Please focus on QoL in 2026

Age of Empires IV IV - Discussion
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Here are my top 4:

  1. Use CTRL to switch which unit type is selected with drag box select (i.e. military vs worker)
  2. Add Advance Move - Units abandon formation and move individually to the position at their maximum speed. Useful for advancing to or retreating from a position as fast as possible.
    1. The UI needs to be cleaned up, like allowing us to remove unused formations, or cycle formations on a single button
  3. Change Patrol to Guard, a contextual command and a radial boundary to return to (today patrol works where the units will follow whatever they aggro indefinitely)
    1. Patrol almost as it works today by clicking points on the map (except they will not aggro indefinitely)
    2. Click a different unit to Guard, first move to the units position, follow, and aggro any enemies
    3. Click the same units as already selected to Guard whatever position they are at (like patrol but they stand in place)
  4. Add another option to Attack Move Behavior menu where most units will never target a building with attack move.

See illustrations:

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One more nice one just to make economy much easier to understand for players would be to add more of the stats to the UI such as carry capacity and gathering rate.

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Your suggestions align perfectly with my own thinking! Furthermore, here are several other changes I strongly desire:

1. Add a Guard Function Similar to Age of Empires II.
Clicking on a resource drop-off site (like a Mining Camp) should allow military units (e.g., Spearmen) to enter a “Guard” stance for that building. They would prioritize protecting villagers depositing resources there, rather than chasing enemies indefinitely based on an aggro radius. Crucially, if villagers are attacked (e.g., by enemy Archers), the guarding units should automatically respond. This system would have broader strategic applications—for instance, it could be used to redirect the aggro from siege weapons attacking a castle onto nearby guarding Knights.

2. Rework Scout Vision Interaction with Forests.
Scouts should not be able to see deep into forests from open terrain, as this completely negates the possibility of setting up ambushes. The mechanic should be changed: a Scout’s vision can fully penetrate forest obstructions only if the unit is stationary and the player activates a dedicated “Scout” ability (a new button). Otherwise, their vision should only penetrate the immediate tree line (1-2 trees deep). This makes scouting a deliberate, risk-reward action.

3. Make the Knight’s Charge Committal with Physical Momentum.
A Knight’s charge should not be freely cancelable by the player. On a real battlefield, a cavalry charge cannot be abruptly halted and reversed mid-charge. Even if cancellation were possible, the physical inertia of the horses must be factored in—they cannot turn 180 degrees in an instant.

  • While infantry can turn quickly, charging Knights possess significant momentum.

  • Introduce a “turn rate” or “braking” mechanic (similar to hero turn rates in DOTA 2) that forces Knights to slow down and pivot over a short period before changing direction after a charge command.

  • This adds a crucial layer of strategic commitment and risk. The battlefield is not a cartoon; once a decisive charge order is given, it should not be trivially rescindable. Such realism enhances strategic depth and authenticity. Even fantasy games like DOTA 2 embrace such realistic mechanics—our historically-focused title should undoubtedly follow suit.

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