Which civ should I go for?

[Highlander999]

I don't know, but the Ottos just don't feel right for me. Before in vanilla they felt really good but somehow they just don't seem to click for me. I'm thinking of trying out the Iro, bu I'm still not sure. Any advice?

[BashUgood]

Hi Highlander...

I was actually thinking about changing civs, but I'm probably just going to wait for the patch because who knows what civs might become OP or UP...

[Highlander999]

Yeah reading AGE3 Heaven I might give the Dutch a run for a while. They seem OP enough. I didn't use to be to bad with the Germans. Just a lot of effort getting my HC back up to a ggod rank again beacuase germans need those good cards

[Highlander999]

I've found the civ for me

THE PORTS

Although they are up I enjoyed playing with them. I just beat a M/Sarg with them through FF'ing. At the end he goes

"Ports are OP"

LOL What an idiot. I enjoy them though. Everyone underates them due to their poor econ at beginning but the tc in age 2 makes up for that I feel. Of course I have to play someone like a captain to see how I'm really doing, but I'm still really pleased.

[RascalJones]

I always liked playing the Ports, even though they (and I) were UP. I just had fun with them, even though I wasn't very good.

[BashUgood]

Actually at one point back in AoE3 Port was my main civ..

Mass Dragoons and Skirms is difficult to counter... also Dragoons are good to hit and run.
Though organ guns stunk, I'm not sure if they got any boosts because I stopped playing before TWC launched.

The second TC can be good to use for map control or you can use it to fortify your initial base and boom more, though map control should be a priority, I'm sure your not a noob and know this...

If you see me online give me a shout and we can do a mirror Port or something...

[Highlander999]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think organ guns got a slight boost. They just seem more powerful in TAD then they used to be. Yeah and your right. I'm not a noob

[Sporting_Lisbon]

Yes, they got two boosts through twc. Extra range, 10% more attack and 0.75 penalty instead of 0.50 against buildings.

Ports are a really nice civ to play, I just don't play them because japs fit better to my style :p

[lordandcount]

French is a good civ too play with, solid eco whole game, strong units and easy to master.

[Cyclohexane]

TC wagons also build faster but despite thier boosts, they also received indirect nerfs through the reduction in TC HP, the TC received a penalty multiplier versus artillery, and all melee cavalry received a boost to ranged resists (dragoons less effective). Not to mention many other civs received direct boosts.

However, the Ports are a great Team civilization. If you plan on playing mainly team games, go for it. If you plan on playing mostly 1v1, then ports are not the way to go. You can make them work with a nice FF and great mercs (ronin and marms) but in Colonial battles, you will struggle with no upgrade cards until Age 4.

The organ gun received boosts to damage but that was never its problem. The organ gun fires 6 shots at 33 siege damage each (going off my head here, numbers may be slightly off). Here is the problem in the programming, if the target dies, it stops firing (maybe after just 1 shot). That means anything else in the area does not receive any additional area damage. That is why falconets will always be superior since they only fire 1 shot and if the target dies, everything around it still is damaged.

The other problem with the ports is their many useless cards. Their really sweet shipments do not come until Age 4. I love the long range super dragoons combined with a few heavy cannons, but you will never make it to Age 4 in the majority of your 1v1 games and probably most of your team games as well. That means in most of the games, you are never using their strengths.

If you are talking about Ports, prepare to play your water game. If you are playing ports without boats, you are losing their main advantage (TC cover fire near the shore and early map control).

I like Ports and went through a phase where I played them primarily. They are fun to play and if your playing for fun, try them out. If you are playing for rating in 1v1, stay far away from this civilization, they are easy to rush or FF against and easy to tell what your strategy will be by your TC placement.

[djdan]

Japs are the best civ by far imo, both yumi spams and ashi spams are OP if you can use them right(at my level they are anyway). Most people think Japs go Ashi anyway, so more fool them when I go yumi lol.
They have different good things in each age.
Age 2 - Ashi can get 41 attack or something?
Age 3, good use of Daimyo means Rax in oppo base, if your attacking, fire arrows when en masse really murder, pretty cheap also.
Age 4 - Shogun(enough said), morutaru's(supped up mortars), Monks ability to use sabotage against oppo buildings causing 1500 damage then go in stealth(hide in oppos base)

[Navarone_Guy]

I'm glad you've seen the awesome power *cough cough wink wink* of the Ports and Germans! I could actually help you out a bit, though, cause they're my favorite and best civs. They're both so damn fun to play!

[Highlander999]

Board of Ports. Now trying Germans. I like being UP. No OP French, Dutch or Chinese for me

[djdan]

I wouldn't say French are OP i think they are quite balanced at the moment imo. Kinda like Japan

[BashUgood]

I agree with dan...

If French was Op then you would see alot more people using/exploiting them which is not the case unlike China for example.