This is just a suspicion, but let me know what you think…
It seems all the unique identifiers for a Persian faction are given to other factions where adding the persian faction would just be redundant.
I honestly think the first clue is in the faction description: the Delhi Sultanate civilization is based on the powerful empire formed from the invasion of the Ghurid Dynasty (originating in Persia) into northern India spanning the years 879-1526 CE. For 300 years, this empire shaped an independent Indo-Islamic region, adopting technology present in India.
Relic could have chosen other Indian dynasties and kingdoms but they went with this one. Perhaps as “See its Persian AND Indian! Best of both worlds!”
Other clues for faction bonuses is that Delhi Sultanate is getting scholars my familiarity of Indian history is not great so some people can share but the Persian scholars are famous. Not saying there are no incredible scholars elsewhere but if we were to build a Persian faction scholars and technology would be the first thing on my list of unique faction identifiers.
The second thing is the Elephant. I know both Persians and Indians in AOE2 had elephants but in a game with detail faction (but limited) factions I don’t see why we would need two faction with elephants. Or if we do get a Persian faction what would their unique unit be?
And since Abbasids are taking the more structure based research system like House of Wisdom I honestly can’t think of what the Persians would get as a gameplay system or unique system to make them fun.
Maybe I am overthinking this but I wanted to know what you guys think.
I played with this faction a lot back in the day so I hope they make it into the roster but it doesn’t seem likely imo
I think you are overthinking it. There are only 8 civ, so everybody can’t be in the roster at launch. You wanted to see a persian civ, other poeple wanted to see a bunch of other things.
And persianized empires, with a great influence on the covered period, with great scholars were rather numerous in the trope of the game. I mean, it was the case for Abbasids, Seljuks, Mughals, etc … All decent choices to be in the roster. Depending how they use the timeframe.
I would say than a persian civ is complicated. And I understand than devs prefer to cover other entities. I mean, there is this gap between Sassanids and Safavids, when the famous entities with persian scholars were not ruled by Persians. Sadly they didn’t shined in the medieval trope, they were mostly ruled by outsiders. I would still love to see Sassanids, but we get French and HRE instead of the Franks, and not byzantine. So they seems too early. They would have damn good unique units different from other civ.
And Safavids seems late. Even under a generic “Persians” civ / blob, I don’t see how they should be represented before imperial age.
Irish, Byzantine, Persian, etc … scholars were famous. The list of civ which could work with this gameplay is long.
Honestly I don’t know about what kind of unit Persia would get… maybe a cavalry? Honestly elephants really didn’t make much sense since thats more of India thing than Iran thing.
But if one medieval persian (and turkic) faction can make the cut its the Khwarazmian Empire and since they were right on the silk road between China and the Arab Caliphates, perhaps their gameplay would be focused on trade?
Cannons, great feats of engineering (so technology) with great light troops like persians of old with massive armies. Honestly Timtsilo is right. A true “Persian” is just not feasible for this time period.
But there will be a lot of Indian/Turkish/Arab + Persian factions I guess make up what potential factions are coming.
For those Persia faction fans with the glass is half full philosophy I guess this means we are getting multiple Persian factions instead of just one
