Age of Empires: The Ancient World Expansion

Main features

• New civilizations, unique buildings, and trainable units have been added to the game.

• The overall game speed, as well as technology research time, has been adjusted to ensure a faster pace.

• The population limit has been increased to 250 by default, and a building limit mechanic has been implemented to improve balance.

• Every age now has an alternative "Age.5" technology that unlocks a new layer of possibilities in the game.

New gameplay mechanics

The main gameplay features introduced in this expansion are the building limit mechanic, the Age.5 technologies, and the population room mechanic. Understanding how they work can significantly improve the player's ability to explore the game's new possibilities.

Building limit mechanic

You can only build or rebuild your Town Center in the first two ages.

In addition:

• All military buildings (Academy, Archery Range, Barracks, Dock, Siege Workshop, Stable, and Temple) have a limit of 2, which increases by 1 with each new age.

• Government Center, Market, and Trade Workshop have a limit of 1.

• Houses and Farms are limited to 10.

• Some buildings can only be built once and are exclusive to specific ages.

Age.5 technologies

A new tech button is now available next to the normal age advancement button in every age.

These technologies are optional and can be skipped, but they provide several advantages when researched, including new units, buildings, technologies, and additional effects on later ages.

Neolithic Revolution

• Enables the Archery Range, Booby Trap, and Government Center.

• Unlocks the Berry Bush, Bowman, Elite Spearman, and Torchman units.

• Unlocks new technologies in the Barracks and Storage Pit.

Urban Expansion

• Enables the Settlement and Trade Workshop.

• Unlocks new technologies in the Market and Storage Pit.

• Unlocks the Boomerang Man and Trade Cart units.

War Tactics

• Enables the Academy, Military Camp, and Fortified Palisade.

• Unlocks new technologies in the Granary, Market, Storage Pit, and Government Center.

• Unlocks the Broad Swordsman unit.

Imperial Supremacy

• Enables the Monument.

• Unlocks new technologies in the Granary, Fortress, Market, Monument, Storage Pit, and Government Center.

• Unlocks the Siege Tower and Tower Archer units.

Population room mechanic

While the population cap has been increased to 250, buildings are still required to sustain your population. Most buildings now contribute to the total population capacity.

After reaching the Iron Age, the limit for most buildings can be doubled, except for the Town Center and Age.5-exclusive buildings.

Additionally:

• Each Woman provides 4 population space.

• Women are normally limited to 10, but this limit can also be doubled in the Iron Age by researching Dwelling Projects in the Monument.

Main changes

This section is intended for players already familiar with 5thLegacy Expanded, the original Age of Empires, or Rise of Rome.

• Building order requirements have been removed. You can now construct buildings directly without prerequisite structures.

• The Government Center requires the Neolithic Revolution Age.5 technology to become available in the Stone Age. Otherwise, it unlocks automatically in the Bronze Age.

• Farms no longer require a Market. They either unlock automatically in the Copper Age after researching Neolithic Revolution or become available through the Irrigation technology in the Granary.

• The Market is now available by default in the Bronze Age. It can still be unlocked earlier in the Copper Age by researching Established Merchantry in the Granary or by researching Neolithic Revolution.

• Several technologies have been removed or rearranged so units always occupy the first row, while technologies and special buildings occupy the second row.

• Women can research Pottery in the Copper Age after researching the Neolithic Revolution and Urban Expansion Age.5 technologies.

• Goats (Copper Age), Sheep, Scarecrows, and Elite Swordsmen (Bronze Age) are only available if you skip the Neolithic Revolution Age.5 technology.

• Berry Bushes (Stone Age), Elite Axemen (Copper Age), and Slaves (Bronze Age) require the Neolithic Revolution Age.5 technology.

• The Lookout Tower building has been removed from the Villager build menu.

• Trade Workshop and Academy are now available by default in the Iron Age, but can be unlocked earlier through Urban Expansion and War Tactics respectively.

• Towers and Walls now upgrade automatically when advancing through the ages.

Additional gameplay features

This section explains gameplay possibilities that may not be immediately obvious.

Berry Bushes

• Become available in the Stone Age after researching Neolithic Revolution.

• Cheap and gatherable by multiple units simultaneously.

• Require more attention than Farms because of longer training times.

• Selective Breeding reduces training time and increases food yield over time.

Explorers

• Gather more meat from dead animals than Villagers.

• Provide excellent scouting vision.

• Can patrol automatically by right-clicking on a House.

• Can trade resources for gold by right-clicking another player's Market or Dock.

• Can damage Berry Bushes or work on Farms if Neolithic Revolution is skipped.

Farms

• Can be placed in lines like walls by dragging the cursor.

• Cannot normally be destroyed.

• Can be captured by enemies.

Gates

• Unlock after researching Defensive Wallcraft.

• Upgrade automatically with age progression.

• Can be opened by right-clicking your own units or buildings.

• Can be closed by right-clicking enemy units, buildings, huntable animals, or gatherable resources.

Goats

• Can be milked by Women for food.

• Unlock in the Copper Age after researching Domestication (requires Irrigation).

• Only available if Neolithic Revolution was skipped.

Hounds

• Can only be trained once.

• Can convert nearby enemy units.

• Can hunt small prey such as chickens, rabbits, and birds.

• After converting or hunting, they require over a minute before using the ability again.

Oyster Reefs

• Can provide gold through Fishing Ships.

• Can provide food through Villagers or Fishing Ships.

• Replenish over time.

Ruins

• Generate gold over time while under your control.

Scarecrows

• Require Neolithic Revolution.

• Unlock in the Bronze Age after researching Scarecrow technology in the Granary.

• Cannot be destroyed but can be captured.

• Limited to five total.

• Increase food production.

Scouts

• Can gather dead gazelles or deer killed by Villagers.

• Can trade carcasses for gold.

Sheep

• Require skipping Neolithic Revolution.

• Generate small amounts of gold over time if left alone.

• Unlock in the Copper Age after obtaining Goats and researching Urban Expansion.

Wells

• Require Neolithic Revolution not to be researched.

• Unlock in the Bronze Age after researching Land Contracts in the Granary.

• Cannot be destroyed but can be captured.

• Limited to five total.

• Increase food production.

Women

• Cannot be killed, but can be captured.

• Increase population capacity.

• Can milk Goats, hunt small passive animals, gather from Berry Bushes more efficiently than Villagers, and create vases for gold.

• Pottery production requires Neolithic Revolution and Pottery research.

• Require more micromanagement than Villagers depending on the assigned task.

The Ancient World Expansion is the result of enormous effort, passion, and attention to detail, bringing the mod close to the level of an official DLC. Essential for all fans of the original game.