I have been struggling to think how to shake up the Vikings’ late game, especially on land, where, when the eco stops flying, it’s really ugly. Admittedly the following is not enough, but here’s an idea:
Just an idea…
How about left Vikings alone, they will be one of the biggest winners of the upcoming patch.
Kind of funny to see you complain about powercreep in one thread, then propose a buff to Vikings – currently ranked 5th on the ladder and consistently ranked highly – in another thread!
Vikings are more than fine and about to be buffed anyway. Plus Berserks already have two special abilities and certainly don’t need a third.
Why would the Vikings be the only civ to build rams from infantry ? They are not exactly known for siegecraft, they are the main reason why Western Europe has so many castles as they couldn’t raid that as opposed to villages.
If anything they should focus more on raiding, strike quickly and retreat before the main enemy force arrives.
Given how fast they ramp up, it’d be a problem if they dont gas out at some point.
In general tho, I guess they’re UT’s could be reworked for some flavor - they dont NEED it but in they’re current forms it feels more a like compensation for other missing techs as opposed to distinct advantages (ie, cheiftans +hp bonus makes pikes feel closer halbs, bogsviegar compensates for thumbring dps).
Maybe just add thumbring and go from there?
Thumb Ring was removed for a reason
To all: alright, I should have been more explicit. There are multiple reasons and ways to suggest a change. First one is civ balance. In this regard, I totally agree: they are very good (in some settings) in 1v1, and about to be buffed, mostly. I was NOT making my point with regards to general balance.
Here is the question I tried to answer (though I also admit my suggestion is limited): How can Vikings’ late game be more interesting? In other words, past the good value of early Imp, how can Vikings have any chance? To be clear, I am not suggesting to buff their Beserkers or rams in the next patch, but this is in case they were to eventually lose some eco magnificence in Castle Age (which is another debate).
So if you have suggestions…
Kind of funny to see you complain about powercreep in one thread, then propose a buff to Vikings – currently ranked 5th on the ladder and consistently ranked highly – in another thread!
Think of it this way - the vkings are a top tier civ off the back of an almost too strong eco bonus. Nerfing that directly to bring them closer a 50% in 1v1 leaves them with basically nothing on land.
BUT if there were something added to the late game so its not a neat total dead end, it would be feasible to slow the civ down a bit.
Balanicng its power in the most literal terms.
Their infantry could get gold whenever they destroy civilian buildings.
I honestly do not understand why the second effect of captains is not a civility bonus:
It is really ridiculous to have to search for such a tech against Meso or Ethiopian/Dravidian etc.
Captains? You mean Chieftains?
Yes, right.
20 characters
“Chieftains” is already generic enough as it is, “Captains” would be even worse. 
But I don’t want to change the name of UT 11
I think many people don’t play the game in English, in my country it was translated as the equivalent of Captains, not Chieftains. That’s why I wrote Captains, and not Chieftains.
I didn’t assume you wanted to rename it, I just found it funny. xD
The unique techs in The Conquerors (and some of the ones in The Forgotten) don’t have such unique names as the latter ones.
I get your point, but it’s good that the effect only applies in the late game, as we don’t want to improve Vikings in Feudal/Castle, as already mentionned. Unless they were nerfed somewhere else, or… power crept. But that’s not a good solution to me.
To get 100G you have to kill 20 vills with MaA / LS.
This is an extremely unlikely situation. And even if you succeeded, you would win the game for the economic lead not for the gold obtained in the raid. It would be an absolutely intangible buff until the late imperial age.
Actually I guess I agree. I’m just weary of power creep.