There're many good old traditions from Aoezone: The rants of Deathcounter, the photos of Eddie with beautiful ladies, the "DE is aweful" against "DE is amazing" war, among many others. And I like to believe that my balance toppic suggestions are becoming one of those. Even if it's only goal is to piss off certain well-know user who's name resembles the name of a UU.
Besides, since the beggining of the year, I have already had 4 ideas that have been implemented, and thus, I'm gonna give myself permission to take a chance once more.
Before starting, I just want to say that I know there're more importlaaaaaaaaaaaaagnt issues to solve, but I can't do anything about it. Also, I would like to stat that for me the game is in a great balance state, and just some minor changes should be done.
So, let's beggin:
Buffs:
Not to many civs are weak nowadays. I can only think of a few, and two of those have a problem on common: 100% dependency on their UU
Burmese: The first civ that depends too much on their UU. Without Arambai OPness, Burmese are left practically with nothing. Their cavalry is just standard (up to late imperial age), which is lackluster for a pocket civ. They infantry is excelent, but you don't pick civs for their infantry (except for Malians, maybe). My solution is to combine their 3 strong branches into a good synergie:
Barracks, Stable and monastery Units are more resistent to conversion
Basically, giving free faith to those units (and of course, removing faith from the tech tree) will give burmese some other strategy than Arambai. Their elephant will get an actual civ bonus (in comparision to Khmer ones, that get better bonuses for elephants) and also their knights, resulting this in Burmese being a decent knight civ, with the possibility of mixing in some elephants, withouth buffing their final stats. (barracks units don't need more convertion resistance, but sounds nice. free faith for monks it's maybe OP, so if too much of a bonus, then maybe only barrack and stable units could recieve the bonus) also, the bonus could be something between Faith and Teutons Team bonus, if Faith full effect is too OP
//EDIT
Other options I though for burmese are Skirms +1PA per age
It could be starting either in feudal or castle age. If is in feudal, they they will become suddenly great agains archers civs. If is in castle age, they will be more than decent against archers.
Also tough about giving Scout/knight/elephant line +2 damage against buildings in Castle age and +4 in imperial (numbers could be slightly different, maybe +3/+5 or +3/+6) as a civ bonus, and remove manipur cavalry, changing it for some other unique tech (Maybe a tech that does what Heresy does but only for elephants? IDK, something).
MY main goal is to take away the focus from Arambai and change it to the supposed civ theme, elephants and monks
//
Cumans: With recent kipchack nerf, cumans got hit hard. I think they could use a buff for early castle age, and considering they have the worst SL in the game, well that's the answer.
SL attack 10% faster or SL have +1 attack would make them really usefull for cumans, since with their quick creation time and cheap cost, SL could became a better option than knights after doing a 2-tc boom in feudal age (you make 4 stables and start pumping out SL)
Goths: The eternal quesiton. How to buff goths? I don't really like the free Loom thing. I would rather change it for hunt animals lasting 25% longer but it's just an idea. Otherwise, I think they should get Plate barding armor, to have a viable option besides infantry in late game
Indians: Indians lack an answer for 1v1 against anything that is not a cavalry civ. Plus, now with weaker hussars dealing with eagles is even harder. And I think the solution is elephants. No. not battle elephants. Archer ones.
So far, we have seen how civ identities have been changed, for the best (Koreans is the best example) so why not change an useless UU?
I propose to completely overhaul it: Less life (200 Hp - 250 for Elite), speed of 0.9, and fire several arrows (3 for non elite, 5 for elite). 7 damage first arrow, 2 damage other arrows and +1attack for arrow to Eagle warriors (or maybe just +3 attack to eagle warriors / + 5 for elite). Those are stats similar to chu ko nu. Of course, I'm just making numbers, since changing that much an unit need testing and balance, but I think something that way could be indian answer to archers and eagles (price and creation time of the unit could be also ajusted to balance).
Other Idea is Shatagni giving +10% extra accuracy on top of +1 range
that could both solve weakness against infantry and archers.
Italians: Still a little lackluster on land maps, but just a little. They only need something going for them on land. And being a jack of all trades civ, I think they need a generic bonus:
Military buildings cost only 100W
This would save a considerable amount of wood in the early game, allowing italians to go for an earlier feudal, into double ranges. While their archers main remain vainilla, they would have and edge on numbers.
Other options I tought about was 20% extra Hp for Skirms and Halbs (too similar to viet bonus, would help them holding on) and +1 melee armor to archers (good agains cavalry, but useless as a flank civ, since you're mainly facing archers)
I think cheaper military buildings would be the best for Italian, because synergies well with both the open tech tree and their cheaper advance through ages.
//EDIT
Also, changing the age up discount to 20% and the dock discount to 40% would make them better in land and worst in water at the same time
//
Malay: Oh boy, if there's a civ that hates DE is Malay. They being nerfed countless times, in an infinity of ways (Harbors have been nerf, forced levy, elephants in general, and their advance faster bonus has been nerfed). All in all, it's not a bad civ, and still full of options, but I think it could use one or 2 small buffs
Karambit cost now 25F 10G (-5g)
Harbors now do 4 damage (+1)
Small buffs for a civ that it's not bad, but could be better
Spanish: Same scenario than Burmese. Spanish without conquis, sucks. FU trash don't help trough the game, and having no significant eco bonus neither do. that being said, I came with an Idea that have both eco and military advantage:
Military units cost -15% food
Yes, I know this includes the Magyar bonus, but I also think magyar bonus could perfectly be 20%. Or maybe This new spanish bonus could affect everything except Scout line (and in that case, the bonus could be 20%).
Anyway, this would suit every spanish strategy, and make them more viable as a pocket/kight civ, exalting their good trash. The fact that you don't go archers with spanish only make this bonus better
Nerfs:
Mayans: For me, Mayans are still a little to good. 4 eco bonus for a civ is too much. They're that good that usually they don't need to go for obsidian arrows (put that in perspective).
I wouldn't know how to nerf them, but I'm pretty sure they culd be nerfed a little.
Tatars: Tatars last buff made them a little to good. They boom too well, and can go into CA inmediately, with free thumb ring. It's nuts. Plus, their have a pretty decent SL now, (1 armor and 2 PA it's quite good).
I think tatars should lose some part of their bonus: either getting 1 sheep when you get to feudal and 1 sheep per extra TC, Or just 2 sheeps when you get to feudal. That will help them to get through the early ages but won't give them the free boom they have right now.
Civ changes (not buff not nerf):
Saracens: I still keep thinking that Saracens archers are a little too good wasting buildings. I would change that somehow. probably, I would change their team bonus to Camels move 10% faster. That way, their camels will have something extra in castle age, and their archers will became siegy
//EDIT
As Ornlu Said in his video (and as I though before, along with some other well-know users) It will be great if saracens got a bonus for their castle age camels. Maybe 10 extra hp, and then adjusting zealotry (and Elite Mamelukes) along the way, to make FU saracens camels the same they're today, while giving some incentive togo for camels in castle age
//
Turks: While Usefull, Turks' scouts are a little OP, but most of all, they seem like an absolute unit. It's balanced, but sort of.
I think this change could be reversed, and give turks E. Skirm (and maybe some other minor bonus to compensate).
otherwise, you only have to make scout with turks. nothing else. your whole strategy can rely (in some cases) in spam one unit
---
And that's it people. feel free to critize, give your opinion, make questions and order pizza
Besides, since the beggining of the year, I have already had 4 ideas that have been implemented, and thus, I'm gonna give myself permission to take a chance once more.
Before starting, I just want to say that I know there're more importlaaaaaaaaaaaaagnt issues to solve, but I can't do anything about it. Also, I would like to stat that for me the game is in a great balance state, and just some minor changes should be done.
So, let's beggin:
Buffs:
Not to many civs are weak nowadays. I can only think of a few, and two of those have a problem on common: 100% dependency on their UU
Burmese: The first civ that depends too much on their UU. Without Arambai OPness, Burmese are left practically with nothing. Their cavalry is just standard (up to late imperial age), which is lackluster for a pocket civ. They infantry is excelent, but you don't pick civs for their infantry (except for Malians, maybe). My solution is to combine their 3 strong branches into a good synergie:
Barracks, Stable and monastery Units are more resistent to conversion
Basically, giving free faith to those units (and of course, removing faith from the tech tree) will give burmese some other strategy than Arambai. Their elephant will get an actual civ bonus (in comparision to Khmer ones, that get better bonuses for elephants) and also their knights, resulting this in Burmese being a decent knight civ, with the possibility of mixing in some elephants, withouth buffing their final stats. (barracks units don't need more convertion resistance, but sounds nice. free faith for monks it's maybe OP, so if too much of a bonus, then maybe only barrack and stable units could recieve the bonus) also, the bonus could be something between Faith and Teutons Team bonus, if Faith full effect is too OP
//EDIT
Other options I though for burmese are Skirms +1PA per age
It could be starting either in feudal or castle age. If is in feudal, they they will become suddenly great agains archers civs. If is in castle age, they will be more than decent against archers.
Also tough about giving Scout/knight/elephant line +2 damage against buildings in Castle age and +4 in imperial (numbers could be slightly different, maybe +3/+5 or +3/+6) as a civ bonus, and remove manipur cavalry, changing it for some other unique tech (Maybe a tech that does what Heresy does but only for elephants? IDK, something).
MY main goal is to take away the focus from Arambai and change it to the supposed civ theme, elephants and monks
//
Cumans: With recent kipchack nerf, cumans got hit hard. I think they could use a buff for early castle age, and considering they have the worst SL in the game, well that's the answer.
SL attack 10% faster or SL have +1 attack would make them really usefull for cumans, since with their quick creation time and cheap cost, SL could became a better option than knights after doing a 2-tc boom in feudal age (you make 4 stables and start pumping out SL)
Goths: The eternal quesiton. How to buff goths? I don't really like the free Loom thing. I would rather change it for hunt animals lasting 25% longer but it's just an idea. Otherwise, I think they should get Plate barding armor, to have a viable option besides infantry in late game
Indians: Indians lack an answer for 1v1 against anything that is not a cavalry civ. Plus, now with weaker hussars dealing with eagles is even harder. And I think the solution is elephants. No. not battle elephants. Archer ones.
So far, we have seen how civ identities have been changed, for the best (Koreans is the best example) so why not change an useless UU?
I propose to completely overhaul it: Less life (200 Hp - 250 for Elite), speed of 0.9, and fire several arrows (3 for non elite, 5 for elite). 7 damage first arrow, 2 damage other arrows and +1attack for arrow to Eagle warriors (or maybe just +3 attack to eagle warriors / + 5 for elite). Those are stats similar to chu ko nu. Of course, I'm just making numbers, since changing that much an unit need testing and balance, but I think something that way could be indian answer to archers and eagles (price and creation time of the unit could be also ajusted to balance).
Other Idea is Shatagni giving +10% extra accuracy on top of +1 range
that could both solve weakness against infantry and archers.
Italians: Still a little lackluster on land maps, but just a little. They only need something going for them on land. And being a jack of all trades civ, I think they need a generic bonus:
Military buildings cost only 100W
This would save a considerable amount of wood in the early game, allowing italians to go for an earlier feudal, into double ranges. While their archers main remain vainilla, they would have and edge on numbers.
Other options I tought about was 20% extra Hp for Skirms and Halbs (too similar to viet bonus, would help them holding on) and +1 melee armor to archers (good agains cavalry, but useless as a flank civ, since you're mainly facing archers)
I think cheaper military buildings would be the best for Italian, because synergies well with both the open tech tree and their cheaper advance through ages.
//EDIT
Also, changing the age up discount to 20% and the dock discount to 40% would make them better in land and worst in water at the same time
//
Malay: Oh boy, if there's a civ that hates DE is Malay. They being nerfed countless times, in an infinity of ways (Harbors have been nerf, forced levy, elephants in general, and their advance faster bonus has been nerfed). All in all, it's not a bad civ, and still full of options, but I think it could use one or 2 small buffs
Karambit cost now 25F 10G (-5g)
Harbors now do 4 damage (+1)
Small buffs for a civ that it's not bad, but could be better
Spanish: Same scenario than Burmese. Spanish without conquis, sucks. FU trash don't help trough the game, and having no significant eco bonus neither do. that being said, I came with an Idea that have both eco and military advantage:
Military units cost -15% food
Yes, I know this includes the Magyar bonus, but I also think magyar bonus could perfectly be 20%. Or maybe This new spanish bonus could affect everything except Scout line (and in that case, the bonus could be 20%).
Anyway, this would suit every spanish strategy, and make them more viable as a pocket/kight civ, exalting their good trash. The fact that you don't go archers with spanish only make this bonus better
Nerfs:
Mayans: For me, Mayans are still a little to good. 4 eco bonus for a civ is too much. They're that good that usually they don't need to go for obsidian arrows (put that in perspective).
I wouldn't know how to nerf them, but I'm pretty sure they culd be nerfed a little.
Tatars: Tatars last buff made them a little to good. They boom too well, and can go into CA inmediately, with free thumb ring. It's nuts. Plus, their have a pretty decent SL now, (1 armor and 2 PA it's quite good).
I think tatars should lose some part of their bonus: either getting 1 sheep when you get to feudal and 1 sheep per extra TC, Or just 2 sheeps when you get to feudal. That will help them to get through the early ages but won't give them the free boom they have right now.
Civ changes (not buff not nerf):
Saracens: I still keep thinking that Saracens archers are a little too good wasting buildings. I would change that somehow. probably, I would change their team bonus to Camels move 10% faster. That way, their camels will have something extra in castle age, and their archers will became siegy
//EDIT
As Ornlu Said in his video (and as I though before, along with some other well-know users) It will be great if saracens got a bonus for their castle age camels. Maybe 10 extra hp, and then adjusting zealotry (and Elite Mamelukes) along the way, to make FU saracens camels the same they're today, while giving some incentive togo for camels in castle age
//
Turks: While Usefull, Turks' scouts are a little OP, but most of all, they seem like an absolute unit. It's balanced, but sort of.
I think this change could be reversed, and give turks E. Skirm (and maybe some other minor bonus to compensate).
otherwise, you only have to make scout with turks. nothing else. your whole strategy can rely (in some cases) in spam one unit
---
And that's it people. feel free to critize, give your opinion, make questions and order pizza
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