Infantry but has less Pierce Armour
- Archers are therefore better against Cavalry but worse against Archer
- Counter units are weaker, No Halberdier and no Elite Skirmisher (Slinger is Equivalent to normal Skirmisher)
Infantry is stronger (if the civilisation has all technologies):
- More pierce armour
- Powerful Hopilite Line
- Barracks units only cost 0.5 population
Cavalry is weaker:
- No Husbandry
- Cavalry Line is weaker then Knight Line
- Light Cavalry and Hussar Upgrades are missing
Archers are pretty much the same:
- No technologies missing
- This will make them relatively strong in general like they are in AoE1
Chariots are the kings of trash:
- Halberdier, Elite Skirmisher, Light Cavalry and Hussar are missing
- Chariots have better raw stats then AoE2 trash units
- Especially powerful with civilisation bonuses
Elephants are strong but slow:
- They get all the same upgrades as in AoE2 but are only missing Husbandry
- Battle Elephants benefit a lot form the different civilisation bonuses (+25% HP, +25% Speed or -25% Cost)
- Elephant Archers are strong when they get all upgrades (which they never do in AoE2)
But why?
For fun!
Not everyone only plays ranked, there are many people that just like casual games with and against friends and/or AI.
Having very different civilisations can be a fun way of mixing up things. Any balance issues can be addressed by using the handicap system changing the AI difficulty or picking the right civilisation (For example most AoE1 civs can’t outrange Teuton Castles or Korean Towers).
This would also open up a lot of possibilities of cool scenarios, especially in the Late Antiquity.
Also it would give people the ability to just play AoE1 civilisations against each other but with more of an AoE2 feel and balance.
AoE1 has some strange things that a lot of people might not like, like missing counter units, cheaper units while simultaneously stronger economy, most matched being decided in Tool Age because defences are missing etc.
Suggestions?
All the details are up for debate of course. To actually balance the new units and technologies I proposed you need to actually be able to play test them.
I didn’t change the AoE2 Archers and Cavalry Archers at all for example while I introduced a lot of changed to Infantry and Cavalry.
Should I have replaced the Scorpion Line too, since the Ballista Line is pretty different in AoE1.
Yes yes I know bugs exist
Please don’t spam every thread that suggest anything with your comments about how many bugs there are in the game and how they need to be fixed first.
We all know that. But we it’s bring if we just sit here and talk about nothing else.
And I also know that people won’t read to the end and reply with something completely unrelated again.
Edit:
Civilisations
General technology tree
I will not go into the detail of each technology tree, only pointing out important missing technologies or available AoE2 technologies without AoE1 equivalent.
- Broad Sward is equivalent to AoE2 Long Swordsman, AoE1 Long Swordsman is Equivalent to Two Handed Swordsman and Legionary is equivalent to Champion
- Every Civilisation with Improved Bowman get Crossbow and every civilisation with Composite Bowman get Arbalester
- Every civilisation with Horse Archer but without Heavy Horse Archer don’t get Parthian Tactics or Heavy Cavalry Archer
- Every civilisation with Camel Rider gets Camel Rider and Heavy Camel Rider in AoE2
- Very civilisation with War Elephant gets Battle Elephant and Elite Battle Elephant even if they don’t have the Armoured Elephant Upgrade in AoE1
Assyrians
Original bonuses
- Villagers 10% faster
- Archers fire 11%/22%/33% Faster in Tool/Bronze/Iron Age
- Siege unit Upgrades cost -50%
New bonuses
- Villagers move 5% faster in Dark Age and 10% faster starting in Feudal Age (same as Berbers)
- Archers fire 11%/22%/33% Faster in Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age
- Siege unit Upgrades cost -50%
Technology tree
- No Crossbow, Heavy Cavalry Archer or Elephant Archer
- Should get both Thumb Ring and Parthian Tactics
- Fully upgraded Cavalry Line but no Bloodlines
Thoughts
Assyrians miss a lot of Archery upgrades in AoE1 but their fire rate bonus is strong enough to make up for that.
Especially their Chariot Archer are strong.
Babylonians
Original bonuses
- Stone miners work 20% faster and carry +2 Stone
- Market technologies cost -30%
- Walls and Towers have +60% HP
- Priests rejuvenate 30% faster
- Chariots have +1 pierce armour
New Bonuses
- Stone miners work 20% faster (same as Koreans) but don’t carry more
- Economic upgrades cost -30%
- Walls and Towers have +10%/20%/30% HP in Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age
- Monks rejuvenate 30% faster
- Chariots have +1 pierce armour
Technologies
- Fully upgrades Archer besides Heavy Cavalry Archer and Elephant Archer
- Fully upgraded Milita Line besides missing 2 Shield Upgrades
- Fully upgraded Chariot Line
- All economic technologies available
- All Tower upgrades available
Thoughts
+60% on defence is a little too good, especially in Feudal Age, 30% is in line with the Chinese UT.
Carthaginians
Original bonuses
- Start the game with +50 of all resources
- Academy units and elephant units have +25% hit points, Camel Riders have +15% hit points
- Fire Galleys have +25% attack
- Transport ships move 25% faster
- Nobility free (requires Government Center)
New Bonuses
- Start the game with +50 Food and Wood (same as Persians)
- Academy units and elephant units have +25% hit points, Camel Riders have +15% hit points
- Transport ships move 25% faster
- Bloodlines free
Technology tree
- Miss all final armour upgrades
Thoughts
There are no civilisations that miss all armour upgrades in AoE2 but it might still work with that 25% HP bonus.
Choson
Original bonuses
- Axemen, Short/Broad/Long Swordsmen and Legionaries have +5/+15/+20/+60/+80 hit points
- Storage Pit technologies cost -40%
- Towers have +2 range
- Priests cost -32%
New bonuses
- Milita Line +10%/25%/60% HP in Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age
- Blacksmith technologies cost -40%
- Towers +1/2 Range in Castle/Imperial Age
- Monks cost -32%
Technology tree
- Missing the final armour Upgrades and 2 of the Shield Upgrades for Infantry
- They do get Chemistry unlike AoE1 where they don’t get Alchemy
Thoughts
The HP bonus sounds big but they are missing some upgrades, basically Champion with Gambeson but without Plate Armour
The Tower range bonus changed to the old Korean bonus (before it become a UT)
Egyptians
Original bonuses
- Farms cost -20%
- Gold Miners work 20% faster and carry +2 gold
- Chariot units have +33% hit points
- Priests have +3 range
New bonuses
- Farms cost -20%
- Gold Miners work 20% faster but don’t carry more
- Chariot units have +33% hit points
- Monks have +2 range
Technology tree
- They should get Thumb Ring but no Parthian Tactics so their Chariot Archers are not too good
- They get fully upgraded Pikeman (they don’t get the Shield upgrades anyway)
Thoughts
They get good Archers and Chariots in Late Game but they Infantry is mostly awful.
The +2 Range Monks might be a little too powerful, not sure.
Greeks
Original bonuses
- Town Centers work 10% faster starting from Tool Age
- Academy units move 30% faster and cost -20%
- Ships move 20% faster
- Polytheism and Astrology free (requires Temple)
New Bonuses
- Town Centers work 10% faster starting from Feudal Age
- Academy units move 30% faster and cost -20%
- Ships move 10% faster (same as Berbers)
- Favour is free
Technology tree
- Miss Blast Furnace
- No Thumbring
Thoughts
They have faster and cheaper Academy units which makes up for them missing the last attack upgrade.
But that means they have bad Cavalry and also no good Archers
Hittites
Original Bonuses
- All archers have +1 attack
- Stone Thrower, Catapult, and Heavy Catapult have +50% hit points
- War ships (except Fire Galley) have +1/+2/+3 range in the Tool/Bronze/Iron Age
- Wheel -50% cost and research time
New Bonuses
- All archers have +1 attack starting in Castle Age
- Stone Thrower, Catapult, and Heavy Catapult have +50% hit points
- War ships have +1/+2/+3 range in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age
- Wheelbarrow and Handcart -50% cost and research time
Technology tree
- No Crossbow
- Both Thumb Ring and Parthian Tactics
- All Blacksmith and also all Shield upgrades
Thoughts
Giving them +1 Attack in Feudal Age would be too powerful.
Now they still get some of the Strongest Cavalry Archer, Chariot Archers and Elephant Archers in the game.
Lac Viet
Original Bonuses
- Foragers work 20% faster
- Military units are created 25% faster
- Archery Range units and Ballistae have +2 melee armour
New Bonuses
- Foragers work 15% faster (Same as Franks)
- Military units are created 25% faster
- Archery Range units and Scorpions have +2 melee armour
Technology tree
- All Archery Range technologies available
- Fully upgraded Battle Elephants (without Husbandry like all AoE1 civs)
Thoughts
They get fully upgraded Elephant Archers which no AoE2 civ has.
The +2 melee armour is not that useful for Archers in most situations though.
Macedonians
Original bonuses
- All non-ranged units have +2 line of sight
- Academy units have +1 pierce armour in the Bronze Age, +2 in the Iron Age
- Siege Workshop units cost -25%
- All units are 4 times more resistant to conversion
New bonuses
- All non-ranged units have +2 line of sight
- Academy units have +1 pierce armour in the Castle Age, +2 in the Imperial Age
- Siege Workshop units cost -25%
- Units resist conversion (Same as Teuton Team Bonus)
Technology tree
- All Blacksmith and Shield upgrades
- No Bloodlines
- Do get Thumbring and Parthian Tactics
- Missing Bracer
Thoughts
Macedonians have the strongest Academy units but they also have decent Archer and Cavalry. They only miss Bloodlines.
Minoans
Original bonuses
- Ships cost -30%
- Improved Bowman-line +1/+2 range in the Bronze/Iron Age
- Farmers work 10% faster
New bonuses
- Warships cost -15%/-15%/-20% in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age (same as Vikings)
- Archer Line +1/+2 range in the Castle/Imperial Age
- Farmers work 10% faster (same as Slavs)
Technology tree
- All Blacksmith and Shield upgrades
- Don’t get Thumb Ring nor Parthian Tactics
Thoughts
They are similar to the Britons as their Archers also get +1/+2 Range but they don’t get Yeoman. Giving them Thumb Ring felt too OP since they also get the Farm bonus.
Palmyrans
Original bonuses
- Villagers cost 75 food (+50%), but have armor (+1/+1) and work 25% faster
- Start the game with +75 food
- Camel Riders move 25% faster
- Tributes are not taxed
- Trade units return +20% gold
New bonuses
- Villagers cost 75 food (+50%), but have armour (+1/+1) and work 25% faster
- Start the game with +75 food
- Camel Riders move 15% faster
- Tributes are not taxed
- Trade units return +20% gold
Technology tree
- Missing Bracer and Blast Furnace
- Do get Thumbring and Parthian Tactics
Thoughts
It is hard to tell if their villager bonus would be balanced.
More expensive but more efficient villagers will lead to a better economy, especially in the late game (because they don’t cost more population).
But they miss both Bracer and Blast Furnace so their whole army is a lot weaker.
Persians
Original bonuses
- Hunters work 30% faster and carry +3 food
- Elephant units move 25% faster
- Scout Ship line fires 18%/25%/33% faster in the Tool/Bronze/Iron Age
- Walls cost -20%
New bonuses
- Hunters work 30% faster and carry +5 food
- Elephant units move 20% faster (Same as Khmer with Bloodlines)
- Galleys attack 25% faster (Same as Saracens)
- Walls cost -50% (Same as Mayan Team Bonus)
Technology tree
- Fully upgraded Militia Line (in contrast to their AoE2 version)
- Missing Bracer
- Do get Thumbring and Parthian Tactics
- Not Academy available
Thoughts
With strong cavalry and elephants they look like their AoE2 counterpart but ironically they are the only AoE1 civilisation with fully upgraded Infantry.
Phoenicians
Original bonuses
- Woodcutters work 15% faster and carry +2 wood
- Elephant units cost -25%
- Catapult Trireme and Juggernaut fire 33% faster
- Docks have +150 hit points, +4 line of sight
New bonuses
- Woodcutters work 15% faster (Same as Celts)
- Elephant units cost -25%
- Catapult Trireme and Juggernaut fire 33% faster
- Docks have +100% hit points, +4 line of sight
Technology tree
- All final Armour upgrades missing (but have all Shield Upgrades)
- Missing Blast Furnace
- Do get Thumbring and Parthian Tactics (For their Elephant Archers)
Thoughts
They get cheaper but weaker Elephants, similar to Malay but less extreme.
Romans
Original bonuses
- Buildings cost -10% (except for towers, walls and Wonders)
- Towers cost -40%
- Swordsmen attack 50% faster
- Ballistae and Helepolises have +1 range
New bonuses
- Buildings cost -10% Wood
- Towers cost -20%/-40% Stone in Castle/Imperial Age
- Militia Line attack 33% faster
- Scorpions have +1 range
Technology tree
- Don’t get Thumb Ring nor Parthian Tactics
- Don’t get Keep nor Arrow Slits
- They do get Chemistry unlike AoE1 where they don’t get Alchemy
Thoughts
Their cheaper Tower bonus would be totally broken in AoE2 so I changed it.
They’ll play pretty different compared to the AoE2 Romans and Byzantines.
Shang
Original bonuses
- Villagers cost 40 food (-20%)
- Start the game with -40 food
- Walls have +60% hit points
- Cavalry-line attacks 10% faster
New bonuses
- Villagers are 5%/10%/15%/20% cheaper in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age (Same as Hindustani)
- Walls have +60% hit points
- All Cavalry attacks 10% faster
Technology tree
- Don’t get Thumb Ring but they get Parthian Tactics
- They do get Chemistry unlike AoE1 where they don’t get Alchemy
Thoughts
Their Villager bonus had to be reduced to not be OP in AoE2.
Now all their cavalry attacks faster so their Cavalry Archers don’t suffer to much from not having Thumb Ring.
Sumerians
Original bonuses
- Villagers have +15 hit points
- Stone Thrower, Catapult, and Heavy Catapult fire 45% faster
- Farms provide +125 food
- Camels have +1 pierce armour
New bonuses
- Villagers have +15 hit points
- Stone Thrower, Catapult, and Heavy Catapult fire 45% faster
- Farms provide +125 food
- Camels have +1 pierce armour
Technology tree
- Missing Bracer and Blast Furnace
- Do get Thumbring and Parthian Tactics
Thoughts
They get bad Infantry, Cavalry and Archers in Late game so they have to rely on Catapults for damage.
Yamato
Original bonuses
- Fishing Boats work 20% faster
- Mounted units cost -15%
- Ships have +20% hit points
- Stable and Archery Range upgrades cost -30%
New bonuses
- Fishing Boats work work 5%/10%/15%/20% faster in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age
- Mounted units cost -15%
- Ships have +20% hit points
- Stable and Archery Range upgrades cost -30%
Technology tree
- Do get Thumbring and Parthian Tactics
Thoughts
They have fully upgraded Cavalry and Cavalry Archers and they also get a 15% discount for them, that’s a little less then the 20% Berbers get but they also miss some upgrades.