The posting of the fifth revision of the Persians civ concept isn’t in relation to the recently announced second DLC of 2025. Rather, I just want to correct the information about the Zamburak ever since finding out more about the weapon equipment it used (I found out via Grok on X/Twitter) as it turns out that the Zamburak didn’t actually use a hand cannon, arquebus, or musket, but only a swivel gun. I also made two other changes to this topic too, which you can find out for yourself.
The Persians are a civilization, representing the namesake civilization within modern-day Iran. In the late antiquity to the early Middle Ages, the Sasanian Empire ruled over Persia and other areas influenced by the Persians. However, after the Islamic conquest of Persia, the Sasanian Empire would ultimately collapse and be replaced by various medieval dynasties of Persia and the indigenous religion, Zoroastrianism would be severely declined due to the majority populus becoming Muslim after the conquest.
- Year span: 498-1587 CE
- Focus: Caravanserais, Dynasties, Preservation
- Difficulty: 3/3
Bonuses:
- +3 carry capacity from Berry Bushes
- Gather from Berry Bushes 30% faster but cannot gather from Boar.
- Mills constructed near Berry Bushes create Orchards, increasing the amount of food available by 100.
- Markets are available in the Dark Age.
- Research buildings receive 45% less damage.
- Landmarks can garrison villagers with each garrison villager increasing the HP of the Landmark by 3% but if the Landmark is below its original HP and the villagers are no longer garrisoned, the Landmark stays with 1 HP. However, if you have the Safavid Dynasty activated, you can repair your Landmarks.
Influence: Caravanserai System
How the Caravanserai System works: Markets built within the influence of the Caravanserai generate a certain number of resources. Each Market generates 25 of each resource. Madrasas are also affected by the Caravanserai if the Higher Education technology has been researched. Each Trader that’s created can help speed up the influence production by 2%. By default, only 4 Markets and 2 Madrasas can be built within the influence but if you research a dynasty, you can increase the limit for each Market or Madrasa.
Another Mechanic: Dynasty System
How the Dynasty System works: A certain number of traders that were created can unlock access to a Dynasty. Each Dynasty can unlock a certain active ability and as well as increase the number of Markets built within the Influence. The Dynasties can be researched at a Town Center. Abilities are available at the Town Center and the Cultural Mausoleum. Abilities have a time limit for how long they are activated (see the chart below under “Ability Unlocked” section. While at the Town Center and buildings that act like it use the default active duration, the Cultural Mausoleum provides extra timing with the amount increased by 5 seconds. All abilities each have a 60 second cooldown. These are the following dynasties that can be unlocked:
| Dynasty | Number of traders required | Age | Ability Unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bavandid Dynasty | 5 | Dark Age | Religious Buildings let nearby villagers move 100% faster for 15 seconds |
| Samanid Dynasty | 10 | Feudal Age | Landmarks are indestructible for 10 seconds |
| Khwarazmian Dynasty | 20 | Castle Age | Keeps increase the production of nearby military buildings by 300% for 10 seconds |
| Safavid Dynasty | 40 | Imperial Age | Gunpowder units have 80% less reload time for 10 seconds. Landmarks become repairable at no cost. Out of the two effects unlocked by this dynasty, the former requires an active ability to activate while the latter doesn’t |
Unique units:
- Shah - Cavalry leader that gives nearby Landmarks and Caravanserais +40% resistance to attacks. Like the King and the Khan, it receives upgrades for free and is restricted to one build limit. It can switch between melee and ranged mode. Available at the Town Center starting in the Dark Age and as well as the Rayen Castle and Keep.
An example portrait of a Shah
- Dailamite Warrior - Light melee infantry unit that is armed with a battle axe and javelin and can form a wall with their shield if Dailamite Formation is researched. Strong against other infantry units and as well as light cavalry but weak against heavy cavalry. Available at the Barracks starting in the Feudal Age.
Dailamite Warrior depiction
- Ispahbed - Medium melee cavalry unit that has an attack good against ranged infantry and light cavalry but weak against heavy cavalry and the Spearman. Available at the Stable starting in the Feudal Age.
Modern recontruction of an Ispahbed
- Zamburak - Unit that’s very similar to the Abbasid Camel Archer except that it wields the swivel gun instead of the bow and arrow (think of it as a mounted Ozutsu). Though not a siege unit, it’s available at the Siege Workshop starting in the Imperial Age.
Zamburak portrait
Zamburak portrait from AoE III: DE
Unique buildings:
- Agiary - Religious building that can heal nearby units. The fire ability can be activated to speed up the healing process by 200% for 5 seconds. Relics can be placed into this building. Can be constructed in the Dark Age.
- Caravanserai - Economic building that make nearby traders resilient towards raids especially when the traders are taking a rest. Resources coming from the influence can be changed. Can be constructed in the Dark Age.
Unique technologies:
- Qanats - Docks are capable of storing stone. Available at the Dock starting in the Dark Age.
- Dailamite Formation - Dailamite Warriors are given the ability to form a wall with their shield. Available at the Rayen Castle starting in the Feudal Age.
- Dah-Bashi - The Rayen Castle spawns 10 random military units. Available at the Rayen Castle starting in the Castle Age.
- Urbanism - Villagers garrisoned in Landmarks no longer take up population slots. Available at the Town Center starting in the Feudal Age.
- Kamandaran - Archers are 15% cheaper. Available at the Archery Range starting in the Feudal Age.
- Pearls of the Persian Gulf - Fishing boats get extra gold every time they return with fishes, which is equal at 20% of the resources deposited. Available at the Dock starting in the Feudal Age.
- Khorasan Road - Traders are 50% cheaper to create. Available at the Caravanserai starting in the Castle Age.
- Sharp Shamshir - Men-At-Arms have +10 Hitpoints, +5 attack points, and +3 torch damage points. Available at the Barracks starting in the Castle Age.
- Savaran Fortitude - Lancers, War Elephants, Ispahbeds, and Horse Archers each have +2 melee armor and +2 ranged armor. Available at the Stable starting in the Castle Age.
- Perennialism - Religious units have increased conversion radius but take longer to convert. Available at the Mosque starting in the Castle Age.
- Trade Deals - The amount of gold collected by Traders is increased by 30%. Available at the Caravanserai starting in the Imperial Age.
- Higher Education - Madrasas become affected by the influence. However, they generate less resources than Markets. Available at the Caravanserai starting in the Imperial Age.
- Cultural Orientation - Caravanserais have +2 Influence range. Available at the Caravanserai starting in the Imperial Age.
- Firearm Artisanship - Melee and ranged infantry can construct gunpowder siege engines on the field and gunpowder units have +3 attack. Available at the Blacksmith starting in the Imperial Age.
- Sasanian Continuation - Relics can be stored into Landmarks. Available at the Madrasa.
Landmarks:
- Bam Citadel - Landmark that acts as a Market and allows the Caravanserai to exchange the drop-off resources for a different kind of resource. Based on the Arg-e Bam.
- Rayen Castle - Landmark that acts as a Blacksmith and houses the Dailamite Formation technology and the Dah-Bashi technology. The Shah can be created there at 50% faster training speed but costs 50% more resources to create. Based on the building of the same name.
- Network Shrine - Landmark that acts as a Mosque. Let’s nearby religious buildings auto repair. Based on the Jameh Mosque of Nain.
- Cultural Mausoleum - Landmark that lets nearby buildings research technologies 20% faster and houses the abilities but with increased timing of active mode of each ability by 5 seconds. Based on the Samanid Mausoleum.
- Qabus Tower - Landmark that houses certain unique technologies that are 50% cheaper but have 50% slower research rate. The technologies that can be created at the Qabus Tower are Trade Deals, Cultural Orientation, Firearm Artisanship, and Sasanian Continuation. Based on the tower in Gonbad-e Qabus.
- Golestan Palace - Landmark that acts as a Town Center. Nearby Traders and Trade Ships receive +25% movement speed and +8 armor for 20 seconds. In addition, the Shah can be garrisoned to give it the ability to heal nearby Villagers and Traders. Based on the building of the same name.
Wonder: Shapur Khast
Units that are expected to become shared units:
- Horse Archer - Ranged cavalry that is to become shared among civilizations that historically used them.
- War Elephant - Melee cavalry that is to become shared among civilizations that historically used them.
- Camel Rider - Melee cavalry that is to become shared among civilizations that historically used them.
New shared units expected to come into existence:
- Arquebusier - Gunpowder infantry that replaces the Hand Cannoneer for certain civs (including this civ here being talked about) much like how the Culverin replaces the Bombard for certain civs (Abbasid Dynasty/Ayyubids and HRE/OOTD).
- Elephant Archer - Ranged cavalry unit where the archer is atop of the elephant and is available to civilizations that historically used military elephants. Delhi Sultanate uses the Tower Elephant instead. A note to make is that the Persian-speaking (I mean the version spoken by the Persians and not that of the Delhi Sultanate) Elephant Archer may replace the Tower Elephant for the role of being a mercenary unit of the Byzantines.
Architecture: Age I would use Sasanian style with Age II using Khorasani style, Age III using Razi style, and Age IV using Isfahani style.
Language: Middle Persian and would evolve into New Persian. This version of the Persian language spoken would sound different from the one spoken by the Delhi Sultanate in that it uses Middle Eastern accent rather than South Asian accent.
Proposed Stats for each unique unit:
[Shah]:
- Cost: 125 Food and 125 Gold
- Training time: 30 seconds
- Maximum amount: 1
- Hitpoints: 200 (Dark Age), 240 (Feudal Age), 280 (Castle Age), 360 (Imperial Age)
- Melee armor: 1 (Dark Age), 2 (Feudal Age), 3 (Castle Age), 4 (Imperial Age)
- Pierce armor: 1 (Dark Age), 2 (Feudal Age), 3 (Castle Age), 4 (Imperial Age)
- Speed: 1.68 tiles/second
[Dailamite Warrior]
- Cost: 60 Food and 80 Gold
- Training time: 20 seconds
- Hitpoints: 80 (Regular), 95 (Veteran), 110 (Elite)
- Melee Attack: 12 (Regular), 15 (Veteran), 18 (Elite)
- Fire Attack: 13 (Regular), 16 (Veteran), 20 (Elite)
- Rate of fire: 1.50 seconds (Battle Axe), 2.00 seconds (Torch), 2.50 seconds (Javelin)
- Melee armor: 0
- Pierce armor: 0
[Ispahbed]
- Cost: 110 Food and 55 Gold
- Training time: 30 seconds
- Hitpoints: 120 (Regular), 165 (Veteran), 200 (Elite)
- Melee Attack: 9 (Regular), 13 (Veteran), 17 (Elite)
- Attack bonus: +5 vs Siege (Torch)
- Rate of fire: 1.48 seconds
- Melee armor: 2 (Regular), 3 (Veteran), 4 (Elite)
- Pierce armor: 2 (Regular), 3 (Veteran), 4 (Elite)
- Speed: 1.70 tiles/second
- Upgrade cost: 100 Food and 250 Gold (Veteran), 300 Food and 700 Gold (Elite)
- Upgrade time: 30 seconds (Veteran), 60 seconds (Elite)
[Zamburak]
- Cost: 95 Food and 200 Gold
- Training time: 35 seconds
- Hitpoints: 200
- Attack: 28
- Attack bonus: +140 vs. building
- Area of Effect: 0.7 tiles
- Rate of Fire: 4 seconds
- Range: 7
- Melee armor: 0
- Pierce armor: 4
- Speed: 1.62 tiles/second