Age of Empires IV – Season Nine Update Preview 12.0.1974

Hallow’s Hearth Event Returns!

Ranked Season Nine Updates

The leaves are falling, and the competition is heating up with a spectacle of contenders hitting the leaderboards! We welcome the start of Season 9 with a selection of rewards for both solo and team ranked. Can you rake in the wins? Season Nine begins October 22nd at 10:00am PT (17:00 UTC).

Map Pool Rotation

We have some updated maps hitting the pool with the start of Ranked Season Nine! Dive in and prepare for victory!

1v1 Ranked Map Pool

• Golden Pit → Marshland
• Mongolian Heights → Nagari
• Rocky River → Wetlands
• Socotra → Haywire

Team Ranked Map Pool

• Ancient Spires → Hideout
• Archipelago → Mongolian Heights
• Marshland → Socotra
• Forest Ponds → Danube River

Updates Since the Public Update Preview

Thanks to everyone for the fantastic PUP participation this September! We’ve heard your feedback that some siege weapons weren’t impactful enough and that left ranged units feeling too strong, and many other things. To address these concerns, we’ve made changes to ranged unit counters, siege, and university upgrades. There are too many changes from the PUP to list here, but here are some balance highlights:

• Horseman-type and Man-at-Arm-type units have increased ranged armor in the Imperial Age.
• Mangonels and Nest of Bees are now more resistant to ranged damage and Mangonels will retain some projectile tracking.
• The Silk Bowstrings technology is now more expensive.
• Elite Army Tactics now also improves bonus damage in addition to base damage.
• And many more!

New Feature: Multiplayer Pause

It’s now possible to pause the game during a multiplayer match. This option is on by default in Quickmatch and Ranked and can be enabled (or disabled) by the lobby host in custom matches.

Any player may pause at any time, but each player has a limit of five (5) pauses per match. During only the first pause for each player, a minimum duration of 60 seconds must pass before any other players may un-pause. The player who paused the game can un-pause at any time. Subsequent pauses by the same player may be un-paused at any time by any player.

Your remaining pauses will display on the pause screen. While inputs are not available during the pause, it’s still possible to chat.

AI Updates

• Fixed a problem in Nomad mode where the Malian AI could become paralyzed with indecision.

Hotkeys

• The Wheelbarrow hotkey can now be correctly remapped.
• Added key bind option for selecting all Shinobi and for cycling through them in the Remap Controls menu.

UX/UI & Menus (All Platforms)

• Players are now notified of impending Wonder Victory more frequently.
• Fixed an issue that causes the “Win Any” daily challenge to not complete
• When constructing field siege units with infantry, population no longer momentarily reduces before increasing.
• New post game graphs added.
  • Includes: Total Resources Gathered, Total Food Gathered, Total Wood Gathered, Total Gold Gathered, and Total Stone Gathered.

UX/UI & Menus (Console)

• Fixed an issue where Economy Rally point was missing on multiple buildings in console UI.

New Maps

Atacama

Even the strongest warlords will be tested by the harsh and exposed conditions of the Atacama Desert.

Lakeside

A lake rests in the cradle of a mountainous region. High above each side of the lake different factions prepare for inevitable conflict.

General Changes & Bugfixes

• Fixed a bug where Rus and Byzantine villagers could drop off their bonus resources without losing them by instantly cancelling the drop-off animation after it begins.
• Adjusted ungarrison mechanics to mitigate an exploit where players could quickly ungarrison, attack, and regarrison before taking any damage. Now, there is a small delay on attacking for a brief period after ungarrisoning from a Ram, Siege Tower, Cheirosiphon, or Tower of the Sultan.
• Fixed an issue where both Military and Economy Rally Points would use the same tooltips.
• Rally point now should correctly display as a blue flag when setting from a town center to a resource deposit
• Fixed various daily challenges that would not grant completed stat after completion
• The population indicator no longer changes for a single frame when constructing siege in the field with Infantry.
• Fixed a possible crash entering a match after pressing ‘play’.
• Horticulture, Fertilization, and Precision Cross-Breeding upgrades effect reduced from 15% → 10% faster food gathering.
  • Mongol improved food upgrades benefit reduced from 7.5% → 5%
• Boar food increased from 2000 → 2200
• Extended Lines reduced from 20% → 15% gather rate
• Drift Nets reduced from 15% → 10% gather rate
• Berry gather rate increased from 0.66 → 0.69
  • Delhi Sultanate, Ayyubids, and Abbasid Dynasty berry bonus reduced from 35% → 25%.
• All tier 2 and 3 economic upgrades get new icons.
• Acid Distillation has been renamed to Shaft Mining.
• Melee unit torch damage increased from 16 → 17 in Castle Age and 20 → 21 in Imperial Age.
• Palisade Wall build time increased from 4 seconds → 8 seconds.
• Elite Horseman ranged armor increased from 4 → 5.
  • Elite Sipahi and Elite Ghazi Raider ranged armor increased from 4 → 5.
  • Elite Fire Lancer ranged armor increased from 2 → 3.
• Horsemen attack bonus vs. siege now scales with base damage, instead of 10 at all ranks. Adjusted from +10 at all tiers to +8/9/11/13 for Early/Feudal/Veteran/Elite.
  • Order of the Dragon Gilded Horseman adjusted to +15/18/20 instead of +15 at all ranks.
  • Ottoman Sipahi and Delhi Sultanate Ghazi Raider also get +9/11/13 versus siege instead of matching their higher damage.
  • Jeanne d’Arc’s Companion Rider bonus damage vs siege set to +13/+16.
• Elite Man at Arms ranged armor increased from 5 → 6.
  • Elite Ghulam, Elite Samurai, Wynguard Footmen, and Elite Varangian Guard ranged armor increased from 5 → 6.
  • Elite Palace Guard ranged armor increased from 4 → 5.
• Range bonus for standing on Stone Walls reduced from +2 → +1 range.
• Stone Wall cost increased from 20 → 25 stone.

Design Update/Rework

Projectiles have been reworked as part of Season Nine.

• Arrow projectiles have been updated to have smoother, more natural trajectories.
  • Now accounts for the height difference between two units when calculating trajectory arcs.
    • The trajectory should look more ‘natural’, i.e. Archers on a Wall or on a high cliff no longer aiming upwards even if the target is very close.
  • Keep and Outpost trajectories are smoother when targeting units below them.
  • Arrows no longer teleport to find the target on the final frame.
    • This was especially noticeable if the unit died during the arrows flight.
  • Units will no longer fire projectiles at units in their death animation.

Siege Updates (All Civilizations)

Developer Note: Our goal with the Siege Update is to slow down siege on siege combat by removing the anti-siege role from Springalds and Culverins and increasing time to kill on many siege interactions. With these adjustments, winning the backline siege battle will now mean you have effective tools for pushing on the field. Additionally, adjustments to siege durability have been made across the board to tune unit to siege interactions, specifically ranged units will no longer either one shot or never kill siege weapons and instead will deal more consistent damage to all siege. High level changes directly below, followed by the detailed change list.

• Springalds reworked from an anti-siege role to an anti-melee infantry role with special projectiles that pierce their target which pass through enemy formations for devastating effect.
• Culverins reworked from anti-siege to a unique bombard replacement for several civilizations.
• Adjusted the armor of all siege engines from ranged armor to ranged damage reduction (referred to as Ranged Resistance).
  • Ram and Siege Towers reduce incoming ranged damage by 95%.
  • Bombards, Cannons, and Culverins reduce incoming ranged damage by 85%.
  • Trebuchets reduce incoming ranged damage by 80%.
  • Mangonels and Nest of Bees reduce incoming ranged damage by 80%.
  • Springalds reduce incoming ranged damage by 60%.
  • Ribauldequins reduce incoming ranged damage by 35%.

Bombard-type Adjustments:

Bombard

• Health reduced from 240 → 210.
• Ranged Armor replaced with 85% Ranged Resistance.
• Base damage reduced from 100 → 50.
• Gains +50 bonus damage vs. Infantry.

Culverin

Unit Reworked into a unique Bombard Replacement for several civilizations that fires faster, has additional range, and deals less damage than standard bombards.

• Cost reduced from 400 wood 600 gold → 325 wood 550 gold.
• Health reduced from 220 → 200.
• Ranged Armor replaced with 85% Ranged Resistance.
• Base damage reduced from 85 → 35.
• Gains +230 bonus damage vs. Buildings and Ships.
• Gains +50 bonus damage vs. Infantry.
• Bonus damage vs. Siege removed.
• Reload time increased (attack speed reduced) from 3.375 to 3.625.
• Range reduced from 12 → 10.5.
• Now fully replace Bombards for Holy Roman Empire, Order of the Dragon, Abbasid Dynasty and Ayyubids.
• Removed from Malians.

Cannon

• Ranged Armor replaced with 85% Ranged Resistance.
• Base damage reduced from 100 → 55.
• Gains +55 bonus damage vs. Infantry.

Great Bombard

• Health Reduced from 300 → 250 (+210 early version).
• Ranged Armor replaced with 85% Ranged Resistance.
• Base damage reduced from 190 → 70 (+55 early version).
• Gains +150 bonus damage vs. Infantry (+120 early version).

Springald Adjustments:

Springald

• Cost reduced from 250 wood 250 gold → 150 wood 100 gold.
• Health reduced from 125 → 75.
• Ranged Armor replaced with 60% Ranged Resistance.
• Melee Armor increased from 0 → 3.
• Base damage reduced from 30 → 15.
• Gain +10 bonus damage vs. Melee Infantry.
• Range reduced from 10 → 8.
• Population Cost reduced from 3 → 2.
• Fires bolts that pierce through multiple units.
• No longer has homing projectiles.
• No longer has minimum range.
• Ayyubids, Abbasid Dynasty, and Mongols field build time reduced from 80 → 50 seconds.
• Ottomans Mehmed Imperial Academy base train time reduced from 100 → 75 seconds.

Roller Shutter Triggers Technology

• No longer provides additional range to Springalds,  instead it provides +25% attack speed and an extra +10% ranged damage reduction. 

Trebuchet Adjustments:

Counterweight Trebuchet

• Health reduced from 170 → 140.
• Ranged Armor replaced with 80% Ranged Resistance.
• Population cost reduced from 3 → 2.

Traction Trebuchet

• Health reduced from 150 → 125.
• Ranged Armor replaced with 80% Ranged Resistance.
• Population cost reduced from 3 → 2.

Huihui Pao

• Ranged Armor replaced with 80% Ranged Resistance.

Mangonel Adjustments:

Mangonel

• Ranged Armor replaced with 80% Ranged Resistance.
• Damage reduced from 12 → 10.
• Bonus damage vs. Ranged increased from 6 → 8.
• Bonus damage vs. Buildings increased from 24 → 30.
• Range reduced from 9 → 8.
• Unit responsiveness improved:
  • Aim time reduced from 0.5 → 0.25 seconds.
  • Wind-down increased from 2.25 → 2.5 seconds.
• Each boulder’s blast radius reduced from 0.875 → 0.5 tiles.
• Projectile spread reduced from 0.75 → 0.5 tiles.
• Tracking speed reduced from 1.5 tiles per second → 0.75 tiles per second.

Developer Note: This change makes Mangonels less capable of tracking moving targets.

Adjustable Crossbars Technology

• Cost increased from 300 wood 700 gold → 1000 wood 1200 gold, 110 seconds.
• Effect changed from +25% attack speed to +100% splash radius, +1 range, and +1 projectile added to Mangonel Attacks.
• Mongols Improved Adjustable Crossbars removed.

Nest of Bees

• Ranged Armor replaced with 80% Ranged Resistance.
• Range reduced from 8 → 7.
• Damage reduced from 8 → 6.
• Now gains +2 bonus damage vs Ranged Units.

Additional Barrels Technology

• Cost increased from 200w 500g → 400w 800g.
• Effect increased from 1 → 2 additional rockets.

Ribauldequin:

• Health reduced from 350 → 225.
• Ranged Armor replaced with 35% Ranged Resistance.
• Melee armor increased from 10 → 15.

Ram and Siege Tower:

• Ranged Armor replaced with 95% Ranged Resistance.
• Rams bonus damage vs walls increased from +200 → +300.

University Updates (All Civilizations)

Developer Overview: Our goal with the University Update is to spice up the late game by creating a more meaningful set of decisions at the University by altering the cost, effect, or both. Now these upgrades should be both more situational and more powerful when those situations arise.

Incendiary Arrows

• Cost increased from 300 wood 700 gold → 500 wood 1000 gold.
• Added an additional effect: Non-gunpowder ranged units gain +20% damage & deal additional siege damage to Buildings.
  • Archer-type units deal 3 siege damage when firing on a Buildings (with exceptions).
  • Mounted Archer-type units deal 3 siege damage (with exceptions).Crossbowmen deal 4 siege damage (with exceptions).
  • Notable Exceptions:
    • Tower Elephants(Delhi Sultanate) and Desert Raiders (Ayyubids) do not use siege arrows against Buildings, as they use Tusk and Torch attacks respectively.
    • Zhuge Nu (Chinese/Zhu Xi), Cavalry Archers (Ottomans), and Mangudai (Mongols) deal 2 damage instead of the general bolt/arrow amount.
    • Gilded Archers (Order of the Dragon) deal 6 siege damage, and Gilded Crossbowmen deal 8 siege damage.
• Delhi Sultanate’s base research time increased from 1080 → 1320 seconds.

Biology

• Cost increased from 300 food 700 gold → 500 food 1000 gold.
• Cavalry health increased from 20% → 30%.
• Delhi Sultanate’s base research time increased from 1080 → 1320 seconds.
• Mongols Biology (Improved) Cost increased from 1000 → 1500 stone.
  • Grants 40% health to all Cavalry, 10% if Biology has already been researched.
• French Royal Bloodlines Cost stays at 300 food 700 gold.
  • Cavalry health increased from 35% → 40%.

Chemistry

• Cost reduced from 300 food 700 gold, 90 seconds → 200 food 650 gold, 60 seconds.
• Effect changed from gunpowder units +20% base damage → Gunpowder Siege engines gain +25% bonus damage.
  • Delhi Sultanate’s base research time reduced from 1080 seconds → 720 seconds.

Developer Note: Gunpowder Siege primarily deals damage to specific targets with bonus damage, this change makes gunpowder siege weapons significantly better against specific targets – namely buildings.

Elite Army Tactics

• Cost increased from 300 food 700 gold → 500 food 1000 gold.
• Effect changed from melee Infantry +20% health and +20% damage → +4 melee armor and +20% damage (including bonus damage).
  • Mongols Improved Elite Army Tactics cost adjusted to 1600 stone, +30% damage and +6 armor.
  • Japanese Oda Tactics changed from melee Infantry +20% health, +20% damage, and +20% torch damage → +20% damage, +4 melee armor, and +20% torch damage.
  • Delhi Sultanate’s base research time increased from 1080 → 1320 seconds.

Siege Works

• Cost reduced from 300 wood 700 gold → 300 wood 600 gold.
• Effect changed from siege engines +20% health and +10 ranged armor → siege engines +20% health.
  • Mongols Siege Works (Improved) effect changed to +30% health; +10% health if Siege Works has already been researched.

New Tech: Serpentine Powder

• Cost: 300 food 500 gold, 60 seconds.
• Available in the Imperial Age.
• Effect: Handcannoneers gain +8 bonus damage versus melee Infantry and a brief boost of movement speed upon firing their weapon.
  • Delhi Sultanate research time: 720 seconds.
  • Mongols do not get an Improved Serpentine Powder upgrade.
  • Zhu Xi and Ottomans don’t get access to Serpentine Powder.

New Tech: Silk Bowstrings

• Cost: 300 wood 700 gold, 60 seconds.
• Available in the Imperial Age.
• Effect: Archers +2 Range, Mounted Archers +1 Range.
  • Delhi Sultanate research time: 720 seconds.
  • Delhi Sultanate Tower Elephants do not benefit from this upgrade.
  • Mongols do not get an Improved Silk Bowstring upgrade.
  • Zhu Xi does not get access to Silk Bowstrings.

                        Abbasid Dynasty

• Field constructed Springalds starting health increased from 1 → 25.
• Field constructed Mangonels starting health increased from 1 → 30.
• Phalanx for Abbasid Dynasty no longer applies to the brace/spearwall mechanic, which already has decent range.

                             Byzantines

• Fixed an issue where Mercenary Horse Archers and Mercenary Musofadi Warriors didn’t have a production sound.
• Aqueducts no longer have the “convert to palisade gate ability” while under construction.
• Olive groves cost adjusted from 70 → 75 wood.

                               Chinese

• Imperial Officials no longer override player commands which are issued on exactly the first frame after the Official automatically chooses a tax drop-off, whilst in an idle state and at maximum tax capacity.
• Additional Barrels cost increased from 200 wood 500 gold → 400 wood 800 gold.
• Additional Barrels effect increased from 1 → 2 additional rockets.
• Grenadier attack made more responsive:
  • Grenadier aim time reduced from 0.5 → 0 seconds.
  • Grenadier reload time increased from 0.75 → 1.25 seconds.

                           Delhi Sultanate

• New Naval technology: Salvaged Materials (240 seconds).
  • Baghlah heal 30 health when sinking an enemy ship.

                                  English

• Wynguard Ranger battalion cost increased from 450 wood 250 gold → 450 wood 300 gold.
• Wynguard Ranger range reduced from 9 → 8.
• The King’s Palace now correctly displays that it’s an Age III – Economic Landmark.
• Corrected an issue causing the Trebuchet to attack slower after Shattering Projectiles was researched.

                              French

• Docks provide +10 population space.

                    Holy Roman Empire

• Meinwerk Palace:
  • Riveted Chain has been replaced with Awl Pikes, which grants +2 damage to Spearmen and Horsemen. 75 food 250 gold, 40 seconds.
• Garrisoned Relic effect reduced from 50% → 25% armor and 35% → 25% damage.
• Reinforced Defenses reduced from +40% health → +25%.
• Emplacement discount reduced from 25% → 20%.
• Town Center ranged armor reduced from 75 → 50.
• Aachen Chapel range reduced from 7.5 → 6.5.
• Elite Landsknecht damage increased from 20 → 21.

                              Japanese

• Each tier of the Daimyo Manor’s farm gather rate aura reduced from 25% → 20%.

Developer Note: This is to keep Japanese food scaling in line with other civilizations.

• Nagae Yari additional bonus damage vs cavalry reduced from 20% →  15%
• Elite Onna Bugeisha health increased from 125 → 135.

                               Malians

• Farimba Garrison:
  • Aging up with the Farimba now gives you the choice to enlist one of three new units: the Mansa Musofadi, Mansa Javelineer, and the Mansa Freeborn.
    • Mansa Musofadi: a tougher version of the regular Musofadi boasting higher melee armor and health.
    • Mansa Javelineer: a faster moving Javelin thrower that deals poison damage.
    • Mansa Freeborn: a high ranged armor melee unit. 
  • The Mansa Musofadi and Mansa Javelineer replace their counterparts at their respective Buildings whilst the Mansa Freeborn is a new unit that is trainable from the Barracks.
  • Players can choose another one of the remaining two options if they reach the Imperial Age.
• Saharan Trade Network:
  • Acts as a Toll Outpost that comes with Defensive Javelins Emplacement.
  • In addition to previous effects, the Saharan Trade Network now grants all other Toll Outposts the Defensive Javelin Emplacement, replacing the standard Arrowslits Emplacement.
    • Javelin Emplacements have 8 range, 12 base damage and 1.38 attack speed with +4 damage vs. Ranged Units.
    • Costs 75 gold.
• Fixed an incorrect description for the Military Festival in the technology tree.
• Animal carcasses no longer prevent players from building Pit Mines.
• Updated Malian masteries to fit the changes to the Farimba Garrison landmark and Local Knowledge technology.
• Corrected an issue where the Kura Storehouse would be selected using the “Select all Outposts” hotkey.

                           Mongols

• Fixed an issue where Khan’s Hunters would be briefly disabled when unpacking the Deer Stones.
• Fixed an issue where Khan Hunter aura provided Desert Raiders with additional Melee Range.
• The description for Khan’s Hunter Range Aura now correctly says the buff.

                              Ottomans

• Fixed many units experience values to normalize around 1 experience per 40 resources.
• Janissary Guns effect increased from +3 → +5 damage.
• The Istanbul Observatory’s description has been updated to correctly state that it also improves the production speed of Grand Galleys.
• Imperial Council:
  • Fast Training has been removed and its +25% production speed effect has been added to Advanced Academy.
  • In addition to unlocking Knights and Janissaries at the Military School, Advanced Academy now also improves military production speed by 25%.
  • Four new Imperial Council upgrades are available:
    • Extensive Fortifications (Tier 2): Defensive buildings are 20% cheaper. All garrison arrows are replaced with crossbow bolts, which deal +1 damage and +2 bonus damage vs heavy units.
    • Timariots (Tier 2): Enables Cavalry Archers to be trained from the Archery Range and Military School.
    • Pax Ottomana (Tier 3): Villager production speed increased by +50% for 4 minutes.
    • Great Bombard (Tier 4): A Great Bombard arrives at the Capital Town Center.
      • Early version used before Imperial Age, automatically upgrades upon reaching the Imperial Age.
  • Trade Bags and Siege Crews have been moved from tier 2 to tier 4.
• Military Schools:
  • Knight production speed reduced by 28% and Janissary production speed reduced by 25%.

Developer Note: This ensures that Knights and Janissaries produce the same resources per minute from the Military School as other military units.

• Janissary
  • Receives Ranged tag, and a new “Light Gunpowder Infantry” tag.
  • Normal Handcannoneers are no longer classified as Light.
  • Archers gain bonus vs Light Gunpowder Infantry.
  • Bonus vs Cavalry 16 → 12 (20 → 15).

Developer Note: As a result of these changes, Janissaries will only receive bonus damage from Archers rather than all ranged attacks and will be less extreme in its relationship versus cavalry units.

• Janissary Guns effect increased from +3 → +5 damage.

                                Rus

• Fortified Palisade Wall build time increased from 3 seconds → 8 seconds.
• Banded Arms technology range effect for Springalds increased from 0.5 → 1.
• Fixed an issue where some tooltips were not updated for the Bounty rework for Rus.
• Fixed an issue where Rus Kremlin Militia were not benefiting from Elite Army Tactics.
• The Rus Bounty SFX no longer incorrectly plays when depositing fish or berries with a villager.

                            Ayyubids

• Field constructed Springalds starting health increased from 1 → 25
• Field constructed Mangonels starting health increased from 1 → 30
• Field constructed Tower of the Sultan health increased from 90 → 120
• Corrected an issue where the description for Tier 2 Golden Age would incorrectly read +50% research speed bonus instead of the intended +25%.
• Reduced the Bedouin Swordsman rotation rate to be more in line with all other units.
• Phalanx for Ayyubids no longer applies to the brace/spearwall mechanic, which already has decent range.
• Fixed some issues with the Trade Wing: Bazaar’s Bedouin Skirmisher and Bedouin Swordsman now correctly benefit from the Sultan’s Mamluks Technology and provide the aura to nearby camels with the Infantry Support technology.
• Fixed an issue where the Economic Wing: Growth wouldn’t grant villagers +10% gather rate in Imperial Age.

                            Jeanne d’Arc

• Docks provide +10 population space.
• Jeanne d’Arc Companion Riders moved to the Stable, Companion Champion moved to the Barracks.
  • Companion Equipment moved to the respective building.
  • Alongside Jeanne being the appropriate tier, the player needs to be in the Castle Age to train them.
• Jeanne d’Arc gains half experience from constructing before the Capital Town Center is constructed on Nomad.
• Jeanne’s Riders
  • Health adjusted from 185 → 170.
  • Base damage adjusted from 14 → 13.
  • Bonus damage vs Siege increased from 9 → 13.
• Jeanne’s Elite Riders
  • Health adjusted from 220 → 205.
  • Damage adjusted from 17 → 16.
  • Bonus damage vs Siege increased from 11 → 16.

                      Zhu Xi's Legacy

• New Technology – Bolt Magazines: Grants Zhuge Nu +0.5 range and +1 bonus vs Light Infantry. 75 food 150 gold, 45 seconds.
  • Available in the Castle Age
• New Technology – Dali Horses: All Cavalry gain +20% Attack Speed. 75 food 175 gold, 45 seconds.
  • Available in the Feudal Age.
• Imperial Guard reload time adjusted from 1.5 → 1.62 seconds.
• Yuan Raider reload time adjusted from 1.5 → 1.62 seconds.
• New Technology – Hard Cased Bombs: Units hit by Grenadiers receive +15% Ranged and Melee damage for 5 seconds. 100 food 250 gold, 45 seconds.
  • Available in the Castle Age.
• Early Grenadier becomes available in Castle Age.
• Grenadier attack made more responsive:
  • Grenadier aim time reduced from 0.5 → 0 seconds.
  • Grenadier reload time increased from 0.75 → 1.25 seconds.

                     Order of the Dragon

• Garrisoned Relic effect reduced from 50% → 25% armor and 35% → 25% damage.
• Reinforced Defenses effect reduced from +40% → +25% health.
• Emplacement discount reduced from 25% →20%.
• Town Center ranged armor reduced from 75 → 50.
• All gilded unit Castle Age Torch Damage increased from 24 → 25, Imperial Age Torch Damage increased from 28 → 29.
• Elite Gilded Landsknecht health increased from 210 → 220.

Investigation

Community-Reported Issues:

• Your reports continue being crucial to our prioritization and implementation of fixes and features in the game. Keep them coming!
  

For other known issues, please visit this page to see what’s being tracked!

Coming Up…

From substantial balance changes to Multiplayer Pause to a new slate of seasonal events, we can’t wait to see what you all get up to in Season Nine! We’re already planning for a small patch in November, where we’ll respond to additional feedback from both the Public Update Preview and your first few days with this update.

While we expect the November patch to be our last update of the year, 2025 is going to bring loads of new content to Age of Empires IV. With Season Nine being slightly longer than our standard season, we’ll be rolling out new and exciting seasonal events and fixes throughout that timeframe to keep things fresh, and your feedback will help us continue to fine tune our future plans.

And for the confirmation you’ve all been waiting for! We’ve hinted at larger plans and wanted to confirm that the team is working on DLC for 2025. We’ll be sharing more news in the new year so stay tuned!