So as you know guys the current meta is sticking with only 2 major units, which they are knights and xbows. So I have a suggestion for the infantry line (and accurate in real armies fighting in history) that maybe make the infantry line more exciting to go with.
My idea is to give the infantry line charge attack with +15% or even +20% speed when you charge them, but this will have some conditions which they are:
At least you should have 5-10 units to make this charge viable, so it will be shown in formation box if you have 5-10 units.
When you activate the charge, it will increase the attack by +5 or more and the moving speed by 15% or 20% more.
When you activate the charge, any pierece armor that the unit have will be gone and then back when the chrage stop.
Of course by introducing this, all infantry civs will need a rebalance for their bonuses, or what do you think if we make the charge a technology in the barracks not a free thing in the formation box?
not really a fan of activated abilities in aoe2, its gimmicky, more of an aoe3/sc/wc thing, and in general is hard to balance.
furthermore as you said you’d have to rebalance infantry civs around this, not to mention infantry itself as they would suddenly become much stronger against both archers and knights, two units they aren’t supposed to compete with.
Yeah but this is why there are disadvantages here too, like losing any pierce armor, but in general always and in all history for infantry no infantry make an attacking like walking around! I mean when infantry were attacking armies they were running with a big ball and chrage the enemy, I wonder why did they make the infantry so slow, if they introduce this mechanic I suggest to give all mounted units +5% speed to their base speed, about archers I don’t think we need to change anything because the chrage will make the infantry lose all pierce armors that they have when charging.
and if aoe2 isn’t all that historically accurate, look at meso civs, mamelukes, throwing axeman, goths, chinese, etc as examples of this.
with upgrades they move faster then archers. most infantry already moves faster then archers baseline.
and yet infantry would go from moving at 0.99 speed and barely able to close the gap against 0.96 speed archers to somewhere between 1.13 and 1.19 speed, being able to close the gap a lot quicker, and do added extra damage on the first hit.
also because of your change here
you’ve just made mounted units that much better against archers in general. knights go from 1.35 speed (1.485 with husbandry) to 1.4175, 1.56 speed with husbandry.
I know bro but this is not what I mean, I mean it is just like a basic thing for the units itself not about history, infantry were always the main core in any army.
Because even with the charge they will not be able to catch up the knights, and they knight will still deal better damage.
As I said the units will need a redesign/balance if this mechanic introduced.
Ok what do you think if we make it a technology? But of course it should be feudal/castle technology? But of course the player will still have the choice to charge or not because it will be like a feature in the formation box.
and this is a game, not a history lesson. it plays differently then real life.
but when you suddenly give a bunch of infantry an extra 5 attack every now and then they start to take better trades against cavalry, especially when you factor in civs like slavs with druzhina, or vikings with chieftains.
i still think its gimmicky and an activated ability, something that doesn’t belong in aoe2.
AOE4 will already have it’s special mechanics and civs, but why I suggested this to AOE2 because the meta is becoming boring with only 2 mainly units and 2 mainly strats (m@a archers/ scouts knights), so by this it will make the game more exciting and shake the meta.
primarily the reason why I am kind of got bored in multiplayer games in AOE2 now.
Fun fact: AOE2 supposed to have charge mechanics for units. Devs dropped it maybe due to engine limitations.
Can be ez solved by removing any melee armor too with this charge.
Again, it is not about history, it is about giving the infantry line a great feature to make it better.
Many mechanics lately introduced were not belonging in aoe2, I even think this mechanic is much better than what the devs did for Burgundians, Sicilians and Cumans or even Bulgarians with their UU.
One of them is brought back actually(kind of). Burgundians charge mechanics. For infantry when the unit stops walking pierce armor would’ve increased by +1. My guess is it might be brought back again by UU. Otherwise nahh.
see the issue yet? you’re requiring all sorts of changes just to justify the type of change that shouldn’t be in aoe2 anyway.
and yet what have you used for justification for this change so far?
history history history.
Infantry isn’t supposed to compete with knights and archers - its literally a support unit in this game. if you make it compete with knights and archers, you’re gonna need further changes then “losing armor while charging”.
Yeah this what I said by need a rebalance for somethings in the game by introducing this mechanic, at least maybe it is better rather than sticking with 2 units /strats for almost 40 civs! I ask you question, do you find it is funny to play 40 civs in the same way?
they don’t though. you somehow forget those civs that rely on cav archers, or eagles, or unique units, or siege/infantry or even those monks you say are so op they need nerfs.
the whole point of aoe2 though is that the civs all have roughly the same toolkit with slight differences.
if you wanted a game with radically different civs, starcraft, warcraft, and aoe3 exist for that.
I will say future it’ll be suitable for future civ DLC. A lot of old mechanics came back through civ bonuses in DLCs.
But I’ll suggest +1 melee armor for M@A line. It would make trade vs Hussar/Pike much better. Especially Hussar.
11 I talked only about the stupid Aztecs monks because they are really toxic. About what you said for UUs and Eagles and CA all of those play the UU rule, CA for CA civs, Eagles for meso, and UUs I wrote a tons of topics how most of them are useless or barely seen.