日本作为帝国系列几乎全系列出镜的文明，算是一大热门DLC备选。所以我作为玩过23外加少量全战幕府将军以及那么一点点光荣太阁的人，利用自己贫瘠的日本知识做了这么个民族设计。
Japan, as a famous choice of all AOE series, is also a popular DLC choice. So as a player who have played AOE2, AOE3, and other RTS games with Japan, I decided to make a DIY civilization.
玩过帝国3的日本，应该知道时代处于战国末期到德川家康建立江户幕府初期这段时间，所以这代全面回归中世纪的热潮，将火药文明的光辉掩去不少，重新将冷兵器，铠甲，战马这样的男人的浪漫带回我们眼前。所以这代的日本我设定为公元1192年至1573年也就是以源氏赖朝建立武家执政的镰仓幕府开始，到安土桃山时代群雄割据的热血混沌时代结束。将“武士”这个关键词突出。
So my design will go back to the Middle Ages, kick gunpower away and bring the man’s romance of cold weapon, armor and horse back to our front. So I set the time 1192-1573, starts at Kamakura Bakufu and ends at Azuchi-Momoyama Period.
Pop out the key word “Samurai”
The flag of the Shogunate of Japan I decided to switch to black and gold after experiencing the use of homemade patterns and cherry blossom colors for the flag, with “Ba pattern” as the theme.
According to the chronological context of Japan’s fourth imperial era, it coincided with the rise of samurai power, which entailed a political and military integration under the historical shogunate. In terms of time, this period spanned from 1192 to 1573 AD, starting with the establishment of Kamakura shogunate by Genji Reijo and ending with the tumultuous Momoyama era marked by a succession of rulers. Subsequently, we transition back to Age of Empires 3.
Japan did not have a historical tradition of sheep husbandry, and even the Mongol invasions failed to introduce them to Japan. It was only during the Meiji Restoration that mutton gradually became part of Japanese cuisine. Therefore, it is unlikely for Japan to use sheep as draft animals; instead, they can only be hunted like deer or wild boar. To compensate for this limitation, additional food sources will be provided around the mill.
The Japanese shinobi were special scouts. They were smaller than the reconnaissance cavalry of other countries, but what made them special was their ability to hide themselves in a stationary state so as not to be seen. Be a good monitor.
PS：关于日本无法拉羊这个设定，我特意重新设计了羊的说明框文字。强调日本在古代压根不认识绵羊是啥，只当是一种可以捕猎的野兽而已。
PS：Considering Japan can’t farm sheep, I redesigned the explanation of sheep. I stressed that Japanese just consider them as another wild animal for hunt.
所以日本早期的另外一个经济策略就是——干扰。利用忍者的机动性一边探索一边捕杀没被圈走的羊，让对面收益递减，等到上了封建时代再利用高级侦察兵的搬运功能把羊鹿这些尸体背回磨坊。
So another of Japan’s early economic strategies was interference. Use the shinobi’s maneuverability to hunt and kill the sheep that are not corraled while exploring, let the opposite side of the diminishing returns, and then use the advanced scout to carry the sheep and deer carcasses back to the mill in feudal times.
武士单位的设计思路：相对于帝国3里火药单位的活跃，4我希望看见的还是以武士和冷兵器作为主场战斗的舞台，所以我借鉴英国的体系，把武士放在黑暗时代就能生产，并且提高他的伤害和移速，减低一些他的护甲。相对于其他国家的武士(Man at Arms，我倾向于翻译应该成重装士兵或者战士)日本武士(Samurai)没有那么夸张的铁甲和盾牌，所以防御能力相对弱小一点。
PS：新的内测版本里黑衣大食王朝的古拉姆已经拥有了更高的冲锋伤害，所以我觉的没必要做重复的内容，所以我联系到日本武士的作战勇猛，不畏死亡，所以给了他一个特殊的战斗能力，能在战斗中格挡敌人增加自己的护甲。
Different from AOE3, I want a battlefield of cold weapon and warrior. So I decided to design like English, make the MAA-like unit available in age 1, increasing its damage and speed, decrease its armor. Comparing to other MAA, samurai have no shield and armor, so they have less defense.
另外就是我曾经看过帝国时代2的设计师的构想。
他曾经试图在原版2代里就加入冲锋伤害。
*He tried to join the Samurai Charge in Age of Empires II.
如果有生之年，我希望能看见日本武士拔刀冲锋的样子。对应的，日本武士的护甲成长比一般武士都低，而生命值和中国的禁军比也差了一截。
I just wanted to make sure those samurais in Age of Empires IV were ready to whip out their swords.
Wow this is some high quality stuff right there! Love the effort in making the icons and everything! Haven’t been able to process it all in yet so I can’t really come up with anything right now to point out anything i specifically like or think could need a change.
Because I got blown out of the water with this stuff!
