Ulfsarks: why the name change?

Sorry, might be a bit late to the conversation but does anyone know? Must have been a substantial reason for them to change the name of a classic/ iconic unit!

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I think it was just an accuracy change, since Berserks/Ulfsarks wear bear pelts when fully upgraded.

The original AoM history entry was

Viking warriors who wore wolf skins into battle were known as Ulfsarks, another tradition of the Berserks (bear skins).

And the new Retold history entry is

Viking warriors who wore bear skins into battle were known as Berserks. They were similar to Ulfhednar (wolfish warriors in their renowned tendency to enter battle frenzy.

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I don’t understand this voracity in destroying every tradition. The Ulfskark has always been one of the most iconic units in the game, changing it to a generic name like ‘Berserker’ made me upset, even though I’m not a Norse player. They get one thing right (creating female Ulfark) and get another wrong. Always like this.

Well, if we want accuracy it was either a name change or a look change as they would need to have a wolves pelt, not bears.

Just what I was thinking. I thought it was a wolf pelt originally anyway (but kinda hard to tell with all the pixels), so why not just make it obviously wolf and keep the name. No one would have noticed :person_shrugging: :man_shrugging: :woman_shrugging:

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Yeah, the Original models aren’t super clear.

It does look like they go from Wolf pelts as Light/Medium to Bear pelts as Heavy/Champion, just based on the change in shape.
Which they also keep in Retold, not getting a bear pelt until Champion. Although Retold instead of being Wolf/Wolf/Bear/Bear is now ??/Wolf/Boar/Bear




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It’s really hard to tell what they are still. Deer, Wolf, Boar, Bear???

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My assumption is that Berserk is a more recognisable name. The word Ulfsark was potentially made up by the original devs. An Old Norse word for wolf warriors was Ulfhednar.

My problem with the change is that Berserks sound like elite warriors (especially because of AOE2) rather than the basic infantry they are in AOM, which is why I assume the original devs used the different name.

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I personally don’t understand the issue.

This is the unit for me:

(not the movie itself but the protagonist and the warrior he plays which I remember is also called berserker by the movie producers and that’s how I personally envision them too)

Ulfsark was more made up and berserk is way way way more known and gives a better connection especially for a wider audience and newcomers.

I really think this and female berserkers were the right choice.

There are other things I personally have a bigger issue with but I know I would be in a minority with this also so I don’t mention them - well except for the survey I completed a couple months ago where the devs asked for feedback.

I think if you were a player of the classic AOM, you would understand.

? I personally started playing this game when I was 12 which was around 2002/3.

So how can you have a heart of stone and not be demanding the return of the great Ulfsark with us?

oh dear :smile: [20 characters]

My idea would be to give Loki a unique version of the Berserk called Ulfsark.
This way we can get both and it adds more flavour to the Gods.

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