My ideas for new Civilizations

Age of Empires II: DE II - Discussion
1

Here’s my ideas for new Civilizations, units and technologies.

New Civilizations:

Europe/Old World:

  • Scandinavians (the successor to Vikings)
  • Swiss

Africa (new Southern African architecture set):

  • Benin
  • Kongolese
  • Shana
  • Swahili

Asia (new secondary South East Asian architecture set):

  • Tagalogs
  • Visayans
  • Javanese

Mesoamerica:

  • Zapotecs
  • Tlaxcaltecs

New Common/Regional Units:

  • Blow Dart Infantry (requires Alchemy, see below) → Elite Blow Dart Infantry (Imperial Age/Regional Unit)
    Blow Dart Infantry and their Elite counterpart fire short range darts that have poison damage, requires Alchemy in Imperial Age to unlock access to, available to some Civilizations which lack any access to gunpowder units or Bombard Towers).

  • Hunter Scout → Hunter Warrior (Feudal Age/Regional Unit)
    Available for the Benin, Kongolese, Shana, Swahili, Visayans and Zapotecs who traditionally lacked access to horses. They replace Scout Cavalry and have similar stats to Eagle Scouts. They have the ability to hunt animals for food. The inability to gain access to them in Dark Age, but still be available on skirmish games makes them decent, but not powerful.

  • Bowman line. - Bowman → Recurve Bowman → Recurve Archer (Feudal Age/Regional Unit/Replaces Archer Line)
    Available for Swahili, Visayans, Zapotecs, in addition to the existing Civilizations of the Aztecs, Maya, Inca, Mapuche, Muisca, and Tupi. A cheaper version of the Archer line for Civilizations who did not have Crossbow (and therefore Arbalest). Less HP, slightly better rate of fire.

For Mesoamericans, the Militia line should remain as is, but the unit sprites/look should reflect more on those warriors who wielded obsidian swords and wooden shields.

New Technologies:

  • Irrigation → Improved Irrigation → Crop Rotation (Mill)
    Replaces the Horse Collar and Heavy Plow, same effect, just different name. Available for Swahili, Visayans, Zapotec, Aztec, Tlaxcaltecs, Maya, Inca, Mapuche, Musica and Tupi. Essentially the Civilizations that lacked any access or exposure to horses in the Feudal Age

  • Alchemy (University)
    Replaces Chemistry for Civilizations without access to gunpowder units, needed for Blow Dart Infantry, same effect as Chemistry

Civilizations who have gunpowder units in the Castle Age should get Chemistry in Castle Age as a perquisite to unlock such units. Bohemians should only have access to Hand Cannoneer in Castle Age.

  • Reformation (Monastery)
    Needs Redemption as a prerequisite. Allows Monks to convert enemy Monasteries, even if there are relics inside.

The Vikings, having not historically had gunpowder, should have Cannon Galleons removed and replaced with Catapult Galleons (or Dromons).

Scandinavians

  • Unique Tech:

  • Unique Unit

Swiss

  • Unique Tech:

  • Unique Unit:

Benin

  • Hunter Scout replaces Scout Cavalry

  • Can get Stables in Castle Age for Knights and Cavaliers

  • Lacks Cavalry Armor upgrades

  • Has Cannon Galleon and Bombard Towers

  • Unique Tech:

  • Unique Unit:

Kongolese

  • Hunter Scout replaces Scout Cavalry

  • Lacks Cavalry units

  • Has Hand Cannoneer, Bombard Cannon and Cannon Galleon

  • Unique Tech:

  • Unique Unit: Ngao Mbeba (Infantry)

Shona

  • Hunter Scout replaces Scout Cavalry

  • Lacks Cavalry units

  • Lacks Gunpowder units

  • Catapult Galleon replaces Cannon Galleons

  • Unique Unit:

  • Unique Tech:

Swahili

  • Hunter Scout replaces Scout Cavalry

  • Can get Stables in Castle Age for Knights and Camel Riders

  • Lacks Cavalry Armor upgrades

  • Lacks Gunpowder units

  • Catapult Galleon replaces Cannon Galleons

  • Unique Tech: Poison Arrow (Imperial Age)

  • Poison Arrow
    Bowman line and Maasi Archers deal poison damage

  • Unique Unit: Maasi Warrior (Infantry) and Maasi Archers (Archer)

Tagalogs

  • Has Bombard Cannon, Cannon Galleon (and Elite) and Bombard Tower

  • Unique Tech: Maharlika (Castle Age) and Lantanka (Imperial Age)

  • Maharlika
    Infantry and Archers provide 2 gold for each equivalent enemy unit killed

  • Lantanka
    Prerequisite for Merchant Warship

  • Unique Unit:

  • Unique Ship: Marchant Warship (upgrade of Trade Cog, fires small - mid range cannon fire)

Visayans

  • Hunter Scout replaces Scout Cavalry

  • Lacks Cavalry units

  • Lacks Cavalry Armor upgrades

  • Has Hand Cannoneer and Cannon Galleons

  • Unique Tech: Poison Plants

  • Poison Plants
    Militia line and Pintado Warriors deal poison damage

  • Unique Unit: Pintado Warrior (Infantry)

  • Unique Ship: Karakoa (fires arrows and can transport infantry)

Javanese

  • Has Hand Cannoneer, Bombard Cannons and Bombard Towers
  • Catapult Galleon replaces Cannon Galleon

Zapotecs

  • Hunter Scout replaces Scout Cavalry and Eagle Scout

  • Lacks Cavalry

  • Lacks Cavalry Armor upgrades

  • Lacks Gunpowder units

  • Catapult Galleon replaces Cannon Galleons

  • Unique Tech:

  • Unique Unit: Lightning Warrior (Infantry)

Tlaxcaltecs

  • Has access to Archers and Crossbowmen

  • Can get Stables in Castle Age for Xolotl Warrior and Knights

  • Lacks Cavalry Armor upgrades

  • Has Hand Cannoneer and Bombard Tower

  • Unique Tech: Hildago (Imperial Age)

  • Hildago
    Cavalry Units return gold when killed by enemy units (not converted)

  • Unique Unit: Cuachicqueh (Infantry)

Feel free to fill in the gaps. As that is all I can think of at the moment.

2

Wont having a scout that can hunt be op as you can take out the enemy food supply?

What does this mean?cavalier available in castle is already in game.

Its going to look visually odd having foot units come out of a stable.

3

You won’t get them until Feudal Age and even then they could be weaker in HP, they won’t be trainable at a Stable, they come from Barracks. Massing them could be a tactic to hunt down animals on the map making them unusable for the opponent, but then again most games tend to go to farming eventually anyways.

They can get Stables in Castle Age reflects to the Civilizations who had horse only after contact with outside sources. For example, Knights can be trained in Castle Age and Cavalier in Imperial for the Benin. The Benin did not breed horses in any significant number due to disease making them unable to survive in the region, but used horses for nobility. This applies to Civilizations who unlock Stables in the Castle Age. Therefore an appropriate Scout Unit will be available for them in Feudal Age.

4

You will still get one as the starting scout.

Ok so this is a eagle replacement unit then.how you wrote feels like its stable unit.

Why not just make it a castle uu for them and get rid of the stable completely?making buildings available one age past everybody else is not a great design and is confusing.

5

So give them lower HP and damage. They can only carry so much food. Also, if carrying food, it can make the unit slower when moving.

Why would it be confusing? It would be clearly stated in the stats (civ bonus) and shown on the tech tree. They will not have any advantages because of a lack of Cavalry specific technologies or armor, but still get access to these base units (and possibly upgrades of unit).

In addition, if you give some of these Civilizations Redemption, they can train such units from converted Stables.