Best civ in N3O FP?

[murdilator]

Alright I've seen numerous threads about this for TAD, FP 1.2, and other things,

But what is the best civ in N3O FP, or the best 'civs'? Also, which civs are the worst? They are all very balanced, so its going to be hard to decide.

I'll give my pick:

1. Spain? (again strong FF and other things, such as improved lancers, better rodeleros, balanced pikemen and musketeers. Balanced Unction and a Gold tech. Definately one of my favorites).
2. Germany (good allround eco and military, especially with musketeers and improved Ulhans, Hungarian Hussars, perhaps a bit strong)
3. Russia (fun civ and a great eco/defense, but not OP. Perhaps could improve Church special new tech (Novgorod Pikemen))


Suffering civs: (or more like my disliked on Sup)

1. Sioux (lacking eco and walls, despite military being improved. They need some more sporadic early change, because the Bow Rider is returned to original stats and thus is quite untenable early on in the game. Perhaps making Cetans or Warclubs cost less wood would do this).
2. Japan (Bomb military, but weak base; have problems getting enough wood for their buildings)
3. Iroquois (still lagg behind, and need more eco help, or need an additional hand infantry unit)


Here are the patch notes if any of you were wondering (you have to download the patch notes at the end of the post):

6003/patch-notes-for-n3o-fp-1-3z2-now-new/


Just curious is you guys have any opinions, or even whether any of you still have interest in it.



regards,



murdilator

[Sporting_Lisbon]

Where can we see all the patch notes?

[murdilator]

Oh, it should be here at the download:


http://aoe3.heavengames.com/downloads/s ... ileid=3363


Or, you can download the (full) patch notes here at the end of this post:

6003/patch-notes-for-n3o-fp-1-3z2-now-new/

[Sporting_Lisbon]

Wow. I will surely have to give it a careful read tomorrow, it is huge! Nice work.

[murdilator]

I found some mistakes in the patch notes, and offer corrections here:

- Grenadiers have 4.20 speed (instead of 4.0)

- Military Drummers just gives +8% Infantry speed (not +8% Ranged Infantry and +10% Hand Infantry speed)

- Hatamoto Samurai HP is reduced to 425 (instead of 450) along with the other changes.

- Rocket Train points to 108 (but its not mentioned) and ROF increased to 6.0 (instead of 5.0). Also, Rockets only have increased attack against Infantry (they originally had 300 attack with 600 caption; this is not increased).

- Monitor ROF increased to 6.0 (instead of 5.0).

- Incan Huaminca have their attack increased to 18, cover attack to 9 (not mention in the patch notes)

- Custom Fusilier unit (non-mercenary version) has different stats than it says it does. (I was testing something for fun where it had 3.85 speed, 4 minimum range, 16 maximum range, 40 ranged attack with 4.0 ROF, 0,75x against villagers in ranged mode, and 18 hand attack at 1.75 ROF, with 2x against Cavalry, 1.6x against Light Infantry).


I think this will conclude the changes.

[Sporting_Lisbon]

I dunno if there are other changes concerning artillery but if taken from AS 1.2 rockets do decent vs dragoons and artillery but they're really subpar vs infantry. Heavy cannons are a much better deal even before nerf.

[Sporting_Lisbon]

I see that you made some more changes to cannons and rockets but cannons are still better thanks tithe multiplier. Also coin change to tomahawk totally changes the civ feel of needing only two resources.

Very interesting changes to sea warfare.

[Sporting_Lisbon]

Iro and Sioux with +1 vill sound like rushing nightmares but I will have to read all of it first to be sure. Russians and Aztec also got huge boosts while some are left with boosts at fortress age (Spain) or none at all (French). This would require some testing but it definitely sounds like a fun version.

[murdilator]

Hey thanks a lot!

I'm still finding some errors in the patch notes. Corrections:

- Cossacks retain their original armor (0.30)

- Castles have 3500 HP.

I've tested it quite well, but it still needs some early game balance here and there as you say. But Europeans are now able to be more dependent on their special church cards.

I do somewhat agree with the Iroquois dilemma. I know that the Iroquois on this patch have a surplus of wood from longhouses until later in the game, where they use it much more. But if your eco is prepared for the change, its not way to bad. Also, perhaps their buildings could be build faster (especially Warhuts).

Russia got fair boosts, but many nerfs for lategame, especially with fort-spamming. They can now only push forward, but without the third fort, don't have the ability to hop as easily, though fort hopping is still possible.

As I mentioned I think Germany is actually really strong, with a bit-over-improved mercenary boom/turtle (500 gold for Wallenstein's contracts), backed up with 9 Hungarian (Guard) Hussars from the Church Tech in Fortress for 1000 food. I tested this somewhat, but it may do to make Wallenstein's Contracts like 800 coin. Or Wallenstein's Contracts would make Mercenary Shipments only -50% cost, but not make them ship faster. Otherwise Germany is able to get to Fortress Age, upgrade Wallenstein's Contracts and order their first mercenary shipment without moving from their first silver mine (1000+500+500).
Since Germany now has Musketeers, it looks like they are the new power civ. (Tilly's Discipline also improves their skirmisher's and musketeer's attack by +10%).

France, true, has some things to worry about early, but we could give them back their shipment bonus of 5%, or add a "Revolutionary Infantry" tech at the church which gives them free minutemen or Colonial Militia (Perhaps 1 for every 2 minutes of the game). But I have improved the Code Napoleon Tech to give 4 coureurs, +10% gathering, and just +20% building cost (instead of +10% villager gathering and +50% building cost). Also they have a 4 Mameluke Upgrade in Industrial, which is very powerful.

Both Japan and India experience some early game problems if they don't rush; they don't have stable economies, though both have good booms. I was thinking Shrines could have a little boost. For India I don't know what to do, because their units are very strong and their boom has been improved. I guess we could make Castles give resources as well like Outposts? I also wonder if Japan could have better castles or defenses per say, thus improving their base (as Japan is famous for their castles). Perhaps +10% HP and +2 more starting range?

China is actually quite balanced now, but their hand mortars could do with 1 more range and LOS (currently 32 range, but 33 would allow them to push better).

As a final note I think I would make European and Asian ships a bit shorter than I have currently made them (by 20%), and perhaps some smaller ships +5% faster, which would improve water gameplay a good deal. Perhaps Docks could be slightly wider as well, preventing massive dock jam-ups (them overlapping each other) and preventing ships from being trained from docks. But increasing the width of the dock might make more fiascos with training ships than not. Overall, decreasing the warship length a bit would lead to some unrealism, but improved gameplay.

[Sporting_Lisbon]

I can help you testing some matchups. Tell me when you're gonna be online, or add me on either steam: sporting_lisbon ; or skype: sporting22563

[murdilator]

I'd have to get a new account, since mine was stolen a while back. I tried to contact ES, but the guy misunderstood what I said. The thing was that our original Vanilla CD got glitched up, the one that made the account, and then we borrowed a friends CD to re-install AOE3 after a computer crashed. So we ended up with a copy that doesn't work, and a friends copy (they had two and gave us one I think).

I don't have access to the game on online multiplayer atm. But I can still code if needs be.


Here was the active account, being used by someone else:

http://aoe3.jpcommunity.com/rating2/pla ... atestmatch


But I believe it must have been banned.

[Sporting_Lisbon]

That's a shame We can, however, use Game Ranger to play some games.

[murdilator]

Ah that would be fun! I've missed games with you and the others.

I just got gameranger. My Account is [N3O]murdilator.

Oh, by the way, have you tried the FP AI? If you give it 30% Handicap it can be quite competitive (if you play 2v2 or 2v3, for instance). For fun I suggest playing maps like Unknown and like that.

Or if you want a fun game, do a 1v2 on Post-Imperial DM, and give the comps 30% handicap. Then play a map like Painted Desert.

I also have Hamachi that I used to use for LAN games to work between my dad and I as well.

Steam is also a bit unreliable for me sometimes, idk. But my brother's steam account is [knight]murdilator and I believe mine is elawesome14 (just got it, but haven't checked in a bit since I haven't had access to the ordinary 'gaming' computer).