First of all, this update I am very pleased with: the addition of 2 new civs, Poles and Bohemians, and new maps are awesome. The fixes to bugs are also very much appreciated.
Now…the “modifications” to civs I find a bit more disturbing. Most of the changes here I think are fine and in even some cases justified …but there are three changes I absolutely disapprove of:
(1) The change of the Sicilian team bonus
This now makes the Sicilian bonus a small-time deal. While, yes, I can see where the devs are going with this: they want to encourage more early rushing on water maps, I do not think that having the bonus apply only to the FIRST transport is miniscule. I would rather prefer if the bonus can apply in the late-game as well as boost early-game aggression, such as “The first transport is free and all transports are created 100% faster”
(2) The new Imperial AGe tech for Sicilians: Hauberk
Scutage was a bit overpowered, I must say. So changing it with something else less “power-spike”-like was a good call. However, I am disappointed in the missed opportunity to make the tech that only benefits the Sicilian Knight-line, benefit other unit such as the Sicilian Milita-line. Why not make Sicilian Champions improved a bit? I have nothing against Knights, Cavaliers, or Paladins, other than I think that that unit type is given too many various bonuses throughout many of the other civilizations. On a historical note, Sicilian Norman infantrymen would have also been equipped with the hauberk, not just mounted units! You could also consider the Militia-line representing dismounted Knights, as it was common procedure for medieval commanders to make their knights dismount for more control over them or to prepare for siege assaults.
(3) Byzantine Townwatch bonus being modified
Why would this change happen? It was fine before with Town Watch being automatically free when reaching Feudal Age as Byzantines. Making the players have to now click on the tech though it is “free and researches instantly” only makes the player a bit more distracted. This is especially not good for beginner players. I fail to see why this change even had to happen in the first place, since Byzantines civ are pretty stable in win-rates and is a very “fair” and medium civ to play.
(On a side note: I would argue the same for Goths have Loom free but “needing to be clicked on”. Just make the darn tech free and automatically researched if it is free!)
NOTE: It has been brought to my attention that it is Town Patrol and not Town Watch that is affected, and that the Byzantines have actually been buffed. Therefore, I retract my statement for point (2), though I still want to point out that I still think that it is foolish for the devs to make a tech “free and instantly research if you click on it” when they can simply have the tech be just “instantly researched upon reaching the Age it is located in”. If they keep this up, they are likely going to make the Turk civ’s free Chemisty bonus now having to be clicked on once you hit Imperial Age.
Now enough me rambling…I want to know what you all think about the August 3rd update? Do you general agree or disagree with it? What were your most favorite changes? Your least favorite? Etc etc…
Now discuss.
At a glance, they are nearly identical in wording.