Concept of Civilization: Republic of Genoa
Finally, I encouraged my first concept of civilization. This time it’s the marine and commercial civilization of Genoa, to match that of Venice hehe.
“HISTORY/ BACKGROUND”
Maritime Republic
- Founded by 8 wealthy merchant families, The Serene Republic of Genoa was an independent Italian state created by the coastal city of Genoa in 1096, located in Liguria, on the northwestern coast of Italy, which remained an independent state between the 11th and late centuries. of the XVIII.
- Being the area of Liguria, a mountainous region with little space for agriculture, the Genoese decided to base their entire economy on maritime trade, thus founding a ############## They founded a large number of colonies in Africa, the Middle East, the Crimea and the area of Ancient Greece.
- They participated in the crusades, from where the Genoese crossbowmen became famous and would soon become their elite troop.
- Their greatest enemies were the other maritime republics of Italy, mainly Pisa and Venice, with whom they competed in the Mediterranean marine trade. They had a love-hate relationship with France, sometimes best friends, other times worst enemies. The thing is that after the Battle of Crecy, France would never admit its military mistake, and it would even try to conquer Genoa several times during the Italian wars.
- Between 1400 and 1500, they were subjected to Milanese rule, then to the French, and finally liberated with the help of the Kingdom of Castile and Aragon, of which they would become bankers. They were such good bankers that they bankrupted the Spanish government of Felipe II and became rich due to the minting of all the Gold that Spain brought them from America, all thanks to having founded the first Central Bank in the World. With the money they built sumptuous palaces, which surrounded the main roads of the city and where they received emissaries and nobles from all over the world.
Genoese Colonies
- The typical structure of the colonies belonging to maritime cities (of which the Genoese one of July 14, 1098 is the first example) was different from those in vogue up to now (Greek and Latin).
- They consisted of a neighborhood of the city with some wooden houses of one or two floors; The artisans had their shops lined up along the main road (Ruga Genuensium) which led towards the sea and was crossed by numerous blind alleys. It was called a plunger if the street was flanked by arcades where houses and stores were located.
- In the port a pier was reserved for them and it was closed with a mobile chain, immediately after there was the customs office where the taxes imposed by the colony were paid (generally the colony was exempt from local taxes); In front of customs, Genoese scribes called “merchants” wrote the documents in Arabic. Above were temporary quarters for merchants.
- Nearby (in some areas in the same customs building) are the Fondaco stores, if it is a single building, or Volta, if it is a single room. In the square, the meeting place of the colony, there were public buildings of stone and brick: the Loggia Comune and the Church.
- Some colonies also have a mint, to mint their own currency, and sometimes a bathhouse, slaughterhouses, mills, wells, and ovens.
- In some cases, they keep a few plots of arable land on the outskirts of the city for immediate supplies in the event of a siege, but they care little for them. They were basically a foothold for traders, operating privately, during navigation or at the end of a caravan route.
- Within this district the people lived as in their native land, they spoke the same language and a magistrate (Consul or Viscount), sent from the homeland, protected the rights and privileges of the inhabitants before the local authorities. They had wide political, ############### jurisdictional and fiscal autonomy; in the Holy Land they were inspired by the feudal regime (the head of the colony held the title of viscount and had political and judicial functions) but were always subject to the penal and commercial legislation in force in Genoa. Over time, the colonies began to follow more and more the laws of the mother country, except for crimes of blood, were supplemented by local ordinances, and began to mint local currency.
- Such fragmentary but solid dominance was based on a fact of law (with a series of contracts) rather than a military occupation and perhaps for this reason it lasted longer than one might think.
1).- Bonuses:
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Maritime Republic:
Carpenter experience makes Ships build +10 faster -
Crossbow Masters:
Defensive buildings when upgraded shoot crossbow bolts instead of arrows, marine crossbow tech makes galleys fire 2 extra bolts, unique unit is a crossbowman. -
Walled Republic:
Walls are built 75% faster. -
Government of Traders.-
Traders and Trade Ships are 25% cheaper. -
Genoese Colonies.-
Lumber and Mining camps are built 50% faster and cost 50% fewer resources. Town Centers cost 25% fewer resources and build 50% faster. -
Customs colony/Influence.-
Town centers generate an influence at range 4 of radius, which can be extended with houses, which, if connected to ports and markets, generate an extra profit of 15% of the resources obtained by merchants and ships upon reaching their destination. -
First Bankers.-
Reduces the gold cost of almost all units based on your victories in obtaining gold from any source that is not mined.
– Tier 1) Lenders: - 500 Gold: 10% gold discount on military units, 15% technologies, +5% market gold exchange
– Tier 2) Investors: - 1500 Gold: 20% gold discount on military units, 30% technologies, +10% market gold exchange
– Tier 3) Central Bank: - 3000 Gold: 25% gold discount on military units, 50% technologies, +15% market gold exchange
Discarded Ideas: Emporium: the Genoese do not have an emporium because it is a “Greek” idea that corresponds more to the Venetians who had colonies precisely in the area of Ancient Greece. The Genoese had colonies in the Crimea, the Middle East and Africa, and the Old Port of Panama in the New World. On the other hand, their colonies were “unique” in the sense that they were only made for business, and nothing more. In fact that is explained in the former definition of a Genoese colony, and the reason for the design of the influence bonus.
2).- Unique Technologies
1.- Genoves Rig (II).- Transport Ships, Galleys and War Galleys +15% more speed.
2.- Crossbowmen slits (II): Improvement in towers that fire 1 crossbow bolt with anti-armor bonus (+9).
3.- Crusade Transport (III).- Transport Boats admit 8 more passengers
4.- Marine crossbowmen (III).- Add 2 crossbow shots to the arrow ships.
5.- Assistant chargers (III).- 25% reload speed for Genoese crossbowmen.
6.- Training of pavés (III).- Cowldown of pavés shield becomes 30 sec.
7.- Golden Legend (III).- Religious sources give 25% more resources, relics and sacred places.
8.- Maona (III).- Customs influence gain increases to 25% (15%-> 25%).
9.- Paper Money Checks (IV).- All technologies and units are 5% cheaper, but they cost 1 more wood (paper cost).
10.- Steel Veretone (IV).- +3 anti-armor bonus to the Genoese crossbowman.
11.- Second Crossbow (IV).- Skill activity: 2nd crossbow, which allows them an automatic attack followed by the 1st, at an interval of 0.13 seconds, with a cowldown of 60 seconds.
12.- Corcica Towers (IV).- Fortified Outposts acquire 500+ HP and machicolations, they throw boiling oil at enemies just like keeps.
Discarded: Bolt Volley.- It has not been proven that the Genoese crossbowmen used that, in fact, unlike archers, the crossbowmen charged at their own pace, and in fact what increased their effectiveness was having or not an assistant to give them a second loaded crossbow or held the shield for them.
3).- Landmarks:
I) Lanterna 1128 (Pre Crusade)
I) Porta di Sant’Andrea (1155-1159)
II) Galata Tower 1348 (Post-Crusade)
II) Palazzio Ducale 1251 and 1275 (Post Crusade)
III) Banco di San Girgio 1257 Palace 1457 Donated to Casa delle Compere di San Giorgio (Post-Milan)
III) Strada Nuova 1550-1600 (Post-Milan)
IV) Wonder: Genoa Cathedral 1098
Ia. Porta di Sant’Andrea
One of the initial wall gates of the Genoa wall complex that remains to this day.
- Reduces the cost of walls by 25%.
- Craft the Genoese Crossbowman (Age 2) with 100% speed, include upgrades for the same here.
Ib.- Lanterna
Is the main lighthouse for the city’s port of Genoa, one ot the most tallest lighthouse in the world.
- Acts as a fortified outpost (partly it was), with great vision range (15).
- Generates a circular aura of radius 12 that improves the movement speed of ships by around 20%.
IIa.- ** Palazzo Ducale di Genova**
The ducal palace of Genoa, residence of the Doge, who had the power to hire mercenaries.
-Allows you to hire mercenaries in groups. Release a Condottiero that spawns from the Town Center.
– 5 Genoese crossbowmen.-> 450g
– 5 Pavisier.-> 350g
– 5 Condotta Men-at-Arm → 450g
– 5 Condotta Lancers → 750g
– 5 Horse Archers (from Crimea)-> 420g
IIb.- Galata Tower
Genoese Watchtower attached to the walls of the former colony of Perugia, north of Constantinople. This colony was created as a gift from the Byzantine Emperor for Genoa’s help in defeating the Latin Empire and Venice and reclaiming the lands for the Romans. It also existed to defend Constantinople from the north. It was preserved by the Ottoman Turks when they conquered the city, and is currently a Landmark of Istanbul.
- Acts as a Keep, has a large view range (15) and high attack range (10) and shoots crossbow bolts instead of arrows.
IIIa.- Strada Nuova
Set of palaces of rich nobles that also served as an expensive hotel for foreign diplomats, in Genoa’s Renaissance Golden Age.
- Increase +100 population.
- In a diameter of 20 spaces, it gives passing merchants and merchant ships an aura, which increases their speed by 40% for about 5 seconds.
IIIb.- Casa delle Compere e dei Banchi di San Giorgio
Allows ultra-convenient trades every 1 minute:
100 gold for 200 food, 100 gold for 200 wood, 100 gold for 200 stone
100 food for 200 gold, 100 wood for 200 gold, 100 gold for 200 stone
IV.- Cathedral of San Lorenzo de Genova
What can be said, the Italian wonder of Age2, Beautiful enough to be the Genoese wonder of Age4.
4).- Unique Units
Genoese Crossbowman.-
crossbowman with armor and deadly aim ready to fight in his native or neighboring land. Counts as an early feudal crossbowman and has greater range and armor than the normal crossbowman. He possesses the ability to use Paves to increase his projectile defense.
HP: 70/80/95, Atk 10/12/15, Melee Arm: 1/2/3, R.Armor: 0, Speed 1.15, rof: 2.13, bonus:+7/+9/+11, range:6, cost: 80f 50g, train: 24 sec
- Deploy Pavise (Active): +5 projectile defense, disappears after 30 seconds or when moving, cowldown: 60 seconds.
- Second Crossbow (Active): After the next attack, this unit gain a free attack with no cooldown (delay: 0.4 sec). cowdown: 60 sec.
Pavisiere
Support infantry, soldier armed with a glaive and a massive pavé shield that gives him enormous anti-missile armor. He moves slow, has average attack and doesn’t have good melee armor. He has the ability “wall of cobbles”, which in static movement after 1 second, increases the anti-missile defense +2 of other infantry units in an area of 2 radius.
HP: 110/130, Atk 9/11, Def 0/4 0/5, Speed 1.15, rof: 1.83, aura +2/0, melee infantry (neither light nor heavy), cost 80f 20w 10g
-skill: charge assistant: in an area of 2, reduces the cowdown of the skills of nearby Genoese crossbowmen by 100%.
Notes: Aesthetically, the Genoese crossbowman of the II age uses a crossbow with a goatee, the first to be used in medieval Europe. This does not appear in the game, because the 3rd age crossbowman uses levers (winch/“cabestrante”). Later in the 4th age he uses a cranequin, which increases the power of the crossbow.
5).- SHIPS
- Light Galley (II): shoot arrows (and bolts with unique tech*)
- War galley (II): It has a Springald
- Goletta (III): Mercenary High speed Scout Ship, from the Mediterranean. It has low vitality, but high speed and maneuverability and great vision (14). Cost mostly gold, its a mercenary remember?.
- Carrack (IV): A Carrack
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GENOA AND VENICE FLOAT:
Unlike the Venetians, the Genoese do not have a unique ship. Their ships were unique in the sense that they were built differently: their galleys were longer and therefore faster, and their transport and cargo ships were more spacious to carry more species and Slavic slaves, and this is reflected in their unique technologies.
The Genoveces also took advantage of the use of slaves to steer their rowing boats to the point that they were not paid anything, while in Venice at least the rowers did receive a salary. I don’t know how to represent that since now the arrow ship does not cost gold, although in any case it was also a counter, since the generals distrusted the slaves and if the ship was in danger of boarding, the oarsmen were not called to fight.
On the other hand, regarding mercenaries, Genoa not only employed them but also hired Marine Mercenaries, while Venice never trusted hiring mercenaries for its Ships, only on land (Stradiot).
The other difference with Venice is that the latter beat the genoeces in the technological development of marine cannons. To top it off, Venice was conquered by a land army from Milan and become their ####### for a long time (near hundred years), they couldn’t develop their own ships with guns, and in that time frime , Venice surpassed it between 1400-1500. So the current adaptation represents a genoa expert in naval combats of 1st, 2nd and 3rd age, but that falters in the IV, and only develops the normal Ratchet, without any special bonus.
6).- Unique Buildings
Villa
mixture of house and mill, provides 10 population and serves as a food deposit, that does cost more (nothing is free in this life). 75w
Albergo
Act as a house with nobles at the head that occupy 25 population, and cost 100 wood. They occupy 2x2 space.
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Villa (Background): The villas represent the villas of Genoa, which were beautiful, and were built on the outskirts of the city, or were demolished if the city grew and other buildings were required. Many of them still remain in Genoa, in areas that now there are no fields or crops, but they are a glory from a bygone era, which are still useful since their original function was to be country houses for middle and upper class families. .
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Albergo (Background): An Albergo (Alberghi in plural) was a term used during the Renaissance to indicate an organizational structure in which several families linked by blood or a common interest banded together. The different families derived economic, political, or military support from each other. They usually lived near each other and attended the same churches. Alberghi developed among noble families in Genoa during the 13th and 14th centuries in response to economic difficulty and financial strife.Alberghi are first mentioned in 1383 by Giorgio Stella and Agostino Giustiniani on the occasion of the crowning of John of Lusignan as King of Cyprus by the Doge Leonardo Montaldo. Neither mentions the number of alberghi, though one 15th century source says there are 35 and a later source says there were 74 by the year 1414. The 28 alberghi that formed this new ruling class included the Cybo, Doria, Fieschi, Giustiniani, Grimaldi, Imperiale, Pallavicino, and Spinola families. Today, albergo is the Italian word for a hotel. Both senses of the word are ultimately derived from a Germanic root, reconstructed as harjabergu meaning “barracks” or “lodging”. The French word auberge shares the same origin
Shared Units
With other Italian civs (Papal States, Republic of Venice, Italian City States)
Capitano del popolo → Condottiero (Free/Town Center)
Captain of the People. Unlocked by building a Dux Palace/ a Doggo Palace/ “Palacio del Duque”/ whatever. Act as a Khan, with area abilities to improve units. Can be upgraded to “Condottiero”, but their abilities now cost gold, and it can make you fall into bankruptcy if you don’t control it, (you can trust mercenaries!)
Stats: 100/200/300/400 HP, Atk 1/8/16/32, Speed 1.6. Armor 2/2 3/3 4/4 5/5 (Genoese get him in III age)
Captain of Popolo abilities
- a.- Motivated march (I), nearby units are faster by +0.5 tiles/s for 5 seconds.
- b.- Incentives (II), nearby units attack 50% faster for 5 seconds
- c.- Defensive positions (III), nearby units gets +0/+3 defense for 5 seconds.
- d.- Ceasefire (IV), generates a ceasefire for 10 seconds, not available if 1 wonder is built.
Condotiero abilities (Upgrade 200g)
- a.- “Motivated” march (I), 100g nearby units by +0.5 tiles/s for 20 seconds.
- b.- “Incentives” (II), 100g units are 10% faster and attack 50% faster for 20 seconds
- c.- Defensive positions… NOW! (III), 100g units you acquire +3 defense for 20 seconds.
- d.- Bribery… I say, Ceasefire! (IV), 300Xg generates a ceasefire for 30 seconds, not available if 1 wonder is built. (the gold is sent to every player)
Condotta Men at arms (100f 30g)
Mercenary similar to dismounted man-at-arms. He possesses massive armor, and the ability “Plunder” which allows him to collect resources every time he participates in burning down a destroyed enemy building (25f 25g).
HP: 150/180, Atk 12/14, Def 6/6 → 7/7 (Elite), Speed 1.15, rof: 1.38,
Condotta Lancer (100f 120g)
Knight mercenary. He possesses the stats of the average knight/spearman plus the “Plunder” ability that allows him to collect resources every time he participates in burning down a destroyed enemy building (25f 25g).
HP: 230/270, Atk 24/29 cast:36/43, Def 4/4 → 5/5, Speed 1.63, rof: 1.38 charge:0.4,
Horse archer (80f 40w)
The same unique unit of the Rus. It depicts a Tartarus archer on horseback or at least a Cossack, from Crimea, where they have many colonies.
Stats: 85/100, Atk: 12,14, Def: 0/0, Speed: 162, Rof: 2.125, Range: 4.5
ABOUT ITALIAN SHARED UNITS:
The Condotta men at arms is the clear reference to the condottiero from Age of Empires 2, but in its most faithful form. It has the armor that the English White Company used in Italy, and at that time the English had the strongest infantry armor (That’s why their unique technology gives them +2/+2), which was theoretically cavalry, but usually the English “fought on foot” and only used the transport horse.
The Condotta Lancer is good, the heavy cavalry. However, he obviously can’t be a knight, why? Let’s be honest, Can we call “knight” to a ******** mercenary? Both units are created in the ducal palace in group of five (same as Farimba garrison),
The normal man-at-arms and knight are also available in barraks and stables. The Genoese would share “Broken Lance” as a variant of the Knight/Lancer along with the City States and Papal States. In later designs I will show you that.
Well, one last thing:
¡HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023!
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UPDATE CHANGES (12-1-2023)
- New images
- New info of landmarks
- Fonts changes
Feel free to comment what you think. Do you need fewer or more unique technologies? is it too broken or too weak?