This is so sick!!! Stunning and already ready to pay for this dlc!!!
Eventually all civs gonna have variants!
I definitely agree
Yes to all!
Ehhhm no. More like Delhi Sultanate variant!
1 Like
Thanks a lot for fixing Spearman weapons!
Context
The Knights Templar civilization introduces a unique age-up mechanic through the commandery system, offering one of three choices at each age transition. While this adds depth and strategic variety, there’s a significant design issue currently limiting viable strategies.
The Problem
At Castle Age (Age III), players are forced to choose the Genoese commandery if they want access to a solid ranged unit in Imperial Age (as the Genoese crossbowmen act as a substitute for handcannoneers).
This results in:
- A lack of viable alternative choices at Castle Age.
- The heavy spearmen and genitor options being rarely used, since skipping Genoese means no effective late-game ranged unit.
- Meanwhile, the Condottieri, unlocked in Imperial Age, are fast gold-only light infantry, but not strong enough to carry the late game — and their utility fits better in midgame raids than endgame battles.
Proposed Solution
Swap the positions of the following commanderies:
- Move the Genoese commandery to Imperial Age (Age IV).
- Move the Condottieri commandery to Castle Age (Age III).
Why This Makes Sense
- The Genoese only shine with full upgrades in Imperial Age. Unlocking them there aligns better with their power curve.
- The Condottieri are fast raiders that cost only gold — they are a better fit for midgame disruption, not late-game compositions.
- This change allows players to choose heavy spearmen in Castle Age (a strong frontline unit), without sacrificing their only viable ranged option for Imperial.
- It would increase build diversity, reduce the “one forced path” issue, and make the commandery system more flexible and rewarding.
Expected Impact
- More viable unit composition paths for Templars.
- Better synergy between commandery timing and unit usefulness.
- A smoother, more intuitive gameplay experience with greater strategic freedom.
Conclusion
This is not a balance issue, but a design and timing refinement. The Templars are a fantastic civilization with enormous potential — this small adjustment would greatly enhance their gameplay depth without breaking existing balance.
Thanks to the devs for their creativity with this civ. Looking forward to more iterative improvements!
Making relics graphically larger on the ground? It really takes me some time to see where is it on my screen. It’s kinda small, and bit hard to clearly see when the map is desert-type for example, due to its color and size. I mean with mini map I know it’s in my screen but just a bit hard to fast spot it.
Although KT teammates make things a bit easier I gotta say.
2 Likes
Yes, first finish with the base civs (Rus, Mongols, Delhi), then the anniversary ones (Malians and Ottomans) and then start with the DLC civs (Byzantines, Japanese, Spanish, Incas, Aztecs, etc. etc. etc.)…
Of course, the Mongols would have the Tatars and the Mughals would be the successors of Delhi from 1526 until at least the end of the construction of the Taj Mahal in 1653 (the Tatars would be the Mongols but with other unique technologies and the Mughals would be a mix between Tatars and Delhi)…
Yes, you can simply swap Genoa for Venice…although it’s currently fine as it is in the game, since condottieri were used more in the Renaissance aka Imperial Age…
Of course, it makes sense…
1 Like
Maybe I’m wrong here, but aren’t the rails meant to be on the inside of fences? Noticed that most TCs are like this, even Japanese that uses a different fences in Feudal. Seems to me that they’re rotated the wrong direction.
Also, requesting to get the TC walls for China as shown in the original concept art.
1 Like
so you claim that you don’t care about the concept of variants and civilizations but at the same time you care so much that it bothers you. it’s simply a nomenclature and even more correct since it is actually a variant of the civilization it takes its name from. If it bothers you less they could all be variants and have the nomenclature of which civilization they are part of.
The name of the current English is changed to “English Kingdom”
and above “English Kingdom” and “Lancaster” compare the nomenclature “English Civilization”
I claim that I don’t like the concept of variants. When I say I don’t “care” about Zhu Xi Legacy, I’m not referring to whether I’m indifferent to it existing or not. I’m referring to the context in which I am discussing how interesting they are as ideas in this game. As in, who cares for such an insignificant order represented in a game about EMPIRES? I point out the Templars standing out exactly because they have identity. But, I still dislike the idea of variants.
Well, they are not going back right now
Recent DLC released with 2 variants, and prior DLC with 4
We will get more and more variants over the upcoming years!
“About the Variants”*
The only thing I hope, and what this DLC should have taught me, is that the variants can be better worked on, especially in terms of Historicity.
Because Crusaders… I mean, Templars, is the most popular of the two for several reasons:
- 1). Its historical representation
- 2). They advance ideas for future civs
- 3). Because the Crusaders are awesome!
- 4). They’re not a copy of their parent civ with 90% of the same bonuses and materials.
Lancaster is beloved because it’s “Broken,” and it’s an ideal Tortugeo civ for “Turtle” players, which isn’t all of them, but there are some. And at least it represents several bonuses of the English from the Late Middle Ages (1250-1500), while its parent civ has done so since the Norman period (900-1250).
That tells us two things: the key is “Historicity” and “Gameplay mechanics.” If you meet both requirements, everything will be fine.
Maybe we should compare the problems of the fist 4 variants of Sultan Ascend:
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Joan: Look at Juana, for example. People rumored a rework, and “Everyone” was happy about it, and no one criticized it. What does that say?
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Order of the Dragon: In the case of OTD, its superunit mechanic is great, similar to StarCraft’s prottoss, and it focuses a lot on micromanagement. What people complain about is that it doesn’t have enough historical representation, like some Landmark from Hungary (the kingdom where it was created) or from the kingdoms of the nobles who contributed soldiers to it.
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And ZhuXi Legacy: the biggest complaint is that the guy was born in 1130, during the Song Dynasty, but in the game you start with the Tang Dynasty. Yeah, just that, and I remind you it was going to be called the Jade Empire (China 2). But anyway, ZhuXi Library Rules!!!
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In Ayyubid, people loved it for the historical civic name. Ayyubid Casino is a meme, manjaniq are great. And the only complaint? “Historical Representation”. “Horse archers are missing”. During the campaign, these were really important, and it’s a shame not to have them in the base civ. Dessert Camel Riders don’t count.
What does all that say? Well, I say that the way the variants are made in “Knight of Crosses and Roses” is the correct.
But mainly, what was missing in Sultan Ascend was “Historicity,” because the gameplay and unique mechanics are good. Also that the variants of Templars and Lancaster aren’t a 90% copy or a improved version of their parent civ helps a lot.
2 Likes
Yes, maybe I’ll do it later…Hungary as a civilization itself…and well, the horse archers will be given to the respective civs, changing their names and that’s it…
As an rts game, I think the player’s flag should appear in the game. These flags can be set up by villagers or automatically generated on the ground by every five identical units. Flags may not provide any buffs but will make the game more exciting. I think flags can be divided into three types: the custom flags in the data interface, the solid-color flags of the colors chosen by the players, and the flags of the civilizations selected by the players. I think flags should also be hung on the stone wall and upgrade towers . hope it will be in next patch, thank you.
How about Vietnamese Civilization in Age of Empires IV?
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We wish to express our sincere appreciation for the inclusion of Vietnamese language support in the game (interface and subtitles). This underscores your commitment to serving the substantial and dedicated Age of Empires community in Vietnam, a community with a long and passionate history with the series.
The successful implementation of a Vietnamese civilization in Age of Empires II serves as a testament to its potential. This further motivates our hope and anticipation for the inclusion of a Vietnamese civilization in Age of Empires IV. Vietnam possesses a deep and rich history with numerous facets yet to be explored in the game. The history of this civilization still holds many fascinating aspects that AoE II did not fully explore.
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Military:
- War elephants of Hai Ba Trung defeated the Eastern Han army during the Northern Domination resistance period.
- Ngô Quyền’s tactic using wooden stakes on the Bạch Đằng River.
- The Dinh Dynasty with the “ngự binh ư nông” policy (nurturing and training the army among the peasantry).
- The Trần Dynasty with an army considered the strongest in feudal history. Defeated the Mongol-Yuan army three times. Infantry, warships, cavalry, and war elephants were all strongly developed.
- The Hồ Dynasty: created the “Thần Cơ” (Divine Machine) gun.
- The Lam Sơn insurgents with guerrilla tactics, hiding in forests and mountains to gradually wear down the enemy’s strength (Ming Dynasty - China).
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Representative Structures: - Hoa Lư Ancient Capital (Dinh Dynasty). A strong structure, utilizing the advantage of mountainous terrain for defense.
- Thăng Long Imperial Citadel (Lý - Trần Dynasties). A symbol of a period of outstanding development, prosperity, brilliance, and independence. This could be an impressive Wonder or Landmark.
- One Pillar Pagoda (Lý Dynasty): Inspired by the Lotus flower, symbolizing the Vietnamese spirit of overcoming difficulties and rising from hardship. Its unique architecture also demonstrates creativity and advanced construction skills.
- Hồ Dynasty Citadel: strong, unique technique (built with colossal stone slabs). Recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site.
- Lam Kinh Relic (Early Lê Dynasty): burial site of the Kings. A symbol of the restoration period and affirmation of independence.
- Kính Thiên Palace (Early Lê Dynasty): part of the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel. Symbol of culture and scientific-technical development. Could be another impressive Landmark.
- Turtle Tower, Hoàn Kiếm Lake: although the lake is associated with the “Returned Sword” legend of King Lê Lợi, and the Turtle Tower was built later during the French colonial period, these two images have long been inseparable in the minds of the Vietnamese people.
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Cultural spirit: - A long-standing tradition of the Vietnamese people is the spirit of unity: the army and the people have always been closely connected to create a synergistic strength. * Although originally a small country, Vietnam has defeated many larger, more powerful invading nations.
- These “spiritual” characteristics could be explored and integrated into the game, making the gameplay experience with the Vietnamese civilization interesting, distinct, and unique.
We appreciate that developing a new civilization requires significant effort and thorough research. However, given its rich historical narrative, diverse military evolution, unique architectural heritage, and distinctive cultural identity, Vietnam presents a compelling opportunity to become a valuable and enriching addition to Age of Empires IV.
We would profoundly appreciate and eagerly anticipate the inclusion of the Vietnamese civilization in Age of Empires IV.
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Tiếng Việt là một trong hơn 20 ngôn ngữ được nhà phát triển ưu ái sử dụng cho game (giao diện và phụ đề). Đây là minh chứng rõ nét cho thấy sự quan tâm đáng kể của quý vị tới cộng đồng người chơi AoE ở Việt Nam (vốn rất lớn mạnh và đã gắn bó lâu dài với dòng game này). Vì vậy chúng tôi càng có lý do để hy vọng và mong chờ nền văn minh Việt Nam sẽ xuất hiện trong game.
Trong Age of Empire II, nhà phát triển đã rất thành công khi xây dựng một đế chế Việt Nam với nhiều nét đặc trưng độc đáo.
Hy vọng nền văn minh Việt Nam sẽ sớm quay lại trong Age of Empire IV. Lịch sử của nền văn minh này còn rất nhiều điều thú vị mà AoE II chưa khai thác hết.
Quân đội:
- Đội voi chiến của Hai Bà Trưng từng đánh bại quân Đông Hán trong thời kỳ chống ách Đô hộ Bắc Thuộc.
- Ngô Quyên với chiến thuật sử dụng cọc gỗ trên sông Bạch Đằng
- Nhà Đinh với chính sách “ngự binh ư nông” (nuôi dưỡng, huấn luyện quân đội trong tập thể nông dân)
- Nhà Trần với quân đội được đánh giá là hùng mạnh nhất lịch sử Phong Kiến. Ba lần đánh bại quân Mông Nguyên (Mongols - Yuan). Bộ binh, thuyền chiến, kỵ binh, voi chiến đều phát triển mạnh mẽ.
- Thời nhà Hồ: sáng tạo ra súng Thần Cơ
- Nghĩa quân Lam Sơn với chiến thuật du kích, ẩn mình trong rừng núi để tiêu hao dần sinh lực địch (nhà Minh - Trung Quốc)
Các công trình tiêu biểu:
- Cố đô Hoa Lư (nhà Đinh). Một cấu trúc kiên cố, tận dụng lợi thế địa hình đồi núi cho việc phòng thủ.
- Hoàng thành Thăng Long (thời Lý - Trần). Biểu tượng của một thời kỳ phát triển vượt bậc, thịnh vượng, rực rỡ và độc lập. Đây có thể là một Wonder hoặc Landmark ấn tượng.
- Chùa Một Cột (thời Lý): Lấy cảm hứng từ Hoa Sen, thể hiện tinh thần vượt khó, vươn lên từ khó khăn của người Việt. Kiến trúc độc đáo của nó cũng cho thấy sự sáng tạo và trình độ xây dựng tiên tiến.
- Thành nhà Hồ: kiên cố, kỹ thuật độc đáo (xây dựng bằng đá phiến khổng lồ). Đã được UNESCO công nhận là Di sản Văn hóa Thế giới.
- Di tích Lam Kinh (thời Lê sơ): nơi an táng các vị Vua. Là biểu tượng của thời kỳ phục hưng và khẳng định nền độc lập.
- Điện Kính Thiên (thời Lê Sơ): thuộc Hoàng thành Thăng Long. Biểu tượng của văn hoá và sự phát triển khoa học kỹ thuật. Có thể là một Landmark ấn tượng khác.
- Tháp Rùa hồ Hoàn Kiếm: mặc dù hồ này gắn với truyền thuyết “Hoàn Kiếm” của vua Lê Lợi, còn Tháp Rùa được xây dựng sau này vào thời Pháp thuộc. Nhưng từ lâu, 2 hình tượng này đã luôn đi cùng nhau trong tâm trí người Việt.
Về văn hóa:
- Truyền thống bao đời nay của người Việt là tinh thần đoàn kết: quân đội và người dân luôn có sự gắn kết với nhau để tạo nên sức mạnh cộng hưởng.
- Vốn là một đất nước nhỏ bé, nhưng Việt Nam đã đánh bại nhiều cường quốc khác, lớn mạnh hơn, đến xâm lược.
- Những đặc trưng mang tính “tinh thần” này có thể được khai thác để đưa vào game, làm cho người chơi cảm thấy thú vị, nhận thấy được sự khác biệt và độc đáo khi trải nghiệm nền văn minh Việt Nam trong game.
Chúng tôi hoàn toàn hiểu rằng việc phát triển một nền văn minh mới đòi hỏi rất nhiều công sức và nghiên cứu kỹ lưỡng. Tuy nhiên, với bề dày lịch sử, sự đa dạng về quân sự và kiến trúc, cùng với tinh thần văn hóa độc đáo, Việt Nam có đầy đủ tiềm năng để trở thành một sự bổ sung tuyệt vời cho Age of Empires IV.
Chúng tôi sẽ vô cùng biết ơn và háo hức chào đón sự trở lại của nền văn minh Việt Nam trong Age of Empires IV.
Hi
Specifically with matchmaking - team games (where the teams are random players, not an organized team).
Sometimes players that are new, have no Elo, or with very low XP (only played a few games) get matched into a 2v2/3v3/4v4 with players of a much higher Elo (lets say > 1000).
Consequently, the game is most likely lost by one team even before it got going.
A suggestion for matchmaking improvements for this situation:
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Use Elo from another format (e.g. if player has Elo from 2v2, but not for 3v3, then initial 3v3 Elo is same as 2v2 Elo)
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If no Elo for any format, then start with 200 Elo, jumping 200 Elo for every win until it reaches equilibrium (mechanism stops when player has 40/60 game outcome ratio).
It is very disappointing playing a team game only to find out you never had a chance, or the other way round not satisfying to win under such circumstances - where one or two of your players were new.
Thanks!
3 Likes
The current state of economy in the game feels overwhelmingly strong, and something really needs to be done—especially regarding HOL eco and eco mechanics in general. Several aspects seem unbalanced, making eco booming too dominant and reducing strategic diversity.
Key concerns:
- Relics don’t provide nearly as much value as they should.
- Manors outperform relic income, removing the incentive to venture out onto the map.
- Age IV booming is excessively powerful, making late-game scaling too easy.
- Villager replacement is too forgiving for many civs, meaning that crippling an economy by killing 5–10 villagers barely has an impact.
These issues lead to a game where eco strategy often overshadow
