I've recently run into something I couldn't resist trying. The initial push began just about six days ago from a reply of a forumer concerning my modification, where he argued that Cuirassiers and Spahi were not exactly justified in their roles of "Heavy" Cavalry - I assume he meant they should have more hitpoints, or a melee resistance, with either less damage, or less area damage, or just more attack against individual units. Here is what he wrote, quoting from Heavengames.com:
Tediichan says:
- Tediichan
Posted on 07/12/13 @ 04:38 AM
Forgot to add this to before... I think it might be worthwhile to add in a building with the similar function as the observatory for the Asian nations. Maybe. just maybe...
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Posted on 07/12/13 @ 06:32 AM
I'd also like to see you make forts a constructible building for European nations... obviously I think you could make it limited to like 5 (6 for the French) but more forts because it'd be nice. Even if they have to be a bit pricey...
Also would it be possible to add a Fort-like building for the Asian nations and Native nations? It's an idea and I think it might help balance things.
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Posted on 07/18/13 @ 06:09 AM
Hey Murdilator. If you want to I got an idea for you. With the Asians having some sort of fort thing I guess you could make the Japanese and Chinese have a Wonder with a similar function to the Agra fort that the Indians have. I guess you could use the Summer Palace for the Chinese and Shogunate for the Japanese and make these two wonders able to defend themselves considering that they are a palace and castle. If possible also make them fire a bunch of arrows like in AOE II.
Please also rebalance the Chinese Changdao, Ottoman Spahi, French/Russian Cuirassier.
The CAV mentioned I feel aren't worth the 3 population in comparison to Mamelukes/Hussars. Changdao I feel aren't in line with related units being halberdiers.
It'd also be nice if you could increase the range of Hand Mortars so that they are better at countering artillery like Howitzers and Morutarus... 32 range is just not enough to counter the possible 50 range of Portuguese Howitzers. And the Chinese don't have any unit that can really counter artillery like that. I know chinese have Meteor Hammers which are awesome, but they are too easily beaten by Musketeers and Pikes.
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Now, specifically, I regarded the Heavy Cavalry Changes with quite interest. But I had already tested by myself Cuirassiers with melee resistance, higher hitpoints, a bonus versus infantry but no area attack - and this deviated too much from the original design. After conferring with Sporting_Lisbon, a friend and helper in balance about this option, he proposed that I could make a Medium Cavalry unit, that between a Hussar and a Cuirassier, expensive of course. I had in the scenario editor made already two models - the Heavy Dragoon and the Light Cuirassier. Originally both intended had an area attack, while both costed two population and related to a medium cavalry role.
However, as we both concluded, we realized that an expensive, over-effective 2 population cavalry unit could be a serious problem against spammers. And we both agreed that these new Medium Cavalry units should in no way be "Better" than their Hussar/Ulhan Counterparts, such that players no longer build those original cavalry units.
After some testing, I decided to put a build limit on these new units, and enable them only for certain civilizations. For the most part, we concluded that they would be for civilizations without heavy cavalry options. Also, we would take in historicity a bit, for example, that Portugal didn't have great cavalry. However, Germany did, and the only thing they get in Age of Empires III are Uhlans and War Wagons. That is not a large cavalry selection.
So, tentative statistics so far are thus:
Unit: Heavy Dragoon
Civilization: British
Age: Industrial
Upgrades: auto-Veteran upgrade (+20%), Horse Guards (+40%), Imperial Horse Guards (+50%), Cavalry Cuirass, Improvement Cards
Type: Medium melee cavalry, with an area attack and a high attack against villagers
Looks like: Cuirassier, tentatively a Cuirassier/Dragoon mix; will leave as Cuirassier for now
Cost: 160 food, 80 coin
Build Limit: 12
Train Points: 44
Population Count: 2
Bounty: 24
Hit points: 400
Armor: 0.20 ranged
Speed: 6.25
Siege: 22
Melee: 29, 1 area, 44 caption, 1.35x against villagers
Trample: 22, 3 area, 88 caption, 1.35x against villagers
Unit: Chevauxleger
Civilization: German
Age: Fortress
Upgrades: auto-Veteran upgrade (+20%), Guard Chevauxleger (+30%), Imperial Chevauxleger (+50%), Cavalry Cuirass, Improvement Cards
Type: Medium melee cavalry, strong against Infantry and other Hand cavalry
Looks like: Cuirassier
Cost: 135 food, 135 coin
Build Limit: 25
Train Points: 44
Population Count: 2
Bounty: 27
Hit points: 350
Armor: 0.20 ranged
Speed: 6.25
Siege: 24
Melee: 28, 1.4x against Infantry
Trample: 22, 3 area, 88 caption, 1.4x against Infantry
***These statistics may be subject to change
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After this discussion, and myself testing some of this, I also came to conclude that not only Cavalry would be wanted into the game, but special "Elite" units. By this, I mean adding an Imperial Age Tech at the Observatory that enables an Elite "Mercenary-type" unit in a small build limit at the Barracks, Fort and Galleon. In addition, these units will only cost 1 population, and you will only have a build limit of 10.
Examples:
Tech: Walloon Guards
Civilization: Spanish
Age: Imperial
Building: Observatory
Cost: 2000 Coin
Research Time: 60 seconds
Icon: Highlander
Effect: Delivers 10 of the Spanish Walloon Guards (Musketeers), and enables them to be trained in limited number from the barracks. Also grants Walloon Guards +40% Hitpoints and attack.
Unit: Walloon Guard, identical in statistics to the Scottish Highlander Mercenary
Civilization: Spanish
Age: Imperial
Upgrades: Socket Bayonet, Advanced Arsenal
Type: Elite Spanish Musketeer that excels against Hand Infantry and Cavalry
Looks like: Highlander
Cost: 200 coin
Build Limit: 10
Train Points: 40
Population Count: 1
Bounty: 20
Hit points: 400
Armor: 0.40 hand
Speed: 4.0
Siege: 40
Range: 12
LOS: 16
Ranged: 63
Melee: 32, 2.0x against Cavalry, 1.6x against Light Infantry
Tech: Atiradores (English: Tiradores)
Civilization: Portuguese
Age: Imperial
Building: Observatory
Cost: 2000 Coin
Research Time: 60 seconds
Icon: Cacadore
Effect: Delivers 10 of the Portuguese Atiradores (Skirmishers), and enables them to be trained in limited number from the barracks. Also grants Atiradores +40% Hitpoints and attack.
Unit: Atirador, slow, stealthy Cacadore with a ranged area attack
Civilization: Portuguese
Age: Imperial
Upgrades: Counter Infantry Rifling, Advanced Arsenal
Type: Elite Portuguese Skirmisher that excels against Ranged Infantry
Looks like: Cacadore
Cost: 100 food, 100 coin
Build Limit: 10
Train Points: 40
Population Count: 1
Bounty: 20
Hit points: 180
Armor: 0.60 ranged
Speed: 4.0
Siege: 16
Range: 24
LOS: 28
Ranged Attack: 50, 1 area attack, 75 caption, 2x vs Heavy Infantry, 2x vs Light Cavalry, 0.75x vs Cavalry, 0.75x vs Coyotemen
Melee: 8, 2x against Heavy Infantry, 2x against Light Cavalry, 0.75x vs Cavalry, 0.75x vs. Coyotemen
Of the units, these were the ones I have tested of adding in. Germany otherwise already has access to Musketeers lategame, so that rules them out for specialty units. France has the Old Guard, but not infinite amounts, so that may play a part in giving them 10 Elite Grenadiers build limit, which cost 1 population each; Counting the Ottoman Nizam-E-Cedit Infantry, which can be trained up to 40 Build limit, alongside Janissaries;
The Civilizations remaining are the Dutch, possibly the Russians (who, having access to up to 10 Cuirassiers lategame, might not need any boosts). Of course there are the Asian civilizations to consider, and I have not forgotten those. If needs be, maybe India could get a Colonial Lancer based on the Jat Lancer, and the Sowar could be made more anti-cavalry than anti infantry, hence the speed. After that, Zamburaks could have their historic role as an anti-infantry cavalry, as they actually wield an Abus Gun.
Tell me all what you think, and whether or not you have more suggestions to units that should/should not be added.
Note: I have begun to test Infantry Breastplate to give 0.10 armor to Pikemen units, and this seems to clear up the lack of Pikemen equality with Musketeer units lategame. Also, I intend, if Pikemen/Halberdiers are more boosted in armor, to make Dopplesoldners more anti-Pike than anti-cavalry unit, thus eliminating their annoying "tank" status. Hereafter, Germany could have access to Guard and Perhaps Imperial Pikemen.
best of regards,
murdilator
