What if there was a technology based on chess?

Age of Empires II: DE II - Discussion
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I’m just spitballing ideas here, but given the popularity of chess in the Middle Ages, and its importance as a battle simulator, what if it was a new technology at the University?

My idea was that Chess would be a new technology in the Imperial Age which would reduce the cost of all military technologies by 10 or 15%. It would not be available to civs with existing tech discounts that would apply, like the Chinese, Dravidians, and Burgundians. (Incidentally, the Chinese invented a common version of chess, so this would be yet another example of balance coming before history.)

Apart from balance considerations, the tech would be mostly available to European and Asian civilizations, real-world areas that had some variation of it. Regions of the world that didn’t have a variation of chess wouldn’t receive it in-game, unless not having it was too much of a disadvantage.

As for civilization bonuses regarding it, I thought the Tatars could have it for free, referencing Tamerlane’s love of chess and his invention of his own variant of it, and one of the Indian civs could have it an age early, reflecting the early invention of its ancestor in India.

It’s an unnecessary idea, but I think it could be interesting. What do you think?

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New Sicilians bonus - Defensive techs get 2x discount after researching “Chess”.

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Is this a reference to something? I only have a passing knowledge of chess, basically extending to its history, but that’s about it.

Edit: I just learned about the Sicilian defense. Now I can’t tell if you take the idea seriously or not.

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Chess always goes hand in hand with strategy so something to improve players strategic choices?reduced cost or improve unit stats.Ideally this tech should benefit the regiside games more than generic.

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Chaturanga for Bengalis. Rathas, Elephants, Cavalry (horses) and Infantry get plus 2 attack when grouped together. :stuck_out_tongue:

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Reading the Strategikon, De bello Gallico or The Art of War would be better for generals than playing chess, but my neighbours called me bitter*, so I don’t know.

*For liking their loud, awful music

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I didn’t. It is a fun idea but I don’t see any reason to have it from balance perspective.

And all Indian civs.

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I actually came up with a Guptas civ concept, and Chaturanga is their Imperial UT! That whole concept inspired this post.

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Chess had its place and was very symbolic of warfare, but I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a battle simulator, or anything that forms a strong basis for more accessible military techs. I think @CanineCrown7153’s references to strategy manuals or histories would be more fitting. Personally I like the idea of taking the concept a bit further, to apply to all techs, since paying for a more limited version of the free Chinese bonus seems too niche. (In one of my scenarios, I have a Printing Press tech that decreases the cost and research time of all techs.) But if you wanted it to just apply to military techs, I would up the percentage to ~ 25.

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