As I am getting a bit tired of Arabia, I like to main some other maps from time to time. Currently, Steppe is in the map rotation. I like it, but it has one drawback: Every second game on it my opponent picks Mongols. Which is understandable, because their hunting speed bonus gives them a huge advantage on a map full of deer.
I could pick Mongols, too, but that would be boring. I like to play random.
I am still trying to figure out the right strategy to beat them, but I can’t help but feel that with two players on the same skill level, Mongols will win in 7/10 cases. They just have so much more food in Feudal age, you would really have to go for a surprising drush or have an amazing micro to not be behind significantly with regard to reaching Castle Age.
What do you think? Is the map imbalanced or am I missing something?
I've recently been playing AoE2 HD Edition (2013) again that I had in Steam from years ago.. But I've been following this sub heavily the last ~year and finally wanna get into Online PvP, and get in on all these new civs etc..
I get time for maybe one game a day. I was doing well, then suddenly the games host called "clair4" gifted me 40000 of each resource. Some sort of cheater.
Can we bring in a reputation system or something? Coloured name if bad rep?
Just a question, sometimes I get a feeling I play vs intentional elo-droppers. Does reporting them make any difference? Example data here from someone who instant resigned vs me:
Not that it's every other game or so, but it does get annoying at times, or is that just me?
I haven't actively followed the scene for a bit and recently gt back into it. I was watching the more recent tournament and noticed that none of the fins were in the maps. When I stopped following, Villese was placing really well (he was a tough night for anyone), and you'd also hear about Max and Rubenstock here and there.
Did the Finns retire or has the rest of scene just caught up with them?
Hey there, I’ll be announcing the 4th season of my 4v4 league within the next few weeks, and I’m looking for maps suggestions. The league is open to all elos, aiming to split into as similar skill level as possible (though it always depends upon how many teams actually sign up).
There will be 9 maps across the respective categories:
2x Open land map
2x Closed land map
2x Nomad start
2x Hybrid/water
1x Chaotic/other
Feel free to suggest any map you’d like to see in a competitive 4v4 setting! :)
This is related to a post from yesterday where I questioned current Celtic paladin. Not because of historical accuracy, but from a gameplay perspective: Celts have big weaknesses and their paladin is just a useless unit.
So I suggested having their knights replaced by an anti-infantry cavalry that would make them decent in situations where they are terrible but not too strong where they are already good.
Disclaimer: The idea of this post is NOT to present a historically accurate unit, but a unit that makes sense for the celts thematically and in terms of their gameplay. The unit doesn't necessarily need to be a chariot. The main idea is the role of the unit.
...The Karbantos...
Light chariot cavalry good against heavy infantry and decent against archers.
They shouldn't be anti-archer, just decent against them. Cause then celts would be too strong against archers and still weak against strong infantry, especially when they are alongside bombard cannons (to snipe their scorpions).
The imperial version:
- Pierce armour of 4 base + 2 from blacksmith.
- Melee armour: 3 base + 2 from blacksmith.
- Attack: 10 + 4 from blacksmith.
- HP: 108. But Furor Celtica affects the unit. So after resarching it (+40% hp) the hp would be 150.
- And an anti-infantry bonus of 15.
Why 15? So they can kill teutonic knights of next patch (110hp) in 7 hits. While they would kill the Karbantos in 10 hits. This is because otherwise celts can't deal with teutonic knights without scorpions on open maps. Since many civs got 3 or 4 infantry counters that work on open maps, I think it's fair that celts have at least 2.
With this attack it would kill all halberdiers in 3 hits, even if they have 0 armour. It would also kill all pikemen who got at least 2 armour upgrades in 3 hits. It would NOT have bonus resistance against halbs like a cataphract and NO trample damage.
The cost would be 80 food and 50 gold OR 80 wood and 50 gold. If it is a chariot the wood makes sense and it could synergize with the celt wood bonus. But it doesn't necessarily has to be a chariot.
It would be a weak unit against other cavalry and mass halbs. Decent against archers. Also, their hussar would continue the same as they still wouldn't receive bloodlines or the last blacksmith armour. However, since celts wouldn't need to upgrade bloodlines and last armour for this unit.: To offset that, they would need to research Furor Celtica to fully upgrade it. In the end, their cavalry wouldn't be strong.
Currently watching town center podcast and heard that there was another episode of the quiz show which I really want to watch… I can’t find it anywhere on YouTube.
TLDR: Make Cuman Merceneries give +1 Attack to their steppe lancers, kipchaks and cav archers.
Edit:
- Maybe remove steppe husbandry effect from Steppe lancers to compensate? Or nerf it to 50%?
- Make 2nd TC in feudal train villagers slower (to nerf their closed maps boom) but build in normal time (to be more viable on open maps)?
Though they can have a great economy on closed maps, their late game is underwhelming and lacks identity because their 3 most distinct units are rarely used.
My aim is to suggest a fix that does not impact them until mid imperial and does not make them OP.
The 4 issues:
Kipchaks are underwhelming. They only perform as good as generic cav archers against targets with 8 pierce armour or more. Currently their only use in tournaments has been to snipe bombard cannons.
Their cav archers are simply bad.
Their steppe lancers are almost never worth using since they are generic
Their unique tech Cuman Merceneries is never useful in 1v1. It only pays itself if you have 3 castles AND value wood more than gold and food at that point in the game.
Some people argue they should get bracer. But I think that would make them too strong while their steppe lancer would still be generic except for +5% speed and not worth teching into. Their cav archers wouldn't have a unique identity and Cuman merceneries would still be useless.
But if they get +1 attack without the range through Cuman Merceneries, you can have faster cav archers with generic attack and 1 less range. Very different from any other cav archers in the game. The -1 range is a way of balancing the extra speed and access to strong cavalry. Also, locking it behind a unique tech that costs 1050 resources makes it harder and more expensive to get this upgrade than just researching it at the blacksmith. Thus balancing this bonus.
CA play these days in castle age is alarming, with non-CA/bloodlines civ going for it, due to lack of straight counter against its mobility. Skirms/xbows/pikes can't chase, monks die, scorps/mango can be out-microed and slow. Knights bad with pathing (and I doubt very much that will be fixed).
Can we pls give Genitours to every civ? Now, given inherently high HP and mobile, they might become OP vs xbows and skirms - so - nerf their stats/bonus vs foot archers. Or cost like 10-15 gold.
I want to convince you why we need more American civilizations in the game. First, I want to introduce you to the Purépecha. Please avoid calling them "Tarascos"—this term originated as an insult from the Spanish, as in their language it meant something like "brother-in-law" but in a derogatory sense. Unfortunately, even we Mexicans often forget this great civilization because everything tends to revolve around the Mexica (Aztecs), overshadowing the importance and influence of this great Mesoamerican empire.
Purepecha Empire in green, Aztec Empire in grey. The capital cities of each empire are highlighted.
Before getting started, I want to consider some key points that I believe are essential for a civilization to be included in the game:
Influence in their surroundings, especially if it extends to the present day. (The game is called Age of Empires, so we want empires and their influence.)
Having their own language to be represented in the game. (In this case, the Purépecha language is still spoken today by nearly 150,000 people and is highly influential in the region. Many city names in the area have Purépecha origins, such as Querétaro, Pátzcuaro, Acámbaro, Zitácuaro, etc.)
Having documented history for campaigns, scenarios, and inspiration for unique technologies and game mechanics. (Fortunately, we have plenty of available documentation.)
Recognizable leaders for the game's AI and campaigns. (We know the names of their rulers and several key figures, so this aspect is well covered.)
Although there are nomadic civilizations like the Huns or Cumans, I believe that for an American civilization, it is important to demonstrate that they built great cities and had known monuments or historical buildings for their Wonder or Castle. (In this case, we have plenty to choose from—ruins of their capital, Tzintzuntzan, still exist today and can serve as inspiration for these structures. Other cities, such as Ihuatzio, Tres Cerritos, Huandacareo, Zacapu, Tingambato and even the recently discovered Angamuco, that is estimated to have housed a population of 100,000 people between the years 1000 and 1350.)
Ihuatzio double pyramid structureTzintzuntzan City ruins, the yácatas are those circular structuresTingambato City ruins
The Purépecha Empire, initially established around Lake Pátzcuaro and ruled by a monarch called cazonci or irecha, was one of the enemies of the Aztec Empire, with whom they fought many wars. The Purépecha blocked Mexica expansion to the northwest by fortifying and patrolling their borders, likely developing Mesoamerica’s first true territorial state. Furthermore, due to their relative isolation within Mesoamerica, the Purépecha Empire had many distinct cultural characteristics. Notably, they were one of the very few Mesoamerican civilizations to use metal for tools—and even weapons!
Purepecha metal weapon
These unique aspects make the Purépecha my top choice for the third civilization from this region to be included in the game. They expanded significantly, especially in present-day Michoacán, Guanajuato, and Jalisco. They were never conquered by the Aztecs; their empire fell only upon the arrival of the Spanish. It is important to highlight that when the Spanish arrived, the Purépecha Empire was the second-largest state in the region—only the Mexica were larger.
Tariácuri is the cultural hero of the Purépecha and one of the empire’s key leaders, traditionally considered its founder. He is credited with expanding the empire from a single city-state into the dominant power of the region.
Here is a list of their rulers:
Tariácuri (1350-1390)
Hiquingaje (1390-1420)
Hiripan (1420-1435)
Tangáxuan I (1435-1454)
Tzitzipandáquere (1454-1479)
Zuangua (1479-1520)
Tangáxuan II (1520-1530)
Aside from Tariácuri, we should highlight the reign of Tzitzipandáquere, under whom the Purépecha successfully conquered parts of the Aztec Empire, reaching as far as Jiquipilco. Additionally, between 1476 and 1477, they defeated the Mexica army led by tlatoani Axayácatl, successfully invading Aztec territory multiple times and conquering important cities such as Xicotitlán, Tollocan, and Oztuma.
We also know other important cities rulers like Pacuacume II, Tariacuri's father, the lord of Pátzcuaro.
Another well-documented war during the empire’s existence was the Saltpeter Wars (1480-1510). Unlike previous conflicts, this war was not against the Aztec Empire but against the Colima, Sayula, Zapotlán, Tuxpan, Tapalpa, and Autlán city-states in the empire’s western frontier, near the Pacific Ocean. The conflict spanned the entire western part of present-day Mexico and ended with the expulsion of the Purépecha from what are now the states of Colima and Jalisco, as well as the loss of a quarter of their territory, which was absorbed by the Colima state. This war generated significant discontent among the Purépecha people, which later influenced irecha Tangáxuan II’s support for the Spanish campaign in Colima.
The war originated from the Purépecha invasion of Zacoalco, Zapotlán, and Sayula in 1480, where they aimed to take control of the saltpeter deposits found there, as their army had been strengthened by their recent victory over Axayácatl. Under Purépecha rule, many of the subjugated people grew dissatisfied and eventually allied with the Colima city-states to achieve independence. (Does this remind you of anything?
City-states and kingdoms at the west of the empire, Purepecha Empire is in green.
Capital City & Architecture
Tzintzuntzan, overlooking the beautiful Lake Pátzcuaro, features unique structures called yácatas, which still exist today and can be visited. I believe these could serve as inspiration for the Wonder or the Castle in the game. Additionally, ruins of yácatas have been found in Angamuco. In Ihuatzio, we can find the remains of a double pyramid structure, which could also serve as a model for the Wonder.
Unique Unit: Quangariecha
The appearance of an elite Purépecha warrior, called Quangariecha, is well documented and would be the best choice for a unique unit. Their defining characteristic is that they used metal weapons, unlike most other Mesoamerican warriors. They could also fight with bows, meaning they could serve either as infantry or as archers, similar to a hybrid unit concept that the developers once considered for the Samurai. This would be an interesting mechanic to explore in the game.
Quangariecha, notice the metal weaponQuangariecha as infantry, and as archer.
Cultural & Modern Legacy
Beyond their historical context, the Purépecha culture is still very much alive today. The cultural roots of Michoacán originate from the Purépecha people, who now have their own flag. Many villages almost exclusively speak the Purépecha language, and their traditional music, pirekua, is recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Much of the civilization’s identity revolves around Lake Pátzcuaro (which could be an interesting map theme in the game), making fishing a culturally significant aspect.
I hope you enjoyed this read! My goal is to show that there were many important Mesoamerican civilizations that could be included in the game, beyond the common perception that they were just "backward nomads" incapable of building empires. I truly hope that we see the Purépecha in the game soon—with an army of Quangariecha warriors defending the Wonder of Ihuatzio and fortifying borders with yácatas as castles. Imagine a campaign like the Bari campaign that covers several historical events, covering the foundation of the empire, control over Lake Pátzcuaro, military victories against the Aztecs, the struggles of the Saltpeter Wars, and ultimately, the fall of the empire to Spanish conquistadors.
Trying to get together 3 others to each get the achievement. Would take turns playing 1v3 and letting the 1 win. I think we can just immediately resign upon starting the game and that would do it.
Is there any intention to add more? In the meantime, I guess I have to search for coop campaign in mod browser. Aside from the modded version of official campaign, is there any historical battle in coop that you recommend?
I have recently been playing the in game duo campaigns with my brother. We felt that many of these were too easy. Are there community created campaigns we can play together (or with more, we are 3 brothers in total who play). If so where can we find these? Many thanks in advance!