Design

• Inland Sea map script no longer has desert and mountains at the top and bottom of the map
  
• Impious characters are no longer restricted from becoming Clergy (Sacred and Profane)
  
• Tweaks to eligible events for Minimal Event Level and No Events
  
• Kush Scouts with a Schemer leader are no longer invisible when building Forts
  
• Game of the Week will now use all dynasties from Wonders and Dynasties. Temporarily set GoTW to use the No Events setting.
  

Programming

• AI no longer builds other projects in border cities if it can build walls
  
• AI no longer plans to expand against a player or tribe if it would otherwise have a zero percent chance to declare war against them
  
• Mods can now have custom event art
  
• Eliminated per-frame heap memory allocations from glowing text
  

UI

• Updated localization text
  
• No Events toggle moved to Event Level dropdown
  
• Improved road visibility on minimum terrain detail
  
• Added new hotkey (Ctrl+L) to toggle between the two most recently used languages
  
• General name is a now a link on the unit selection panel
  
• Adjusted spacing in unit tooltip bonus table
  
• Rural specialists on non-resource tiles are now shown on the resources/improvements overlay
  
• Improvement help reorganization. Added Potential Bonuses / Other Bonuses links to some improvement tooltips to help readability
  
• Added organized tribal unit concept and indication on unit tooltip
  
• Added notification icon for Occurrences (Era of Peace, Civil War etc)
  
• Laws screen now potentially scrollable (affects mods that add laws)
  
• Units can now be selected through world UI elements (Harvested icon, text from overlays)
  
• Improved handling of grammatical gender
  
• Tech cards display now updated when science stockpile changes
  
• Tile yield overlay now shows negative yield values (but does not include consumption)
  
• Moved All Characters list to the right side of character filters.
  
• Character list now sorts by family, with head at top and then by age
  
• Family and Religion heads now have their background highlighted in the character list
  

Bugs Fixed

• Fixed Garrison/Stronghold/Citadel stone upkeep issue in Barbarian Horde scenario
  
• Fixed occasionally-hidden yield costs on production buttons
  
• Fixed null reference in AI bonus value calculation for tribe cities
  
• Fixed artefacts at the edges of fog of war from some viewing angles
  
• Fixed stats breakdown tooltips
  
• Fixed Learn to Play menu scenario expansion
  
• Fixed simple setup screen not correctly applying the difficulty level from the options file
  
• Fixed a No Events event appearing incorrectly
  
• Fixed religion opinion tooltip issue
  
• Fixed reign years display for bypassed rightful heir
  
• Fixed autobuild cities sometimes not selecting something to build
  
• Fixed some issues with in-game language changing
  
• Fixed border expansion preview for building a farm not taking into account the free farmer from the Jerwan Aqueduct
  
• Fixed inland tribes setting for Continent map script
  
• Fixed some truncated link hovering issues
  
• Fixed AI not advancing to occupy a settlement
  
• Fixed Barbarian Horde scenario sometimes not finding enough spawn tiles for the Horde
  
• Fix player power display in German
  
• Fixed Grand Vizier incorrectly triggering the "no councilors from our family" opinion penalty (Behind the Throne)
  
• Text and event fixes
  

The Hooded Horse Summer Sale Has Arrived!

From Today Until July 11th

Headline Changes

• Wonders have been rebalanced
  
• 5 new Crowning Ambitions added
  
• New game options, presets and defaults including an Introductory preset and No Events mode
  
• Grand Viziers can no longer be assigned manually and will only appear through events (Behind the Throne)
  

Design

Wonder rebalancing:

• Ishtar Gate: increased growth per culture level in the city from 1 to 2
  
• Necropolis: Now gives all cities 3 civics per pagan religion instead of 2 happiness per temple
  
• Royal Library: increased science output from connection to other teams, but reduced output from own team (Wonders and Dynasties)
  
• Al Khazneh: Now gives free silk, perfume, ebony, porcelain, and furs, and a Caravan every 5 turns. Removed money bonus and 3 instant Caravans (Wonders and Dynasties)
  
• Mausoleum: increased culture modifier from 40% to 50%
  
• Hagia Sophia: Now gives 2 happiness levels for every city on completion and 2 happiness per turn per culture level in the wonder city. Removed global happiness per turn
  
• Via Recta Souk: Now gives all on-map luxury resources. Replaced wonder city growth by 2 growth per culture level. Removed happiness per luxury and Caravans
  
• All improvements that produce units create one on the first turn they are built. Affects Holy Sites, Al Khazneh, Cothon and Colosseum
  
• Al Khazneh and Royal Library disabled in FFA games with two or fewer human players and no AI nations (Wonders and Dynasties)
  

New crowning ambitions added.

• 6 cities with a positive happiness level
  
• 8 Elder specialists in each Family Seat
  
• Polytheism and 4 Elder Acolytes in each Family Seat
  
• Stockpile 2000 of each resource
  
• Send 20 luxuries
  

• Added game option preset Introductory and made it the default. This sets low events, low mortality and no AI development
  
• Added game option No Events. This disables all events except those necessary for game progression or for leaders' unique abilities.
  
• Renamed newer Inland Sea map script to Mediterranean and made it the default initial map for single player games. The original Inland Sea map script is no longer hidden
  
• Added game option to ignore premade map nation starting locations
  
• AI player starting city numbers are now capped at twice the average for the AI Development level
  
• Swapping the position of units now consumes a fatigue point for both units. Units that have used all their fatigue can use Force March to enabled them to be swapped
  
• The Formation effect (Greek UU) now gives +20% strength from having the same unit adjacent, not just +20% defense
  
• All retiring Generals now get the Retiring General trait, allowing them to become governors
  
• Relaxed restrictions on ambition validity when there are no valid ambitions of the correct tier available
  
• Improved east-west team starting location placement adjustment
  
• Team contact is now always symmetric, no longer possible to not be able to change diplomatic relations with a nation that you have met but hasn't met you
  
• Leader and heir now get an additional trait option that is not related to their current job when upgrading
  
• Raging tribes will now get a centralized AI whenever they have at least one city in their possession
  
• Doubled the effect of Righteous and Debauched traits
  
• Increased Harbor net adjacency bonus from 40% to 60%
  
• Units now always advance after kill when attacking camps that are not city sites
  
• Lowered order amount demanded by the AI when giving tribute for truce
  
• Grand Viziers can no longer be assigned manually and will only appear through events (Behind the Throne)
  
• Autonomous Rule now overrules the Grand Vizier (Autonomous Rule cities do not build units but can spend resources) (Behind the Throne)
  
• Ambushed by rebels trait no longer removes character job (Behind the Throne)
  
• The Found Religion project will now preferentially found Zoroastrianism for the Shapur dynasty (Wonders and Dynasties)
  
• Some dynasty starting characters now have the Rising Star and Power Hungry traits (Wonders and Dynasties / Behind the Throne)
  
• Darius now takes a -5 Legitimacy hit if he lets Bardiya take the throne (Wonders and Dynasties)
  

Programming

• Increased value AI places on gaining orders, AI value for garrisons lowered
  
• AI now attacks tribe settlements with a higher priority than roaming tribe units
  
• AI takes into account the strength of allies and enemies of both players when deciding whether to go to war or ask for truce
  

Tweaks to AI diplomacy with Ruthless AI set:

• AI will not accept a player mission to declare war on a third party, if it would not consider doing so independently
  
• AI will not accept truce from a player, if it has zero chance of initiating truce from its side
  
• AI will not automatically accept peace or truce when another AI player offers it
  

• Improved vizier city build management (Behind the Throne)
  
• Steam now respects the DLC checkboxes in the Steam library, treating any DLCs disabled there as unowned.
  
• Steam now uses rich presence and displays information about the current game state
  
• Mod Browser change to ensure Mod.io website mod commenting is enabled properly on mods
  
• Added the Behind the Throne XML files to the Reference folder
  
• Added setsafe console command which sets characterID safe (not able to die) for numberOfTurns
  
• Added SUBJECT_CHARACTER_WORLD_RELIGION for use by modders
  
• AI is more mindful of danger when moving units from one location to another, if it can't get there on the same turn
  
• Removed UI XML hotloading
  
• Possible fix for occasional reconnection failures in MP
  
• Added some logging to better identify reconnection failures
  
• Mapscript mods consisting of a source file are now deprecated and will show warning message in Manage mods screen
  

UI

• Added turn summary entry for new techs and consolidated some categories
  
• Added loading hourglass cursor to menu screens
  
• Game option positions in setup menu re-organised
  
• Split "Show Single Objects" into "Show Single Units" and "Show Single Resources" in graphics options
  
• Added "Increase Border Visibility" to accessibility
  
• Unit effects now show both the general trait and promotion icons when the unit has the same effect from both
  
• Notification reminder button now bigger and shine effect applied
  
• Updated Learn by Playing scenario icon
  
• Agent candidates are now shown on the Assign Agent tooltip even when they cannot be assigned due to no Spymaster
  
• Revised description of traits that do not allow any jobs (e.g. Ascetic) to dynamically include all jobs
  
• Changed the art for Shrine of Serapis (Ptolemy's unique shrine) so that the dynasties shrines art are unique (Heroes of the Aegean)
  
• Border expansion preview now contains city territory information so that players know which city will get which tile
  
• Updated display of rivers when using Minimal graphics setting
  
• Border expansion now shown when hovering over the unit widget of a worker constructing an improvement
  
• Changed 'Default Settings' Option Preset name to 'Standard Settings' to reflect it no longer being the default
  
• City founding previews now update only borders, rather than all terrain. Borders now only update vegetation when "increase border visibility" is enabled
  
• Ignore to-be-occupied tile for calculating potential bounces during attack preview
  
• Tweaks to notification tooltip for Steam Deck
  

Bugs Fixed

• Fixed a nested link issue with council characters
  
• Fixed some AI issues where it had trouble getting out of its own way
  
• Fixed particle sound effects firing too often
  
• Fixed duplicate crest in notification text for units killed or captured
  
• Fixed doubled pillage/burn buttons for allied tribe units
  
• Fixed bug allowing fort or road construction in non-allied tribe city territory, including territory of cities being captured
  
• Fixed resource improvement pings not always setting the location for resources for some events that add them
  
• Fixed time victory not being disabled by default in some of the game option presets
  
• Fixed mod browser tooltips not showing for picture & changelog edit boxes, and dependency/incompatibility/whitelist buttons on mod upload screen
  
• Fixed unrevealed tiles being targetable with ranged units
  
• Fixed bug with tile distance pathfinder that caused nations to be placed too close together
  
• Fixed bug with SUBJECT_CITY_DAMAGED
  
• Fixed unit combat animations pausing when offscreen and resuming when in view again
  
• Fixed heir naming relation tooltip
  
• Fixed autobuild governor not honoring items that it had previously queued
  
• Fixed bug with events that remove citizens
  
• Fixed gender prerequisites not showing in event options
  
• Fixed locked tooltips causing issues on SP setup screen
  
• Fixed issue where selecting things between turns could lead to UI issues
  
• Fixed ask to declare war mission sometimes failing to lead to a result
  
• Fixed resource display issue in the Map Editor
  
• Fixed some traits causing the trait display to be inaccurate
  
• Fixed Seaside map script help text (no longer default)
  
• Fixed turn summary popup scrolling
  
• Fixed raiders sometimes not finding the city they are supposed to raid
  
• Fixed replay for server games
  
• Fixed rare bug that could cause city sites to be joined on the Imperium Romanum map
  
• Fixed game failing to start correctly when username can't be set
  
• Fixed links breaking in turn summary
  
• Fixed city health bars sometimes not displaying properly after undo
  
• Fixed bug where Developing wonders would grant AI the Weak legitimacy bonus, +2 instead of +4
  
• Fixed diplomatic status icon not being removed from city widget when city is no longer owned by a tribe
  
• Fixed default setup options sometimes not displaying correctly
  
• Fixed cloud game state being able to be changed by non-active players
  
• Pharaohs of the Nile scenario 3 raider and unit bounce fixes
  
• Fixed opinion boost from Opulence not showing in the Encyclopedia (Behind the Throne)
  
• Fixed Heroes of the Aegean scenario 4 intrigue techs sometimes not triggering events (Heroes of the Aegean)
  
• Fixed Nero wiki link (Wonders and Dynasties)
  
• Fixed reform eras getting stuck from imprisoned or exiled viziers (Behind the Throne)
  
• Fixed wine harvest goal not failing in event of death or divorce of spouse (Behind the Throne)
  
• Fixed delay in victory triggering when final VP came from Opulence project (Behind the Throne)
  
• Fixed Behind the Throne being unavailable in World Map and Barbarian Horde scenarios
  
• Text and event fixes
  

Design

• Added advanced setup option No Events. This disables all events except those necessary for game progression or for leaders' unique abilities.
  

• 8 Elder specialists in each Family Seat
  
• Polytheism and 4 Elder Acolytes in each Family Seat
  
• Stockpile 2000 of each resource
  
• Send 20 luxuries
  
• Amended crowning ambition 'Six Strong cities with positive happiness' to Six cities with positive happiness'
  

• Leader and heir now get an additional trait option that is not related to their current job when upgrading
  
• Raging tribes will now get a centralized AI whenever they have at least one city in their possession
  
• Doubled the effect of Righteous and Debauched traits
  
• Increased Harbor net adjacency bonus from 40% to 60%
  
• Units now always advance after kill when attacking camps that are not city sites
  
• Lowered order amount demanded by the AI when giving tribute for truce
  
• Darius now takes a -5 Legitimacy hit if he lets Bardiya take the throne (Wonders and Dynasties)
  
• Autonomous Rule now overrules the Grand Vizier (Autonomous Rule cities do not build units but can spend resources) (Behind the Throne)
  

Programming

• AI value for garrisons lowered
  
• AI is more mindful of danger when moving units from one location to another, if it can't get there on the same turn
  
• Removed UI XML hotloading
  
• Added more multiplayer client logging
  
• Possible fix for occasional reconnection failures in MP
  
• Mapscript mods consisting of a source file are now deprecated and will show warning message in Manage mods screen
  

UI

• Added turn summary entry for new techs and consolidated some categories
  
• Border expansion now shown when hovering over the unit widget of a worker constructing an improvement
  
• Changed 'Default Settings' Option Preset name to 'Standard Settings' to reflect it no longer being the default
  
• Added loading hourglass cursor to scenario menu
  
• City founding previews now update only borders, rather than all terrain. Borders now only update vegetation when "increase border visibility" is enabled
  
• Ignore to-be-occupied tile for calculating potential bounces during attack preview
  
• Tweaks to notification tooltip for Steam Deck
  

Bugs Fixed

• Fixed some traits causing the trait display to be inaccurate
  
• Pharaohs of the Nile scenario 3 raider and unit bounce fixes
  
• Fixed Seaside map script help text (no longer default)
  
• Fixed turn summary popup scrolling
  
• Fixed raiders sometimes not finding the city they are supposed to raid
  
• Fixed replay for server games
  
• Fixed rare bug that could cause city sites to be joined on the Imperium Romanum map
  
• Fixed game failing to start correctly when username can't be set
  
• Fixed links breaking in turn summary
  
• Fixed city health bars sometimes not displaying properly after undo
  
• Fixed bug where Developing wonders would grant AI the Weak legitimacy bonus, +2 instead of +4
  
• Fixed diplomatic status icon not being removed from city widget when city is no longer owned by a tribe
  
• Fixed default setup options sometimes not displaying correctly
  
• Fixed opinion boost from Opulence not showing in the encyclopedia (Behind the Throne)
  
• Text and event fixes
  

Design

Wonder rebalancing:

• Ishtar Gate: increased growth per culture level in the city from 1 to 2
  
• Necropolis: Now gives all cities 3 civics per pagan religion instead of 2 happiness per temple
  
• Royal Library: increased science output from connection to other teams, but reduced output from own team (Wonders and Dynasties)
  
• Al Khazneh: Now gives free silk, perfume, ebony, porcelain, and furs, and a Caravan every 5 turns. Removed money bonus and 3 instant Caravans (Wonders and Dynasties)
  
• Mausoleum: increased culture modifier from 40% to 50%
  
• Hagia Sophia: Now gives 2 happiness levels for every city on completion and 2 happiness per turn per culture level in the wonder city. Removed global happiness per turn
  
• Via Recta Souk: Now gives all on-map luxury resources. Replaced wonder city growth by 2 growth per culture level. Removed happiness per luxury and Caravans
  
• All improvements that produce units create one on the first turn they are built. Affects Holy Sites, Al Khazneh, Cothon and Colosseum
  
• Al Khazneh and Royal Library disabled in FFA games with two or fewer human players and no AI nations (Wonders and Dynasties)
  

• Added game option preset Introductory and made it the default. This sets low events, low mortality and no AI development
  
• Renamed newer Inland Sea map script to Mediterranean and made it the default initial map for single player games. The original Inland Sea map script is no longer hidden
  
• Added game option to ignore premade map nation starting locations
  
• Swapping the position of units now consumes a fatigue point for both units. Units that have used all their fatigue can use Force March to enabled them to be swapped
  
• The Formation effect (Greek UU) now gives +20% strength from having the same unit adjacent, not just +20% defense
  
• All retiring Generals now get the Retiring General trait, allowing them to become governors
  
• Relaxed restrictions on ambition validity when there are no valid ambitions of the correct tier available
  
• Improved east-west team starting location placement adjustment
  
• New crowning ambition added: six Strong cities with positive happiness
  
• Team contact is now always symmetric
  
• Grand Viziers can no longer be assigned manually and will only appear through events (Behind the Throne)
  
• Ambushed by rebels trait no longer removes character job (Behind the Throne)
  
• The Found Religion project will now preferentially found Zoroastrianism for the Shapur dynasty (Wonders and Dynasties)
  
• Some dynasty starting characters now have the Rising Star and Power Hungry traits (Wonders and Dynasties / Behind the Throne)
  

Programming

• Increased value AI places on gaining orders
  
• AI now attacks tribe settlements with a higher priority than roaming tribe units
  
• AI takes into account the strength of allies and enemies of both players when deciding whether to go to war or ask for truce
  

Tweaks to AI diplomacy with Ruthless AI set:

• AI will not accept a player mission to declare war on a third party, if it would not consider doing so independently
  
• AI will not accept truce from a player, if it has zero chance of initiating truce from its side
  
• AI will not automatically accept peace or truce when another AI player offers it
  

• Improved vizier city build management (Behind the Throne)
  
• Steam now respects the DLC checkboxes in the Steam library, treating any DLCs disabled there as unowned.
  
• Steam now uses rich presence and displays information about the current game state
  
• Mod Browser change to ensure Mod.io website mod commenting is enabled properly on mods
  
• Added the Behind the Throne XML files to the Reference folder
  
• Added setsafe console command which sets characterID safe (not able to die) for numberOfTurns
  
• Added some logging to better identify client reconnection failures
  
• Added SUBJECT_CHARACTER_WORLD_RELIGION for use by modders
  

UI

• Game option positions in setup menu re-organised
  
• Split "Show Single Objects" into "Show Single Units" and "Show Single Resources" in graphics options
  
• Added "Increase Border Visibility" to accessibility
  
• Unit effects now show both the general trait and promotion icons when the unit has the same effect from both
  
• Notification reminder button now bigger and shine effect applied
  
• Updated Learn by Playing scenario icon
  
• Agent candidates are now shown on the Assign Agent tooltip even when they cannot be assigned due to no Spymaster
  
• Revised description of traits that do not allow any jobs (e.g. Ascetic) to dynamically include all jobs
  
• Changed the art for Shrine of Serapis (Ptolemy's unique shrine) so that the dynasties shrines art are unique (Heroes of the Aegean)
  
• Border expansion preview now contains city territory information so that players know which city will get which tile
  
• Updated display of rivers when using Minimal graphics setting
  

Bugs Fixed

• Fixed a nested link issue with council characters
  
• Fixed some AI issues where it had trouble getting out of its own way
  
• Fixed particle sound effects firing too often
  
• Fixed duplicate crest in notification text for units killed or captured
  
• Fixed doubled pillage/burn buttons for allied tribe units
  
• Fixed bug allowing fort or road construction in non-allied tribe city territory, including territory of cities being captured
  
• Fixed resource improvement pings not always setting the location for resources for some events that add them
  
• Fixed time victory not being disabled by default in some of the game option presets
  
• Fixed mod browser tooltips not showing for picture & changelog edit boxes, and dependency/incompatibility/whitelist buttons on mod upload screen
  
• Fixed unrevealed tiles being targetable with ranged units
  
• Fixed bug with tile distance pathfinder that caused nations to be placed too close together
  
• Fixed bug with SUBJECT_CITY_DAMAGED
  
• Fixed unit combat animations pausing when offscreen and resuming when in view again
  
• Fixed heir naming relation tooltip
  
• Fixed autobuild governor not honoring items that it had previously queued
  
• Fixed bug with events that remove citizens
  
• Fixed gender prerequisites not showing in event options
  
• Fixed locked tooltips causing issues on SP setup screen
  
• Fixed issue where selecting things between turns could lead to UI issues
  
• Fixed ask to declare war mission sometimes failing to lead to a result
  
• Fixed resource display issue in the Map Editor
  
• Fixed Heroes of the Aegean scenario 4 intrigue techs sometimes not triggering events (Heroes of the Aegean)
  
• Fixed Nero wiki link (Wonders and Dynasties)
  
• Fixed reform eras getting stuck from imprisoned or exiled viziers (Behind the Throne)
  
• Fixed wine harvest goal not failing in event of death or divorce of spouse (Behind the Throne)
  
• Fixed delay in victory triggering when final VP came from Opulence project (Behind the Throne)
  
• Fixed Behind the Throne being unavailable in World Map and Barbarian Horde scenarios
  
• Text and event fixes
  

Do you love history and its many legends? Look no further than the Old World and its DLCs!

Unravel New Dynamics in the Royal Court:

'Behind the Throne' introduces you to the delicate balance of power among new historical figures —advisors, viziers, aristocrats, and courtiers.

Key Features to Explore:

• 350+ New Events: Engage in scenarios brimming with court politics, intrigue, and the personal ambitions of those closest to you.
  
• Notable Historical Figures: From Alcibiades, the cunning Athenian statesman, to Avicenna, the revered Persian philosopher, each character will challenge your governance in unique ways.

Innovative Projects and Improvements:

• Estates and Opulence: Establish estates that showcase your kingdom’s splendor and undertake the Opulence project to increase your influence and victory points.
  
• Slums: These new areas accelerate population growth but come with the increased risk of rebellion.

New Gameplay Mechanics:

• Rising Stars: Watch as non-leader characters become either your most valued assets or your fiercest adversaries as they gain influence within your realm.
  
• The Grand Vizier: Outsource city management to Viziers. But be cautious, as their growing power might inspire them to look towards your throne.
  
• Political Eras: Adapt your strategy through times of civil war, grand reforms, and decadence, each bringing significant challenges to your leadership.
  
• Stress & Revelry: Manage the ruler’s stress through various activities. The choices you make here can strengthen or weaken your grip on power.

To the Community

Bugs Fixed

• Fixed missing Game of the Week menu tooltip
  
• Fixed units sometimes not deselecting
  
• Fixed bug with resource placement from improvement pings
  
• Fixed Pharaohs of the Nile scenario 5 goal help
  
• Fixed Pharaohs of the Nile scenario 5 crash
  
• Fixed Rise of Carthage scenario 1 Bireme goal becoming impossible
  
• Fixed missing syntax in Rise of Carthage scenario 1 Spanish translation
  
• Fixed errors viewing Rise of Carthage scenario events in event browser
  
• Fixed Mod Browser missing tooltips
  
• Fixed flickering on tribe widget
  
• Fixed dynasty dropdown with random nation selected
  
• Fixed options toggles not showing tooltips on setup screens
  
• Text and event fixes