Balance Changelog

For the Changelog in Age of Empires II: 2013, please check here.

Changelogs

April ’21 Patch

• General: (Elite) Steppe Lancer -5g cost
• General: Cannon Galleons are no longer locked behind their own technology, only Chemistry is required now
• Burgundians: Economy upgrades cost -50% food in addition to being available one age earlier
• Burgundians: Relic food production now matches the gold production (20 -> 30 food/min)
• Burgundians: Burgundian Vineyards converts half of the available food into gold, farmer gold generation rate increased by 33%
• Burgundians: Flemish Militia -4 attack vs cavalry (from 12 to 8), -2 attack vs camels/ships (from 8 to 6)
• Cumans: Teambonus: Walls +33% HP (from 50%)
• Franks: Bearded Axe UT is now available in the Castle Age while the Chivalry UT is now available in the Imperial Age
• Franks: Bearded Axe now costs 300f 300g (from 400f 400g)
• Franks: Chivalry now costs 600w 500g (from 400w 400g)
• Incas: Villagers affected by Blacksmith upgrades starting in castle age
• Malay: Fish Traps provide 300% food instead of an unlimited amount
• Malay: (Elite) Karambit Warrior attack increased to 7/8 (from 6/7)
• Malay: Battle Elephants cost -30% in Castle, -40% in Imperial Age (from -30%)
• Mongols: (Elite) Mangudai speed reduced to 1.4 (from 1.45)
• Portuguese: Secondary Organ Gun projectiles now consistantly deal 2 damage (from 1 or 2 depending on whether they hit the “intended” target)
• Sicilians: First Crusade makes units more resistant to conversion (same effect as Faith) as an extra effect
• Sicilians: Feudal Age Serjeants +1 melee armor (from 1 to 2)
• Sicilians: Castle Age Serjeants now have 65 hitpoints (from 60), Elite Serjeants now have 85 hitpoints (from 75)
• Sicilians: Donjons cost -25 stone (from 200 to 175)
• Sicilians: Receive Siege Onager upgrade

January ’21 Hotfix

• Burgundians: Coustillier charge damage reduced to +25 (from +35), +30 for Elite (from +40)
• Burgundians: Coustillier (including Elite) no longer deal double the intended charge damage versus archer-type units.
• Sicilians: On maps with a nomad-style start the first town center being built no longer benefits from the Sicilian construction speed bonus.
• Sicilians: Bonus resistance no longer applies to siege weapons
• Sicilians: First Crusade: Number of Serjeants spawned per town center reduced to 7 (from 10)
• Sicilians: Can no longer build Donjons using Serjeants in Battle Royale (they weren’t disabled correctly)

January ’21 Patch

• [UI] General: Statistics received from automatic upgrades are now displayed as the base unit stats (for example feudal scout cavalry attack display is now 5 instead of 3+2)
• General: Palisade Walls and Gates hitpoints reduced by 40% in the Dark Age
• General: Fixed an issue with Heated Shot not affecting secondary arrows of Castles and towers
• General: Bonus starting units are no longer duplicated for each Town Center on maps with more than one starting Town Center (affects Chinese, Mayans and Incas)
• General: Reduced (Heavy) Cavalry Archer attack delay by 11.5%
• Bulgarians: Dismounted Konnik -2 LoS
• Burmese: Arambai missed shots deal 100% damage (from 50%)
• Burmese: Arambai reload time -0.2 (from 2.2 to 2)
• Burmese: (Elite) Arambai attack reduced to 12/15 (from 17/19)
• Franks: Foragers work 15% faster (from 25%)
• Franks: Lose Treadmill Crane
• Huns: Atheism no longer reduces the cost of spies/treason, now also reduces enemy relic resource income by 50%
• Italians: Dock technologies 33% cheaper (from 50%), now affects University technologies as well
• Italians: (Elite) Genoese Crossbowman costs 45 wood 40 gold (from 45 wood 45 gold)
• Khmer: Lose Treadmill Crane
• Koreans: Receive Elite Cannon Galleon upgrade
• Mayans: Obsidian Arrows replaced, new UT: Hul’che Javelineers: Skirmishers throw a second projectile
• Saracens: Lose archers attack vs buildings bonus
• Saracens: Team Bonus: Foot Archers +2 attack versus buildings (from +1)
• Saracens: Camel units +10 HP
• Saracens: Zealotry cost reduced to 500f 450g (from 750f 700g), effect reduced to +20 HP
• Slavs: Lose Treadmill Crane
• Tatars: Extra sheep spawn starting in Castle Age and only from additional town centers
• Tatars: (Elite) Keshik cost increased to 60f 40g (from 50f 40g)

November ’20 Patch (Anniversary Update)

• General: Wall foundation melee armor reduced to 0
• General: Increase Palisade Wall build time by 1s
• General: (Elite) Battle Elephant +4/+7 attack against buildings (reduced from +7/+10)
• General: Collision size multiplier for elephant units increased to the same values as for other cavalry and ranged units
• General: Xolotl Warrior +30 HP, +2 attack, +2/2 armor in Post-Imperial Age start games
• Aztecs: Villager carry bonus reduced to +3 (from +5)
• Aztecs: (Elite) Jaguar Warrior training time reduced to 12s (from 20s)
• Aztecs: No longer start with extra gold in Empire Wars
• Bulgarians: Team bonus makes Blacksmiths work 80% faster (up from 50% faster)
• Bulgarians: Blacksmith and Siege Workshop upgrades cost -50% food
• Burmese: Arambai +0.2 reload time (from 2 to 2.2)
• Celts: Infantry movement speed bonus now applies starting in Feudal Age
• Cumans: (Elite) Kipchaks receive frame delay (same delay time as Mangudai)
• Ethiopians: Torsion Engines scorpion projectile size reduced to 0.4 (from 0.5)
• Ethiopians: (Elite) Shotel Warrior cost decreased to 50f, 30g (from 50f, 35g)
• Goths: Loom can be researched instantly (instead of researched for free)
• Indians: Camel Riders +1 pierce armor in Imperial Age (in additon to +1 pierce armor in Castle Age)
• Indians: Lose Plate Barding Armor
• Indians: Fixed the issue with Sultans giving 17% relic gold generation increase instead of the intended 10%
• Indians: Team bonus now gives Camel units +4 attack against buildings (down from +5)
• Italians: (Elite) Genoese Crossbowman training time reduced to 14s/18s (from 19s/22s)
• Khmer: Farm rate reduction increased to -5% (from -3%)
• Khmer: Battle Elephant movement speed bonus effect reduced to 10% (from 15%)
• Khmer: Tusk Swords cost increased to 300w 450g (from 200w 300g)
• Koreans: Elite Turtle Ship speed increased to 1.035 (from 0.9)
• Koreans: Archer armor upgrades free
• Koreans: Lose the tower +1/+2 range bonus
• Koreans: Panokseon replaced with the new castle age UT, Eupseong: Watch Towers, Guard Towers and Keeps +2 range
• Lithuanians: (Elite) Leitis -1 pierce armor
• Malians: (Elite) Gbeto frame delay reduced to 1.0 (from 1.2)
• Mayans: Obsidian Arrows no longer gives double the attack bonus against stone walls/gates, towers and harbors
• Portuguese: Technologies researched +30% faster
• Spanish: Fixed the issue with gunpowder faster reload time bonus not affecting Cannon Galleons
• Tatars: Silk Armor effect increased to give +1/+1 armor (increased from +0/+1 armor)
• Tatars: Town Centers spawn 2 Sheep starting in the Feudal Age.
• Turks: Scout Cavalry, Light Cavalry, Hussar +1P armor
• Turks: Elite Janissary +15% accuracy
• Vikings: Chieftains cost increased to 700f, 500g (from 400f, 300g)

June ’20 Patch

• General: Horses and Camels (controlled animals) are now able to load into transport ships
• General: (Elite) Battle Elephant trample damage reduced from 50% to 25%
• General: Condottieri attack increased to 10 (from 9)
• Byzantines: Elite Cataphract upgrade cost reduced to 1200f 800g (from 1600f 800g)
• Byzantines: Logistica cost reduced to 800f 600g (from 1000f 600g)
• Italians: Pavise now also affects Condottieri (+1 melee armor, + 1 pierce armor)
• Koreans: Military units (except Siege Weapons) cost 20% less wood (from 15%)
• Koreans: Base wood cost of War Wagon increased by 5, wood cost after discount decreased to 92 (from 94)
• Koreans: Base wood cost of Turtle Ship increased by 10, wood cost after discount decreased to 152 (from 153)
• Malay: (Elite) Karambit Warrior cost decreased to 25f, 15g (from 30f, 15g)
• Portuguese: All units cost 20% less gold (from 15%)
• Portuguese: Base gold cost of Caravel increased by 3, gold cost after discount increased to 34.4 (from 34)
• Tatars: Flaming Camels attack bonus vs elephants increased to +130 (from +80)
• Tatars: Flaming Camels blast radius increased to 2.0 (from 1.5)

May ’20 Patch

• General: Players can no longer build Watch Towers in the Dark Age if the map generation spawned one (e.g. Fortress)
• General: Hussar attack animation duration reduced from 1.89 to 1.35 (now same as Light Cavalry, this does not increase their DPS, but improves their ability to chase targets)
• General: Supplies disabled for Chinese, Cumans, Huns, Khmer, Lithuanians, Mayans, Mongols, Tatars
• Aztecs: Military created 10% faster (down from 15% faster)
• Burmese: Manipur Cavalry effect can no longer be partially blocked by Masonry
• Indians: Team bonus effect can no longer be blocked by Masonry and Architecture
• Indians: (Elite) Elephant Archer reload time reduced to 2.0 (from 2.5)
• Indians: (Elite) Elephant Archer cost decreased to 100f, 70g (from 100f, 80g)
• Mayans: El Dorado upgrade research time increased to 70s (from 50s)
• Saracens: Zealotry cost reduced to 750f, 700g (from 750f, 800g)

April ’20 Patch

• General: Fire Galley training time increased from 60s to 65s
• General: Fishermen can drop off food at docks.
• Bulgarians: Stirrups now affects all cavalry units (instead of just Light Cavalry & Konniks)
• Bulgarians: Lose Paladin
• Ethiopians: Torsion Engines scorpion projectile size increased to 0.5 (from 0.3)
• Goths: Loom free
• Indians: Fishermen work 10% faster. (Changed from work 15% faster and carry +15 food)
• Khmer: Farmers -3% work rate
• Khmer: Lose Bombard Cannons
• Lithuanians: Tower Shields food cost reduced from 800f to 500f
• Lithuanians: Tower Shields provide +2 pierce armor to Spearmen and Skirmishers (instead of +1)
• Lithuanians: (Elite) Leitis cost changed to 70f 50g (from 50f 80g)
• Lithuanians: (Elite) Leitis training time reduced to 18s/20s (from 20s/23s)
• Persians: Town Centers and Docks have double HP and work 10%/15%/20% faster in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age. (removed the Dark Age bonus)
• Slavs: (Elite) Boyar -0.1 speed
• Slavs: (Elite) Boyar +1 pierce armor
• Teutons: Barracks & Stable units receive +1 melee armor in the Castle & Imperial Age
• Teutons: Teutonic Knight speed increased to 0.8 (from 0.7)

March ’20 Patch

• General: (Elite) Steppe Lancer +1 attack
• Chinese: Lose Redemption
• Cumans: Lose Redemption
• Cumans: (Elite) Kipchak +1 extra arrow
• Cumans: Capped Ram upgrade now available in Castle Age
• Cumans: Steppe Husbandry effect reduced from 80% to 50%
• Cumans: Steppe Husbandry now affects Steppe Lancers
• Goths: Infantry cost discount staggered per Age: 20/25/30/35%
• Goths: Infantry attack vs buildings bonus changed to +1 attack per age (starting in Feudal Age)
• Goths: Lose Arson
• Tatars: Thumb Ring free in addition to free Parthian Tactics
• Tatars: (Elite) Keshik training time reduced to 14s/16s (from 20s/23s)
• Tatars: Silk Armor now affects Steppe Lancers
• Tatars: Timurid Siegecraft gives trebuchets +1 more range (+2 in total)
• Tatars: Timurid Siegecraft enables Flaming Camel (fast-moving petard with bonuses against mounted units and especially elephants)

February ’20 Patch

• Berbers: Genitours receive +1 pierce armor
• Goths: Infantry -35% cheaper starting in the Dark Age
• Mongols: Hunters work 40% faster (reduced from 50%)
• Mongols: Receive Steppe Lancer and Elite Steppe Lancer
• Mongols: Steppe Lancers, Light Cavalry and Hussars have +30% HP
• Persians: Kamandaran cost increased from 200f, 200g to 400f, 300g
• Portuguese: Feitorias now generate 1.6f, 1.0w, 0.7g, and 0.3s per second. (up from 0.8f, 0.8w, 0.45g, and 0.25s)
• Tatars: Receive Halberdiers
• Teutons: Farms are 40% cheaper (increased from 33% cheaper)
• Teutons: Barracks units +1 armor (starting from Castle Age)
• Vietnamese: Economic upgrades no longer cost wood

January ’20 Patch

• General: Bonus starting villagers no longer appear before TC is constructed (affects Mayans and Chinese)
• General: (Elite) Battle Elephant training time reduced from 28s to 24s
• Burmese: (Elite) Arambai cost reduced from 80w, 65g to 75w, 65g
• Chinese: Receive Block Printing
• Khmer: Receive bonus: “Farmers don’t require Mills/Town Centers to drop off food”
• Persians: Archers cost 60 wood after Kamandaran research (instead of 50 wood)

December ’19 Patch

• General: Fixed the issue with livestock line of sight being inconsistent (now 3 LoS for cows and buffalos, 2 LoS for rest)
• General: (Elite) Steppe Lancer: Cost increased from 70f, 30g to 70f, 45g
• General: (Elite) Steppe Lancer: Attack decreased from 10/12 to 8/10
• General: (Elite) Steppe Lancer: Reload time increase from 1.9 to 2.3
• General: (Elite) Steppe Lancer: Collision modifier increased from 0.5 to 1 (this makes it harder to stack the unit)
• General: (Elite) Steppe Lancer: Speed decreased from 1.5 to 1.45
• Cumans: Feudal TC construction time increased from 225s to 270s (normal TC takes 150s)
• Cumans: (Elite) Kipchak: reload time increased from 1.8 to 2.2
• Cumans: (Elite) Kipchak: HP reduced from 45/50 to 40/45
• Cumans: Elite Kipchak: total amount of arrows reduced from 4 to 3
• Cumans: Lose Husbandry
• Cumans: Cavalry speed bonus changed to 5% faster each age (starting in Feudal Age)
• Bulgarians: Fixed the issue with Dismounted Konniks not receiving bonus damage from Samurai
• Bulgarians: Fixed the issue with Kreposts being convertable
• Bulgarians: Krepost: reduced size from 4×4 to 3×3
• Bulgarians: (Elite) Konnik: HP reduced from 110/130 to 100/120
• Bulgarians: (Elite) Konnik: reload time increased from 1.9 to 2.4
• Bulgarians: (Elite) Dismounted Konnik: reload time increased from 2 to 2.4
• Bulgarians: Bagains effect changed to +5 melee armor (from +3)
• Lithuanians: Cavalry attack bonus from captured relics no longer affects light cavalry
• Lithuanians: Maximum attack bonus from captured relics reduced to +4 (from +5)
• Mayans: (Elite) Plumed Archers base cost +5g, +5w
• Saracens: Archer attack vs buildings bonus changed to +1 in feudal, castle and imperial age
• Tatars: (Elite) Keshik cost reduced from 50f, 80g to 50f, 40g
• Tatars: (Elite) Keshik HP increased from 100/130 to 110/140
• Tatars: (Elite) Keshik attack reduced from 12/14 to 9/11

General Overview

• New Barracks technology – Supplies: Militia-line costs -15 food
• Tracking is now automatically researched in Feudal Age for free (this technology is no longer visible in Barracks).
• Elite Skirmisher upgrade cost increased from 200w/100g to 230w/130g
• Herbal Medicine effect increased by 50%
• (Palisade) Gate armor decreased to 0/0 while under construction.
• Palisade Gate cost increased from 20w to 30w
• Watch Tower HP reduced from 1020 to 700 before Castle Age
• Elite Battle Elephant attack reduced from 16 to 14
• Dry Dock and Berber ship speed bonus no longer reduce gold per trip for Trade Cogs
• Eagle Scout -1 line of sight and search radius in Dark Age
• Trebuchets now deal damage after packing or getting destroyed
• Fixed the issue which made houses able to attack
• Fixed the issue with Chemistry not increasing attack of secondary castle arrows
• Fixed the issue with side parts of diagonal gates being walkable during construction
• Fixed the issue where the Burmese relic bonus would permanently reveal spots on the map.
• Fixed the issue with livestock line of sight being inconsistent (now 3 LoS for cows and buffalos, 2 LoS for rest)
• (Elite) Steppe Lancer: Cost increased from 70f, 30g to 70f, 45g
• (Elite) Steppe Lancer: Attack decreased from 10/12 to 8/10
• (Elite) Steppe Lancer: Reload time increase from 1.9 to 2.3
• (Elite) Steppe Lancer: Collision modifier increased from 0.5 to 1 (this makes it harder to stack the unit)
• (Elite) Steppe Lancer: Speed decreased from 1.5 to 1.45
• Bonus starting villagers no longer appear before TC is constructed (affects Mayans and Chinese)
• (Elite) Battle Elephant training time reduced from 28s to 24s

Berbers

• (Elite) Genitours receive +2 attack vs Spearmen line
• Genitours receive +1 pierce armor

Britons

• Warwolf cost increased to 800w, 400g (from 500w, 250g)

Bulgarians

• Dismounted Konniks now receive bonus damage from Samurai (bug)
• Kreposts are no longer convertable (bug)
• Krepost: reduced size from 4×4 to 3×3
• (Elite) Konnik: HP reduced from 110/130 to 100/120
• (Elite) Konnik: reload time increased from 1.9 to 2.4
• (Elite) Dismounted Konnik: reload time increased from 2 to 2.4
• Bagains effect changed to +5 melee armor (from +3)

Burmese

• (Elite) Arambai cost reduced from 80w, 65g to 75w, 65g

Chinese

• Receive Block Printing

Cumans

• Feudal TC construction time increased from 225s to 270s (normal TC takes 150s)
• (Elite) Kipchak: reload time increased from 1.8 to 2.2
• (Elite) Kipchak: HP reduced from 45/50 to 40/45
• Elite Kipchak: total amount of arrows reduced from 4 to 3
• Lose Husbandry
• Cavalry speed bonus changed to 5% faster each age (starting in Feudal Age)

Franks

• Cavalry +20% HP bonus only available from Feudal Age

Goths

• Infantry -35% cheaper starting in the Dark Age

Incas

• Slingers -1 attack (reduced from 5 to 4)

Italians

• Genoese Crossbowman reload time reduced from 3 to 2

Khmer

• Receive bonus: “Farmers don’t require Mills/Town Centers to drop off food”
• Fixed the issue with Ballista Elephant attack being inconsistent
• Fixed the issue with Chemistry not increasing attack of secondary Ballista Elephant bolts
• Receive Faith
• Receive Hussar
• Lose Shipwright

Koreans

• Receive “Military units (except siege weapons) cost -15% wood”
• Lose “Fortifications built faster”

Lithuanians

• Cavalry attack bonus from captured relics no longer affects light cavalry
• Maximum attack bonus from captured relics reduced to +4 (from +5)

Malay

• Harbors minimum range increased to 1 (from 0). Requires Murder Holes to reduce to 0 range
• Harbors base attack reduced from 6 to 3. Bonus attack vs Ships increased from 9 to 10
• Forced Levy changes gold cost into additional food cost (instead of removing it)
• Forced Levy cost decreased to 850f, 500g (from 1000f, 600g)

Malians

• Receive Fast Fire Ship
• Lose Galleon

Mayans

• (Elite) Plumed Archers base cost +5g, +5w

Mongols

• Destroyed house foundations no longer provide population space with the “Nomads” technology.
• Hunters work 40% faster (reduced from 50%)
• Receive Steppe Lancer and Elite Steppe Lancer
• Steppe Lancers, Light Cavalry and Hussars have +30% HP

Persians

• Town Centers and Docks work +5% faster in Dark Age.
• Boiling Oil replaced by “Kamandaran”. Kamandaran (400f, 300g) replaces gold cost of foot archers with additional wood cost
• Archers cost 60 wood after Kamandaran research (instead of 50 wood)

Portuguese

• Feitorias now generate 1.6f, 1.0w, 0.7g, and 0.3s per second. (up from 0.8f, 0.8w, 0.45g, and 0.25s)

Saracens

• All Archers (except Skirmishers) now deal +1 bonus damage vs buildings per Age (starting in Feudal Age)
• Market costs -100w (instead of -75w)
• (Elite) Mameluke firing delay reduced
• Halberdiers -5 attack vs Mamelukes

Spanish

• (Elite) Conquistadors receive damage from anti-cavalry archer attacks
• Missionaries heal as quickly as normal Monks
• Missionaries affected by Husbandry

Slavs

• Receive Faith
• Receive free Supplies (instead of Tracking)
• Farmers work 10% faster (lowered from 15% faster)
• (Elite) Boyar training time reduced to 15s (from 23s/20s)

Tatars

• (Elite) Keshik attack reduced from 12/14 to 9/11
• (Elite) Keshik HP increased from 100/130 to 110/140
• (Elite) Keshik cost reduced from 50f, 80g to 50f, 40g
• (Elite) Boyar training time reduced to 15s (from 23s/20s)
• Receive Halberdiers

Teutons

• Receive Herbal Medicine
• Murder Holes & Herbal Medicine free
• Farms are 40% cheaper (increased from 33% cheaper)
• Barracks units +1 armor (starting from Castle Age)

Vietnamese

• Receive Husbandry
• Paper Money cost reduced to 500f, 300w (from 800f, 200g) and research time increased to 60s (from 40s)
• Economic upgrades no longer cost wood

New General Technologies

Supplies

• Available from the Feudal Age in the Barracks, (150 food, 100 gold): Militia-line costs -15 food