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Combat Rebalance Design Spotlight (Stage 2)

TinSoldier

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Jun 4, 2017
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Greetings Leaders!

The development team has reviewed results of Stage One and, overall, it was a success. We did see a slight decrease in the overall number of 5-star battles, which was expected. Therefore, we are proceeding forward with Stage Two! We have been reading through all of your proposed suggestions and, as you will see below, some of those ideas are issues we are trying to address as part of the rebalance. We want take a moment to thank you again for voicing your concerns and feedback and to continue telling us what you think!

In this Stage Two spotlight we are covering the changes to defensive buildings as well as many changes for attacking troops and tactics, which will be going live on October 4th. If you’d like to see a basic list of these changes, they can be found at the end of this spotlight. If you missed the introduction or stage one spotlights you can check them out below:


Combat Rebalance Introduction

Combat Rebalance Stage One


To take steps towards our overall goal of making 5-star battles less common, all defensive buildings will have increased hitpoints and some will have increased damage. More specifically, defenses like Towers and Redoubts will become more effective at dispatching infantry troops. On the other hand, Catapult damage will remain the same or slightly decrease at various levels to compensate for other buildings becoming stronger at eliminating infantry troops. The increases to building hitpoints start small in the Classical Age and ramp up into the later ages as players field significantly larger forces with the Stronghold and Airstrip on top of their Barracks troops and mercenaries.


Although defenses will be getting stronger, we want to make sure that airplanes and certain tactics/troops still remain viable and important parts of a well-rounded army needed for achieving the perfect victory, so some of those troops and tactics will be improved as well. The troop that will receive the most drastic changes in this stage is the Attack Helicopter, so it deserves a little more explanation.


The primary role of this troop is a ‘tank’ troop: one that is good at dealing with defenses and mitigating incoming damage. Heavy cavalry fill this role well by having high hitpoints. They soak up a lot of damage while distracting defenses from attacking your other troops. Since helicopters are lightly armored and have low hitpoints, they need to fill this role differently by destroying defenses quickly before they pose a significant threat to your troops. Their damage output was not quite high enough to make them effective in this way, so these changes should make them feel more useful. They will, however, require some different supporting troops/tactics/strategies as compared to heavy cavalry to ensure they are not overwhelmed by defenders. Their training costs will also be reduced to make them a more compelling choice to fill the ‘tank’ role in an army.


While on the topic of distracting defenses and mitigating incoming damage, we do need to address the power of Decoys. Their high hitpoints and long duration have made them too easy of a choice in the current tactics balance, so reductions to both of those values will make them feel more appropriate compared to the other tactics. This is partly because the resource training cost of some tactics (Barrage, First Aid, Demolition, and Decoys) will be reduced by half in support of one of our other goals for this rebalance initiative: making sure strong attackers bring home more resources..


One of the trends we have been seeing in the data for PvP battles is that players are doing more small-scale raids, using only a handful of troops, for resources rather than all-out assaults. The full-scale battles that require tactics, planes, and other forces are the most fun, but also require the most lucrative targets to execute. We want players to do more of these types of attacks, so we are making several changes to make victories more profitable. As mentioned above, the resource training cost of Barrage, First Aid, Demolition, and Decoys will be reduced by half, making them more cost-effective choices compared to the other tactics. Additionally, airplane oil training costs will be decreased by about 10% for all levels. The DOMINATION! Bonus was also introduced to help make victories more profitable for this goal.


With 5-star battles being tougher to achieve, we are also making some changes to the National Trade Good(NTG) drop rates. When players do get NTGs from a 5-star victory, they will be guaranteed to get two, rather than only having a chance to get two. Additionally, the Alliance Perk Allied Plunder will be increased to provide you with three NTGs instead of two. Other bonuses that provide additional NTGs from battles will still function the same.


While our ultimate goal for this rebalance is to make battles tougher, the complimentary changes to troops, tactics, and rewards should ensure that well-prepared attackers can still dominate their opponents and return home with a plethora of resources.


In the next design spotlight, I’m going to cover the changes to defenders, Machine Guns, Bazookas, and more!


- Brad


Change List
  • Troops
    • Airplanes/Paratroopers
      • Damage greatly increased
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
      • Training costs decreased slightly
    • Commando
      • Damage bonus against defensive buildings greatly increased
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Heavy Tank
      • Damage increased significantly
    • Tactical Helicopter/MRL/Wall Miner/Ballista/Supply Cart/Mortar
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Attack Helicopter
      • Damage increased
      • Damage bonus against defensive buildings increased
      • Hitpoints increased
      • Training costs and time decreased
    • Zero (Expedition troop)
      • Damage increased
      • Hitpoints increased
    • Mangonel (Mongolian coalition troop)
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
  • Event Troops
    • Ninja/Shinobi/Elite Commando
      • Damage bonus against defensive buildings greatly increased
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • B-17 Bomber
      • Damage increased greatly
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • C-119 Flying Boxcar
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Supply Convoy
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Armored Vehicle (deployed from the C-119 Flying Boxcar)
      • Damage increased greatly
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Attack Helicopter/Heavy Attack Helicopter
      • Damage increased
      • Damage bonus against buildings increased
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
      • Training costs and time decreased
    • Veteran Combat Engineer
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Cannon/Field Howitzer/Heavy Artillery
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Mortar/Heavy Field Mortar/Guard Mortar
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Heavy Tank Mk3/Mk4/Mk6
      • Damage increased significantly
    • Red Baron
      • Damage greatly increased
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Night Witch
      • Damage greatly increased
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • B-45 Tornado
      • Damage greatly increased
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Supply Cart
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Ha-To Heavy Mortar
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Hwacha
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Plague Doctor
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Master Assassin
      • Assassin decoy duration decreased to 12 seconds
    • Plague Catapult
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • Tactical Helicopter
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • P-51 Red Tail
      • Damage greatly increased
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
    • MRL Mk1
      • Hitpoints increased slightly
  • Tactics
    • Demolition
      • Damage increased greatly
      • Training cost decreased by half
    • Decoys
      • Duration greatly decreased
      • Decoy infantry and tank hitpoints greatly decreased
      • Training cost decreased by half
    • Barrage
      • Training cost decreased by half
    • First Aid
      • Training cost decreased by half
  • National Trade Goods (Base Drop Rate)
    • When you get a National Trade Good from a 5-star victory, you are now guaranteed two
  • Alliance Perks
    • Allied Plunder - When you get National Trade Goods from a 5-star victory, you are now guaranteed three
  • Defensive Buildings
    • Air Defense
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
    • Redoubt
      • Damage increased slightly
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
    • Catapult
      • Damage reduced slightly
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
    • Missile Silo
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
    • S.A.M. Battery
      • Damage increased slightly
    • Decoy Trap
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
    • Garrison
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
    • Bunker
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
    • Stable
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
    • Tower
      • Damage increased slightly
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
    • Ballista Tower
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
    • Sniper Tower
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
    • Rocket Arsenal
      • Hitpoints greatly increased
 
Last edited:

KniferX

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Sep 22, 2016
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NTG increase is nice (still no sign of rewarding more ambitious attacks on higher level bases with more NTGs but ok) and some of the buffs to underused troops. But, quick question.

The developers think the main reason people aren't using tactics in MP is their food cost? And not the cost in time to obtain these? Seriously? Are you so out of touch with your own game?
Not gonna mention the rest even, this just got my attention the most but other changes are there too in shock-inducing value, just waiting on the numbers to come out.
 
Last edited:

ILissa

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Aug 26, 2018
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They still hope to make money from time..nobody cares about cost is all about time in this game. Waiting time for upgrades,troops,tactics. When you’re going to fix that Nexon?
 

Radzeer

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May 2, 2015
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.... We did see a slight decrease in the overall number of 5-star battles, which was expected. ....

------------------------

Sure, I play certainly less and less, so the number of 5 star battles are less at least 20/day ;)
 

yemen

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Mar 24, 2017
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The more you reduce 5* victories in multiplayer, the more you increase the cost of full battles, and decrease the chance that people will win and be able to attack again. So the "active" portion of this game (attacking) is getting hurt badly, in favor of the "passive" part. But no one actually plays the passive part.

And when you talk about "cost" of training troops and especially tactics - NO ONE CARES about the RESOURCE cost, the only thing they care about is the TIME cost. But between hannibal and this rebalance, you keep fiddling with the resource cost and ignoring the time. They aren't going to get used more in mp until they train 4-5x faster. In war, we will use them every time anyway.

You guys are on track to destroying this game, in pursuit of some goal (reducing 5* victories!?!?!) that almost no one is asking for.
 

Krieg

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Jan 27, 2017
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One of the trends we have been seeing in the data for PvP battles is that players are doing more small-scale raids, using only a handful of troops, for resources rather than all-out assaults.

​​​​​​
Maybe because you are making 5 stars victories too difficult to be worth on MP?
 

yemen

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Mar 24, 2017
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This. Where are the developers who actually play this game?
 

pckrn

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Apr 14, 2016
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The increases to building hitpoints start small in the Classical Age and ramp up into the later ages as players field significantly larger forces with the Stronghold and Airstrip on top of their Barracks troops and mercenaries.

stronghold, airstrip, barracks, and mercenary troops all to be used every battle.

ah makes sense

:rolleyes:
 

TinSoldier

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Jun 4, 2017
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Sorry for the confusion! We've clarified the language here. The goal is that strong attackers earn more Food/Gold/Oil/etc..

Always happy to clear things up!
 

No Angel

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May 1, 2017
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Ok ok, so stage 1 is not quite acceptable, why don't you rebalance attacking units strength in stage 2? So it's back to normal! Don't retouch the buildings anymore! 😩
 

BeerMan

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May 10, 2017
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The single most imbalanced item in the game is Russian coalition. And now you greatly increase the hp of bunkers stables to exacerbate the issue? Unless plane damage is doubled, this isn’t going to be much fun...
 

Xabar

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Dec 9, 2017
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TinSoldier Could you publish the new change percentages, or the new stats of each troop / building / tactics?
thanks
 

MartinK12

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May 19, 2016
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Many people already said a lot about overall rebalance issues so I'll just focus on few specifics from this stage.

1. What is the point of hiding % values for the next 3 days, and all those greatly / slightly? You know that we will complain about them anyway ;)
Why not give us those % values straight up? We could limit the complaints to just one thread instead of two ;)

2. To lower ages overall cost of the battle has huge impact so I understand that - I always support efficient wars with good cost / reward ratio, but for higher ages it's nothing - we have tons of resources.
Why not lower the training times? Why not increase rewards (trade goods)? Where's airplanes blessing? Why not introduce troops speed ups?

3. Did u see what happened with medals and with your rebalance stage 1? Players are dropping medals because they can't find affordable targets in higher leagues. Or they reduced number of daily attacks - I guess it's great for you servers = lower maintenance costs ;)
But still - why not introduce higher rewards for higher leagues? Why not increase rewards for 5 staring a higher age base or same age base? If u want players to still go for 5 stars u need to still increase rewards, this stage is not enough.

4. Commando need troops space reduction to make it useful. No one will care about him if he still takes about 8 spaces :(
Why not lower the space it takes?

5. You want players to use all mercenaries, blessings and troop tactics for each attack but during all those years u already lowered resources from hunting, gathering, and dock.
Where do you think we will find all those trade goods we need to train those mercenaries and blessings?

6. And the most important question - will there be nations, wonders, dock, museum and overall economic rebalance stages as well?
 
Last edited:

Esiebert7625

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Oct 1, 2015
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Decrease the TIME for tactics, nobody gives a crap about the COST. You want people using more full armies and attacking more often only changing the tactic TIME will enable this. In addition General training TIME needs to be greatly decreased, as it stands Generals are a one a day usage and usually saved for war. Any scratch they get in MP means they are out for quite a while, I'd love to be able to use them in MP but their retrain time should be 1-2 hours, not a full day.
 

MacMarla

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Oct 15, 2016
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I for one am up for the challenge, certainly I have concerns. My biggest one is how war shy players have become. Hopefully the communication will keep coming, they are montoring the outcomes and if something doesnt work it can be adjusted in the next rebalance which is why they are doing it in stages.
 

Imaera

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May 26, 2016
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I quite gave up on the game, no hope left that things will eventually go better, no excitement. I used to start wars as soon as the previous war ended, now, maybe once in two weeks or more. Used to raid daily like it was a job, now maybe one or two raids a day while watching something on TV. 50% of my teammates already quit, leaving maxed out accounts behind for us to take care of if we feel like it. I still play out of inercia, until i play no more, so i don't really care anymore what changes are they doing. But i am amused and amazed on how many negative feedbacks they got so far, and yet they are going ahead with the rebalance thing. Out of curiosity i will stll be here till the last stage.
It's like watching somebody digging with determination it's own grave. :))
 
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