Suggestion: Reduce Mangonel Cost + Adjustable Crossbars Increase Mangonel Cost

Age of Empires IV IV - Discussion
1

Overall I think the Season 9 update is a step in the right direction, even if it needs some further tuning.

Mangos feel awful relative to their cost until you pay 2200 resources for the adjustable crossbars tech. I think the devs rightly wanted to prevent mangos from being game-winning units in castle age, and I think the current power level of mangos makes it a fine support unit IF the cost was commensurate. 600 resources is way too much for pre-crossbars mangos, especially with the new springalds down to 250.

I propose that pre-crossbars mangos have their cost reduced so it’s in-line with their more limited effectiveness. I don’t know exactly what cost–maybe 300w/150g? 250w/200g? Whatever it is, cheaper than the current 400w/200g. Then adjustable crossbars boosts mango performance but ALSO increases cost. Basically the tech gives you high cost, high performance mangos. Additionally open to mangos being 2 pop and then becoming 3 pop units after crossbars tech.

I think this would accomplish the devs’ seeming objective: make mangos a situational support unit in castle and early imp and ALSO position mangos as a tool to break mid- and late-imp ranged ball stalemates.

Open to discussion around how to make mangos balanced in both castle + early imp and mid- to late-imp.

2

I do think mangonels may need a slight cost reduction.

However I hate this:

This is odd and inconsistent. Nothing else in the game works this way.

3

I understand a tech increasing both power and cost of a would be new to AOE4, but I don’t see how else to accomplish that dual objectives.

Also ranged resist is brand new to AOE4 and seems fine. That’s a stat ported from AOE3. AOE3 also had mechanics that increased both a unit’s stats and its cost, so I don’t see a reason to reject that mechanic outright.