To give myself credit, I’ve been playing this game since I’ve been 5, for 16 years now. I’m normally 1250-1300 elo currently.
Look, the Teutons new bonus is uninteresting. I feel like extra armor has already been done, with the malians pierce armor and the bulgarian bagains tech. Not to mention now they have the best paladins in the game and not in a good way, in a rage quit unbeatable way. If I’m playing a melee oriented civ, I can’t beat teuton paladins. Teutons loose their identity as a infantry civ when everyone fast castles into knights then transitions into paladins.
When I think of Teutons, I think of the word “Heavy”. slow but powerful. I would say that the bulgarians and slavs are the cousins to this play. Infantry, Heavy cav with siege and possible monks. But Slavs and Bulgarians are fun because of their UU that replaces the paladin. Switches up the norm and makes the game interesting. The teutons don’t have a UU heavy cav, they have the paladin, which is FINE, don’t get me wrong.
So balance changes, the paladin with +2 armor is op, it really is. I have lost multiple games I shouldve won because I went melee units. Even Heavy Camels struggle with teuton pals. What I want is a unique bonus that no other civ gets. That’s it. I don’t understand why something else wasn’t tried instead of extra armor, because that feels so uninspired.
Teutons are a slow civ, so having something to balance out the early game that is unique is what I want, I don’t even care about the teutonic knight at this point. I’m not paying twice the cost of a champion for a unit that is slower.
Teutons were crusader mercenary people. The representation of mercenaries would make the most sense from a historical and gameplay perspective.
Ideas:
-each military building built comes garrisoned with a mercenary
-each friendly military building destroyed spawns a mercenary.
-the first unit created from a military building is free.
-the first military unit of that line created is free. 1 free militia, 1 Free ram, 1 free knight, etc.
-Supplies affects all infantry.
-for every 10 units killed, spawn a mercenary
for every 10 units lost, spawn a mercenary.
-Barracks cost -75 wood
-Barracks can garrison infantry, infantry garrisoned fire arrows.
-friendly units killed return 5% cost
-Military Buildings built faster
-UU Militia line replacement, Teuton mercenary
Infantry regenerate, increased by each monk tech.
-Monasteries available to build in feudal age( no monk of course)
-Forging, iron casting gives plus 1 armor to infantry
-1st infantry armor upgrade free
-armor upgrades cost -50%
Currently, infantry have no bonus until castle age. Teutons are the weakest in feudal when they are transitioning into farms and have not yet seen the help of their farm bonus. The Teutons need a infantry bonus, something that affects ALL infantry so the Teutonic knight might have a place. The best bonuses are in my opinion:
Infantry armor upgrades free-
instant scale to all ages, putting Teutonic infantry ahead of generic, affecting Teutonic knights as well. the problem is that is becomes the same old same old, not too unique but it does fit the slow but powerful vibe.
First Military unit of that type is free
Allows Teutons flexibility. something they need. if getting scout rushed, they can make a spear for free so it doesn’t affect fast castle time. a free knight would help with knight rushes and a free militia could help us see more teuton drushes. Fits the mercenary bill and even gives them a good amount for free- a free onager is not something to take lightly against a xbow rush.
Military Buildings built 50% faster
Fits the defensive bill, let’s you field a milita, scout out earlier to rush. building siege faster to defend and castles quicker too. would make a castle drop into teutonic knights hard to stop.
Infantry Regenerate, increased effect with each monk tech researched.
This allows the infantry to be tanky like the +1/2 armor intended to be, but also affect Teutonic knights too. Now we are talking about a lot of gold to research these, and I expect the regeneration puts themslightly above any infantry but slavic ones with druhzina with all techs researched. Of course, this would almost be impossible in most games, but it gives the slow power climb with the added effect of feudal infantry that regenerate. Now you could make this even more unique, with infantry that regenerate, attack faster and move faster with each monk tech researched. You could balance it in a way that teutonic knights eventually almost reach champions in speed, but start off slower. We are talking small percentages here as far as increases, but enough that teuton infantry start off slightly better than generic and end as one of the best infantry civs.
Please, I’ve never felt so passionate about any balance change in this game so far. Lose the knight line bonus, it takes away from the infantry siege monk personality. make infantry not generic and have that bonus also affect the unique unit so they don’t always just stick with champions.
My tech tree:
Monks healing range 2x
Towers Garrison 2x units
Murder holes free (Remove free herbal medicine)
farms cost -33% (Nerf it to increase military bonus)
Town Center Garrison +10
-First Military Unit trained of that line is free
-Infantry regenerate, increased with each monk tech
OR
Infantry regenerate, attack and move faster with each monk tech researched.