Time of War:Rise of Kings

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Spoiler

"The year is 1200AD, and the world is all up for grabs: in Europe, the Christian republic is riven by the bloody conflicts between the Church and the Emperor. To the east, the great empires of the Muslims and the Song Chinese are faring no better. Although they are still the largest empires in the world, they are increasingly being eroded from within and without, thanks to corrupt governments and the incursion of boisterous Turkic nomads that have infiltrated their borders. Even as these great empires jostle and seethe with unrest, there is still room for men strong of sword-arm and great of heart to forge new nations east, west, and beyond the oceans in the furnace of war. Will you be one of them?"

Features

  • Ages are now abolished, because TASpring is not friendly to the use of Ages. In the stead of Ages, you must research a variety of technologies, although it can be said that there are several "epic" game-changing techs that count as ages, such as
    • Gunpowder (non-library) - creates a need for better armour to resist arquebus shot. The discovery of gunpowder soon results in new changes, especially to melee units.
    • Humanism (non-library) - alongside with Gunpowder, is a vital requirement for "Renaissance-era" pike and shot units, such as cuirassiers.
    • Centralisation (non-library) - a vital tech that introduces "Colonial" units, ie the so-called "New Model Army" of Cromwellian England. Doesn't last as long, as new advances in gunpowder weapons soon lead to new infantry, cavalry and artillery.
    • Industrialisation - the big daddy of them all. Researched from your Senate, Industrialisation creates a new world of advances and units. Note however that Catholic factions like France and others are incapable of researching any more than 12 technologies at the Library unless Industrialisation was researched too.
  • 52 factions covering the world's conflicts, from the Crusades to the French Revolution.
  • Wonders can now be upgraded to become even more powerful.
  • Happiness makes a happy comeback - you can infiltrate spies into temples and wonders to foment uprisings under certain conditions. Happiness also affects your economy and nation as a whole - lower happiness means lower attrition damage and lower taxation.

Victory conditions:

  • Destroy all opponents
  • Obtain a relevant territorial or wonder score
  • Be the first to use all 4 Domination abilities.

Experience

In the CtW you can collect experience.

Experience is gained whenever you win battles, and is based on your military leadership in battles:

Each battle which takes place accumulates experience for all participants, depending on their kill ratios: units killed / units lost. Experience can be invested into the many national abilities you have.

Experience can be invested into your national abilities, so all current national abilities need to be reduced to base level (there are 4 different levels for each, requiring 20, 40, 50 and 100 experience)

If you have defeated an enemy nation, its powers become available to you to use, but you must invest experience – 50 experience per new ability

WONDERS


Faction bonuses

Architecture

Sicilian:

  • Naples and Sicily
  • Maghreb
  • Muscat
  • Hejaz
  • Crimea
  • Armenia

Burgundian:

  • Burgundy
  • Portugal
  • Genoa
  • Castille
  • Tuscany
  • Papal States
  • Piemont-Savoy

Byzantines:

  • Venice
  • Bulgaria
  • Serbia
  • Greeks

"Chinese":

  • China
  • Japan
  • Mongolia
  • New Jeoson
  • Jurchens

Norman:

  • England
  • France
  • Bohemia
  • Holland
  • Austria
  • Saxony
  • Bavaria
  • Westfalen
  • Scotland
  • USA

Native American:

  • Iroquois
  • Cherokee
Architecture

South Asian:

  • Benin
  • Bornu
  • Ayutthaya
  • Bagan
  • Majapahit
  • Melaka
  • Songhay

"Indian":

  • Vijaynagara
  • Kandy

Muslim:

  • Delhi
  • Egypt
  • Rum
  • Iranians

Aztec:

  • Aztec
  • Inca

"Russian":

  • Teutonic Order
  • Holland
  • Denmark
  • Sweden
  • Russia

"Alpine":

  • Poland
  • Hungary
  • Norway
  • Helvetia

(public buildings for the Sicilian tileset use extensive Islamic Baroque)

Byzantines/Greeks

  • more efficient scholars
  • no ramp cost on mercenary recruitment
  • increased attrition damage
  • free spawning caravans

Units: Only pronoiaroi, kontaratoi, crossbows, light cavalry, spathatoi and cavalry archers are available. Towards the end, these units are later replaced with Kapitanoi (medium cavalry-analogue which replaces all Pronoiars and Light Cavalrymen), and Acrobolistes (light infantry replacing all crossbowmen and arquebusiers). Industrial units: Phalanx (somewhat slow-researching grenadier type wearing a mix of Turkic and modern uniforms) and Hippeis (a light Greek lancer). Although Greece can recruit some mercenaries in the beginning, they pretty much dry up after a while, although it much later shares the same mercenary pool as Russia.

China

  • Archers fire poisoned arrows
  • +2 city limit
  • Spawn 1 scholar with each university
  • Start with town instead of village.

Aside from the 4 unique units of Rise of Kings, China also fields an impressive army consisting of many, many different units. The Chinese army is rather weak and its fleet of warships while impressive in the beginning soon becomes obsolete.

Jurchens

  • +2 city limit
  • lower cost for upgrading supply centres to cities
  • whenever a nobles' court is constructed, gain free cav archers

Angevins/England

  • +wealth commerce cap
  • light gunpowder infantry increase their firing rate for every gun-related military upgrade
  • Start with 1 Science researched
  • triple wealth from every port built.
  • (can access the last 3 techs of Religious, Commercial and Scientific research without Industrialisation)

English troops, consisting of Longbow Levy, King's Longbowmen and Yeomen Archers, along with Billmen and Knights-Sergeants and Reaver cavalry. Later on, upgrades to New Model Pikemen and New Model Musketeers, followed by Regimental Redcoats, Roger's Rangers, Jacht, and Victory-class battleship. England's units tend to become very costly, but are very, very efficient, while the navy is cheap yet extremely powerful.

France

  • +food commerce cap
  • start with 1 commerce researched
  • gunpowder-related technologies -25% cost, research time
  • science research is discounted at library
  • faster assimilation of cities

The usual suspects: Frankish knights, Landsknecht Gunners, Pike Levy, Billmen, Gendarmerie d'Ordonnance, Coustilliers, and so forth. Entering it as well are Flying Horse Artillery, the Petits-Vieux, Garde du Corps, Horse Grenadiers, chasseur light infantry, chasseur dragoons and Maison du Roi and Mousquetaires du Roi.

Burgundy

  • start with 1 commerce researched
  • double income from new buildings
  • mercenaries are created instantaneously
  • Your first wonder is built for free

Not much to say for Burgundy. aside from the usual additions to the land army and the navy they are pretty much on their own.

Holy Roman Empire

The Holy Roman Empire is a circle of predominantly German nations in Europe who are unified under the rule of the Holy Roman Emperor, who is considered as the de jure leader of all the German princes, and all tend to share the following traits:

  • Start with Lumber Mill
  • Woodcutters holds +2 citizens
  • +10% Commerce cap on Timber

The weaker German factions (aside from Austria and Prussia) all have a set of policy choices:

  • Imperial suzerainty - increases your commerce cap and doubled effects from religion
  • Realpolitik - cheaper science, faster upgrades for universities.

In addition, each nation has up to two special abilities as explained below.

Bohemia

  • Receive a free supply wagon each time a new siege factory is built
  • start with 1 science researched

Holland

  • ships generate resource when not garrisoned
  • Siege factory units 25% cheaper and 50% faster

Holland is the exact copy of Burgundy save for the lack of Coustilliers. However, let Holland enjoy Centralisation and Industrial Society and a new army consisting of Blaauwe Garde, Flyuts, Watergeuzen, and Jachts will change a lot of things!

Austria

  • cheaper upgrading to cities
  • whenever a barracks is constructed, gain free light cav
  • +1 commerce
  • no happiness impact from university research

Aside from the usual HRE units, Grenzers, Pandurs, Foot Guards (shared with England and most German nations) and Croat Cavalry are also available to recruit.

Saxony

  • more efficient scholars
  • free sawmill upgrades
  • universities are cheaper
  • (can access the last 3 techs of Religious, Commercial and Scientific research without Industrialisation)

Bavaria

  • +timber commerce cap
  • Immune to happiness effects
  • cities grow faster

Teutonic Order/Brandenburg

  • free officers from castles and fortresses

Jagers, Hussars, Uhlans (replacing cuirassiers) and Foot Guards all contribute to Prussian might. The Prussian army is known for not recruiting Landsknechte, aside from Landsknecht Gunners.

Westfalen

  • +wealth commerce cap
  • start with 1 science
  • castles have added range
  • (can access the last 3 techs of Religious, Commercial and Scientific research without Industrialisation)

Helvetia

  • immune to happiness effects
  • supply dumps and wagons heal nearby units
  • (can access the last 3 techs of Religious, Commercial and Scientific research without Industrialisation, but cannot research politics)

Unique units: trains no knightly cav, but instead can raise Swiss halberdiers, which later upgrade to Confederacy Pikemen. Later, these are joined by Swiss musketeers, Republican Guard, Chasseurs a Cheval and Chevaux-Legers.

Hungary

  • more efficient scholars
  • cheaper military research
  • start with 1 commerce

Not much to speak of, other than that Grenzers and Pandurs are recruitable. Varispans are still available, as as all others.

Japan

  • more efficient fishing boats
  • cheaper forts
  • cities generate wealth

In addition to current RKC roster, Japan also trains Yari ashigaru, tanegashima no ashigaru, Galleons (one out of a few non-European factions to do so), and hatamoto.

Mongolia

  • attrition damage protection
  • increased pop cap
  • whenever a nobles' court is constructed, gain free cav archers

Mongolia retains its 2 unique units - the Keshig and the Khorchin, but also gains another unit, the Ordu Khorchin, which is a stronger version of the Khorchin.

Korea

  • attrition is for free
  • Trains Nongmin instead of peasants, who are costlier, but have 2 extra spaces in each mine, university, timber yard, and farm.
  • cheaper nobles' courts

Although Korea has the same shared units as Mongolia (composite bowmen and heavy archers), it lacks the Tarkhan and Keshig, training instead Korean troopers who are somewhat proficient if weak cavalry archers; other units include the Panokseon, Geobukseon and Hwacha. In fact, Korea is the only Asian faction capable of building ALL non-unique artillery

Denmark

  • +wealth commerce cap
  • start with 1 science
  • castles have added range
  • (can access the last 3 techs of Religious, Commercial and Scientific research without Industrialisation)

Aside from Longboats, Hirdmenn, and the usual units (Billmen, Crossbow Levy, Landsknechts) Colonial African Regiments can also be raised, who constitute a variant of light infantry. Frigate galleys also replace the Brigantine or War Galley as well.

Sweden

  • +ore commerce cap
  • start with 1 science
  • spawn 1 general whenever a fort is built;
  • spawn heavy infantry from barracks whenever it is built
  • (can access the last 3 techs of Religious, Commercial and Scientific research without Industrialisation)

Only units to note are levy crossbowmen, longboats, billmen and vikings. In later eras however, Kalmar pikemen, Hackapells and Livgardet make an appearance, alongside Frigate Galleys which replace the War Galley, Brigantine and Lanternas.

Norway

  • more efficient fishing boats
  • woodcutters more efficient
  • all whale spots revealed to you at the beginning of a game

Only units to note are levy crossbowmen, longboats, billmen and vikings.

Poland

  • Redcued cost for upgrading to cities
  • heavy cavalry deal added damage to buildings
  • +3 slots per economic production building.
  • start with 1 commerce researched

In addition to the current Rise of Kings setup (3 unique units), Poland also receives towarzsy hussars, bajorai (enhanced jav cav), foot and cavalry strzelcy, as well as Tatars, Szlachta Janissaries, and some German units, such as Regimental Grenadier Guards (shared with Prussia and England). Poland is a good early- to mid-game choice, reflecting how mediaeval consolidation and power eventually led to decline.

Portugal

  • more efficient fishing boats
  • start with 1 commerce researched
  • better results from trading at markets
  • ships are faster, and have better LOS
  • Towers can be built in shallow water.

Aside from better ships (nau, Gabriel, quadrilheiros and fundeiros), Portugal can also recruit Bandeirantes and Guerillas like Castille/Spain, but nothing else.

Russians

  • +timber commerce cap
  • increased attrition damage
  • attrition research is free
  • Quirkily discounted religious research - initially 25%, the discount eventually fades with each non-religious tech you research - this bonus is 25%/t + 1, with t being a maximum of 14.
  • Unique building: Krepost - a supply dump which can attack to defend itself.

Gridny, Boyars, Dvor, Pomestia and Vsadniky as usual - but also with Strelets and Cossacks as well. Additional units also consist of Imperial Pekhotny and Pavlovski Grenadiers, who are an upgrade of conventional grenadiers.

Bornu

  • attrition damage protection
  • merchants are tougher and have enhanced line of sight
  • scavenge resources from fallen enemies

Muscat

  • more efficient fishing boats
  • scavenge resources from fallen enemies
  • cheaper spies

Muscat trains most Saracen units, except the Ahdath and any Jund units, leaving it with the weaker Bedouin archers to use. However, it can choose two different policies: Iranification (improves musketeers and cavalry), and/or Tribal Confederacy (improves camels and ships)

Maghreb

  • +wealth commerce cap
  • scavenge resources from fallen enemies
  • more efficient scout units
  • spawn galleys from docks

Only infantry jund and jinetes and jinete skirmishers are available.

Hejaz

  • faster merchants
  • scavenge resources from fallen enemies
  • can build anywhere not claimed by an enemy

Hejaz is the worst of all "Arab" factions, capable only of training Arab cavalry (the only true horse units) as well as camels, camels and more camels.

Delhi

  • Faster villagers
  • scavenge resources from fallen enemies
  • unit damage enhanced by religious research

Vijaynagara

  • Archers fire poisoned arrows
  • War elephants are created faster and cheaper
  • +1 city limit
  • architecture research is cheaper
  • Farms and mines generate wood.

The first of 2 different Indian factions, Vijaynagara's armies resemble the primitive armies of the Mesoamericans (consisting only of infantry, javelineers and bowmen) with 2 exceptions: they can construct ships, and also train elephants and low-level cavalry. Over time, however, the Vijaynagara army begins to acquire firearms as well as cavalry tactics, making it one of the strongest factions around, but the Indian dependence on war elephants makes for an army that is somewhat lacking punch unless engaging in close quarters. Also note that unlike other factions, Vijaynagara has limited access to gunpowder until the very end of the game when European-style artillery comes into vogue.

Egypt

  • +food commerce cap
  • scavenge resources from dead foes
  • granary-based research is free.

Full Saracen roster, but also trains Mamluk heavy cavalry - the best non-Turkish cavalry available. Also one of the many, many Hindhu/Muslim factions to receive units such as the Zamburak, or camel gunner; a slow but hard-hitting ranged cavalry unit. The Egyptian army can raise Asakir, Arquebusiers, Mamluks and Zamburaks - but little more.

Scotland

  • castles have added range
  • start with 1 science, commerce and religion
  • library research is cheaper
  • (can access the last 3 techs of Religious, Commercial and Scientific research without Industrialisation)

Scotland doesn't train normal Industrial "infantry" but instead trains a variety of Scottish-styled units, including the Black Watch, Highlander Militia and Clan Warriors. Unlike England, Scotland doesn't train the heavier components of 18th century armies, preferring to rely on low-level cavalry, light infantry and swords, like Greece or Bulgaria, and some exotic units such as Cliarthaire which are actually a form of line infantry.

Aragon/Naples and Sicily

  • +food commerce cap
  • can build 2 universities per city as opposed to just 1.

No unique units, save the Milites and Rizico other than the fact it builds light galleys, like Portugal and many Muslim factions. Sicily is somewhat weak, but like many Italian kingdoms (such as Savoy) it can also recruit chasseurs and Swiss regiments.

Castille

  • castles have added attack and rate of fire
  • Immune to happiness effects
  • Farms are cheap, but cannot be upgraded

Same as previous: Caravels, and 2 tercio units. In addition, conquistadores, Yellow Guards and Walloon Guards are also included.

Sultanate of Rum/Ottomans

  • Reduced cost for upgrading to cities
  • scavenge resources from fallen enemies
  • free artillery units per forge built
  • artillery upgrades are cheaper

All Ottoman units: Transoxanian Cavalry, Sipahis, Ocak Cannons and Kapkulu Sipahi are available, along with Janissaries, Deli scouts, Mavna, and Xebec (shared with all Indo-Muslim factions), Azaps, Timariots and Aknclar dragoons.

Persians/Safavids/Afsharids

  • Redcued cost for upgrading to cities
  • scavenge resources from fallen enemies
  • free archers/infantry whenever a barracks is built
  • cheap farms, but no access to agricultural technologies.

Despite the Islamic appearance, this faction also trains Mongol Tarkhans, as well as others: Qizilbashis. Qizilbashis are an odd bunch: although researching them is fairly easy at first, meaning that they can overwhelm even ill-prepared Western factions, the cost of researching further Qizilbashis increases with each successive upgrade. Units included: Qizilbash light cavalry, Qizilbash lancers, Qizilbash archers, Qizilbash musketeers. Iran is rather weak in the early and late games, with inferior starting units (only spearmen, archers and militia).

Armenia

  • Traders carry back 50% added wealth, but take up more population.
  • Each Stable and Academy spawns a new Officer.
  • Extra attrition

Armenia controls its full complement of 4 units: Haspet, Aspataka, Cilician Warriors and Azats, but like many other factions can't really train a fully modern army. Its main "line infantry" unit is the Martik.

Songhay

  • scavenge resources from fallen enemies
  • whenever a Nobles' Court is constructed: spawns 3 knight-type units.
  • start with 1 commerce researched

Crimea

  • attrition damage protection
  • scavenge resources from fallen enemies
  • whenever a settlement is assimilated, any lingering hostile civilian units defect to your side.

Venice

  • Cheaper light ships
  • better results from trading at markets
  • higher commerce cap for all resources.

Units: Same as Rise of Kings, with Arsenalotti (replaces pikemen once Industrialisation achieved), Carabinieri (mounted skirmishers), Provincials (militia),

Tuscany

  • Start with 1 extra citizen, rececive 3 for next city and 5 for all future cities
  • Repair Buildings 50% faster
  • Towers 33% cheaper

Papal States

  • Cheaper upgrading to cities
  • religious research 50% cheaper
  • commerce and science research costs are 33% cheaper, but 50% slower

Piemont-Savoy

  • Cheaper upgrading to cities
  • start with 1 commerce
  • Better spies

Savoy resembles Burgundy, except with one major difference: unlike Burgundy, Savoy does NOT receive carracks, building only the Lanternas.

Early units: Coustillier, Armed Caravan, Armed Supply Wagon, Armed Merchant.

Later: Chevaux-Legers, Reggimento Guardia

New Jeoson

  • more efficient scholars
  • +1 city limit

Bulgaria

  • Can scavenge enemy units for loot
  • Cheaper attrition research
  • No woodcrafting technologies required to access siege weapons.

Pre-industrial units: See Rise of Kings entry on Bulgaria. Bulgaria like the Byzantines doesn't receive a lot of good units.

Abyssinians

Kandy

  • attrition damage protection
  • start with 1 commerce
  • castles have added range
  • War elephants are cheaper, and buildings have armour increases when elephants are garrisoned in them.
  • Cannot build universities, but can increases amount of knowledge from combat via political research

Like Vijaynagara, Kandy is also a Indian power although it is technologically backward.

Serbia

  • Redcued cost for upgrading to cities
  • higher attrition damage
  • cavalry deal more damage versus buildings

Serbia has very few units to speak of, and is strctly a mashup of several other factions. There is the Woj-type axemen, shared with Bulgaria, but unlike Bulgaria which can raise Boyar cavalry, the Serbs instead raise Byzantine-style cavalry, and their own breed of hussars. Unlike the Bulgars, Serbs can only train gunpowder units up to the level of arquebusiers - they do not have any Phalanx, Druzhina or Cliarthaire units to spare.

Ayutthaya

  • +food commerce cap
  • +1 additional city
  • war elephant combat bonus

Bagan

  • no penalty from religious research on knowledge gains from warfare.
  • +1 additional city
  • war elephant bonus (?)

Majapahit

  • Archers fire poisoned arrows
  • gunpowder units have some added speed
  • can build more than 3 monuments.

Brunei

  • Can recruit mercenaries like China, and can also research 2 Islamic techs and the Imperial Mandate tech.
  • Added knowledge from trading
  • Triple completion bonus for docks when constructed.

Melaka

  • +wealth commerce cap
  • gain resources from dead enemies
  • Can recruit mercenaries like China, and can also research 2 Islamic techs and the Imperial Mandate tech.
  • Added knowledge from trading

Aztec

  • more efficient scholars
  • units gain knowledge from killing enemies
  • +2 city limit

Genoa

  • +wealth commerce cap
  • start with 1 commerce done
  • towers have added range, and also hurt ships more
  • spawn archers whenever barracks is built

Inca

  • Archers fire poisoned arrows
  • No penalty from religious research on trading for research.
  • Gain wealth from mines

Iroquois

  • Faster villagers
  • Units are cloaked when not fighting
  • +attack versus gunpowder

Cherokee

  • Faster villagers
  • Units regenerate health within your borders
  • Units are cloaked when not fighting
  • Cherokee caravans generate knowledge for both you and your trading partners.

Benin

  • gain resources from dead enemies, except knowledge
  • metallurgy research doesn't require library techs
  • +1 additional city

Like all jungle factions, cheap but weaker bowmen, spearmen and javelineers as well as a marked lack of heavy cavalry exist in Benin, but over time arquebusiers can be recruited later on. These are later supplemented by various mercenary units recruited from Europe and Africa, being mostly infantry and camels.

USA

Rise of Kings units are shared with England, but unlike England, Knights-Sergeants and Longbowmen can't be recruited. Only crossbows, arbalest infantry, and swordsmen can be trained although all naval and siege units are as normal.

  • Double experience gained from battles (not applicable for skirmish)
  • USA can't train cavalry except for dragoons, but can recruit mercenary cavalry if so needed.

Notes:

  • USA can't train any cavalry other than Reiters and Dragoons, and is meant only to be a tutorial faction.
  • First part involves fighting and teching up your mediaeval armies into a better fighting force (small sized map with combat - limited resources, and a limited number of arquebusiers and troopers). Aside from the early arquebusiers, you have swordsmen, spear sergeants and crossbows. Introduces the concepts of influence, tax and trade, and beating off native Powhatans.
    • Drive off the Powhatans
    • Forge an alliance with the Narragansett
    • Destroy the Pequot
  • Next, once you have gunpowder weapons, you will be asked to increase your influence, by securing New York from the Dutch. This introduces the concepts of attrition, cities, mercenaries and supply. You must upgrade your troops from mediaeval-era equipment to something more modern - ie, add musketeers and mercenary cavalry to your army. Industrialisation is not allowed for this scenario.
    • Wipe out the Dutch and capture Nieuw Amsterdam
  • Next is a war with the Spanish, the English and the French, the map is increased in size to cover the entire Atlantic. Your first priority is to not let the English get destroyed, and to defeat the French in Acadia - destroying the Huron is not necessary. Introduces the concept of Industrialisation and Domination abilities - kill and raid as much to prevent the Spanish and French from gaining more technologies than you. British are revealed as having a capital at Newfoundland. You will be asked to train and build an army with the intention of wiping out the French. Trade, merchants and tribute are introduced.
    • Do not let any enemy use a Domination ability
    • Use at least 2 Domination abilities
  • Defeating the French triggers a revolution scenario where you must train up your forces and to defeat the English juggernaut once and for all by surviving. All your units and your cities will be occupied by the British, and you will have a small number of militia. Once you capture a city, you will start a scenario timer and will have to control or build more cities than the British before it expires. British fleets will arrive from over the seas, bearing more and more units if you take too long a time, while the French will provide you with mercenaries if you do not attack them.
    • Destroy the British
    • Secondary: Destroy or subjugate the Spanish and do not let the French attack you.

Weather

  • Rain/Snow: Infantry units gain +20% resist firearms
  • Desert/Jungle: Heavy cavalry and heavy infantry gain -20% move speed, camels and elephants gain +33% resistance to cavalry.

Mercenaries

American mercenaries:

  • Native archers
  • Native spearmen
  • Native cavalry
  • Native skirmishers

Fact is, these are the only mercenaries available for hire during the America tutorial.

Most mercenaries will usually be proportioned to the 24 factions representing Rise of Kings, although it can be expected that other factions, such as Sweden and Bulgaria will get their fair share of units - although they may be easily killed off afterward. By [4] and [5], it is likely that many of these mercenaries would be non-existent if Centralisation were researched. So possibly,

1.1 Zanji warrior - upgrades to musketeers

1.2 Camel archer - remains in play

1.3 Basque warriors - consumed by musketeers

1.4 Kerne - consumed by musketeers

1.5 Daylamid skirmisher - consumed by Caucasus Huntsmen (new mercenary)

1.6 Kipchak horse archer - consumed by Light Dragoons

1.7 Brigand - consumed by musketeers

1.8 Galloglaich heavy infantry - consumed by halberdiers


2.1 Iranian heavy cavalry - perhaps upgrades to Troopers

2.2 Repeating crossbowman - no upgrades

2.3 Almogavars - lost to musketeers

2.4 Breton horse - lost to Light Dragoons

2.5 Balt spearmen - lost to halberdiers

2.6 Norman Adventurer

2.7 Caucasus Mountain Men


3.1 Yangombi impi

3.2 Reisläufer

3.3 Rizico bucaneer

3.4 Hashishin

3.5 Atl-atl

3.6 Balkan stradiot

3.7 Genoese crossbow

3.8 Freelancer

3.9 Bee's Nest

3.10 Battle wagon

3.11 Magyar artillerist

3.12 Gajnal mahout

3.13 Cossacks

Domination Bonuses

See here.

Population Cap

The population cap is determined by the number of cities you control. The more cities you control, the more powerful you become.

Cities are created from supply dumps. You can upgrade up to 7 supply dumps built in your territory into cities - no supply dumps can be upgraded if you have 8 or more, and you must have researched a sufficient number of technologies in order to upgrade them:

  • University
  • Granary
  • Temple
  • Sawmill
  • Foundry
  • Tower
  • Nobles' Court

There should be roughly about 40-80 technologies to ensure that there is a sufficient threshold for advancing up the tech tree. Each five non-military upgrades researched here will allow you to upgrade one supply dump into a city, up to a maximum of 7 supply dumps.

Generally, the pop cap is:

  • 1 for civilians and civilian units
  • 2 for mainstream land units
  • 3 for warships

Units

Mercenaries:

Although most of Rise of Kings' mercenaries are retained, some of them are converted over time into unique units or other units.

Drill square - barracks: (note that it will always have 5 slots)

  • Spear infantry: Sergeants [1-2] => Pikemen [3-4] => Pike Regiments [5]
  • Archers: Crossbows [1] => Arbalests [2-3], later lost to musketeers
  • Gun: Gunners [2] => Arquebusiers [3] => Musketeers [4] => Line infantry [5]
  • Swords: Swordsman [1] => Espadachine [2], then lost to Musketeers
  • Industrialisation introduces: Light Infantry, known as Skirmishers
  • Light Horse => Troopers => Cavalry => Regimental horse
  • Mounted archers

Nobles' Court - Officers' College

  • Knights => Man-at-arms => Cuirassiers => Guard Cuirassiers
  • Javelin cavalry => Crossbow cavalry => Donderbuss => Riders => Dragoons
  • Industrialisation introduces: Grenadiers, Light Lancers, Light Hussars, Dragoons
  • Chivalric Orders
  • Fedayeen
  • Imperial Legate

(USA can train only Crossbow Cavalry, Donderbuss, Riders, Light Lancers and Dragoons. Anti cavalry support is provided by Native American mercenaries) Castle - Fortress

  • Supply wagon
  • Trebuchet => Bombard => Cannon => Artillery
  • Ballista => Springald => Culverin => Cannon =>
  • Centralisation: Ribaudequin, Bees' Nest => Organ gun
  • Industrialisation: Mortar, Howitzer, Flying Artillery (not as hard hitting as Artillery, but is fast enough to accompany cavalry)
  • (Dutch, Germans and Bohemians only) Haubitz => Cannon
  • Unique units: Montgolfier, Kongming Lantern, Battering Ram

Dockyards - Shipyard

  • Fishing ship
  • Galley => War Galley (and Brigantine) => Sloop
  • Roundship => Cog => Lanternas/Carrack (Carrack upgraded to Frigate)
  • Galleon => Frigate
  • Industrial: Ketch, Man o' War
  • Fire barque => Fire ship
  • Unique units: Yacht, Fluyt, Galleass, Chelandion, Dromon, Fusta, Baghlah

Outpost

  • Your Friendly Neighbourhood Mercenaries
  • Scouts and Explorers
  • Spy (is cloaked, can create informants in enemy units, can also be infiltrated into a building to reveal stats regarding the enemy)
  • Thief (infiltrate him into a resource building (only universities, sawmills, foundries, and granaries can be infiltrated) to steal a portion of an opponents' resources)

Line infantry units are marked either as "line infantry", or have ethnically correct names, such as:

  • Persians, Ottomans: Nizam-e-Cedit
  • Arab: Musket jund
  • Byzantines: Phalanx
  • Bulgars: Druzhina
  • Scotland: Cliarthaire
  • Hungary: Armati
  • Musket warriors (for various American/Asian/African nations)

Peasant levy: can be trained, but can't be moved about. Later, however, they can be upgraded to City Militia, and are armed with muskets and can be commanded about.

Technologies

Science: is required to reduce cost and time for research of other technology tracks and upgrades.

  1. Classicism
  2. Natural Law
  3. Biology
  4. Chemistry
  5. Optics
  6. Mathematisation
  7. Empiricism
  8. Scientific Thought

Economics: increases your commerce cap, meaning that your maximum economic production rate is increased. Economics research however increases the ramp costs of mercenaries for you

  1. Guilds
  2. Linguistics
  3. Cartography
  4. Compass
  5. Accountancy
  6. Mercantilism
  7. Banking and finance
  8. Assembly Line

Religion: required for some wonders and upgrades, but also increases research time for library research - the higher it gets, the longer it takes. Religion also plays into happiness: as long as your level is equal or higher than your opponents', you will not lose happiness if they enter into war with you.

  1. Doctrinal Uniformity
  2. Organised Religion
  3. Asceticism
  4. Reformation
  5. Divine Right
  6. Civil Religion
  7. Ethics
  8. Categorical Imperative

There is only one "age" technology: that is Industrialisation. Without Industrialisation, all factions are prevented from researching any more than 16 commerical and/or scientific technologies. Industrialisation unlocks the game's highest units: troopers, cuirassiers and line infantry as well as very powerful and destructive warships, and requires European Centralisation and a high number of university research levels from your Nobles' Court.

Technological research

Politics still use the same structure as Powers of the Crown, yet they now can interact with one another. Generally, the following Policies become available with the following milestones:

  • Feudalism versus Urban Corporation: Free upon construction of Senate.
  • Monarchy versus Republic: Build a Castle
  • Absolutism versus Legalism: Build a Nobles' Court.

The Nobles' Court is now a very important building that can be built only in your capital, but now requires the following:

  • Four Library techs, and
  • Organised Religion (Level 2) from the Temple,
  • Communalism (Level 2) from the Tower.

From the Nobles' Court:

  • Centralisation: early-era technology which allows access to Fortress Complexes, and other technologies as well. Converts the Drill Square into the Barracks for Christian factions. Unlocks the following:
    • Trooper, Man-at-Arms from Nobles' Court;
    • Pikeman, Espadachine (for some) and Arbalest Infantry from Barracks.
  • Military policies include:
    • New Model Army, which stops Chivalric Orders from being trained, but replaces them with disarmed but powerful Officers (Monarchy, Legalism);
    • Populist Uprising, which kills off all Chivalric Order units and stops them from being trained, but ensures that militia units have added armour and an ability to entrench themselves (Republic, Absolutism); and
    • Aristocratic Privillege, which improves the radius, attack and production speed of Chivalric Orders but increases dissent and also blocks off Land Law and Patriotism (Monarchy, Absolutism).
  • Imperial Mandate: available to Orthodox and Asian factions, granting access to armed structures.
  • Islamic techs: the two Muslim techs from Rise of Kings make an appearance again, but note that only Five Pillars is available for smaller factions, other than Egypt, Turkey, Delhi and Persia.
  • Industrialisation: Unlocks the final tier of military units for European factions, and is required in order to accesss any more than 8 non-religious technologies.
    • Allows upgrading of Skirmisher Levy to Regimental Militia
    • Upgrades Dockyards to Shipyards, with Frigate (upgrade of Galleon), Ketch, and Man o' War
    • Light infantry from Barracks (if Musketeers are researched, Arquebusiers and Crossbowmen are consumed, and are replaced in turn with modern Line Infantry)
    • Guard Dragoons (their distinction is that they are tougher than normal dragoons and are capable of melee and ranged attacks), Regimental Lancers and Light Hussars from Academy
    • Mortars and Light Horse Artillery from Fortress

Others:

  • Mostly normal, with the exception:
  • Centralisation: unlocks Amalgamation (metal production), Humanism, (knowledge), Division of Labour (construction), proportional taxation (tax), scientific forestry (timber) - this tech itself functions as a taxation tech. Unlocks further political techs for Europeans.
    • Political research: Liberalism versus Authoritarian Rule
  • Industrialisation: comparative anatomy (medicine), patriotism (attrition), steamworks (supply), enclosures (food) - increases tax levels for European factions. Unlocks more political techs for Europeans.
    • Political research: Democratisation versus Conservatism, and Revolutionary Fervour. The last is NOT exactly a government policy, but kills off all patriots and chivalric orders, and converts all citizens into conscripts - no further units may be created. This last tech is available ONLY if Republic, Absolutism and Democracy were researched.

Wonders

Wonders in Rise of Kings 2 are being rejigged. Wonders can be set as a victory condition, but since Spring guys are more interested in beaning one another we will keep them as being so powerful that once built in sufficient numbers your foe has to surrender. To see them all, go here.