Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome Expansion

The Rise Of Rome is the expansion to the 1997 award-winning real-time strategy game, Age of Empires. As the name indicates, it is based on the rise of the Roman empire. It features a new architectural design, unit queuing, five new units (Armored elephants, Camel riders, Fire galleys, Scythe chariots and slingers), four new researchable techonologies (Logistics, Martyrdom, Medicine and Tower shield) and four new civilizations (Carthage, Macedonia, Palmyra and Roman)

The expansion, however, is regarded much more lowly than AoE. Only one building design was added and it does not add noteworthy features to gameplay. Larger maps were available, several parts of the interface were tweaked (such as unit queueing, using the Home key to cycle through recent events, balancing damage done by catapults. However, matchups between Egyptian and Macedonian were popular both online and single player. While Egyptian priests are the most powerful in the game, Macedonian units were four times more resistant to conversion.

New units

• Armored Elephant

The armored elephant is an upgrade to the existing War elephant. It had increased attack and armor, could trample nearby units and has a bonus against towers and walls, making it a good siege weapon.

• Camel Rider

A completely new unit, the camel rider is essentially a defensive unit against cavalry and chariot attacks.

• Fire Galley

Also a new unit, the fire galley is a defensive unit against other ships. It is a short range boat, armed with Greek fire that has bonus against most boats, but taking extended damage from Juggernaughts and Catapult triremes and ground siege weapons.

• Scythe Chariot

An upgrade to the chariot, the Scythe Chariot has increased attack over priests and is highly resistant to conversion. It can also damage nearby units, which made the unit not recomendable while defending allied AI territory or in joint attacks, since after a certain damage was done, the AI would turn against the player

• Slinger

The only new low-tech unit, the Slinger was a unit capable of disrupting archer lines and ballistas, as well as attcking enemy fortifications

New technologies

• Logistics

Logistics reduced the barrack unit count by half, allowing the player to create a high number of foot units without passing the population limit

• Martyrdom

By researching Martyrdom, priests could sacrifice themselves while converting enemy units. The target unit would be converted instantly

• Medicine

Medicine increases priest healing rate

• Tower Shield

The Roman square shield decreased damage against Ballista and Helepolis and other missile weapons.

New civilizations

• Carthaginian

Transport boats 30% faster

Fire Galley +25% attack

Academy Units and all elephant units +25% hit points

• Macedonian

Academy units +2 armor vs. Slinger, Ballista, Helepolis, missile weapons

Units with no range +2 line of sight

Siege workshop units cost 50% less

Units 4 times more resistant to conversion

• Palmyran

Free tribute

Gold per trade 50% more, have armor and work 20% faster

Camel riders 25% faster

• Roman

Buildings cost 15% less, except towers, walls and wonders

Towers cost 50% less

Swordsmen attack 33% faster

External links

• official Microsoft site
• official Ensemble Studios site