New Era

[st.patrik]

Caveat
I think I wrote some thoughts on this a long time ago, but I don't know if I said everything I wanted, and I really wanted to hear what Kristoffer or Johan thought of my analysis and suggestions, so I'm posting again

New Era Pangaea Analysis
The New Era theme for Pangaea takes Pangaea as a nation in the direction of the modern age - new and improved steel armour, less wild women throwing their clothes off, less priestly authority, more focus on quality troops. The number of troop types available is greatly reduced from vanilla Pangaea - gone are the Satyr revelers, most of the centaur units, and the harpies. What's left is the following:
• Basic Satyrs (3 kinds)
These guys are just the same as vanilla Pangaea, and just as worthless (bad morale, little to no armour)
• Satyr Hoplites
These guys are great - a little cheaper than their vanilla brothers, but with steel rather than bronze armour. The basic unit of the New Era army
• Minotaur Soldiers
Good enough, but stand in the shadow of their big brothers
• Grove Guards
The big brothers. can go berserk, unlike the minotaur soldiers. nice thick armour (18 prot). You need these guys because a spear just isn't enough to pierce really thick armour.
• Centaur Cataphracts
Much like vanilla, but again with better armour. the basic and only cavalry for New Era Pangaea.
• Dryad Hoplite
Let's not forget the sacred unit. For a whopping 50 gold you get a sacred hoplite with worse stats than the 13 gold Satyr Hoplite.

That's it - a little over half the number of varieties available in standard Pangaea.

As far as the commanders go, the Pan has lost a level of earth magic and the maeneds, the dryad has lost a level of priestly authority, the Centaur Hierophant is gone, as is the black harpy, and the Pandemoniac. The Keeper of Traditions is a great as the Grove Guards, and the Minotaur Commander is as much in his shadow as the Minotaur soldiers are in the Grove Guards'.

New Era Pangaea Suggestions
Obviously with a theme like this you win some and you lose others: you get better armour for the same cost, you lose magical and priestly power. That's very much in theme and I think it's all right and good. But in keeping with the theme I think the following suggestions are worthy of consideration:

• Lose the low-level Satyrs
They don't fit with the theme - they are wild satyrs, totally undomesticated, unlike all the other units of the New Era. If necessary introduce more thematic arrow fodder.
• Give us some archers
Modern ranged weapons seem to fit with this theme. How about a satyr crossbow, or better still bring back the Centaur longbow. There's no reason why a modernized Pangaea would fire its Centaur archers.
• Give us a different sacred unit
Either this or boost the dryad hoplite considerably. For 10 gold more than Man's warden you get a unit with significantly less protection, morale and strength. Sure she's higher on a couple of points, and has that awe thing, but I would bet on the warden against the dryad any day of the week. I think the best in-theme choice would be the Grove Guard - if the description is to be believed the Grove Guards are the ones who preserve the old ways, and so it would make sense for them to be sacred. Of course you'd want to up the cost a little.
• Give us a scout
Right now the only stealthy commanders are the Pan and the Dryad - both of which are too expensive/useful to be used as scouts. I can understand the New Era not caring about stealth so much, but I think they right now have a very serious disadvantage in this area. If the harpies have flown, give us a new 'satyr scout' commander, or better still a 'satyr assassin'!

In addition to the above I also suggest that vanilla Pangaea lose the Centaur Cataphract. They have lots of Centaurs already, and the Cataphract never really fit in anyway. The main reason I suggest this is to further differentiate the standard Pangaea and New Era from one another.

That was a long post, I know. If you agree/disagree or have more suggestions feel free to respond, and if Kristoffer or Johan (O or K) reads this I would greatly appreciate a response telling me whether these suggestions sound worthwhile or merely foolish.

[ February 02, 2004, 02:33: Message edited by: st.patrik ]