I have player AOE3 since launch. I still play to this day, so I have experienced everything mentioned below.
French:
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French Cuirassier (Cost from 150Food / 150Coin > 180Food / 180Coin)
OR -
Resistance reduced to 0.00
OR -
Seige is at 15, reduced from 30
OR -
Increased train time
OR -
Base speed reduced to 5.75, down from 6.25
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Artillery Card (Gribeauval System) This needs changed. It makes no sense that the French have stronger artillery than the Ottomans. The card should train Artillery faster and make them cheaper. Not Stronger. It could also be a TEAM card. TEAM Artillery +10% to all Damage Actions.
The French CIV seems to have no weaknesses unless you rush them or somehow survive their first attack. Strong ECO, Great military, Scary Artillery, even better villagers. They do not seem to be weak in any area. Adding ‘A’ weakness of some kind would bring their power level down to match other CIVs.
The main change would just need to be Cuirassiers. They are just too strong and spammy in the late game. Especially in the late game.
Dutch
- Improved late game ECO
Dutch military are good. They can get 150 units. But their economy falls apart when it comes to long battles, especially in Treaty games. Otherwise, they are fairly balanced.
Russia
- Oprichniks (Cost from 60food / 90coin > 80Food / 120Coin)
OR
- Oprichniks have Less siege and attack
OR
Speed reduction by 1.0 (I think they are 6.75)
Russia’s ability to spam units is fine. But the ability to spam super siege CAV and completely destroy someone’s ECO in a matter of seconds is stupid. 8 upgraded walls means nothing to them. Otherwise I like Russia for their spammy weaker units, but not the super siege CAV. One change I would like, is to make all Russian CAV and Infantry, to cost 1 pop. But seriously alter their stats to match 1 pop. Russia is meant to be the spam CIV, so this change would heavily point them in the appropriate direction.
CAV Boxes
Sadly, this is still a thing and needs fixed ASAP.
This is Russia’s last resort, or first resort and it sucks to deal with and it’s just not fun.
49 melee CAV units and 1 CAV archer should NOT be able to go into box formation and be smaller than a house. Please fix this.
In case no one knows. If you enable formations and put your army of 49 melee CAV and 1 CAV Archer into box formation, they will go into a box shape formation smaller than a house. This is used to destroy ECO’s and is extremely difficult to deal with or even spot on the map as on the map it just looks a like a single unit.
Japan
- Daimyo’s need nerfed in some way.
The ability to create an army behind enemy lines is too powerful. OR being able to re-train Daimyo’s is too strong. Making them more expensive to re-train or take longer to train will make them all the more important. Making them an asset to the Japan army is vital. So, having them helps you win, but losing them should feel like a loss.
Another way to nerf them is to make Daimyo cards infinite from the Home city, and remove the retraining ability from the Shine. But buff them even more to compensate. This way having them is even better, but losing them is a greater loss, the shogonut could instead make Daimyos stronger in some way. Of course limit the daimyo’s to 1 of 1.
Iroquios
*Tomahawks bonus VS Calvary up from x3 to x5 in hand attack
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Tomahawks gain a bonus of .25 VS Heavy Calvary with each barracks upgrade to all ranged attacks
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Legendary Musket Riders attack can now reach 48 without Homecity improvements (This brings them in line with European Anti-Cav units)
Their end game attack with homemcity shipments in the AOE3 only got them up to 44 attack I believe. Even with the firepit dance, you are sacrificing 25 villagers to even challenge European anti-cav units. Iroquios Artillery and infantry units are good, but their anti-CAV need buffs. Even their Tomahawks can’t
All Native CIVS (Iroquios, Aztecs & Soiux)
- Wood Dance enabled
With the addition of the INCA, we know they have a wood generation dance. Allowing all CIVS to generate wood brings their end game power level up. Units that these CIVS rely on require wood, and in the end game, as a Native CIV, you cannot gather wood as there is either no more wood to gather, or there is a constant battle happening so you cannot risk your villagers being killed. This also allows Native CIVS to challenge European CIVS in the late game.
Another idea is to add a new dance.
Resourse gathering dance (Insert good dance name here)
Increase resourse gather rate.
1 villager = 1% increase.
25 villagers = 25% increase
15 villagers + 10 warrior priests = 35% increase
This allows Native CIVS to be farrrr more effective in late games.
In the early game, it’s not effect because you can’t get villagers out fast enough to make it worth while.
So adding this new dance allows all NATIVES to be more effective in the mid - super late game.
Portuguese
- Mortar upgrade now reads: Adds 15 LOS, 8 Siege Attack Range, But now cost 50 more wood and 100 more coin.
OR - Mortar upgrade now reads: Adds 15 LOS, 8 Siege Range, But Mortars take longer to unpack and move slightly slowly.
The Range of Portuguese Mortars is ridiculous. When you are in the middle of battle, all you see is your buildings blowing up and its nearly impossible to see where the mortars are. Making them slower at attacking and makes them easier to take out, and a less super ranged threat.
Spanish
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Missionaries speed decreased by 1.5
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Missionaries are now classed as Calvary
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Missionaries Homecity upgrade now reads: Missionaries now boost your units attack in combat, but have less HP.
The Spanish reliance on Missionaries being able to get around the map is vital, but at times it can feel like a pointless battle when the Spanish army shows up at your gate. They just win, and they trade 1:4 units in every battle. Reducing their speed and HP allows other units to kill them, making them more important to protect and move. Treating these units as Calvary units makes them easier to take out from range, rather than chasing them around the map.
Aztecs
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Warrior Priest no longer cost population (Maybe limit Aztecs to just 5 Warrior preists)
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Slingers have +2 Range to all ranged attacks
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Slingers have x.50 added to heavy infantry to all Ranged attacks
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Arrow Knights now have x1.50 against heavy infantry
Aztec units feel good, except when it comes anti Infantry. Their anti infantry options are quite slim. Jaguar Warriors are a middle option to deal with heavy infantry, but I feel their speed and resistance keeps them back. But I do not feel they need a buff. Buffing Aztecs other units would help though. Arrow knights are a great defence / siege option, so giving them a small bonus against heavy infantry would really help. Buffing Aztecs’ Slingers would also help.
My suggestion for Jaguar Warriors are:
- Resistance is now Ranged resistance
- They resist 20% ranged attacks
- Food cost reduced to 100, down from 120
These changes to Jaguar Warriors allow them to take skirmishers shots but still be easily taken out by anti infantry.