Post by friedrichpsitalon on Jul 25, 2006 19:22:51 GMT -5
In Civilization 3, Firaxis established something of a balanced-expansion tradition. Play The World (obviously) was a multiplayer-centric expansion, with a few bug fixes for single player. Conquests, on the other hand, tended to be a few bug fixes for multiplayer, and emphasized heavily on the single player experience. That tradition has continued into Civilization 4, but unfortunately for the ladder community, it seems the order of expansions has been reversed, and we’ll have to hope for better days when the (assumed; C2 and C3 had two expansions) second expansion arrives. In short, Warlords is a SP-centric expansion, with a few bones thrown in for MP.
Having said that, there are materials in Warlords that should make the MP community fairly happy. We have new toys to play with and new theories/strategies to try out. The new civs, the tweaking of ancient combat units, and the addition of Great Generals will keep us busy – but to be frank, if you’re expecting Warlords to knock your socks off, you’re going to be disappointed. It’s not a bad expansion… but it is a pretty average one.
The information in this review is based on a “Good, Okay, Bad” sort of format – and civilizations, features, and tweaks will be found spread throughout the article accordingly.
Disclaimer: I have not been as exactingly specific in this review as I’ve been in previous ones, partially because of my associations with Firaxis, and also because every major civ site probably already has all that information up. In a few areas, I haven’t be tremendously specific because some of the mechanics aren’t readily available/obvious, and it isn’t my place to reveal them on “day one,” when I’m sure I wouldn’t have figured them out for a little while. All the same, I think most people will find this review comprehensive and interesting reading.
Steps Forward: Traits, Civs, Tweaks and Clicky-Boxes[/u]
You'll quickly discover that there are THREE new traits here in Warlords: Imperialist, Protective, and Charismatic.
The Traits
Imperialist - 50% Bonus to settler generation, 100% Great General Generation, No Cheap Building
This trait avoids being utterly broken because of the rather nasty maintenance cap we've all come to know and love… and of course the minor issue of your neighbors beating you into oblivion if you expand too quickly. There's no denying that it will help get your cities on the ground faster, though, which can pay dividends as the game advances and your cities are more mature, etc. The faster Great General generation isn't as big as it sounds, but it is a nice secondary bonus - how useful it is depends on (obviously) how much fighting you do, and how impressive you think the Generals are.. and whether or not you know how to use them.
Protective- Archery and Gunpowder Units start with City Garrison I, Drill I, Cheap Walls and Castle
The popularity of this trait will depend very heavily on the play style of the person behind it. Aggressive players who don't bother with choking will hate it - players who tend to play a more defensive game will love it as much as warmongers love the Aggressive trait. Walls and Castles can actually be made in "reaction" time with this trait (particularly if you also have Stone, which speeds these structures now as well!)
Charismatic - Units require 25% less experience per level, +1 per city, +1 from Monument, Broadcast Tower
Hang on to your hats and meet the trait that might just be the most popular trait of MP in times yet to come. Units that climb in level faster and cities that tolerate slavery/growth more easily? What's not to love? Sure, the Broadcast tower is a yawner, but who needs it?
The Civs
The new civilizations are one of the brighter spots in the Warlords picture. Each of them opens a new potential strategy for players to examine.
Carthage, led By Hannibal (FIN/CHA)
Unique Unit: Numidian Cavalry – a horse archer with 5 strength, that gets a 50% bonus vs. Melee
Unique Building: The “Cothon” replaces the harbor, giving one additional trade route in addition to a normal harbor’s bonuses.
Carthage offers up a surprising possibility in the ancient era – a horse-based UU rush that can succeed in the presence of metals in your opponents hand. The lower strength of the UU means that you’ll need more units to get the job done than someone with horse archers, but you won’t be stopped cold by spears if Hannibal is in command. Defensively, Numidian Cavalry present a difficult problem to attackers – archers in rugged terrain or horse archers of your own may be your best “stack defense” against Numidian counterattack. Alternatively, Hannibal’s traits are nicely balanced for peace as well – we all know what financial civs can do when left alone. Hannibal will be a common sight on the MP field.
The Celts, led by Brennus (SPI/CHA)
Unique Unit: Gallic Warrior – a sword that starts with Guerilla I, and is capable of reaching Guerilla III. (Yes, that’s three.)
Unique Building: The “Dun” replaces the wall, giving all units that are produced in that city Guerilla I along with standard wall bonuses. (The Guerilla effect goes obsolete with Rifling to avoid some silly balance problems with more modern units.)
The Celts are a civ with a great deal of potential for mischief, but sadly, not a lot of potential for destruction. Their time of dominance – the ancient/classical eras – is not an era that the Celts will be particularly feared. Yes, a Celtic archer built in a Dun-town will be a real pain to kick off a hill. Yes, Celtic hill-cities will be a nightmare. Yes, a Gallic Warrior that reaches Guerilla III can attack a unit on a hill with no fear of the hill defensive bonus…..but players who use the Celts, militarily, will find themselves looking for more. The Celtic traits are nice, but aside from quick-switching for low-impact slavery, there is no real synergy between them. While some enterprising players may discover pet strategies for the Celts, don’t expect to see Brennus take the field too often, too effectively.
Korea, lead by Wang Kon (FIN/PRO)
Unique Unit: Hwacha – a catapult with a 50% bonus against melee units in direct combat (no bonus damage to collateral damage)
Unique Building: Seowon – a university with a 10% bonus to beaker production
Turtle-and-build players have a new hero in Wang Kon. The protective trait is quite potent in allowing a player to defend his cities, and as we all know, the financial trait can be most impressive in the hands of a civ that is left in peace. The Hwacha – arguably the most powerful unique unit introduced in the expansion – can devastate attacking stacks of axes, spears and swords. Offensively, Hwachas force opposing players to build more archers than axes if they wish to defend their cities effectively. Odds are that you won’t see too many offensive Hwacha crusades, since the era of the catapult is also the era of building big, which is what most players who choose Korea will prefer. Still, the Civilization 3 “Biggest Joke of Multiplayer” is now one of the biggest fish in the Civilization 4 sea.
The Ottoman Empire, led by Mehmed II (EXP/ORG)
Unique Unit: Janissary – musket with 25% bonus vs Archery, Melee, and mounted units
Unique Building: Hammam – an aqueduct that also gives two happiness.
The Ottoman Empire is probably one of the most dangerous civs to see ahead of you in technology in the early stages of the game. While the Ottoman traits are not particularly devastating early on – they can support extra cities and those cities will grow more swiftly – they can allow for a quietly flourishing empire that won’t get anyone’s attention early on. Then you find out the Ottomans have been beelining to Gunpowder, and behold – the Janissary is the ultimate “old unit killer.” Once Janissaries take the field, the Ottomans only need to build one unit for attack and defense until more advanced units appear. While macemen and knights can potentially tangle with muskets, they are fodder for a Janissary. In simplest terms: the Ottomans are a bit of a technology gambit, but if you can pull off a “Janissary Ambush,” you can cause a lot of trouble.
The Vikings, led by Ragnar (AGR/FIN)
Unique Unit: Berserker – maceman with amphibious and 10% city attack
Unique Building: Trading Post – Lighthouse that also grants Navigation 1 for units built there
The ever popular Vikings make their return to Civilization 4, becoming more potent by far than the C3C Vikings by far. The Viking civilization is very well designed to do one thing, and do it well: raise hell by sea. Faster boats mean less (or no!) warning of attacks coming in at any era, not just the era of the Berserker. (Think about transports in future era games that already start with Navigation 1!) The Berserker, though, makes the feudal era especially nerve-wracking for Viking opponents. One of the biggest drawbacks to the Maceman who comes stomping towards you with multiple city attack promotions is that you can see him coming for awhile, and counterattack him on the way, etc. The Berserker, striking by sea, provides very little warning and consequently makes planting cities on the seashore a very risky proposition indeed: do you found port cities to enjoy their benefits, and try to beat the Viking boats before they reach your shores, or do you shy away from the sea, playing it safe, but losing out on coastal trade? Expect to make that decision as you face the Vikings – frequently.
The Zulu, led by Shaka (AGR/EXP)
Unique Unit: The Impi – spear with Mobility promotion at start
Unique Building: Ikhanda – barracks with 20% city maintenance discount
Because of the nature of “rock paper scissors” combat in Civilization 4, designing a UU that could genuinely be a “choke” unit is a lot more challenging. While the Skirmisher has some potential for that, much in the same manner as C3C’s Sumerian Enkidu, Civ 4 gave us no “dancing choker” the way the C3 Impi used to be. No longer – the Zulu have returned, and with them, the ever-annoying Impi. Probably more balanced than the C3C version, the new Impi is capable of being quite an annoying choker with pillage-and-move tactics, but is still quite vulnerable to axes when out in the open. An Impi in on more rugged terrain, though, can pose some threat even to axes – and with mobility, getting into rugged terrain will be no problem. More interesting, though, are the possibilities for small groups of Impis to strike inner cities at high speed, before more defenders arrive. (Impis, after all, move at the same speed as troops on roads!) The Ikhanda is deceptive in its apparent power, though – 20% less city maintenance doesn’t tend to have an effect until cities become fairly expensive due to size, distance, or number. As a result, Shaka must be careful not to overexpand too fast or strike too often. A new Zulu powerhouse or a nearly-was-a-contender? The answer isn’t clear… but the Impis bear watching.
The Tweaks
A great deal of focus was given to tweaking combat in the ancient, classical, and medieval eras to help balance what was a good – but not great – combat system. The big points:
The problem of axes
Everyone knows that axemen, not archers, were oftentimes the most common city defender of Civ 4. Axes had no real counter, except to throw other axes at them. An axe in rough terrain simply became unmovable without taking ugly losses. With Warlords, this is no longer the case: Chariots now get a 100% bonus against Axes only, and can be built after Horse Archers are available. This also assists the chariot’s era of usability, which was a bit short in Civilization 4.
Speaking of Horse Archers…
Melee and gunpowder units, intended to be the city-taking units, were often being supplanted by cavalry units. Sure, cavalry don’t get City Attack, but the speed of their attack often made them more worthwhile city-takers. As a result, in Warlords, all mounted units have a slightly weaker ability to attack cities: a -10% penalty. (Argument from realism: Horses don’t fight well on city streets.)
Rub a dub dub, three men in a …Trireme?
Naval combat in the pre-ocean era was very simple: “who has more galleys?” Now the more advanced-era combat model stretches back to the ancient era – the Trireme is a combat vessel with bonuses against Galley, forcing us to bring Triremes to guard our Galleys, since Triremes have no capacity of their own to haul troops.
When flinging one rock at a time just won’t do!
The siege category is the smallest in Civilization 4, but it has one new member. Trebuchets appear at Engineering, and are the first true “city attack” siege – possessing a very low strength, but a 100% bonus against cities. An ancient unit – the chariot – can match a Trebuchet in the field, but a longbow has cause for concern when a trebuchet trundles up to the walls.
Castles: Who knew what stone could do?
Since Castles come so near the beginning of the gunpowder era (and therefore their own obsolescence) it seems entirely reasonable that another bonus should be added to get these buildings to appear more often: 1 extra trade route.
Having said that, there are materials in Warlords that should make the MP community fairly happy. We have new toys to play with and new theories/strategies to try out. The new civs, the tweaking of ancient combat units, and the addition of Great Generals will keep us busy – but to be frank, if you’re expecting Warlords to knock your socks off, you’re going to be disappointed. It’s not a bad expansion… but it is a pretty average one.
The information in this review is based on a “Good, Okay, Bad” sort of format – and civilizations, features, and tweaks will be found spread throughout the article accordingly.
Disclaimer: I have not been as exactingly specific in this review as I’ve been in previous ones, partially because of my associations with Firaxis, and also because every major civ site probably already has all that information up. In a few areas, I haven’t be tremendously specific because some of the mechanics aren’t readily available/obvious, and it isn’t my place to reveal them on “day one,” when I’m sure I wouldn’t have figured them out for a little while. All the same, I think most people will find this review comprehensive and interesting reading.
Steps Forward: Traits, Civs, Tweaks and Clicky-Boxes[/u]
You'll quickly discover that there are THREE new traits here in Warlords: Imperialist, Protective, and Charismatic.
The Traits
Imperialist - 50% Bonus to settler generation, 100% Great General Generation, No Cheap Building
This trait avoids being utterly broken because of the rather nasty maintenance cap we've all come to know and love… and of course the minor issue of your neighbors beating you into oblivion if you expand too quickly. There's no denying that it will help get your cities on the ground faster, though, which can pay dividends as the game advances and your cities are more mature, etc. The faster Great General generation isn't as big as it sounds, but it is a nice secondary bonus - how useful it is depends on (obviously) how much fighting you do, and how impressive you think the Generals are.. and whether or not you know how to use them.
Protective- Archery and Gunpowder Units start with City Garrison I, Drill I, Cheap Walls and Castle
The popularity of this trait will depend very heavily on the play style of the person behind it. Aggressive players who don't bother with choking will hate it - players who tend to play a more defensive game will love it as much as warmongers love the Aggressive trait. Walls and Castles can actually be made in "reaction" time with this trait (particularly if you also have Stone, which speeds these structures now as well!)
Charismatic - Units require 25% less experience per level, +1 per city, +1 from Monument, Broadcast Tower
Hang on to your hats and meet the trait that might just be the most popular trait of MP in times yet to come. Units that climb in level faster and cities that tolerate slavery/growth more easily? What's not to love? Sure, the Broadcast tower is a yawner, but who needs it?
The Civs
The new civilizations are one of the brighter spots in the Warlords picture. Each of them opens a new potential strategy for players to examine.
Carthage, led By Hannibal (FIN/CHA)
Unique Unit: Numidian Cavalry – a horse archer with 5 strength, that gets a 50% bonus vs. Melee
Unique Building: The “Cothon” replaces the harbor, giving one additional trade route in addition to a normal harbor’s bonuses.
Carthage offers up a surprising possibility in the ancient era – a horse-based UU rush that can succeed in the presence of metals in your opponents hand. The lower strength of the UU means that you’ll need more units to get the job done than someone with horse archers, but you won’t be stopped cold by spears if Hannibal is in command. Defensively, Numidian Cavalry present a difficult problem to attackers – archers in rugged terrain or horse archers of your own may be your best “stack defense” against Numidian counterattack. Alternatively, Hannibal’s traits are nicely balanced for peace as well – we all know what financial civs can do when left alone. Hannibal will be a common sight on the MP field.
The Celts, led by Brennus (SPI/CHA)
Unique Unit: Gallic Warrior – a sword that starts with Guerilla I, and is capable of reaching Guerilla III. (Yes, that’s three.)
Unique Building: The “Dun” replaces the wall, giving all units that are produced in that city Guerilla I along with standard wall bonuses. (The Guerilla effect goes obsolete with Rifling to avoid some silly balance problems with more modern units.)
The Celts are a civ with a great deal of potential for mischief, but sadly, not a lot of potential for destruction. Their time of dominance – the ancient/classical eras – is not an era that the Celts will be particularly feared. Yes, a Celtic archer built in a Dun-town will be a real pain to kick off a hill. Yes, Celtic hill-cities will be a nightmare. Yes, a Gallic Warrior that reaches Guerilla III can attack a unit on a hill with no fear of the hill defensive bonus…..but players who use the Celts, militarily, will find themselves looking for more. The Celtic traits are nice, but aside from quick-switching for low-impact slavery, there is no real synergy between them. While some enterprising players may discover pet strategies for the Celts, don’t expect to see Brennus take the field too often, too effectively.
Korea, lead by Wang Kon (FIN/PRO)
Unique Unit: Hwacha – a catapult with a 50% bonus against melee units in direct combat (no bonus damage to collateral damage)
Unique Building: Seowon – a university with a 10% bonus to beaker production
Turtle-and-build players have a new hero in Wang Kon. The protective trait is quite potent in allowing a player to defend his cities, and as we all know, the financial trait can be most impressive in the hands of a civ that is left in peace. The Hwacha – arguably the most powerful unique unit introduced in the expansion – can devastate attacking stacks of axes, spears and swords. Offensively, Hwachas force opposing players to build more archers than axes if they wish to defend their cities effectively. Odds are that you won’t see too many offensive Hwacha crusades, since the era of the catapult is also the era of building big, which is what most players who choose Korea will prefer. Still, the Civilization 3 “Biggest Joke of Multiplayer” is now one of the biggest fish in the Civilization 4 sea.
The Ottoman Empire, led by Mehmed II (EXP/ORG)
Unique Unit: Janissary – musket with 25% bonus vs Archery, Melee, and mounted units
Unique Building: Hammam – an aqueduct that also gives two happiness.
The Ottoman Empire is probably one of the most dangerous civs to see ahead of you in technology in the early stages of the game. While the Ottoman traits are not particularly devastating early on – they can support extra cities and those cities will grow more swiftly – they can allow for a quietly flourishing empire that won’t get anyone’s attention early on. Then you find out the Ottomans have been beelining to Gunpowder, and behold – the Janissary is the ultimate “old unit killer.” Once Janissaries take the field, the Ottomans only need to build one unit for attack and defense until more advanced units appear. While macemen and knights can potentially tangle with muskets, they are fodder for a Janissary. In simplest terms: the Ottomans are a bit of a technology gambit, but if you can pull off a “Janissary Ambush,” you can cause a lot of trouble.
The Vikings, led by Ragnar (AGR/FIN)
Unique Unit: Berserker – maceman with amphibious and 10% city attack
Unique Building: Trading Post – Lighthouse that also grants Navigation 1 for units built there
The ever popular Vikings make their return to Civilization 4, becoming more potent by far than the C3C Vikings by far. The Viking civilization is very well designed to do one thing, and do it well: raise hell by sea. Faster boats mean less (or no!) warning of attacks coming in at any era, not just the era of the Berserker. (Think about transports in future era games that already start with Navigation 1!) The Berserker, though, makes the feudal era especially nerve-wracking for Viking opponents. One of the biggest drawbacks to the Maceman who comes stomping towards you with multiple city attack promotions is that you can see him coming for awhile, and counterattack him on the way, etc. The Berserker, striking by sea, provides very little warning and consequently makes planting cities on the seashore a very risky proposition indeed: do you found port cities to enjoy their benefits, and try to beat the Viking boats before they reach your shores, or do you shy away from the sea, playing it safe, but losing out on coastal trade? Expect to make that decision as you face the Vikings – frequently.
The Zulu, led by Shaka (AGR/EXP)
Unique Unit: The Impi – spear with Mobility promotion at start
Unique Building: Ikhanda – barracks with 20% city maintenance discount
Because of the nature of “rock paper scissors” combat in Civilization 4, designing a UU that could genuinely be a “choke” unit is a lot more challenging. While the Skirmisher has some potential for that, much in the same manner as C3C’s Sumerian Enkidu, Civ 4 gave us no “dancing choker” the way the C3 Impi used to be. No longer – the Zulu have returned, and with them, the ever-annoying Impi. Probably more balanced than the C3C version, the new Impi is capable of being quite an annoying choker with pillage-and-move tactics, but is still quite vulnerable to axes when out in the open. An Impi in on more rugged terrain, though, can pose some threat even to axes – and with mobility, getting into rugged terrain will be no problem. More interesting, though, are the possibilities for small groups of Impis to strike inner cities at high speed, before more defenders arrive. (Impis, after all, move at the same speed as troops on roads!) The Ikhanda is deceptive in its apparent power, though – 20% less city maintenance doesn’t tend to have an effect until cities become fairly expensive due to size, distance, or number. As a result, Shaka must be careful not to overexpand too fast or strike too often. A new Zulu powerhouse or a nearly-was-a-contender? The answer isn’t clear… but the Impis bear watching.
The Tweaks
A great deal of focus was given to tweaking combat in the ancient, classical, and medieval eras to help balance what was a good – but not great – combat system. The big points:
The problem of axes
Everyone knows that axemen, not archers, were oftentimes the most common city defender of Civ 4. Axes had no real counter, except to throw other axes at them. An axe in rough terrain simply became unmovable without taking ugly losses. With Warlords, this is no longer the case: Chariots now get a 100% bonus against Axes only, and can be built after Horse Archers are available. This also assists the chariot’s era of usability, which was a bit short in Civilization 4.
Speaking of Horse Archers…
Melee and gunpowder units, intended to be the city-taking units, were often being supplanted by cavalry units. Sure, cavalry don’t get City Attack, but the speed of their attack often made them more worthwhile city-takers. As a result, in Warlords, all mounted units have a slightly weaker ability to attack cities: a -10% penalty. (Argument from realism: Horses don’t fight well on city streets.)
Rub a dub dub, three men in a …Trireme?
Naval combat in the pre-ocean era was very simple: “who has more galleys?” Now the more advanced-era combat model stretches back to the ancient era – the Trireme is a combat vessel with bonuses against Galley, forcing us to bring Triremes to guard our Galleys, since Triremes have no capacity of their own to haul troops.
When flinging one rock at a time just won’t do!
The siege category is the smallest in Civilization 4, but it has one new member. Trebuchets appear at Engineering, and are the first true “city attack” siege – possessing a very low strength, but a 100% bonus against cities. An ancient unit – the chariot – can match a Trebuchet in the field, but a longbow has cause for concern when a trebuchet trundles up to the walls.
Castles: Who knew what stone could do?
Since Castles come so near the beginning of the gunpowder era (and therefore their own obsolescence) it seems entirely reasonable that another bonus should be added to get these buildings to appear more often: 1 extra trade route.