How are the new Civs?

[nationalist]

Could everyone take a moment and stop griping about Multiplayer and start discussing how the new civs fit into the game? Are they balanced, or ar some of those new UUs just too powerful? How much of a pain in the but are the Mongols? How are the new units? Personally, I couldn't care less about multiplayer as long as the single player game has been enhanced.

[monkspider]

Mongols are a pain in the butt, as always.
Vikings are probably the biggest pain the rear though.

Here's my run-down Nat.

Mongols- Mil/Exp
A great war-monger civ. Only an okay UU, the Keshik, but it comes at the "sweet spot" golden age wise. I would say they right up there with the really good Warmonger civs like the Zulu, Germany, etc.

Spanish - Com/Rel
Here is a great builder civ. Com/Rel is a great combo for the peaceful-minded players. Their UU, the Conquistador is bollocks though. Too expensive for what it does, IMHO.

Korea- Sci/Com Another good pick for the builder type players. The lack of lethal land bombard for the H'wacha is regettable, but you can find the Beta-tester mod has fixed this at least. With lethal land enabled, the hwacha is a surprisingly useful unit. it essentially provides the capabilities of artillery in the middle ages. All in all a good civ, one of my favorites actually.

Carthage- Ind/Com
My personal favorite of the new civs. Mostly for historical purposes, but the Ind/Com combo is great combined with one of the upper-echelon UUs in PTW, the Numidian merc, a a 2-3-1 spearman. A real game breaker in the early game.

Vikings- Mil/Exp
Probably my least favorite of the new civs, but they have almost undoubtedly the most fearsome UU in the game, the Beserker. A 6-2-1 Longbowman essentially. These guys really strike fear in the hearts of other civs. As an old English prayer once said "God save us from the fury of the Norsemen".

Ottoman Empire- Sci/Ind
A good civ that leans toward peaceful intentions. I'm not crazy about their UU however. It is a cavalry with +2 attack that costs twenty shields more. To me, that more or less evens out with a normal cavalry and offers no real bonuses as such. But all in all,; a great civ that has long deserved a spot in a civ game.

Arabs-Rel/Exp
Probably my second favorite of the new civs, Religious and Expansionst are my two favorite traits, and it's always fun to declare jihad on lowly infidel civs. Their UU is probably in the bottom half of new UUs thouguh. Basically a knight that costs a little bit less, and requires one less resource but loses a defense point.

All in all, the single player features are impeccable. If you are interested in only single player, then I must insist you go out and get PTW as soon as you are through reading this!

[monkspider]

This is all based on the original game of course. If you check out the beta-tester mod that comes on the CD, you will find that they have addressed a lot of the balance issues related with various UUs, including old ones like the Man-O-War.
For example, the Arab Ansar Warrior is now given blitz, which is a lot of fun.

[nationalist]

The Berserker sounds to me like it might be a bit unbalancing. Can't wait to use it

[alva]

Ottoman Empire- Sci/Ind
It is a cavalry with +2 attack that costs twenty shields more. To me, that more or less evens out with a normal cavalry and offers no real bonuses as such.

Well, I havn't played ptw, so this IS theoretical

The one big advantage I see for this unit is it prolonged lifespan.
Even versus infantry this unit (maybe coppled to a canon) stands a chance. And in a defesive attack versus tanks it's even on par.
This makes a pretty good unit in my book

[asleepathewheel]

I like the celts, that 2 move sword is pretty sweet. the problem I have with it though is that you can't build them after getting medieval infantry. I would rather have the extra move at that time than the extra attack. the upgrade to med inf. is free however.

my current game is the spanish, haven't gotten to the conquistador yet, but so far theyre ok

[Dominae]

The 2/3/1 unit of the Carthaginians seems very very good (although I haven't played a full game with them yet...). Even if the Shield cost is increased from Spearmen, this Industrious civ shouldn't have any trouble popping these guys out every few turns. Now tell me: what is better than a Hoplite that can counter-attack effectively? Definitely my personal favorite (although there remains a sweet spot in my heart for the Mongols, a remnant from Civ2).


Dominae

[monkspider]

The mongols are really cool in the beta tester mod. The Keshik can cross hills as well as mountains with impunity!

[ixnay]

I must say, the Ottoman Sipahi looks damn cool riding around on a horse brandishing a pistol in each hand. In both games I've played so far, the Ottomans played the peaceful builder role until they reached the late middle ages, at which point they started rampaging everywhere with their Sipahis. I like Carthage and their UU.

[vmxa1]

I bemoan the lack of any mil/ind civs.

[monkspider]

There's always China VMX.

[Falconius]

Tha manual states the ADM for the Numidian Mercenary (Carthage's UU) is 2.2.1. But in the game, it is actually 2.3.1, a much tougher defense in the early game. I may actually edit in the game to make the manual right. 2.3.1 means it has a bonus for both offense and defense over the spearman, and is even better than the Greek UU, the 1.3.1 hoplite.

[alva]

2.2.1 allready excists (Babylonian bowmen).

[Pyrodrew]

I may actually edit in the game to make the manual right.

Just like with the original game, the manual is always wrong.

[Nyl]

The change to the Mercs is listed in the readme...