Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties

[A Rainy Knight]

For those who didn't know, the second expansion to Age of Empires III just came out this week, adding three new civilizations (Japan, China, and India) and several new maps. My personal appraisal so far:

Japan- The system of using shrines is very cool and makes resource gathering simpler, and the use of daimyos and shoguns as mobile training stations helps cut down on the time spent transporting troops to the front. My favorite.

China- Overall closest to the Europeans, but training in Banner Armies is a bit too much of a hassle for me.

India- The wood cost for villagers makes it hard to concentrate on the food and coin necessary for age-ups/advanced troops. Their monks have very little ability to collect treasures. My least favorite.

Overall: Ceylon is a very fun and unique map, and Honshu is another of my favorites. The use of wonders is one way to give benefits for aging up, and a unique one at that. The Export resource and the Consulate make for some pretty fun stuff.

What are your opinions/favorite new parts/complaints?

[Timarvay]

China strikes me as weak. The banner armies seem way too expensive for what they give. Personally, Japan struck me as the closest to Europe, and probably the most balanced.

India: Wow. Easily the most powerful. They gather wood at a simply sick rate, especially with shipments. They seem to have a very quickly growing economy. I focus all my starting villagers on wood, and make more as soon as I can. These go on food/coin. The monks strike me as working well for treasure gathering, if used together with some micromanagement. India seems to have good options for the consulate, with France being a VERY good looking choice. There are two downsides to India that I see: One, they have expensive siege weapons, especially in population. This is somewhat offset by the high health, but still and issue. Another is their wonders. They all seem worse than the ones for China and Japan, although the one that boosts gather rates is the first one I build.

On another note: Wooooot! They brought back the migration map!

[A Rainy Knight]

Really? I'll need to try India out again. What I posted above was my first impression, so there's always room to change.

I believe that the use of shrines is what makes me like Japan so much, and I why I think that they are rather different from Europe. Another main reason I like Japan:

Daimyo snuck behind enemy towns + Bushido Principles (train in batches of ten) + upgraded samurai = utter annihilation of poorly garrisoned towns. :smallbiggrin:

[Timarvay]

By the way, France can be allied at once you reach a level 20 Homecity, I believe. The main thing with India is you need to mess with the standard economic strategy. Once you stop trying to use a standard economy, you can do well with India. In this respect, the Mango Orchard isn't really that great except on maps without much wood, and to go near the gather rate boosting wonder.

P.S. My thoughts may be because I am used to playing Ottoman, so I am used to free villagers and prioritizing other things than making them

EDIT: India has a sick economy. I had about about thirty villagers on food and coin, and twelve on wood, and I had more wood than I knew what to do with once I used the three cards that give a wood trickle. I admit, the consulate is a tough choice. France and Ottoman are both very tempting, and I'm not sure what one is a better choice.

[A Rainy Knight]

Yeah, I've warmed up to India now. The Sepoys are awesome foot troops, and the whatchamacallit Lancers just slaughter archers and skirmishers. The elephants are outrageously expensive, though. A good trick to try: Put the gather rate-improving wonder in the middle of an open area and circle it with Rice Paddies. Works wonders.

Also, I love the Regicide game mode, even if it's only on Honshu.

[Timarvay]

We need to multiplayer sometime.

For those who are interested, my wonder build order: Resource booster, Fort, Gate, Tower, Taj Mahal.

[A Rainy Knight]

That sounds cool. I just created an account. It's 'A_Rainy_Knight'. (Original, huh? :smalltongue: )

What's your username on ESO?

Also, can you play against computers online? Because we could have a wicked co-op game.

[Volug]

HOLD IT!!!

You mean.... It's out already?

*Waits for answer in anticipation....*

[lumberofdabeast]

HOLD IT!!!

You mean.... It's out already?

*Waits for answer in anticipation....*

Wikipedia says it's been out since the 23rd. *is wondering why no one's talking about Guitar Hero 3*

[Green Bean]

Wikipedia says it's been out since the 23rd.

Really? Wikipedia told me it isn't out until the 54th of November because Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked the developers into the future.

[A Rainy Knight]

Wikipedia says it's been out since the 23rd.

This is correct, and is also the day that I got my copy.

[Timarvay]

No username as of now.

*cries* I only got it on the day after release, but I DID get it for about 19 dollars, counting tax.