New December PUP in the way:

GAME
Stability & Performance
Fixed a crash that occurred when typing certain numbers on the lobby search bar in multiplayer menus.
Fixed a crash that occurred when attempting to launch the title on Steam when another instance of the game from the Microsoft Store was already running.
Fixed a crash that could occur when playing custom lobbies with AI if the object tracker and world object list got desynchronized.

Graphics
Units standing behind Mule Carts now display outlines.

Audio
Fixed an issue where Gaia attack notifications would not play on Custom Maps.

UI
QoL: The option ‘Extended Unit Stats’ was added to the Interface Settings. Toggling this setting on will make the command panel show additional stats when selecting a unit or a building.
Keep technology, Watch Tower, Guard Tower, Stone Wall, Pavilion A buildings now have unique icons.
Added blue versions to several small buttons in Return of Rome mode.

Settings
Fixed an issue where the Safe Delete pop-up would only trigger if the last unit a player selected was a hero.

Hotkeys
Fixed an issue where Wood Upgrades technology hotkey was not working for Two-Man Saw.

Recorded games & Spectator
Fixed an issue where holding down Shift and left-clicking an object from another player wasn’t switching the POV to the object’s owner.

Multiplayer
Changed Enter interaction in menus so that taunts only fire when the Enter key is released, instead of every frame the key is down.
Changed the behavior of Pause during Multiplayer so that players can no longer scroll, zoom or interact with the minimap while the game is paused.

GAMEPLAY

General
Gates can now be locked before their construction is finished.
Deer and other Prey Animals now have more consistency in how long they pause before moving again.
Monks now instantly search for new healing targets instead of waiting for 3 seconds.

Fixes
Fixed an issue where Trebuchets would ignore shift commands when attacking buildings.
Fixed an issue where rams grouped with other units would stop moving before reaching an enemy target when the player issued an attack move.
Fixed an issue where Villagers would lose their field of view, and Mule Carts (if completed) would become invisible if the player rung the town bell when the Mule Carts were under construction.
Fixed an issue where if a player has converted Monks and then researches Block Printing, the player would be granted vision in an area around the converted Monks the moment the tech finished.
Fixed a rare issue where the Go Back to Work hotkey would sometimes cause Villagers to become stuck inside a building.
Fixed an issue where moving large groups of units would cause some units to stop reacting to group commands.
Fixed an issue where using the Guard command switched units formations to Line Formation.
Fixed an issue where Villagers would stay selected when using CTRL to select military.
Fixed a rare issue where units would slide across untraversable terrain when being patrolled on Stand Ground.
Warrior Priests in no attack stance can now heal allied units.
Villagers no longer can drop off resources into buildings with a Mule Cart garrisoned inside.

Campaign
General
Joan of Arc is no longer able to heal units.

Campaign Missions
Attila the Hun #1: The Scourge of God: Fixed an issue where the wrong dialogue could play after defeating Bleda.
Attila the Hun #6: The Fall of Rome: The enemy factions will now resign correctly and are no longer kept alive by Wonder or Town Center foundations.
Barbarossa #2: Henry the Lion: Player now has the correct population limit.
Bayinnaung #2: The Mandalay Cobra: Fixed an issue where some starting units would disappear shortly after closing the initial Objectives pop up.
Ismail #1: The Red Hats: Farrukh Yasar no longer splits from his army when moving out.
Ismail #4: The Fallen Amir: Shaybani Khan’s units, if they have been bypassed, can now track the player’s units and find them more easely.
Ivaylo #1: A Most Unlikely Man: Fixed an issue where a rock formation in the right side of the map was not displayed as expected.
Sforza #4: Blood and Betrayal: Fixed an issue where some gates would not be fully destroyed after reducing their HP to 0.
Suryavarman I #5: Nirvanapada: Fixed an issue where the game statistics at the end of the mission could show negative values.
Tamar #1: Takeover: Armenia’s villagers next to mule carts will no longer walk away to hunt ###### if the player waits before meeting Zakare.
Tamar #3: The Protectorate: Yury will now become aggressive if the player chooses to attack the Turkomans first instead of liberating the city.
Thoros #1: Outlawed: Fixed an issue where players would receive more food in tribute than needed in order to research the infantry upgrades at the start of the mission.
Thoros #3: Caught in the Crossfire: The player is now allowed to research Fereters after advancing to the Imperial Age.
Thoros #4: Bloody Crestwaves: The player now needs to research Fereters on their own (except on Standard difficulty).
Thoros #5: Of Turncoats and Traitors:
The player is no longer attacked by the Byzantines right away after the fleeing to Mleh’s camp.
Church Sanctuary achievement no longer requires keeping the villagers alive after they have changed ownership.

Co-op campaigns
Tamerlane #5: Scourge of the Levant: Changed civilizations of Cilician Armenia and Georgia to Armenians and Georgians, respectively.

Balance Changes
General
Monk conversion consistency:
Monk conversion chance 25% :arrow_forward: 40%, interval 4-10 :arrow_forward: 5-9.
Previously 40% of conversions would happen at either 4 seconds or 10 seconds, creating highly volatile and RNG dependent interactions. With these changes, 80% of conversions will happen between 5 and 7 seconds.
Below are some ancillary changes. Here, the average conversion time remains unchanged compared to before, but now with the more consistent conversion behavior.
Scout resistance set to +3 min conversion time, +1 max conversion time, +2 conversion resistance.
Ships resistance set to +2 min, +2 max.
Teutons resistance set to +3 min, +2 max.
First Crusade resistance set to +4 min, +4 max.
Developer Note: “The goal of the conversion change + supporting changes is to keep the average conversion time the same but reduce the variability, creating more consistency in how long it takes conversions to occur. Our aim is to reduce the frustrating elements of conversions while keeping the relative power level the same.”
New Technology available in the Castle Age for all civilizations at the Monastery: Devotion. Required for Faith.
Devotion (100 food 150 gold): unit conversion resistance set to +1 min, +1 max. (Units are 15% harder for enemy Monks to convert)
Faith cost decreased from 750 food 1000 gold :arrow_forward: 550 food 750 gold.
Faith conversion resistance set to +4 min, +4 max. (Units are 50% harder for enemy Monks to convert).
The combination of Devotion + Faith is equivalent to the previous version of Faith.
Dromon projectile attack rebalanced to deal equal damage with all individual projectiles instead of full damage on a main projectile with mostly cosmetic secondary projectiles.
Damage reduced from 50 :arrow_forward: 10.
Bonus damage vs. Buildings reduced 135 :arrow_forward: 35.
Bonus damage vs. Siege reduced 20 :arrow_forward: 4.
Bonus damage vs. Castles 0 :arrow_forward: 12.
Increased projectile spread area.
Cavalier upgrade time reduced from 100 seconds :arrow_forward: 80 seconds.
Mule Carts are now targeted with lower priority than units (same as other buildings).
Mule Cart cost reduced from 100 wood 20 food :arrow_forward: 80 wood 20 food.

Armenians
Mule Cart technologies are 25% more effective :arrow_forward: Mule Cart technologies are 40% more effective
Lose access to Two-Man Saw.
Galley-line fires two projectiles Civilization Bonus changed :arrow_forward: Galley-line and Dromons fire an additional projectile.
Galley-line secondary projectile changed to always be an arrow for better readability of the bonus.
Warrior Priest with Relic no longer incorrectly receives extra line of sight from Block Printing technology.
Cilician Fleet Blast Radius Increase reduced from 33% to 20%.

Bengalis
(Elite) Ratha Cavalry Archer armor increased from 0 :arrow_forward: 1.
(Elite) Ratha now deals 20% trample damage in melee mode.

Bohemians
Hussite Wagon HP reduced from 180 :arrow_forward: 160.
Hussite Wagon main projectile damage reduced from 11 :arrow_forward: 10.
(Elite) Hussite Wagon train time increased from 21 seconds :arrow_forward: 26 seconds.

Chinese
Town Center Civilization Bonus increased from +10 population space and +5 LOS :arrow_forward: +15 population space and +7 LOS.

Georgians
Buildings cost 50% fewer resources to repair Team Bonus reduced :arrow_forward: Buildings cost 25% fewer resources to repair.
Fortified Churches Workrate boost reduced from 10 Tiles to 8 Tiles
(Elite) Monaspa no longer incorrectly receives extra damage against buildings, archers, skirmishers, camels and Shotel Warriors when grouped.

Hindustanis
Villager discount Civilization Bonus increased from -5%/-10%/-15%/-20% :arrow_forward: -8%/-13%/-18%/-23%.

Huns
(Elite) Tarkan base movement speed increased from 1.35 :arrow_forward: 1.4.
Huns now start with a unique scouting horse on nomad style maps once their starting Town Center is completed.

Koreans
(Elite) Turtle Ship receives attack ground ability.

Persians
Cavalry +5 gold per killed military unit bonus removed.
Savar bonus damage vs. Archers reduced from 3 :arrow_forward: 2.
Savar upgrade research time increased from 150 seconds :arrow_forward: 160 seconds.

Poles
Folwark cost decreased from 125 wood :arrow_forward: 100 wood.

Portuguese
(Elite) Organ Gun damage decreased from 7 (9) :arrow_forward: 6 (8).
(Elite) Organ Gun bonus damage vs Infantry and Skirmishers increased from 1 :arrow_forward: 2.

Vikings
Defeating Warrior Priests with infantry units now correctly generates a gold reward when Chieftains is researched.

Return of Rome
General
Scout cost reduced from 100 food :arrow_forward: 90 food.
Mysticism technology effect changed from double priest hitpoints :arrow_forward: priests +20 HP (effect reduced by 5 HP)
City Watch research time reduced from 45 seconds :arrow_forward: 15 seconds.
Stone Thrower, Catapult, and Heavy Catapult Melee Armor reduced from 0 :arrow_forward: -2.
Tower build time decreased from 72 seconds :arrow_forward: 65 seconds.

Carthaginians
Team bonus changed from Fire Galleys +1 Pierce Armor :arrow_forward: Academies work 20% faster.

Egyptians
Priests range bonus decreased from +3 :arrow_forward: +2/3 in Bronze/Iron Ages.

Lac Viet
Forager gather bonus decreased from 20% :arrow_forward: 15% faster Foragers.

Macedonians
House HP team bonus increased from +25 HP :arrow_forward: +50 HP.

Minoans
Ships cost bonus adjusted from -30% :arrow_forward: -15/20/25/30% in Stone/Tool/Bronze/Iron Age.

Yamato
Ship HP bonus changed from +20% HP :arrow_forward: +10/15/20/25% HP per Age.

AI
General
Fixed an issue where AI explorers may not find an unexplored tile for enemy object/home and will fall idle, we now fallback to unit AI scouting.

Scenario Editor
“Change Object Civilization Name”, “Change Object Player Color” and “Change Object Player Name” trigger effects now reset on the object ownership change, so the new ownership is correctly presented.

LOCALIZATION
Return of Rome: Added localized VO for the Legacy Age of Empires campaigns.

19 Likes

A little early for an April fools joke

3 Likes

Is there a link available on steam? Unable to find anything.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/813780/discussions/25/
Log in to see it.

3 Likes

Thanks, I’m able to see it now.

New tech, New unit (?), Nice!
Wonder what prompted the folwark change. I thought it’s price was fine as it was.

2 Likes

Persian Architecture not changed? :sob:

12 Likes

Great set of balance changes. Especially fantastic set of changes for monks. Wish we could see which civs don’t get the new anti-conversion tech. The weakened eco of Poles, Hindustanis slightly improved without reverting back to last year’s level. Good nerfs to Organ guns, hussite wagons. And most importantly Rathas are no longer useless.

6 Likes

So this means Aztec monks get even more HP. So thats 100 now?

2 Likes

Great changs overall
But where is the Sicilian nerf? 11

I would like something to help Georgians and Armenians but maybe is too early to know what they need

Buff to the Aztecs, they need something more than OP monks

1 Like

Interesting mechanic.

4 Likes

All but Hindustanis change are excellent. Really appreciate these changes.

Hindustanis change looks ugly though. Just a give a flat 10% or maybe 15% but start form Feudal Age.

1 Like

Rathas might actually be good now!

Neat changes. I like splitting faith in two. The old faith was always too all-or-nothing.

The only issue I have with it is that it doesn’t really fix elephants. That said, at least it’s cheap.

Agreed that the Hindustanis change is pretty ugly, but maybe that’s the only way to do it correctly.

Really like Tarkans getting a buff. They were too rare before.

Chinese buff is probably warranted.

Ratha change is a little bit random. Feels like 20% isn’t going to be enough to make a major difference, or fix their primary issue. They’ve always been decent against gold units, it’s trash they’ve got issues with.

And of course, no Dravidians changes is pretty funny.

Keep up the good work, devs!

3 Likes

Hindustani buff is nice but why the weird number? just give them back 10//15/20/25

6 Likes

Ya first time they didn’t unnecessarily nerf them more.

ya should be flat 15% from feudal age or give it as a direct numeric discount. -4 food in dark age, -7 food in feudal age, -10 in castle age

They’d take 1 less damage from skirms, so okish change. They’d also be dealing 3 more damage to adjacent halberdiers in melee mode making them die sooner. So okish change, its atleast something.

You and Viper are the reason man 11. I feel like they are probably going to be ignored for quite sometime and get a buff somewhere like in 2026.

5 Likes

I can guarantee not a single one of the is fixed. 11
In fact all of them are more frequent. 111111111

Just checked. No. Still Middle Eastern. It is really pathetic for nor changing the architecture. Sorry, not sorry.

Patchnotes literally said all civs get that. Maybe you missed it.

This is how the tech icon looks like. Looks like a painting of Mary just like Faith is based on a painting of John.

Maybe they should lose Sanctity. And JW cost is reduced to compensate.

How? They will still die to skirmishers. Only 1 less damage won’t cut it. In Castle Age they will survive 1 more javelins before Bloodlines (14 → 15), 2 more after Bloodlines (16 → 18). And Imperial it is 4 more javelins (23 → 27).

Yeah. And surprisingly Bengalis elephant conversation resistance is not changed unlike Teutons and Sicilians bonus. Wonder if it is forgotten or intentional?

3 Likes

I’m looking forward to all these changes, but Jesus Christ I had really hoped for a Persian architecture change. SURELY they know how many players want it, right?




Right?

12 Likes

Persian building set not changed 0/10

11 Likes

Is it just me or does that new icon really look out of place with the others icons.

4 Likes