Age of Empires IV – Update 17.0.12182

Raiders of the North is Available October 29!

Take up arms as two brand-new civilizations, the Vikings and the Scots, each bringing their own distinct mechanics, units, buildings, strategies, masteries, music, and evolving language to the battlefield. Raiders of the North also brings a major expansion to The Crucible, including four new missions, deeper progression, and the option to take on its challenges solo or with a friend in two-player co-op.

Civilization: Vikings

The Vikings arrive as a relentless force built around raiding, powerful melee infantry, and adaptability. Fast infantry and strength at sea allow players to take the initiative early, while a resilient economy centered around the Longhouse helps support their ambitions as they expand across the map.

But the Vikings are about more than the raids they became famous for. Their civilization evolves as the match progresses, reflecting the transition from the Viking Age into the emerging kingdoms of medieval Scandinavia. Their armies grow alongside them, gaining access to units such as Knights and Militia Crossbowmen as their society develops.

Players can also forge their own legacy through Heroic Sagas, with great deeds granting lasting bonuses that can help shape your strategy throughout the match. Sacred Groves provide another way to extend Viking influence across the battlefield, giving players even more reasons to venture outward and contest important locations.

Whether you’re launching an early raid or building toward the strength of a growing Scandinavian kingdom, the Vikings reward players who are ready to seize opportunities and keep their opponents under pressure.

Civilization: Scots

Standing against the raiders from across the sea are the Scots, a resilient civilization built around disciplined infantry, fortified defenses, and a strong food economy. Where the Vikings look to build momentum through aggression, the Scots are well equipped to stand their ground and force their opponents into hard-fought engagements. 

Highland Cattle provide the Scots with a reliable source of food to support continued military production, while Tower Houses and castles help establish a powerful defensive presence. Their infantry can also make particularly dangerous use of stealth forests, creating opportunities to catch unsuspecting enemies in an ambush. 

At the center of their military strategy is the Mustering Hall, which allows players to shape their forces around Highland or Lowland strengths. This gives the Scots flexibility in how they prepare for the fight ahead while maintaining the resilience and battlefield control at the heart of the civilization.

Game Mode: The Crucible

Raiders of the North also brings a major expansion to The Crucible, introducing four new missions with fresh challenges ranging from seaborne raiders to conflict among Scottish clans. New Objectives, Boons, Perks, Mutators, and civilization-specific Talent Tracks add further variety and progression to each run.

For the first time, these challenges can also be tackled in two-player co-op, allowing you to enter The Crucible alongside a friend, while solo play remains available for those looking to face the challenge alone.

Observer Mode

Adding a new Observer HUD mod category for replays and live observers. Observer HUDs will be able to be subscribed to and enabled independently from Game Mode mods, allowing custom spectator interfaces to be used with Ranked, Quick Match, custom match, and tournament replays. Observer HUDs are loaded only for spectators, improving stability while reducing setup requirements for hosts and players, Mod creators can publish Observer HUDs through a dedicated category in the Mod Editor.

New Taunts

Send 12 new Vikings and Scots themed Taunts to your friends or foes. Mock their puny economy or share your disbelief when things don’t quite work out! Be sure to check them all out in-game!

While these Taunts are themed around the Vikings and Scots civilizations, we’ve made them available to everyone for use on October 29!

General

• Fixed placement summary for ranked matches always showing “-2/5 COMPLETED”.
• Attack Move behavior change. We’ve added a new setting that lets you choose whether Attack-Move targets buildings. This setting can be found under Game → Attack Move Targets Buildings. Siege units which prioritize buildings are not included, so Rams, Trebuchets, and Cannons will still continue to target buildings by default regardless of this setting.
  • Additionally, there is a modifier key that can be used to invert the behavior of this toggle. This can be manually rebound via View and Remap Controls → Game → Inverted Attack Move.
• In single-player matches, the game can now be paused using the pause key. While paused, you will be able to see the game world and issue commands to units.

Developer’s Note: We got a bit ahead of ourselves in our excitement, and the Singleplayer Pause feature is actually coming in a future patch before the end of the year. We’re looking forward to rolling this out very soon!

• Removed Dark Green and Magenta color options. Unfortunately these colors caused a number of readability issues that will require more time to evaluate and support a better solution to allow for greater color variety without compromising on readability.
• We’ve added new customization options when using Team-Based colors which allow you to change your own, your ally, and your enemy color to any of your choosing. Note: there’s currently an issue which requires you to save your settings using the Team-Based option in order for the customization settings to become visible.

AI Changes

• AI players will now avoid needlessly building a naval presence on Megarandom maps.
• AI players will have a higher priority to build dropoffs when needed.
• The Worker Elephants of Tughlaq Dynasty AI players will now attempt to avoid danger when attacked.

Hotkeys

• New hotkeys have been added:
  • Select all ranged units.
  • Select all ranged units on screen.
  • Select all melee cavalry.
  • Select all melee cavalry on screen.
  • Select all ranged cavalry.
  • Select all ranged cavalry on screen.

Matchmaking

We’ve updated how hidden matchmaking rating (MMR) is adjusted after team games.

This is the behind-the-scenes rating used to build balanced matches, not your seasonal points.

What’s changing:

• When you regularly queue with the same teammates, your hidden rating now moves toward your team’s true skill more quickly.
• Rating gains and losses within a team are no longer split evenly. Your adjustment is now weighted by your rating relative to your teammates.
• This makes it much harder to stay in easier matches than your real skill warrants.

What this means for you:

• Matches should feel more balanced over time.
• Players attempting to manipulate their match difficulty to boost/smurf will find it far less effective.

Your seasonal rank and points are unaffected by this change.

General Map Changes

• Added new terrain type for the Ancient Stele and Herbalist Hut points of interest to be used by mods for custom procedural maps.

Map-Specific Changes

Carmel

• Deer placement in team games now spawn in a more neutral zone.
• Cliffs and mountains now spawn more sparsely and to never create big impasses engulfing the center in larger map sizes.
• Team game player spawn distribution now uses a new player spawn distribution that sets the players to spawn closer to the center of the map and in equal gaps from each other.
• Sacred Sites in larger maps now spawn between the teams rather than having a chance to spawn “behind” a team.

Craters

• The Meteorite now contains 2000 resources of Gold and Stone rather than 4000.
• Sheep distribution has been updated to the new method where most sheep spawn close to the player’s base.

Danube River

• Player starting locations are now mirrored and symmetrical in 1v1 and team games.
• The Ancient Stele point of interest has been added near the top of the cliff by the sacred site.
• An additional river crossing towards the center will appear in larger map sizes.
• Trade Posts have been moved slightly away from the corners of the map.
• Sheep distribution has been updated to the new method where most sheep spawn close to the player’s base.
• Fixed an issue where the central ramp leading between the cliffs would often become an impassable cliff.
• Fixed an issue where stealth forests would fail to spawn in the center of the map by one side of the riverbank.

High View

• Fixed a team games issue where a player could sometimes spawn on the enemy team’s side.
• Fixed an issue where the fifth Relic would sometimes fail to spawn in 1v1.

Oasis

• A stealth forest path will lead to the central lake from two opposite ends of the forest ring, with a sacred site at the end of each path.
• A single deep sea fish will spawn in the central lake. Two deep sea fish will spawn in larger team games.
• Players in solo and team games now spawn the same distance from the central entrances and neutral resources.
• Team games now use a new spawn which sets the players closer to the center of the map and in equal distance from other players.

Prairie 

• The starting Gold Mine is now large instead of small (reverted).

Snake River

• Fixed an issue in free-for-all where not all bridges would spawn.

Socotra

• Fixed an issue where static Sacred Sites & Relics would fail to spawn in free-for-all.
• Sacred Sites in larger player counts have been moved slightly apart from each other.

Mountain Clearing

• Sacred Sites in larger player counts have been moved slightly apart from each other.

Sunkenlands 

• Fixed an issue where a group of 7 Deer would spawn in larger map sizes.

West Lake

• Fixed an issue where large segments of the lake were deep water.

Biomes

• Baobab (250 Wood) trees no longer spawn around player bases.
• The Madagascar biome may now spawn in ranked matches.
• The Tropical Swamp biome can no longer spawn in ranked matches.
• Fixed an issue where circular large stealth terrains would not spawn.
• Fixed an issue where large groups of Deer (10) would fail to spawn in Black Sands, Greek Island, and Tundra Summer Biomes.

Design Update/Rework 

• Updated Boon Rarities:
  • Panic Button: Epic → Standard
  • Supremacy: Epic → Cursed
  • Growth Fund: Standard → Epic
  • Permanent Garrison: Standard → Epic
• Boss unit health now scales more rapidly with each difficulty level.
• Boss units now gain additional health scaling in Castle and Imperial Age.
• Boss unit damage now also scales in Castle and Imperial Age.
• Boss unit size increased.

Balance

• Boggy Ground now only applies its debuff to enemy units. Armor corrosion of -1 armor added.
• Burgage Lords House cost increase reduced from 25 → 15 Wood.
• Lighter Cavalry attack damage increased from +2 → +4.
• Cavalry Hero aura health buff reduced from 40% → 35%.
• Quality over Quantity bonus increased from 150% → 200% Also now applies to bonus damage.
• Supremacy immediately grants Elite Man-at-arms on selection.
• Training Dummies now explode on death, dealing damage.
• Fast Expand bonus reduced from 75% cheaper Town Centers → 60% cheaper.
• Handy Cannons now deal significantly more pierce damage and hit more targets.
• Thorny Economics health bonus increased from +100% → +150%.
• Giant Nest of Bees Reload time increased from 4 to 8 seconds.

Bugfixes

• In Crucible, the Golden Horde’s Building Carts can no longer unpack into docks on maps where naval is disabled.
• In Crucible, Smite now strikes units fully randomly within the casting area.
• In Crucible, the Forward Outposts 4 Perk no longer provide Cannons to Templar Outposts, Springalds are granted instead.
• Capturable Champions now properly benefit from Infinitry and Last Stand Boons.
• Fixed an issue where some heavy cavalry units did not benefit from the Vulnerability boon.

General Changes & Bugfixes

• Villagers returning to work from the Town Center now accept shift-click queued commands.
• Relics will no longer be destroyed if deposited into a building just as it is destroyed.
• Fixed an issue where switching to attacking a unit just after throwing a torch will cause a torch to be thrown at the enemy unit.
• Fixed an issue where Scouts attempting to drop a carcass can sometimes fail.

Balance and Gameplay Changes (All Civilizations)

• Town Center construction time increased from 150 → 165 seconds.
• Ram health increased from 370 → 410.

                        Abbasid Dynasty

• Fixed a bug which caused the Trade Ships’ extra resources from Grand Bazaar to be calculated incorrectly.
• The City Planning health bonus is now applied to Lumber Camps and Mining Camps within influence.

                             Byzantines

• Cistern gather rate aura reduced from 26% → 24% at water level 5.
• Teardrop Shields cost increased from 100 Food 250 Gold → 150 Food 350 Gold.
• Golden Horn Tower production speed reduced by 10%.
• Cistern of the First Hill cooldown per unit reduced from 45 seconds → 30 seconds.
• Cheirosiphon health increased from 310 → 330.
• Byzantine and Macedonian Dromons are now correctly labelled as “Massive Ship” instead of “Springald Ship”.
• Mercenary Royal Knights no longer lose their Royal Bloodlines after researching Biology.
• Fixed an issue causing the Byzantine Elite Varangian Guard to fail to switch to the axe when the Berserking ability is used.

                               Chinese

• Imperial Officials can no longer supervise points of interest.

                                 English

• Wynguard Armies no longer display incorrect populations in the score screen.

                        Golden Horde

• Khan and Torguud:
  • Discount on Khan and Torguuds reduced from 20% → 15%.
  • Khan and Torguud increased health reduced from +30 → +25.
• Muscovy Yasak wood reduction per Heavy Infantry or Heavy Cavalry on the field increased from 2 → 3.
• Fixed an issue causing the Increased Supplies technology to not apply correctly to Military Buildings constructed from Building Carts.
• Fixed an issue where cancelling a Building Cart when unpacking could cause the building to become invisible.

                    Holy Roman Empire

• Prelate Inspiration gather rate increased from 35% → 40%.
• Inspired Warriors effect duration increased from 60 → 90 seconds.
• Black Rider:
  • Build limit increased from 5 → 6 per active Keep.
  • Production time reduced from 35 → 30 seconds.
• Landsknecht cost reduced from 60 Food 100 Gold → 50 Food 100 Gold.
• Relics that are deposited in Docks will no longer be lost if the Dock is destroyed.

                              Japanese

• Shinobi units can no longer sabotage Golden Tents or Templar capital Town Centers.
• Fixed an issue which prevented Japanese rocket emplacements from dealing bonus damage to elephants.

                             Jin Dynasty

• Iron Pagoda:
  • Base damage increased from 16 → 17. Base health increased from 200 → 210.
  • Veteran damage increased from 20 → 21. Health increased from 250 → 255.
  • Elite damage increased from 23 → 24. Health increased from 290 → 295.
  • Far-range area damage increased from 15% → 20%.
  • Damage impact time improved from 0.75 → 0.5 seconds.
• Bed Crossbow:
  • Feudal Age:
    • Damage increased from 8 → 10 .
    • Bonus damage vs melee infantry increased from 4 → 6.
    • Health increased from 85 → 90.
  • Veteran:
    • Damage increased from 10 → 11.
    • Bonus damage vs melee infantry increased from 4 → 6.
    • Melee armor increased from 0 → 1.
  • Elite:
    • Damage increased from 13 → 14.
    • Bonus damage vs melee infantry increased from 5 → 7.
    • Health increased from 110 → 115.
    • Melee armor increased from 0 → 2.
• Updated the Selection Card Art background for the Jin Dynasty.
• Meng’an Mouke Defenders will now properly spawn from coastal Tributary States.
• Specialized Pick and Shaft Mining now properly increase the Mounted Villager’s Gold gather rate.

                            Knights Templar

• Fortress cost increased from 300 Gold 600 Stone → 350 Gold 650 Stone.
• Hospitaller age up:
  • Bonus worker movement speed reduced from 10% → 8%.
  • Bonus worker health reduced from 30% → 25%.
• Landscape Preservation:
  • Castle Age bonus Wood gather rate reduced from +20% → +15%.
  • Imperial Age bonus Wood gather rate reduced from +20% → +15%.
• Fixed a bug which prevented the Condottiero from taking damage as a heavy unit.

                             Macedonians

• Grand Winery:
  • Improved Food gather rate increased from 30% → 35%.
  • Silver generation per garrisoned Relic increased from 80 → 100.
• Imperial Hippodrome:
  • Champion Horseman spawn time increased from 120 → 130 seconds.
  • Champion Riddari spawn time increased from 195 → 205 seconds.
• Golden Horn Tower crossbowman production time increased from 112 → 135 seconds.
• Cistern of the First Hill:
  • Mills now generate Food when affected by Cistern’s Favor.
  • Cistern’s Favor accrual time improved from 90 → 60 seconds.
  • Increased maximum number of Cistern’s Favor charges from 9 → 99.
• Cheirosiphon health increased from 310 → 330.
• Early Varangian Guard health reduced from 120 → 115.
• Palatine School:
  • Cataphract batch production time increased from 20 → 25 seconds.
  • Cataphract batch cost increased from 750 Silver → 780.
• Added a remappable hotkey for the Cistern’s Favor hotkey.
• Roman Fire upgrade no longer gives Macedonian Springalds an additional 0.5 range.
• Cistern’s Favor resource production now appears in player resources increment.
• Fixed an exploit which allowed players to train an infinite number of Hippodrome Champions when playing with keyboard and mouse on console.
• Runestones no longer overwrite Line Formation when playing on console using keyboard and mouse.
• Fixed an issue which prevented the Champion Riddari from using Runestones.

                              Malians

•  Fulani Corral Food generation per Cattle reduced from 18 Food → 16 Food.

                           Mongols

• Landmark movement speed increased from 0.75 → 0.9.

                     Order of the Dragon

• Gilded Landsknecht cost reduced from 120 Food 200 Gold → 100 Food 200 Gold.
• Fixed an issue where the Gilded Crossbowman would have slower attack speed against buildings than its default attack after researching Incendiary Arrows.
• Fixed an issue which caused Order of the Dragon universities to grant population space.

                              Ottomans

• Building discount reduced from 40% → 30%.
• Janissary:
  • Bonus damage vs Cavalry reduced from 11 → 10.
  • Elite bonus damage vs Cavalry reduced from 13 → 12.
• Sipahi attack range reduced from 0.75 → 0.6 tiles.
• Sultanhani Trade Network Gold generation increased from 26 → 28 per garrisoned Trader.
• Field Work:
  • Dark Age healing rate reduced from 1 to 0.5 health per second.
  • Feudal Age healing rate reduced from 1 to 0.8 health per second.
  • Castle Age & Imperial Age are unchanged at 2 and 3 health per second respectively.

                                Rus

• Rus Veteran and Elite Spearman now use a different weapon so that it is easier to distinguish them as Spearman.

                        Sengoku Daimyo

• Yatai Food Trader spawn requirement reduced from 250 Food → 215 Food.
• Early Ozutsu:
  • Health increased from 130 → 140.
  • Damage increased from 22 → 24.
  • Bonus damage vs buildings increased from 70 → 80.
• Updated the text on the Sengoku Castle of the Crow landmark to mention it only applies to ranged siege units.
• Fixed an issue which prevented Sengoku Daimyo rocket emplacements from dealing bonus damage to elephants.

                       Tughlaq Dynasty

• Raider Elephants are significantly less trumpety when moving around.

                        Zhu Xi's Legacy

• Jiangnan Tower:
  • Resources-spent requirement for the first army spawn increased from 2200 → 2400 resources.
  • Resources-spent cap increased from 8200 → 8400 resources.
• The Advanced Administration upgrade now properly increases the Imperial Official build limit.
• Imperial Officials can no longer supervise points of interest.

Investigation

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…

As you get your hands on the new update, civilizations, and Crucible content we’re continuing to work on further balance iterations, quality of life features, and bug fixes. More importantly, we’ll be paying close attention to the immediate impact of all the new content, as well as your feedback, in preparation for a patch in the near future.