Trying to Identify the New Nordic Units and Castles

[SirT_Efaisto]

Vikings

Will probably keep the Berserker as it is.

Saxons - Hearth Troop

The unit that throws javelins before engaging in melee combat.

• Regular Hearth Troop
  
  
  You can see the tip of 2 or 3 javelins below the shield
  
  

• Elite Hearth Troop
  
  
  
  Here He is about to throw a javelin
  
  A better angle showing more javelins

Varangians - Jarl

Mounted throwing axeman.

• Regular Jarl
  
  
  Spare axe at the back

• Elite Jarl
  
  Elite Jarl’s shield has more… rays? wings?
  

  
  
  Regular and Elite Jarl side-by-side

Danes - Jomsviking

Unit that throws torches against buildings and ships.
Could have some hability related to shield wall because of its walking and attacking pose.

• Jomsviking
  
  
  
  

I didn’t find a different version to be the Elite or regular one…

Regional Units

Unit that generate gold on combat and is good at raiding:

• Regular Varangian Guard
  
  
  

  
  
  Just showing that beautiful axe (is this the Axe DLC?)

• Elite Varangian Guard
  
  
  
  
  What is that sign on the shield?

Non-gunpowder Conquistador? Lower damage but higher accuracy?

• Regular Mounted Crossbowman
  

• Elite Mounted Crossbowman
  

  

Longboat/Longship on land:

Nordic monk skin:

Bonus - Harald Hardrada?

Is this the unique graphic for Harald Hardrada next to the Byzantines?
Although without the hero glow:

Saxons Castle

The only Western European looking castle.

Varangians Castle

It appears to repurpose a segment of a Byzantine wall.

Danes Castle

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What do you think? Did you find the other version of the Jomsviking?
Do you think Longboats will have the hability to be transported on land?
Do you think the Jomsviking will have a combat hability?

[GGWP]

They should have put more effort into the regular and elite versions’ aesthetics because, aside from the mounted crossbow, everyone else looks the same in both versions, which is sad.

[Stark22e]

It looks to me like the non-elite Berserkers have finally lost the horns on their helmets.

I’m having trouble seeing it in the screenshots. Or else they’re very subtle.

[Skadidesu]

@SirT_Efaisto

Do you think Longboats will have the hability to be transported on land?

Considering how often they are depicted it is very likely going to be a new feature.

Doesn’t seem to be particularly useful on most maps. How often do you want to move your navy from one water to another? If could allow you to build up your navy in a lake when the enemy already has naval supremacy. But that’s a rare scenario.

@SirT_Efaisto

Do you think the Jomsviking will have a combat hability?

They have the ability to throw torches, isn’t that enough?

[PersiasRerising]

we also have the saxon and i guess danisch wonder

@Ekarlath

Wonder - Danish

• 

Big Sacred Tree (Wonder ?)

• 

and the new king or merchant

@Ekarlath

Hero Unit B

• 

[Ekarlath]

@PersiasRerising

and the new king or merchant

King, the horn is definitly for a King, and the scene is in front of a Castle.

@PersiasRerising

we also have the saxon and i guess danisch wonder

I’m not 100% sure it’s the Danish wonder, due to the position of the Monk carrying the relic. It seems there is no collision or it was just a design style.

@SirT_Efaisto

• Elite Mounted Crossbowman

Heavy Mounted Crossbowman, they are not unique unit, so it’s Heavy for their upgrade.

@SirT_Efaisto

• Regular Varangian Guard

Jomsviking, they carry the famous “Danish Axe” so they are the Jomsviking 100%.

@SirT_Efaisto

• Elite Varangian Guard

Elite Jomsviking

@SirT_Efaisto

• Jomsviking

Those are the regional Varangian Guards one. They match the “shock-infantry raiding gold generator” unit design, with a not so bulky, not so light sprite design.

@SirT_Efaisto

Will probably keep the Berserker as it is.

Yes.

[Ekarlath]

@Skadidesu

They have the ability to throw torches, isn’t that enough?

Charged Projectile ability, charge target: Building / Ships.

@Skadidesu

Considering how often they are depicted it is very likely going to be a new feature.

I need to study abit more the screenshot, there is only one thing that will tell us if it’s a new feature or just a scenario design thing…If I can find some Elite dismounted version.

[Mathusala0]

@SirT_Efaisto

Those are the regional Varangian Guards one. They match the “shock-infantry raiding gold generator” unit design, with a not so bulky, not so light sprite design.

They are not depicted in any of the media alongside the other unique units which rules out them being a regional unit.

the Danish axe does not automatically make the unit Danish. It was famously used by the Varangian Guard (not that I like using wikipedia as a source, but both the page for the guard AND the page for the Dane axe reference this connection).

plus, the two handed axe and shield on back silhouette is not new to the AoE frachise or even to the varagian guard. AoE 4 depicts them almost identically.

notably this shot from the store page also presents them in the iconic Byzantine purple alongside the buildings (though Id be extremely suprised if the byzantines also recieved them as a regional unit fully, I suspect this will be campaign only)

[PersiasRerising]

@Mathusala0

notably this shot from the store page also presents them in the iconic Byzantine purple alongside the buildings (though Id be extremely suprised if the byzantines also recieved them as a regional unit fully, I suspect this will be campaign only)

Maybe the varangians have a team bonus that aliens can train the guard in the barracks. Similar to Italians

[GGWP]

They should have introduced this as a unique unit instead of longships or longboats, hehe.

[Ekarlath]

@Mathusala0

the Danish axe does not automatically make the unit Danish

Yeah, there is two possibility on that point, as the Danaxe evolved into the Battle-Axe famously used by the Varangian.

If they go for the more popular cultural approch, then the axeguy is the Varangian, but if they go more historical it’s the Jomsviking.

I could not catch any of the two unit, the spearguy and the axeguy to throw any thing at building when they faced some.

But, there is one “hint”. The spearguy shield is present on the potential Danish Castle, but with iron trimming, which I could not find on any units anywhere. If it’s the Elite Jomsviking shield, then the axeguy is the Varangian.

Saxon Castle got the Hearth Troop shield on it.

Varangian Castle got some of the axeguy shield on its design too.

If the axeguy is the varangian, then it would explain why the long-axe is present on multiple castle sprite, but it may be irrelevant.

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So if we assume the axeguy is the Varangian…They are probably going to be good against infantry, as the weapon as historically used against horses.

But will they be a team bonus unit given by the Varangian civ ?

[Mathusala0]

I feel like there might be a disconnect on what a regional unit means.

If the unit is regional, it means its available to all of the Civs, (and based on the shown media, I’m assuming at least retroactively for the vikings with a small chance for the byzantines)

Here they are depicted alongside the berserks.

Here they are depicted alongside the presumed Jomsvikings.

here they are shown alongside Jarls.

Again alongside Berserks

Notably, I can’t find any action shots of them alongside the saxon hearthguard, I suspect they may not actually be available to the Saxons.

[JuryMusic777863]

@SirT_Efaisto

Thats Danes probably yes. But then the units below are the Jomsvikings. They have the full armor with the playercolored jacket above.

Earlier in your post you are confusing Hearth Troops their base form and the elite form. The elite form is the Jomsvikings. Because the outfits are different.

The guys with the yellow black shields i dont know what those are though.

[Mathusala0]

Those are hearthguard being added via scenario editor for that shot, especially given we know berserks are the viking UU and Jarls are the Varangian UU so the shot is already being scenerio edited to some degree.

We know 100% the unit is the Hearthguard because we have an action shot of them using the Javalins.

[JuryMusic777863]

@Ekarlath

• 

i think thats the All Saints Church in Northhamptonshire. That makes it a Saxon wonder.

Anglo-Saxon architecture

Since they became Christian.

Than the Tree wonder is Danish, as a pagan wonder.

[SirT_Efaisto]

@JuryMusic777863

Earlier in your post you are confusing Hearth Troops their base form and the elite form. The elite form is the Jomsvikings. Because the outfits are different.

They have the exact same cape.
Almost identical helmet, but the Elite one appears to protect a bit better the neck on the back, and is golden.
And both hold javelins with the shield hand.

I also added a screenshot of the Elite version throwing a javelin…

[Tyranno13]

Given we seem to know what’s what fairly well, I am going to speculate a bit on “what” the units are. At least, the regional ones.

Mounted Crossbowman:

Confirmed civs:

• Saxons
• Danes
• Varangians

Likely but unconfirmed civs:

• Vikings

Fitting, but unconfirmed civs:

• Britons
• Franks
• Burgundians
• Celts
• Teutons
• Italians
• Sicilians

Unlikely but possible civs:

• Bohemians

What is the unit:

Clearly a replacement for the Cavalry Archer line. Unlike the Elephant Archer, which has similar DPS as Cavalry Archers but much higher HP, this unit seems to be more of a slower firing but harder hitting alternative design.

Varangian Guard:

Confirmed civs:

• Saxons
• Danes
• Varangians

Likely but unconfirmed civs:

• Vikings
• Byzantines

What is the unit:

As an infantry unit, this will likely be made at the barracks, no shock there. What is something to point out, is that the Varangian Guard does not share a silhouette with other infantry units, meaning it is unlikely as a replacement for part of a line (e.g. Savars, Legionaries).

Instead It will likely be like the Chronicles Hoplite. A stand-alone unit you simply gain access to in Castle Age.

Longship:

Confirmed civs:

• Saxons
• Danes
• Varangians
• Vikings

What is the unit:

This one is a bit odd. There are no shots with a DLC civ having any of the galley line, but they do have other ships (Hulks, Catapult Galleons). Perhaps it replaces the galley? Not fully convinced, as we haven’t seen a “baby” version of the ship, but it’s still possible.

Another element is the ability for it to go on land. This has popped up in a lot of screenshots, so I don’t think it’s a simple scenario editor addition. Likely the Longship is a ship that can be used and can cross land to get to other bodies of water.

To end this note, I think the Longhouse might be deconfirmed as a regional building.

Firstly, it wasn’t mentioned in the DLC breakdown, but all the units were. Second there is a weird Longhouse that is turned to one side, buildings outside gates don’t do that.

I know some point to the lack of Mining/Lumber camps in the images as potential evidence it replaces them. But I just don’t see them making a watered down settlement right afterwards, also we don’t see villages gather wood or gold in the images anyway. Nothing to put into a drop-off site.

[Ekarlath]

So reversing my calls on the axeman beeing jomsviking, based on the torch I managed to identify on the spearman sprite as you can see here:

I’m sure it’s not a sword, nor an axe, nor a mace, so it makes sens for it to be the torch described for the Jomsviking.

Then the axeguy is the regional Varangian guard.

[Ekarlath]

@JuryMusic777863

That makes it a Saxon wonder.

What I mean by, not sure it’s their wonder, is more: The collision pattern is wrong for a Wonder. Definitly Saxon acrhictecture yes, but if it’s not a design choice to have a monk with a relic there… Then it’s a different collision shape than a Wonder.

If it’s not a screenshot design, then it means the building is a two part combined together so the monk can be there. The main reason why I’m suspiciuos there is because he’s very “high” northward on the sprite rendering, and he’s not “under the texture” if you see what I mean. Yes it’s posible to change the collision, but not the rendering process.

But there is high changes it’s the wonder yes, as the roofs are cliping perfectly as if it was one single sprite.

[Ekarlath]

@PersiasRerising

i guess danisch wonder

The tree is for the Danish probably. Reason is that the Jomsviking were tied to pagan religion, and the tree is definitly a pagan shrine, so make sens for them to be together.

So we don’t know the Varangian wonder for now, gonna try snipe any pixel that I could have missed.