Now with the little heads up of a complete Naval rework for season 3.
Here is what they mentioned about navy:
Here’s some of what we have planned for Naval Balance:
- Enhanced tactical RPS gameplay – Starting in the Feudal Age you’ll have access to three ships which have strong bonuses against each other, making for exciting tactical engagements.
- Earlier Engagements – We’re making ships more affordable so expect to have bigger battles that start earlier in the game.
- Responsiveness tuning – Faster movement speed and more responsive turning of all ships.
- Reworked Balance – New costs, stats, and enhancements available for all ships!
- Naval Map Changes – Adding more wood and ensuring fairer distributions of fish, along with many other improvements to Naval maps!
This is Great news for naval enthusiasts like me.
Far to few strategy games dabbles into naval combat, AoE being no exception.
I think this is a area where AoE4 can really shine and give us the unique AoE experience and really separate it from its predecessors if pulled right.
Howeever, I think discussing the Naval matter becomes important.
While certainly they have their plans, and as they have mentioned. It’s a complete rework, or Overhaul to be more exact, using their full team on this matter.
So here is a few things I’d like to bring up discussion.
How many ships do you think we will see, or you think should be in the game?
How to balance ships between age-ups?
How to balance naval maps appropriately?
What kind of battle-mechanics will there be for ship?
Now AoE4 spans a interesting timeline.
It’s literally at the very stage of when ship started to become the classical ships we are all so familiar with in the age of exploration and the new world.
You know, those things called Pirates. Although that really came in to play during the 18th and 19 century.
The timeline that AoE4 covers (Somewhere between 702-1664)
Ship combat during this time dramatically started changing.
One thing funnily enough not covered in this or any AoE games to be frank, ship combat pre-gunpowder were majority a Melee-combat arena.
With ranged attacks such as arrows mainly to weaken the opponent in order to gain advantage in the ensuing melee combat.
They were messy and could quite often look like a major clusterF lack of a better word.
However, they did have their strategies, and played an important role all the way into the age of Ironclad ships.
Personally I hope and do think that Melee should be introduced into Naval combat.
The act of ships “Meleeing” each other in order to simulate boarding battles. (Would be really cool If they added some sort of animation, but X to doubt as we don’t even see ships having crew)
This would allow for a greater diversity and to be frank. Easier way of balancing naval combat with a greater variety.
A ship favoring melee can be strong against ship with big damage that otherwise counter more nimble arrow ships. While Arrow ship counter the melee ships due to more sustained damage over time and ability to outmanuver.
If you think of it land-wise. Melee ships are Spears, Hulks(warships) are Horsemen, Arrow ships are Archers.
Where does the Demolition-ship land? well siege ofcourse. and a strong deterrent against Melee ships to protect the big ships.
Although “siege” in water would be turned on its head.
Where Normally you use siege against Range-blobs, You’d be using it against melee blobs, and using Ranged (Arrow ships) to deal with siege effectively.
Suddently, you will also have each Civilization type be able to play to its strength and weaknesses.
The Baglah will have its unique quirk as a warship where it becomes a jack-of-all trades with a speed advantage. (able to deal with siege and arrow ships more effectively)
The Galleys would be much more tankier and better suites to deal with Demo-ships protected by Warships.
And Dhows/light junks with a speed and maneuverability superiority.
And Cannonship. Well, they become more of a late game ship as they are intended being able to give effective coastal support (Why on earth did they nerf this). and Deal with defenses.
But would have a major weakness against numerous Melee-ships.
The, Dutch were famous for swarming warships with rowboats and board them.
Henche, having a mixed composition even more important in navy! Not simply spam cannonships that can get easily overwhelmed by meleeships.
Anyway, its going to be interesting to see where the AoE4 team goes.
Tell me, what do you think?
Also random topic related illustrations:
