Aoe2xpack

Not much news coming from Ensemble about the Xpack yet. It is fairly safe to say there will be at least 4 new civilizations, new units and unique units for all civs. I personally hope they add some of units and features that where cut from the game, such as: Spy units, Bandits, Iron ore, Ship boarding and so on.

For all of the AOK fans out there here is your chance to tell ensemble what you would like to have in the Xpack.

I have listed my ideas about what I would like to see on this page. Send in your comments and Ideas to me and I will post them on this page and pass them along to Ensemle Studios. keepmaster@hotmail.com

The improvement I would like to see most in the Xpack is to include Mercenaries. In the middle ages there where few standing armies. Most Kingdoms when invaded would rely on local Lords and Vassals to defend the invaded area. Peasant armies where weak, with little training, flee in battle, would not travel too far from there home territory and would disband when it was time to plant the crops or harvest them. Kings and Lords would purchase the service of mercenaries to conduct foreign wars and put down revolts. This was much more economical for the Kings than maintaining a standing army. In most medieval wars mercenaries where used, sometimes exclusively. Mercenaries roamed from place to place looking for a war or an easy town to sack. When the war was over the King or Lord would simply pay them off and hopefully they would disband.

Mercenaries-
Mercenaries don't count towards your population limit.
Researching Faith has no effect on them.
They convert easier than other units.
A converted mercenary counts towards your population limit.
To buy the service of the infantry class (barracks units)units is much cheaper than buying the service of a Lord (Knights,champions,siege)
The initial purchase of mercenaries is made with a new resource: Gems.
Gems are hard to find on most maps. Gems are mined like gold and stone. Gems are not in the immediate town area like gold and stone, but lie in empty territory between civilizations.
Once the initial purchase payment is completed, the mercenaries will appear at your Town Center. They are yours for up to 10 mins at a time on the game clock. 50 gold units a minute (or whatever Ensemble feels is balanced) will be drawn out of your gold stockpile to maintain the mercenaries. At The then end of 10min the mercenaries will demand there reward for there service(even if they all die), this is paid in gems also. There is a slight chance that these vagabonds will turn on you and demand more and/or attack your nearest base or military units. You can then rehire them again. If you do not rehire them they simply disperse and disappear from the map. If your gold stockpile runs out in the 10mins you are using them they will instantly attack your nearest units and buildings until you kill them all off . If you fail to pay them there reward at the end of the 10 mins there is a 50/50 chance they will turn on you (even it they are all dead....there comrades will simply pop up somewhere in your territory and start hacking away at your villagers).

Mercenary Pikeman- When you need to fight off a cavalry attack purchase these units.
Attack and defense strength lies somewhere between a Spearman and a Pikeman.

The Swiss and the Poles where know for there great pikeman. If either civ is added to the Xpack one of their UU(unique units) should be this.
High Bonus against cavalry units.

Asian Pikeman

Just a different look for Asian Pikeman

Mercenary Throwing Axe- Low cost infantry unit.
Just like the Franks Throwing Axeman, but not as strong.

Mercenary Infantry- Low cost infantry unit.
Swordsman unit with a good attack and defense.

British Beefeater- Pikeman unit.
Has the same attack and defense as a normal Pikeman against Cavalry. And a Slow but powerful attack against Infantry.

Feudal age Barbarian Mercenary
High attack values, weak defense,

Swashbuckler- European
High attack value, weak defense, fastest infantry unit.

Middleast equivalent to the Swashbuckler unit or a UU for the Turks.
This was a Dervisher unit that was cut from the original game, I just added a Sword.

Assassin Unit- Middleast unit. You lose control over these units once you set there destination and send them on there way . Once the Assassin arrives at his destination he looks like an ordinary friendly villager to the enemy. Assaians will automatically attack all nearby villages first, then start setting fires to the buildings.
Assassins are not visible to enemy until they click on the villager impostor. Your military units will not automatically attack these units until you click on the imposter. Assassins climb over walls unnoticed.

Ninjas - Fareast units, same as the Assassins.
Another version of the Ninja Unit.

Another version of the Ninja Unit.

Bandit Unit- These units rob trade carts as they pass sending the gold back to its Civilization. No alarm is sounded by the trade cart until it reaches its home market telling you it was robbed along the way. Bandits are only visible to the enemy within 2 game tiles.

Spy Unit-
Similar to an Assassin unit with these differences- must enter a village through an unlocked gate. Has no attack value, except kings which it has a 25% chance on killing, and it reveals a a large portion of the enemy territory it is in like a scout.

Mage/Magician-
Not quite sure what to do with these units, maybe senario or campain units only.
Trick units into retreating back to there Towncenter? Trick units into attacking there villagers or each other?

Druid

Black Death

Asian Mercenary mounted archer.

European Mercenary mounted archer.

Mercenary Skirmisher.

Siege Tower- very slow moving unit that is has no attack but a strong defense. It carries up to 10 units at a time like a ship but lands on walls instead. Units inside receive they same damage as the tower. Only archers can attack from inside. Used to get over enemy walls.

Another Tower.

Cannon.

Mercenary Ram- High attack value, weaker than the covered rams.

Dragons- Would be nice to see some these in scenarios and campaigns.

Dragon

Chinese Warship- The Chinese where the strongest naval power in this time period. Maybe they should get a UU Warship.

Venetian/ Geonese Reele- These two Italian city states competed for Trade in the Mediterranean, eventually wining out over the Turks and Byzantines.

Templar or another order of Knights or a Lord unit.

Crusader- Heavily armored units -Slowest knight unit. Can not be converted.

Mercenary Crusader Same as Crusader although a bit weaker. These "Crusaders" fight for God, King, and Gold (mostly Gold). Can be converted as all Mercenaries can.

Lord.

Middle East Cavalry unit- Fast high attack no armor.

Mercenary Knight- same as a knight but a little weaker.

Lord- Extremly expencive unit. Can not be converted. Adds a 10% bonus to all units within its sight. Built only in a Keep. Very strong on attack and defence

Crusader

Asian Lord

Mercenary Knight

Keep- Keeps where much more common then castles in the middle ages. This is where the local Lord ruled from. This building more powerful than a Tower and less powerful than a castle. Lord units are built here.

Keep.

One of the most likely civilizations to added to the Xpack are the Moores. This may be their university.

Gems- Mine this like gold or stone. Found in the areas between civilizations. Used to purchase Mercenaries and can be traded at the market like other resources.

Silk- Gathered like berries this resource when traded with trade carts or cargo ships brings 2 times more gold profit than normal trading. It can not be sold at the market, it can only be traded using carts or ships. Can only be found in the area between civilizations.

Wine- same as silk.

Spice- same as silk.

Iron ore- mined like gold and stone. Used to build units that have armor. Needed for the construction of castles and keeps.

Bison- Like wild boar, but providing more food. Skins can be traded like silk. Found only in the area between civilizations.