Speculation: "Age of Empires 4 : World War II"

Age of Empires IV IV - Discussion
1

Speculation : Stand-alone “Age of Empires 4 : World War II”

Hello everyone,

I think for some time to imagine what could be the characteristics of Age of Empires 4 if it was held during the Second World War, as seemed a long time ago a pictorial chronology of the different opuses.
Today I want to share these ideas, and confront them to others so that we can imagine together what such an episode at this time could be (maybe in the next opus or another in the future).

Before I begin, I want to say that this is only a sketch (I have not yet thought about the figures for example), that I tried as much as possible to organize and detail, to which I will invite everyone to participate if you have ideas that I would not have had. :slight_smile:

So do not hesitate if you have suggestions, remarks, or even different opinions and how you see things! :slight_smile:

/!\ Also, I beg you to excuse me for the bad level of my language: I am French and I will make a google translation, trying to correct the faults that I will see.

Finally, I want to point out that the skeleton of the game and some of its mechanisms sometimes look like to that of Age of Empires 2 which is for me a reference in terms of RTS (although I have not played AoE 3, I cannot be inspired by his positive aspects).

Good reading!

My vision / my speculation or proposals:

Regarding the name of the stand-alone (for my suggestion of extension, please see below), I do not see what to choose other than “World War(s*)”.

  • A priori I will indicate it in the singular because it seems difficult to me to pass (even during a system of evolution in several ages as on AoE 2) from the First World War to the Second.

[
But if we did, we could imagine the following ages:

  • The Belle Epoque (civilizations at the beginning, few military units, base of the trees of development).
  • First World War
  • The 30s (technological progress notably military important)
  • Second World War
  • Age of total war (all developed technologies)
    ]

=> Ideal period: 1939 until 1944 (included)
(to avoid the atomic bomb and allow some countries like Germany to be in the next extension)

Personally, and to finally go back AoE 2 in the matter, I will see more in reality a lack of “technological ages”, simply accessible improvements after looking for other improvements that would unlock them, or waiting for having sufficient resources.

Also, always in reverse of AoE 2, it seems to me impossible to limit to one unique unit (also called elite unite below) each country: several are therefore planned. Beyond that, there will be units specific to each state, without necessarily being elite.

I. Playable Countries:

  • Germany
  • England
  • France (Free)
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Poland (Free)
  • USA
  • USSR

II. Campaigns (and countries that can lead **):

  • Invasion Campaign of Poland (Germany, Poland, USSR)

  • Norway Campaign (England, France, Germany)

  • Invasion Campaign of France (France, England, Germany)

  • Battle of Britain Campaign (England, Germany)

  • Barbarossa Campaign (Germany, USSR)

  • Pacific Campaign (Japan, USA)

  • North Africa Campaign (England, Germany, Italy, France, USA)

  • Campaign Conquest of Italy (Germany, USA, France)

  • Campaign of France following the D-Day (USA, England, France, Germany)

  • German Campaign (USA, USSR, Germany, England, France)

** The idea is that all campaigns can be played and replayed according to the different points of view of the belligerents concerned.

Resources:

  • Oil (land only)
  • Charcoal
  • Iron
  • Silver
  • Food

III. Common Buildings:

  • Command Center (equivalent to AoE 2 Forum)

  • House + Building / Barracks (house giving more food)

  • Wonder: Brandenburg Gate (Germany), Westminster Parliament (England), Eiffel Tower (France), Italy (?), Imperial Palace (Japan), Poland (?), Statue of Liberty (USA), Kremlin Fortress (USSR).

  • Barracks

  • Vehicle factory

  • Airfield / hangars

  • Naval base

  • Headquarters (equivalent to AoE 2 castle, unlockable after a while)

  • General Headquarters (improvement of the precedent, technology “spies treason” which reveals the map, as in AoE 2 with a cost in silver function of the number of enemies, on average if several allies)

  • Walls: sandbags, barbed wire (equivalent to AoE2 palisades), walls (reinforced / armored / reinforced concrete, etc.)

  • Armored gates

  • Ditches and bridges

  • Machine gun bunkers (equivalent to AoE 2 arrow towers)

  • Cannon turret (equivalent in quickest of AoE 2 bombard / gun towers)

  • Anti-Air Defense DCA (or Flak for Germany)

  • Arsenal (equivalent to AoE 2 Forge)

  • Research Institute (equivalent to AoE 2 University)

  • Financial Exchange (equivalent to the AoE 2 market)

  • Infirmary

  • Academy

  • Radar (limited range / local, not the whole map, except to pay in the General HQ).

  • Sonar (idem)

  • Coal mine

  • Iron mine

  • Silver mine

  • Oil well / derrick + Refinery

  • Farm

NB: Are some resources infinite or exhaustible? (please see the issue of planes)

IV. Units (Earth, Air, Sea):

a) Basic terrestrial units (potential)

  • Worker (man / woman)
    [Command Center]

  • Soldier (with 2 grenades)

  • Attack Dog = anti-infantry, frail

  • Bazooka = antitanks + grouped anti-infantry (zone damage)

  • Flame-thrower = antitank + group anti-infantry (zone damage, fragile against them)

  • Sniper = anti-infantry (long range, powerful attack, slow shooting)

  • Paratrooper (unlockable with aerodromes)
    [Barracks]

  • Doctor
    [Infirmary]

  • Engineer (improvement: Engineer-mechanic): can repair vehicles, buildings, sometimes build like bridges. Ability to land antipersonnel mines, acts as a deminer too.
    [Academy]

  • Spy * (a cash payment to the GHQ makes it possible to see the map, is equivalent to “spies treason” of AoE 2)

  • Counter Spy **

  • Propaganda agent ***
    [Academy]

  • Elite unit(s)
    [Headquarters or Barracks or Academy]

  • Spies = they have an enlarged vision and reveal the fog of war + have the ability to take the color of the opponent for a time to be determined (temporary and non-permanent, so as to avoid any godmode and value the micro strategy of the players ) and / or blend in with the decor?

** Counter-Spy = Pretty expensive, they have less vision than spies (for example 2/3) but spot them immediately as soon as they enter their field of vision.

*** Propaganda agent = AoE 2 priests equivalent, they can corrupt / convert distance. For that, one can imagine that they have an animation making them handle bundles of banknotes and leaflets (in good propagandists that they are), possibly with a loudspeaker to illustrate their relative range and to hear them like the AoE 2 priests.

Possible enhancement “Double Agent”: Spies can become propaganda / corrupting agents (they lose their ability to take the colors of the opponent but keep their broad vision.

b) Basic ground motorized equipment (potential)

  • Transport truck troops (vehicle of rather large capacity but rather slow)

  • Medical repatriation van (can carry 3 to 4 units but from the front to the nearest infirmary, Red Cross logo, a written warning appears to all when a player has targeted a medical van despite the laws of the war)

  • Light tanks = mobile, anti-infantry

  • Medium tanks = versatile, more resistant with balance (attack / mobility / armor)

  • Heavy tanks = antitanks, anti-buildings, slower (depending on differences), powerful attack

  • Tanks whipping anti-mine chains

  • Tanks launch flame? (or improvement technology instead?)

  • Retractable Bridge Tanks (Military Engineering)

  • Artillery (cannons towable by all vehicles, mobile artillery, heavy artillery)

NB: Some tanks (if yes, which ones?) do they have a machine gun against the troops on the ground?

PS: Vehicles can crush all land units if they do not deviate in time.

  • Mine laying vehicle
    o Antipersonnel mines * (also installable by engineers)
    o Antitank mines *

[Vehicle Factory]

NB: Mines do area damage, larger or smaller, when they explode.

/!\
. The mines become invisible to the opponent as soon as they are installed (this one can see an engineer or a vehicle to install the mine if it has the field of vision on the chosen ground but it disappears from his sight as soon as placed)
. The mines become invisible after a few tens of seconds (or a minute) as soon as they are installed by the person who placed them, making this powerful weapon a dangerous and tool for everyone.

=> The engineer has a temporary and renewable capacity after a time which is the “detection of the mines” allowing to visualize those closed to them for a given time (the allied mines are visible longer than the enemy mines but end up disappearing again from the menu).
+
=> One can imagine a feature allowing (especially in multiplayer) to place on the mini-map shared between allies a small flag (like the image of the windows’game Minesweeper) to indicate to his team areas (without specific perimeter possible) where the mines have been laid to prevent them.

/!\
Traces of vehicles remain visible for a time after their passage (potentially indicating safe and unmined lanes). The tracks of the tanks are more marked and stay a little longer than those of the wheels (heavier the tank, more this duration increases by a few seconds), but all eventually disappear leaving the ground immaculate.
The mine laying vehicle also leaves traces but less time than the others.

In the same way, the corpses of the soldiers stay for a while, then end up returning to the ground.

  • Antipersonnel mines (or AP mines) are cheap, accessible quickly in part (with engineers), quick to install, quick enough to clear, and even recoverable by enemy mine clearance engineers.
    Tanks trigger AP mines that do slight damage to them. However, if they are affected by a number, it ends up damaging them more seriously.

  • The antitank mines (or AT mines) are relatively expensive, accessible later in the game, after unlocking the vehicle factory and the technology concerned. They can only be positioned by a specific vehicle, they are slow enough to be installed, endangering the vehicle if it is exposed without being protected. They are not recoverable by enemy mine-clearing engineers who are just trying to defuse them (they disappear from the field).

  • For submarine mines, cf. sub (d).
    Underwater mines targeting motorized ships are similar in their characteristics to anti-tank mines.

/!\ Installation and demining times are to be defined. We can imagine a few seconds for the first and more for others.

In terms of damage:

  • AP mines do maximum damage to infantry units (dogs do not trigger them, but may be affected by zone damage)
  • An AP mine does rather moderate damage to vehicles on average, but inversely proportional to the quality of protection of the unit affected. However, if the vehicles are affected by a number of them, for example in order to open a passage for infantry in an AP minefield without using the chain whipping cart specialized in mine clearance, this ends with damage more seriously.

In addition, you are not immune to an enemy slipping a few AT mines into an AP minefield to trap your tanks.

  • AT mines do maximum damage to powered vehicles (infantry do not fire, but may be affected by area damage)
  • A mine AT does damage to a heavy tank but this one because of its armor resists better than a tank of lower quality.
  • The most resistant tanks against the mines are the tanks specialized in their demining.

c) Basic air units (potential)

Before talking about the air units, it seemed to me fundamental to think about the functioning of the air system and its mechanisms.

Indeed, I find that we can not apply the rules of many RTS - whatever the time - with all the units that automatically hit their targets (some will do so) and worse, that do everything automatically (some things do will be) while remaining indefinitely in the air.

This seems to me inconsistent with the time of WW2 and the minimum realism necessary that such an opus should have. Not to mention that introducing these new features would be refreshing and allow new strategies and tactics from players.

This is why, in my opinion:

It is possible to indicate a distant destination to an aircraft, to which it goes by the shortest path in a straight line (forcing the player to make detours with the command “shift+ right click”) to avoid certain protected areas or risky; but it is also possible to give it a direction and go straight without stopping.

In the first case, by default the plane that arrives at its destination makes turns over it, attacking any enemy attackable in the zone if the mode “attack” or “defense” is activated (same modes as in the other AoE like the 2nd).
In the second case (also activable after arriving on the target of the first case), the plane continues its flight straight.

The second case is not so much for the hunters but for the bombers, the paratroopers transports, and the reconnaissance planes (but also for the naval military units, see part concerned below):

  • Bombers: While flying over enemy battlefields and military bases in a straight line, the player activates or deactivates the opening of the bomb bay itself, reproducing the reality and the difficulty of aiming perfectly and sometimes completely destroying goals.

  • Paratroopers transport: in the same way, the player activates or deactivates the jump of the parachutists of the plane. In this way, just as the player can choose not to drop all his bombs on the same objective as part of the bombers, he can choose to drop some of his paratroopers to one place and others further, or all of them as a result of the others without any dead time between each.
    Also, and unlike bombers on the other hand, the player can designate a zone in advance and force the parachute airlifter to drop them into the requested zone automatically.

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/!\ All air units have a recall command at their base which makes them abandon their current mission.

One can also imagine a general command common to all the air units in the interface if necessary to avoid that the player has to select all his squadrons one by one in case of emergency.

- Fuel:
. Inflight airplanes have limited fuel and can circle around the target area, and eventually return to land at their aerodrome to refuel (a bit like in Red Alert)
. Inflight planes consume oil continuously drastically dropping accumulated reserves (a bit like in Cossacks, but what then supposes to have at least for this resource is an infinite amount in the oil wells, the objective being right to have as many wells as possible to extract as much black gold as possible at the same time, that is, each well is not infinite but is a more than adequate stock).
. Or the planes have only a cost to manufacture.

NB: in the latter case, could one imagine limited ammunition? Forcing a plane, the hunters more precisely since it will be the case of bombers who will have a limited number of bombs, having to come back to restock?

For buildings (aerodromes and hangars) of air units:

  • Either a take-off and landing runway for each plane (Red Alert style but not practical)
  • Either a take-off and landing run is made for everyone and you can add hangars next to it (which would be necessary to increase the number of planes, like houses).

=> This second point seems all the more interesting to me as it is possible to order the paratroopers drop (or possibly indicate an order in advance by asking the aircraft to drop on the indicated area but the fog of war prevents to really see the target and therefore the anti-aircraft or land defenses, bunker style etc., while doing it on the moment can see if it is appropriate or not), we can do the same with the bombers, and finally having the hangars next to a runway makes it possible to bomb a military aerodrome: we must therefore think about how best to secure its aerodromes by avoiding aligning the aircraft hangars that would be a target easy for bomber formations.
This also requires determining which are the best places to install DCA guns and cover all blind spots.

NB: Note that a plane without a hangar or without an aircraft carrier ends up being lost, it uses its ammunition and / or its fuel flying over the requested place, attacking or defending the zone concerned and then crashes. *

  • PS: Only Japanese can order a plane to crash somewhere to do damage.
    Excluding Japan, the pilots of the planes without fuel eject and become conventional soldiers (not possible if had shot down).

c) Basic air units (potential)

  • Plane spy reconnaissance:
    very fast plane, they are difficult to slaughter by the DCA. They reveal the fog of war for a limited time. Unlockable with the construction of an academy.

  • Paratroopers transport:
    Only paratroopers can enter and jump from the air (a command allows to jump either one by one the paratroopers, with the possibility of spacing them, or all in succession without dead time).
    Skydivers parachuting are invulnerable until they have landed.

  • Transport gliders (soldiers and light equipment):
    Unlike paratroopers, all soldiers can enter and some vehicles in very limited numbers.
    The glider needs to land on clear ground and the soldiers go out taking time, exposing them to an enemy attack.

  • Hunters (several types)

  • Bombers

  • Dive bombers

  • Bomber fighters (may act as hunters but perform less well than pure interceptor fighters, ground or sea attack on the ground, designatable attack zone without necessarily a specific objective or target, may be used for naval airspace; operation therefore different from conventional bombers)

  • Elite unit(s)

[Airfields]

d) Basic naval units (potential)

  • Commercial ships (can not trade with the enemy as in AoE 2, just between their own harbours or those of the allies, they are attacked by default).

  • Fishing trawlers

  • Transport vessels

  • Submarines

  • Counter-destroyers:
    With the same system as the bombers, that is to say can advance in a straight line, for example in training with the player who controls the release of the underwater charges according to his tactics when the submarine was not spotted by a building with sonar or by a reconnaissance aircraft)

  • Battle Cruisers

  • Battleships

  • Aircraft Carrier

  • Minesweeping ships
    . Underwater mines *, below the surface, fixed, destructible by an area fire or defusable (non-recoverable)

  • Minesweeper (evolution of the engineer)

PS: Ships can crush clearance divers on their course.

  • Elite unit(s)

[Naval base]

NB: except detected by a sonar, we only see the torpedoes spin under water, with a wake (when an aircraft is in the “reconnaissance” zone?) and there we can try to detect the submarine to torpedo it with a destroyers (who drop loads on either side), a hunter-bomber who targets an area, or a bomber why not after all.

  • Underwater mines (or UW mines) are rather expensive, accessible in the middle of the game after releasing the naval base, the technology involved, and mine-laying vessels. They can be positioned only by the specialized vessel for, they are rather slow to be installed, putting relative danger to the dampening ship if it is exposed without being protected. They are not recoverable by enemy mine-clearing divers who are just trying to defuse them (they disappear from the sea), or by the minesweepers that blow them up.

In terms of damage:

  • UW mines do significant damage to enemy ships, the best protected ships (battleships) suffer less.
    All naval units, civil or military, surface or submarine, trigger mines.
  • A ship hit but not sunk by a mine UW sees its speed slowed down for a while.
  • The most resistant ships against the mines UW are the specialized vessels in their demining, namely the minesweepers.

Unlike the AP and AT mines, the UW mines are perpetually visible by the country that has positioned them and its allies. The friendly ships involved bypass the UW mines by default without causing them to explode.

However, if an enemy ship triggers a UW mine, an allied ship may be hit by the zone damage caused.

V. Specificities of each country

Each country has unique capabilities and technologies and unique units also known as elite units.
In addition to this, they have their own units, which if they differ from their opponents by some details are not too different and can not strictly speaking be considered as single units but as different versions of their own. the same basic unit (see Part IV).

1) England

Countries with serious assets, favored in the air and on the sea. More classic on earth.

National characteristics:

  • Bonus for the fleet (mobility, or ease of construction, or speed, or damage, or resistance, or lower costs or food)
  • “We shall never surrender” = units are killed or destroyed instead of being converted.

Unique technologies

  • Radar and / or sonar (better or cheaper, or larger range)
  • Turing’s electro-mechanical “cryptic bomb” reduces the price of “spies treason” by 15%.

Elite units:

  • Spitfire Hunter
  • A warship (which?, or bonus for all ships?)
  • Naval fighter-bomber (which one?)

Own units:

Worker
Soldier
Bazooka
sniper
parachutist
Doctor
Mechanical engineer
Spy
Counterspy
Propaganda officer

Troop transport truck
Medical repatriation van
Light Tanks = Cruiser Mk # X
Medium tanks = Cruiser Mk No. Y
Heavy tanks =?
Tanks whipping anti-mine chains
Tanks throws flame
Retractable Bridge Tanks
Artillery (towable cannons, mobile artillery, heavy artillery)
Mine laying vehicle

Plane spy reconnaissance
Paratroopers transport
Transport gliders
Hunters = Hawker Hurricane, Hawker Typhoon, Spitfire (elite unit)
Bombers = Avro Type 683 Lancaster, etc.
Bomber fighters = Hawker Typhoon, Hawker Tempest, + specific to naval aviation (elite unit)

Commercial vessels
Fishing trawlers
Transport ships + assault barges with troops and releasable vehicles a little before beach or no destruction of units if barges destroyed before.
Submarines
Counter-destroyers:
Battle Cruisers
battleships
Minesweeping ships
Minesweeper

NB: The codes of the motorized units are to be determined, I do not know them all necessarily and in order not to be deceived I did not indicate them. If some of you are knowledgeable, do not hesitate to indicate what is the correct serial number of each device :slight_smile:

PS: Also, when several devices or units of the same brand are mentioned, they are as in reality improvements of previous models (to develop either in the arsenal or in the research institute).

2) Germany

Countries with serious assets in all sectors, especially on land, and in the air. Fleet mainly focused on submarines and E-boats, i.e. discrete and / or fast interventions and not the domination of seas or coasts to facilitate landings for example.

National characteristics:

  • “bliztkrieg” = improvement of attacks or speed of creation of tanks or bonus of speed, or all together.
  • Highways = speed bonus of tanks in a certain diameter near the base of operations.

Unique technologies:

  • Tank = differential tracks (turn on site)
  • Massive production of U-boot (speed of construction or food reduction ?)
  • Quality German shielding
  • Atlantic Wall = improved defenses.
  • “Enigma” = increases the price of “spies treason” by 15% for enemies.

Elite units:

  • Parachutists: Fallschirmjäger (nicknamed the Green Devils) = attack and armor bonus for example.

  • Dive Bomber: Junkers Ju 87 or “Stuka” (contrary to classic bombers, Dive bombers and so Stuka have 100% to hit their target if they are not shot before)

  • Torpedo boats: E-boots also called Schnellboots or S-boots

Own units:

Worker
Soldier
Bazooka
Dog of attack
Flame-thrower
Sniper
Parachutist = Fallschirmjäger (elite unit)
Doctor
Mechanical engineer
Spy
Counterspy
Propaganda officer

Troop transport truck
Medical repatriation van
Light Tanks = Panzer I to II
Average Tanks = Panzer III to IV + Panzer V Panther
Heavy Tanks = Tiger I to II
Tanks whipping anti-mine chains
Tanks throws flame
Retractable Bridge Tanks
Artillery (towable cannons, mobile artillery, heavy artillery)
Mine laying vehicle

Plane spy reconnaissance
Paratroopers transport
Transport gliders
Hunters = Messerschmitt, Focke-Wulf
Bombers = Heinkel He / Junkers, etc.
Dive bombers = Stuka (elite unit)
Bomber Fighters = Focke-Wulf

Commercial vessels
Fishing trawlers
Transport vessels
Submarines = U-boot
Torpedo boats = E-boot (elite unit)
Against destroyers
Battle Cruisers
Battleships = class: Bismarck
Minesweeping ships
Minesweeper

NB: The codes of the units are to be determined, I do not know them all necessarily and in order not to be deceived I did not indicate them. If some of you are knowledgeable, do not hesitate to indicate what is the correct serial number of each device and device :slight_smile:

PS: Also, when several devices or machines of the same brand are mentioned, they are as in reality improvements of previous models (to develop either in the arsenal or in the research institute).

3) United States of America

Versatile and good country in all areas.
**
National characteristics:**
Some ideas ?
**
Unique technologies:**

  • Mechanical expertise: gear repair speed increased.

Elite units:

  • Jeep (fast reconnaissance and transport vehicle of 4 soldiers, low cost of food)
  • Aircraft carrier
  • Flying Fortress Bomber (heavily defended bomber after “flying fortress” upgrade)

Own units:

Worker
Soldier = G.I and Rangers
Bazooka
Sniper
Parachutist
Doctor
Mechanical engineer
Spy
Counterspy
Propaganda officer

Jeep transport and recognition (elite unit): manageable, speed of production but fewer troops in than trucks, lower cost of food against so much quantity possible.
Medical repatriation van
Light tanks = M3 / M5 or M24 tanks
Medium Tanks = M4 Sherman Tanks (Improvement “Floating Skirt”: may be dropped off by assault barges just before the beach and join it without sinking)
Heavy Tanks = M26 Pershing Tanks, M18 Hellcat Tanks
Tanks whip anti-mine chains = Sherman tank version Crab
Retractable Bridge Tanks
Artillery (towable cannons, mobile artillery, heavy artillery)
Mine laying vehicle

Plane spy reconnaissance
Paratroopers Transportation = Douglas C-47 Skytrain
Transport gliders
Hunters = P-38 Lightning (Lockheed), P-51 Mustang (North American), P-40 Warhawk (Curtiss)
Bombers (elite unit) = B-17 flying fortress (Boeing), B29 superfortress (Boeing)
Bomber fighters = P-47 Thunderbolt (Republic)

Commercial vessels
Fishing trawlers
Transport ships + barges of assault (with troops and vehicles releasable a little before or not destruction of the units if barges destroyed before).
Submarines
Counter-destroyers:
Battle Cruisers
battleships
Aircraft carrier (elite unit)
Minesweeping ships
Minesweeper

NB: The codes of the units are to be determined, I do not know them all necessarily and in order not to be deceived I did not indicate them. If some of you are knowledgeable, do not hesitate to indicate what is the correct serial number of each device and device :slight_smile:

PS: Also, when several devices or machines of the same brand are mentioned, they are as in reality improvements of previous models (to develop either in the arsenal or in the research institute).

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4) France

Faction able to adapt to all situations.
A peculiarity to start with his own tanks and planes from the beginning of the Second World War and finish with some of those provided by his allies following the exile of Free France in London.

National characteristics:

  • “Scuttling the Fleet” = Worried about their neutrality, naval units are scuttled instead of being converted and sink.
  • “Uprising” = worker take weapons (pistols to differentiate them from soldiers) and have greatly improved abilities in combat (equals Spanish “Supremacy” of AoE 2: the Conquerors)

Unique technology(s):
Maginot line (+ % of hit points on concrete walls + speed of construction) and / or with the possibility of placing integrated guns.

Elite units:

  • Resistant = Explosive Handling Unit and All-In-One Unit: Engineers-Mechanics, Spies, Counter-Spies, and Potential Worker Combined.
  • Panhard AMD-178 auto-gun machine = fast anti-infantry vehicle

Own units:

Worker
Soldier
Bazooka
Sniper
Parachutist
Doctor
Mechanical engineer
Propaganda officer

Troop transport truck
Medical repatriation van
Light tanks = (at the beginning) Hotchkiss tank H 39, tank Renault R 40 / (then allied tanks):?
Medium tanks = (at the beginning) Somua S-35 tank, Renault D2 / tank (then allied tanks) M4 Sherman
Heavy tanks = (at the beginning) tank B1 / (then allied tanks):?
Tanks whip anti-mine chains = Sherman tank version Crab
Retractable Bridge Tanks
Artillery (towable cannons, mobile artillery, heavy artillery)
Mine laying vehicle

Plane spy reconnaissance
Paratroopers transport
Transport gliders (soldiers and light equipment)
Hunters
Bombers
Bomber fighters

Commercial vessels
Fishing trawlers
Transport vessels
Submarines
Counter-destroyers:
Battle Cruisers
battleships
Minesweeping ships
Minesweeper

NB: The codes of the units are to be determined, I do not know them all necessarily and in order not to be deceived I did not indicate them. If some of you are knowledgeable, do not hesitate to indicate what is the correct serial number of each device and device :slight_smile:

PS: Also, when several devices or machines of the same brand are mentioned, they are as in reality improvements of previous models (to develop either in the arsenal or in the research institute).

5) Italy

I know very little about the history of Italy during the Second World War, I invite all those who know better than me to share their suggestions :slight_smile:

National characteristics:
?

Unique technology(s):
?

Elite unit(s):
?

Own units:

Worker
Soldier
Flame thrower
Sniper
Parachutist
Doctor
Mechanical engineer
Spy
Counterspy
Propaganda officer

Troop transport truck
Medical repatriation van
Light tanks
Medium tanks
Heavy tanks
Tanks whipping anti-mine chains
Tanks throws flame
Retractable Bridge Tanks
Artillery (towable cannons, mobile artillery, heavy artillery)
Mine laying vehicle

Plane spy reconnaissance
Paratroopers transport
Transport gliders
Hunters
Bombers
Bomber fighters

Commercial vessels
Fishing trawlers
Transport vessels
Submarines
Counter-destroyers:
Battle Cruisers
battleships
Minesweeping ships
Minesweeper

NB: The codes of the units are to be determined, I do not know them all necessarily and in order not to be deceived I did not indicate them. If some of you are knowledgeable, do not hesitate to indicate what is the correct serial number of each device and device :slight_smile:

PS: Also, when several devices or machines of the same brand are mentioned, they are as in reality improvements of previous models (to develop either in the arsenal or in the research institute).

6) Japan

National characteristics:

  • Economic fishing bonus (trawlers)
  • “Japanese Honor Code” = units that cannot be converted / corrupted, are automatically destroyed or killed.
  • “Imperial Faith” = worker have exceptional combat skills (equals Spanish “Supremacy” of AoE 2: The Conquerors) and build a % faster.

Unique technology(s):
?

Elite unit(s):

  • “Samurai-soldiers” (increased resistance, hit points, and attack)
  • Aircraft Carrier
  • Airplane Kamikaze = Each aircraft has the command “kamikaze” which allows to attempt to crash on any targeted target. The plane then behaves like a kind of dive bomber, which like the German Stuka have 100% to hit their target if they are not shot before.
    The only difference is that the plane (and the pilot) are destroyed during the attack, an attack that once ordered cannot be stopped by the player who ordered it.

Own units:

Worker
Soldier (elite unit)
Flame thrower
Sniper
Parachutist
Doctor
Mechanical engineer
Spy
Counterspy
Propaganda officer

Troop transport truck
Medical repatriation van
Light tanks
Medium tanks
Heavy tanks
Tanks whipping anti-mine chains
Tanks throws flame
Retractable Bridge Tanks
Artillery (towable cannons, mobile artillery, heavy artillery)
Mine laying vehicle

Plane spy reconnaissance
Paratroopers transport
Transport gliders
Hunters = Mitsubishi A6M, Mitsubishi J2M
bombers
Bomber fighters = Mitsubishi A6M

Commercial vessels
Fishing trawlers
Transport vessels
Submarines
Counter-destroyers:
Battle Cruisers
Battleships = class: Yamato
Aircraft carrier (elite unit)
Minesweeping ships
Minesweeper

NB: The codes of the units are to be determined, I do not know them all necessarily and in order not to be deceived I did not indicate them. If some of you are knowledgeable, do not hesitate to indicate what is the correct serial number of each device and device :slight_smile:

PS: Also, when several devices or machines of the same brand are mentioned, they are as in reality improvements of previous models (to develop either in the arsenal or in the research institute).

7) Poland

I’m not good about the history of Poland during the Second World War (in Poland and next in London), I invite all those who know better than me to share their suggestions :slight_smile:

A peculiarity to start with his own tanks and planes from the beginning of the Second World War and finish with some of those of the Allies in the end.

National characteristics:
“Unconditional national feeling” = resistance bonus for units?

Unique technology(s):
?

Elite unit(s):
?

Own units:

Worker
Soldier
Bazooka
Sniper
Parachutist
Doctor
Mechanical engineer
Spy
Counterspy
Propaganda officer

Troop Carrier Truck = Half-track C4P
Medical repatriation van
Light tanks = (at the beginning) TKS tanks, 7TP tanks / (then allied tanks):?
Average tanks =?
Heavy tanks =?
Tanks whipping anti-mine chains
Retractable Bridge Tanks
Artillery (towable cannons, mobile artillery, heavy artillery)
Mine laying vehicle

Plane spy reconnaissance
Paratroopers transport
Transport gliders
Hunters
Bombers
Bomber fighters

Commercial vessels
Fishing trawlers
Transport vessels
Submarines
Counter-destroyers:
Battle Cruisers
Battleships
Minesweeping ships
Minesweeper

NB: The codes of the units are to be determined, I do not know them all necessarily and in order not to be deceived I did not indicate them. If some of you are knowledgeable, do not hesitate to indicate what is the correct serial number of each device and device :slight_smile:

PS: Also, when several devices or machines of the same brand are mentioned, they are as in reality improvements of previous models (to develop either in the arsenal or in the research institute).

8) USSR

Country with serious assets, playing also on the number of some units.
**
National characteristics:**

  • “Great Patriotic War” = mobilization of barracks units accelerated but less good resistance of the infantry.
  • Komintern network:
    . Halve the price of money needed to unveil the map (HQ)
    . incorruptible spies
    . Spies and counter-spies are also propaganda agents
  • Kolkhozes = food bonus of farms.
  • Collective houses = the Soviets only have one type of dwelling, the one that gives the most inhabitants in the two existing ones (see Part III).

Unique technologies:

  • Inclined armoring = improved protection of armored units.
  • “Siberian transfer” = dismantling capacity of production buildings of motorized military units (such as vehicle factories) by 3 or 5 engineers, to rebuild them themselves elsewhere.

Elite units:

  • Katyusha (Stalin’s Organs) = mobile artillery unit, powerful but rather imprecise when used alone or in limited number.
  • Kamikaze dogs = suicide unit antitanks but very frail
  • Siberian soldiers = increased speed on snowy battlegrounds, temporary camouflage

Own units:

Worker
Soldier (whose elite unit)
Dog of attack
Kamikaze dogs (elite unit)
Flame thrower
Sniper
Parachutist
Doctor
Mechanical engineer
Spy (+ Propaganda Officer)
Counter-spy (+ Propaganda Officer)

Troop transport truck
Medical repatriation van
Light tanks = T-60 tanks, T-70 tanks
Medium tanks = T-28 tanks, then T-34 tanks (upgrade: T-34-85)
Heavy Tanks = KV-1 Tanks, IS-2 Tanks
Tanks whipping anti-mine chains
Tanks throws flame
Retractable Bridge Tanks
Artillery (towable cannons, mobile artillery, heavy artillery), Katyusha (elite unit)
Mine laying vehicle

Plane spy reconnaissance
Paratroopers transport
Transport gliders
Hunters = Yakovlev Yak-1, Mikoyan-Gourevitch MiG-3
Bombers = Tupolev SB-2, Tupolev Tu-2, Petliakov Pe-2.
Bomber fighters = Iliouchine Il-2

Commercial vessels
Fishing trawlers
Transport vessels
Submarines
Counter-destroyers:
Battle Cruisers
Battleships
Minesweeping ships
Minesweeper

NB: The codes of the units are to be determined, I do not know them all necessarily and in order not to be deceived I did not indicate them. If some of you are knowledgeable, do not hesitate to indicate what is the correct serial number of each device and device :slight_smile:

PS: Also, when several devices or machines of the same brand are mentioned, they are as in reality improvements of previous models (to develop either in the arsenal or in the research institute).

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What do you think ?

I had to forget a lot of things or to make a mistake on others, so if you see errors, points to fix, do not hesitate to write it!

In the same way, do not hesitate to participate and propose new ideas :slight_smile:

Have a good day,

Eklepsar

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Extension Age of Empires 4 : New powers

Period : 1945 (during WW II) to 1989 (end of Cold War)

Draft ideas (non-exhaustive)

I. Additional countries:

  • China
  • North Korea
  • South Korea
  • India
  • Pakistan
  • Yugoslavia (“independant communists”, ability to aggregate different peoples, bonus diplomacy ?)

II. New resources:

  • Oil (land always + at sea, to protect with its fleets).
    => New building = oil platform.

  • Uranium (military for bombs and civil for nuclear power plants).
    => New building = uranium mine.

III. New common units:

  • Armored transport vehicle (VTC) = truck improvement

  • Helicopters

  • Cargo planes (heavy tanks transport possible)

  • What others? some ideas?

IV. Additional (technology):

  • Missile technology

  • Jet engine technology

  • Nuclear technology:
    . Nuclear bombs (submarines, bombers, missiles): usable only in the parts where the opponent(s) also have the bomb.

/!\ Possible system “balance of terror” or “massive retaliation” that allows an opponent to lock the opponent base if atomization of his, to reproduce the historical reality, and require each player to properly measure the consequences and avoid any godmode …

  • Anti-missile shields?

  • Nuclear power with uranium = replace coal for the countries concerned

  • Secret Service = halves the price of silver needed to unveil the map.

  • Built-in sonars on destroyers

V. What’s new in the initial countries?

**1. USSR **

  • Sputnik Technology = allows to see the whole map without having to pay the initial amount of money.

  • Helicopters: Mi-24 (Mil, known as Hind in the West)

  • some ideas?

2. USA

  • CIA = reduced by another quarter (or -75% reduction in all) the price in money to see the map.

  • “Strategic Defense Initiative” (SDI) =?

  • Helicopters: Apache, Black Hawk, Chinook

  • Dolphin-Clearing Units = replaces divers, being faster.

  • some ideas?

3. Germany

  • Flying bombsV1 and V2

  • Jet engine (Messerschmitt 262)

  • some ideas?

4. Etc

I have not really thought about additions that could bring such an extension (even if there are many possibilities), and there right now, I’m a little tired by the completion of my previous posts;)

Again, do not hesitate to participate and share your ideas / speculations / suggestions :slight_smile:

Good night :wink:

Eklepsar

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(booked)

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Any comments or ideas ?

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I like your enthusiasm and thoroughness but absolutely hate the idea. If I wanted to play a game with guns and tanks, I would already be playing one.

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Hello Andy P,

Thank you for your comment, your compliments, and the frankness of your opinion :wink:

I appreciate when they are different because it’s rewarding ! :slight_smile:

I understand the substance of your comment.
Which game would you play?

Incidentally, if AoE 1, 2 and 3 took place during the contemporary era, would you think the same thing of a 4th game that would be on the medieval time and if there were already a lot of games on this theme?

So the question is : is it because there are many other games with guns and tanks that you would prefer another period (and if so which one ?) to change a little?

I could join you on this point but one does not exclude the other so far (in any event). Personally to give you my opinion, although I agree with you on the amount of games on the 2nd world war, I would like that the AoE mechanisms will one day be transposed one time on this period because i like them :slight_smile:

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@Eklepsar said:
Hello Andy P,

Thank you for your comment, your compliments, and the frankness of your opinion :wink:

I appreciate when they are different because it’s rewarding ! :slight_smile:

I understand the substance of your comment.
Which game would you play?

Incidentally, if AoE 1, 2 and 3 took place during the contemporary era, would you think the same thing of a 4th game that would be on the medieval time and if there were already a lot of games on this theme?

So the question is : is it because there are many other games with guns and tanks that you would prefer another period (and if so which one ?) to change a little?

I could join you on this point but one does not exclude the other so far (in any event). Personally to give you my opinion, although I agree with you on the amount of games on the 2nd world war, I would like that the AoE mechanisms will one day be transposed one time on this period because i like them :slight_smile:

There is such game, Empire Earth,
but it covers time from Stone Age till Space Age,
so has ww2 too. Try it on GoG.

or if you have AoE3, try this mod. Wars of Liberty:

I don’t think WW2 does fit AoE, and why do it if Company of Heroes does better represent it?

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AoE4 should go middle age!

Maybe hire that Relic guys to make Rise of Nations 2, if you want WW2?

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Wow, is this detailed :flushed: I have to commend the effort you put into it.

I’d prefer a different setting but I’d probably play an AoE IV set in the World Wars.

I haven’t read everything yet, but so far I have to say that China is missing on your list of civs. You can’t include Japan and leave out its major opponent in WWII. The main conflict in Asia was the Empire of Japan invading the Republic of China.

Also, if the game includes WWI, it has to include the Ottoman Empire and maybe Austria-Hungary.

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@Huge5000RTSFan said:
AoE4 should go middle age!

It can go from AOE1’s era to AOE3’s, in any case any of those ages would be great.

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I really don’t want an AoE in a modern setting. The Cut off should be where AoE III ended and go no further.

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I could get behind a World War 1 time period as the final age, maybe. WW1 was effectively the end of a lot of “older” characteristics of war, with the last time we saw armies fielding uniforms that focused on style over practicality (infamously France held onto this for a good long while), cavalry charge (attempts), and more blatantly imperialistic goals. Interesting to note too that WW 2 ends with the dissolution of empires even for the victors, not counting the rise of the USSR, which is also comparatively short lived.

WW 1 is really a fitting “End” to the Age of Empires, a final chapter in the adventure to establish imperial nations. In tone, I feel like its about as far up the timeline as we could go to fit into the structure of AOE.

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I’d also prefer an Middle Age Aoe (or ancient) because there are enough other WW RTS games you can play.
And Age of Empires is no game to play with tanks, guns and airplanes in my opinion.

So I hope it will be a setting before Aoe3, but thanks for your detailed ideas.

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A WW2-themed AoE IV would be awful. No thanks.

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^ Agreed. I absolutely hate the idea of a modern setting for an AOE game.

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Dont destroy age of empires franchise with a ww2 style game please.

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I like the Idea of a WWII themed, and I wouldn’t want a mod to do it for me because there is only so much a mod can do for you. but what about a Primal Themed/ Ice Age style?

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