pre-release info Aksum - Antiquity Age Civilization Discussion

[stealth_nsk]

Axum is really interesting, because:

1. Both their civilian and military units are naval (focusing on naval trade)
2. 5 out of 7 of their policies are related to either coastal or river tiles

While:

1. Axum has no navigable river or coastal bias (Egypt has navigable rivers bias)
2. The antiquity age is played on home continent

Which raises some big questions - how common navigable rives and coasts should be what civilization without specific bias could focus on naval trade and still be competitive?

P.S. Although I really expect Axum not having coastal bias to be fixed (they have too many things to interact with coasts), the question is still interesting

EDIT: I've searched for "Axum" and it's "Aksum" here. My bad

Moderator Action: Merged with existing thread. ~ LK

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

That is a very interesting point about bonuses vs bias. Clearly, if you don't start near a Nav. River or the Coast, you're going to want to locate one ASAP and start sending Settlers to it.

 

[pokiehl]

It is noted that they have a "Hills" start bias, but as far as I can tell that's not actually a game term anymore right? Maybe just a mistake and they mean "Rough?"

(Note that Greece does have a "Rough" bias specifically)

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

That is a very interesting point about bonuses vs bias. Clearly, if you don't start near a Nav. River or the Coast, you're going to want to locate one ASAP and start sending Settlers to it.

Doesn't Hatshepsut have a navigable river bias? She's one of their "historical" choices so that's one reason to choose her.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

It is noted that they have a "Hills" start bias, but as far as I can tell that's not actually a game term anymore right? Maybe just a mistake and they mean "Rough?"

(Note that Greece does have a "Rough" bias specifically)

Potentially, but it might also indicate higher elevation.

 

[Mudokon Pop]

That is a very interesting point about bonuses vs bias. Clearly, if you don't start near a Nav. River or the Coast, you're going to want to locate one ASAP and start sending Settlers to it.

That would be fitting for Aksum actually - given that it's capital was up in the highlands. Aksum's power declined significantly when it was cut off from the coast.

 

[Navelgazer]

Doesn't Hatshepsut have a navigable river bias? She's one of their "historical" choices so that's one reason to choose her.

This gets me thinking: Amina is (presumably? I'm not sure if this has been officially confirmed or not) one of the "historical" matches for Aksum, which makes sense in that there's a lot of synergy between Amina's extra resource slots and Aksum's extra gold from resources. But Aksum's start bias is for Hill and Grassland (which doesn't seem to match with any of their uniques as far as I can tell) and Amina's bias is for Plains and Desert (which works with her combat bonus on that terrain.)

Like stealth_nsk says, Aksum is so navally-designed that it's wild for them not to have a coastal/navigable river start bias. But also, if you're playing as Amina leading Aksum, how is this going to balance out? Just a hill on either grassland, plains or desert, with no bias towards coast or navigable river? That's kind of frustrating. (Especially as "Amina leading Aksum" is what I currently imagine my first game is going to be, and I don't really want to restart my first game over and over looking for a coastal start to make that first game what I want it to be.)

 

[stealth_nsk]

That would be fitting for Aksum actually - given that it's capital was up in the highlands. Aksum's power declined significantly when it was cut off from the coast.

That's exactly the place where "historically accurate" totally conflicts with "fun to play"

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

This gets me thinking: Amina is (presumably? I'm not sure if this has been officially confirmed or not) one of the "historical" matches for Aksum, which makes sense in that there's a lot of synergy between Amina's extra resource slots and Aksum's extra gold from resources. But Aksum's start bias is for Hill and Grassland (which doesn't seem to match with any of their uniques as far as I can tell) and Amina's bias is for Plains and Desert (which works with her combat bonus on that terrain.)

Like stealth_nsk says, Aksum is so navally-designed that it's wild for them not to have a coastal/navigable river start bias. But also, if you're playing as Amina leading Aksum, how is this going to balance out? Just a hill on either grassland, plains or desert, with no bias towards coast or navigable river? That's kind of frustrating. (Especially as "Amina leading Aksum" is what I currently imagine my first game is going to be, and I don't really want to restart my first game over and over looking for a coastal start to make that first game what I want it to be.)

That's probably a decision when picking leader and civ combinations in a game, which one in the end will be a better tradeoff. If you want to play as Aksum, do you want a better start bias with Hatshepsut, or more gold/resources with Amina?

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

That's probably a decision when picking leader and civ combinations in a game, which one in the end will be a better tradeoff. If you want to play as Aksum, do you want a better start bias with Hatshepsut, or more gold/resources with Amina?

We don't know what Amina's starting bias is yet. She could have Navigable Rivers as well, since the Hausa homeland stretched from the Niger River to Lake Chad and features several tributaries of both.

 

[stealth_nsk]

This gets me thinking: Amina is (presumably? I'm not sure if this has been officially confirmed or not) one of the "historical" matches for Aksum, which makes sense in that there's a lot of synergy between Amina's extra resource slots and Aksum's extra gold from resources. But Aksum's start bias is for Hill and Grassland (which doesn't seem to match with any of their uniques as far as I can tell) and Amina's bias is for Plains and Desert (which works with her combat bonus on that terrain.)

Like stealth_nsk says, Aksum is so navally-designed that it's wild for them not to have a coastal/navigable river start bias. But also, if you're playing as Amina leading Aksum, how is this going to balance out? Just a hill on either grassland, plains or desert, with no bias towards coast or navigable river? That's kind of frustrating. (Especially as "Amina leading Aksum" is what I currently imagine my first game is going to be, and I don't really want to restart my first game over and over looking for a coastal start to make that first game what I want it to be.)

I don't think Amina matches Axum well - she lived really far from it, in different region. She lived much later than it either. And, finally, from gameplay perspective, she doesn't look like that great match for Axum.

That's probably a decision when picking leader and civ combinations in a game, which one in the end will be a better tradeoff. If you want to play as Aksum, do you want a better start bias with Hatshepsut, or more gold/resources with Amina?

Hatshepsut bonuses match Axum as well.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I don't think Amina matches Axum well - she lived really far from it, in different region. She lived much later than it either. And, finally, from gameplay perspective, she doesn't look like that great match for Axum.



Hatshepsut bonuses match Axum as well.

Amina and Aksum both get extra resource slots. Aksum's is a component of one of their unique civics. So, Amina leading Aksum would be a good strategy for gaining the Silk Road Golden Age legacy.

 

[BuchiTaton]

Gudit lead Aksum
At least fit the region and the whole age transition mechanic!

 

[Navelgazer]

We don't know what Amina's starting bias is yet. She could have Navigable Rivers as well, since the Hausa homeland stretched from the Niger River to Lake Chad and features several tributaries of both.

Oh duh, of course you're right. I had it in my head that she had a start bias towards Plains & Desert, but that's just because of her ability. I guess we don't know any Leader's start bias aside from Hatshepsut so far?

I don't think Amina matches Axum well - she lived really far from it, in different region. She lived much later than it either. And, finally, from gameplay perspective, she doesn't look like that great match for Axum.

Historically, I agree, but with leaders and civs covering three different ages and the world being as big as it is, a lot of these "historical" choices are going to be stretches. But every time (I think?) that we've seen Aksum in a live play, the devs have had Amina leading them, which, combined with "North-of-the-Equator Africa" makes me think that Aksum is a "historical" choice for her, no matter how much work the quotation marks are having to do there. Plus, the resource benefits do compliment each other for a certain type of gameplay.

 

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

What does Hawlit do?

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

What does Hawlit do?

It gives a flat amount of Gold, plus they have cultural adjacency for Wonders and other Hawilti.

So, make a field of them for maximal culture.

 

[Navelgazer]

The official site now shows Aksum's start biases as "Coastal" and "Rough."

 

[stealth_nsk]

The official site now shows Aksum's start biases as "Coastal" and "Rough."

Coastal is excellent for them. I assume they are best paired with some coastal leader to empower the bias

 

[8housesofelixir]

Coastal is excellent for them. I assume they are best paired with some coastal leader to empower the bias

It seems that Aksum now almost entirely occupies the "Ancient Maritime Trader Civ" niche - and I wonder what the design of Phoenicia/Carthage would be down the road.

(Arguably, Carthage was not that maritime-heavy IRL, and a difference can be made there.)

 

[moysturfurmer]

It seems that Aksum now almost entirely occupies the "Ancient Maritime Trader Civ" niche - and I wonder what the design of Phoenicia/Carthage would be down the road.

(Arguably, Carthage was not that maritime-heavy IRL, and a difference can be made there.)

Let em stay maritime traders, but give em a Murex Fishery coastal tile improvement that gives them a unique Tyrian Purple resource. So they’re less Import focused and more Export focused.