So, there are a few civs that have civ bonuses that are missing key techs. This results in the civ being toned down. Examples:
Cumans. They are missing husbandry. IF ANY CIV deserves husbandry, its them. But, husbandry gives +10% mounted speed, and their mounted units get +15%. +25% mounted speed for a civ that gets no access to walls or bracer is apparently too OP. But why? They don’t get a fortress to retreat too, and with -1 range for their cav archers, they can’t hit and run good. If your gonna nerf the hit part, why also hitt he run part? Yes, you MIGHT not be able to catch their cavalry. And so what? Deal with it. Their buildings aren’t mobile. If you chase their cavalry off, go raid their base.
Byzantines. They get +40% building hitpoints in imperial age. But, hey they lack access to architecture and masonry. WHY? From a historical standpoint, the byzantine empire had GREAT architecture, not to mention masonry. They had some of the most impressive structures of the middle ages. Just look at constantinople. But, apparently +60% hp is TOO MUCH to deal with. Again… bad design choice.
Britons. They lack the thumb ring. The definitive tech for archers that would make longbowmen work like they did at agincourt, and they just HAD to be not get it.
Celts get wood chopping bonus, but no two man saws.
The result of these decisions is that ALL of the civs become very bland. Your civ bonuses are worthless, because you lack the tech to actually make them useful. And if you pick full tech trees you lose your civ bonus. You never get a situation where you can get the bonus and the tech to make it useful so you can have civs that break the mold. Its… sad.
Because that’s the design of the game. When you get a civ bonus that replaces something, you don’t get the tech, because you already got it for free via civ bonus. It’s why Franks don’t get Bloodlines. Their civ bonus gives it for free. So apply the same logic to the rest of your questions.
Celts is a good example too. You get the wood chop bonus already apply from dark age, making for a very smooth early eco. It also means delaying double bit axe for whatever reason will hurt you much less. and if you do get it, you already have castle age chop speed in Feudal. Gives you a kind of flexibility that most civs don’t get.
To be fair, Cumans are a badly designed civ, but not being able to get husbandry twice isn’t really the reason why.
Extreme bonuses are literally nightmare to balance.
And so what? Deal with it. Their buildings aren’t mobile. If you chase their cavalry off, go raid their base.
Raiding is not easy, and Cumans can always raid you before your raid comes in because of speed. 25% speed is just absurb, think twice why Teutons cavs are not the best even with the armor
They lack the thumb ring. The definitive tech for archers that would make longbowmen work like they did at agincourt, and they just HAD to be not get it.
Do you even care about balance? How to counter longbows if they have thumb rings?
I think all four civs you mentioned are far from bland - they have different use cases in different maps. The bonus may look small to you but it’s actually EXTREMELY huge already. You don’t need +100% range archers to make them out of the mold.
Sorry, what? Do you have any idea how important mobility is?
Yeah, +60% hp and fucking extra armor is way too much. Because you know those techs give extra armor too right?
Masonry is a technology in Age of Empires II available at the University. Once researched, it strengthens all buildings (except walls, Gates, Farms and Fish Traps) by providing +10% hit points, +1 armor, +1 pierce armor, and +3 building armor, making every building stronger.
Architecture is a technology in Age of Empires II that can be researched at the University once the Imperial Age is reached. Once researched, it strengthens all buildings (except walls, Gates, Farms, and Fish Traps) by providing +10% hit points, +1 armor, +1 pierce armor, and +3 building armor.
DO YOU EVEN THINK WHEN YOU WRITE THAT KIND OF STUFF JESUS CHRIST CAN YOU JUST IMAGINE HOW BROKEN BRITS WOULD BE WITH THUMB RING?
Those buff are stronger than the normal techs way more time than you think
He’s created 9 new topics since he made his account on the 18 (just in this sub forum) and doesn’t seem to understand that britons lack thumbring because 11/12 range archers with thumb ring, or cuman cavalry with +25% speed would be an utter disaster…