Late Game Problems

[PeterLucas]

I've been playing this game lately, and one thing I notice is that the late game is not as fun as the early game. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy this game a lot, but I just feel that there are some design flaws that make the late game uninteresting.

The first problem is that the late game is micro-intensive. You need to manage tons of units and cities, and it's not really fun. I feel like there should be a game mechanic to simplify late game management, or to limit the army size and city number of players.

The second problem is flyers on the world map. Why do I need to manage several groups of 1 manticore throughout my domain? It's annoying. Flyers make the geography of the map irrelevant. What's the point of building a fort to control the "only" passing? Flyers should still be available, but they should be a lot more rare.

The third problem is that late game fights are not interesting. In the early game, you get to play with tons of tier 1 and 2 units, each with different skill sets: pikes, swords, bows, curses, etc. Fights are really fun and complex in terms of strategy. But in the late game, it's mostly tier 3 and 4 units.

One ot the reasons for this problem is that factions can typically produce one type of tier 4 unit. Strategy becomes meaningless as you spam your best unit. Tier-1 and 2 units become irrelevant, even at the Champion level.

A solution could be to have more types of tier-4 units, with archers and mages still relevant. Also, flyers should also be more rare to make walls a bit more relevant in fights. Tier-1 and 2 archers could still be useful if manticores didn't exist, for example. Also, there should be a smaller gap in power level between the different tiers to make all types of units relevant throughout the game.

Anyways, this is my opinion. I'm curious to hear what others think about the late game, and whether it's different in more recent AoW titles!

[Iguana-on-a-stick]

It's a problem that is pretty common to games of this genre.

Besides the things you mention, the challenge generally just disappears in the end, as chances are you achieve a dominant position you cannot really lose LONG before you finish actually defeating all opposition.

The only real solution I've seen in games is to end them more quickly, by providing alternative victory conditions. AoW3 doesn't do this much, though you can try playing with the Seals victory, which at least makes for a change of pace. (It's fun, but not terribly well balanced.)

whether it's different in more recent AoW titles!

Later games in the AoW series do add more alternate victory conditions that stop games from dragging on so long.

Planetfall in particular does a great job of keeping the low tier units relevant throughout by making the high tier units more support/force multipliers and using the unit mod system to let you upgrade your existing tier 1-2 units as you research tech.

AoW4 has its own thing with Tomes, but I'm not a big fan.

Tier-1 and 2 units become irrelevant, even at the Champion level.

This part I don't quite agree with. Tier 1 units become mostly useless, yes. But the better tier 2 units remain pretty competitive if you upgrade them with mystic city upgrades, spells, empire upgrades, racial governance, etc.

An upgraded Golem (tier 2) can take on a vanilla Manticore Rider one on one for a fraction of the cost, for example. And units like Reanimators, Orc Crusaders, Elf Mounted Archers or Tigran Berserkers remain a very viable part of my armies.

That said, tier 3-4 units will indeed be the main focus of your armies.

A solution could be to have more types of tier-4 units, with archers and mages still relevant.

For this I recommend my favourite mod, Chivalrous Intentions.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1538060953

It not only adds lots of alternative tier 3-4 units (and lower tier ones of course) but it spices things up by adding specific class/race and even mystic city upgrade combination units.

So an Elf Warlord gets a different extra tier 4 unit than a Dwarf Warlord or a Goblin Warlord. And if you have multiple cities with multiple races, you can build all those different warlord tier 4 units.

And if you have a dungeon in your domain, Dwarves can build a special Battlerager units, Goblins can build a special Chef unit, but humans won't get one. But they get a special fast knight unit in the Temple of the Eternal Serpent. Etc.

Really breaks apart the monotony of your and AI armies both.

[PeterLucas]

Thanks a lot for your answer! I'll definitely check out the mod you suggested!

[Fulano]

I never spam tier 4 units. I get up to maybe 2 per army max, and some classes I don't even bother with their tier 4 because the tier 2 and 3 units I've been leveling up along the way are usually tougher. I'll often have champion 10+ units by the end of the game.

Also, don't forget the minor race cities give some nice variety for high tier units.

Otherwise, I do often quit once I have a clear advantage. I'll usually get an alliance with 2-3 AI's and then it's just cleaning up the last one or two and I'd rather just start a new round.