Line #31 VideoGame/WarsOfLiberty


1	''[[http://ageofempires.fandom.com/wiki/Wars_of_Liberty Wars of Liberty]]'' is a GameMod for ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresIII'' that overhauls and expands on much of the game itself... and then some. Initially called ''War of the Triple Alliance'' and centered on the [[UsefulNotes/WarOfTheTripleAlliance eponymous war]] between Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, it has over time grown to encompass virtually the entire New World, with various unique factions, new gameplay mechanics, revamped graphics and even an additional end-game age among other things. It's also one of the handful of mods for the game that remain active. A final "Delta" release that was announced has over time become a thorough overhaul called ''Wars of Liberty'', which was released on September 2015.
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3	''Wars of Liberty'' can be found [[http://aoe3wol.com/ online]].
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6	!!''Wars of Liberty'' provides examples of the following tropes:
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8	* ActionGirl: The Paraguayan explorer is female. The japanese explorers are the Miko priestesses.
9	* AmazonBrigade:
10	** Mexico's more powerful skirmisher units are all female.
11	** The chinese skirmisher units, the Xiangus are all female
12	** Austrian villagers (who has the ability to detect spies by default) are also all female. And their leader is Empress Maria Theresa.
13	** The Aymara native units are female mounted boleadoras.
14	* AmericansAreCowboys:
15	** Americans and Canadians can build barns and Wild West-looking buildings, and have access to mounted rifleman units.
16	** Argentinians are even more cowboys than the North Americans since they are based off South American stereotypes. A good deal of units are mounted, including their workers, who are all Gauchos.
17	* AnachronismStew: Present either as a result of TheArtifact (see below) or RuleOfCool (e.g. the Maltese using more archaic units). Though otherwise downplayed for most factions:
18	** The Chinese are now more accurately portrayed as they were around the Qing/Manchu Dynasty, with nods to both the Opium Wars and Boxer Rebellion. Coincidentally, they have access to Boxers as multi-purpose infantry.
19	** Japan, compared to the vanilla game, is more reminiscent of the Boshin War, Meiji Restoration and Satsuma Rebellion than the Sengoku Jidai.
20	** The Spanish, meanwhile, resemble a much more modernized force compared to their largely Conquistador-based aesthetic previously. Their aesthetics are now based on the Carlist and Rif-Spanish wars which are set in the long 19th century.
21	** The halberdier units accessible to various European factions eventually look like late-Victorian/early-20th century soldiers in dress uniforms by the Industrial Era.
22	** Until the Industrial Age, the Ottomans only have access to Jannisaries and more outdated units, which while still powerful, would eventually make them outmatched by the late-game. At least until they gain access to the much more modern Nizam-i-Cedid.
23	* ArmyOfThievesAndWhores:
24	** Mexico gains access to "free" pistol-wielding bandits that double as CannonFodder through researching improvements, especially after upgrading units or structures.
25	** The Bushrangers, available to Australians if taking the Colonial path, are portrayed and described as being outlaws and rogues. By the late-game, their upgraded forms even resemble Ned Kelly, right down to the makeshift armor.
26	* TheArtifact:
27	** As presented, the Tupi and Inca factions make [[AnachronismStew less sense]] since the mod changed its start year to 1789.
28	** Pikemen, crossbowmen, musketeers and caravels still show up despite the AnachronismStew involved. First generation musketeers were in fact reskinned to look more 16th century than in the vanilla game, before the ReTool happened.
29	* AscendedExtra: The post-colonial Americans and some Native Americans (Tupi, Inca, Mapuche) that were included in ''The War Chiefs'' as either upgrades of European factions or minor native tribes are now fully-developed civilizations. Meanwhile, the Swedes and Italians, which were cut content for the vanilla game, have also been made into proper factions in their own right.
30	* AwesomeButImpractical:
31	** The [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarI Great War]] age is a new endgame option that, as the name implies, propels your faction into UsefulNotes/WorldWarI, complete with tanks, aircraft, unique structures and new technologies; tellingly, the description simply states to "[[OhCrap end it all]]." The catch though is that it requires a ''lot'' of resources and that you reach the Imperial Age (Age V)...which in ''itself'' burns through resources as well.
32	** On the surface, the Colonels have powers comparable to the South American natives divine powers, but they haven't been properly implemented yet and will hurt your troops more likely than the enemy. This will be changed in the future patch, with them losing their abilities but are able to train outlaws in return.
33	** If rushed, the Serbians can set their own buildings on fire, hurting attacking soldiers. Unfortunately, this has not been refined and the fire will stay long after the building has been consumed. Any unit that comes close to the area will be hurt, including your own, and even nearby buildings will be destroyed. The area will become both dangerous and useless long after the attack is repealed.
34	* BadassPreacher: Brazil's Jesuit Priests come with guns of their own and double as explorer units.
35	* BananaRepublic: The Caudillo units for the Latin American nations have some shades of this, given how many of their abilities and upgrades are tied to corruption.
36	-->"The colonels promise free housing! Unfortunately, it is only for them. Colonels cost no population [after researching this upgrade]."
37	* BaseOnWheels: Every Egyptian building, with the exception of Lots and Trading Posts, is mobile, allowing an Egyptian player to take map control much more quickly and easily. In return, they are fragile and have no effective base defences.
38	* CannonFodder:
39	** The Mexican Insurgente is explicitly described as such in its description, though they make up for their somewhat weak attacks by being durable.
40	** The Paraguayan Primero de Línea ("First in Line") is even more exaggerated, as it is generated constantly and for free after a barracks is built, and it is just some guy with half an uniform and a sharpened stick. Even upgraded, it is only useful to rush cavalry and artillery in large numbers, and most of them will die fighting even if you win.
41	** Anglo spontooners are weaker than most polearm units and only useful at keeping other melee units away from your riflemen until you can create mounted units with guns.
42	** The Russians, similarly to their portrayal in the base game, rely on throngs of cheap units to help win the day. This is especially the case for their Ryadovoy skirmishers, which are trained 10 at a time and all but expendable.
43	* ChildSoldiers: The Zulu produce "Youths" at a constant rate for free, who can then "mature" into different types of soldiers. They are the only instance where the tropes HideYourChildren do not apply.
44	* CombatMedic: Brazilian Jesuit Priests are the one of the few healers armed with a gun. Mexican [[AmazonBrigade Soldaderas]] also uses guns (being a skirmisher) and can heal allied troops.
45	* CreatorProvincialism: Lord Tahattus is Brazilian first, South American second, and very proud of it.
46	* {{Cult}}: The Sertanejo natives are based on a cult in NE Brazil that went to war with the early Republic. Some of their technologies reference this.
47	* DarkerAndEdgier: Downplayed, but the mod is this compared to the vanilla game. Especially as it doesn't shy away from touching on more politically incorrect topics like slavery, religious zealotry, colonialism and racism.
48	* ADayInTheLimelight: Notable as well for putting a spotlight on nations that don't normally show up in an RTS game, like the Canadians, Argentinians, Brazilians, Africans, Balkan Nations, Polynesian Cultures and Native Americans. The mod pretty much started as a denunciation of the original's focus on colonial North America and [[SettingUpdate switched the spotlight]] to revolutionary South America.
49	* DealWithTheDevil: It's possible for the Italians to get various perks through the Mafia, though they come with hefty costs and penalties.
50	* DemotedToExtra: The original game's jaegers and musketeers appear only as treasure guardians. The playable versions look completely different.
51	* DuelingGames: With the ''VideoGame/NapoleonicEra'' and ''[[http://www.knightsandbarbarians.com Knights and Barbarians]]'' mods in particular. That said, the rivalry and competition seems to be rather friendly, given the relative overlapping influences among the respective modders.
52	* DueToTheDead: Mexicans hold great regard for their dead, as a legacy to the local pre-Columbian cultures. Ingame, this is seen in Chinacos, who give back part of their cost through their tombstone when killed.
53	* {{Eagleland}}: The Americans come across as a mix of Type 1 and 2, whether you choose the Union path or follow the Confederate route.
54	* EarthIsABattlefield: Every continent has playable maps, some of which are based off Australia, Madagascar, Polynesian atolls, and even the Galapagos Islands. The website taunts ''"The Moon"'' as an upcoming map.
55	-->"How did you get here? I don't know!"
56	* EleventhHourSuperpower:
57	** This is a major strength for the Americans. Many of their best units, upgrades and technologies are accessed towards the late-game, which could potentially make then near-overpowered if given enough room to grow.
58	** The Maltese by the late-game can ship in powerful modern infantry from their homeland to reinforce their otherwise archaic forces.
59	* EmbarrassingSuperpower: Anglo dogs can reveal a portion of the map permanently by "marking" it. The icon looks exactly like you would expect.
60	* EvilPoacher: "Outlaw Poachers" are treasure guardians in African maps.
61	* FanSequel: With all the work already done and in development, the mod veers very close to being one altogether.
62	* FeatheredFiend: Cassowaries show up as treasure guardians in Australia.
63	* FightingForAHomeland: The "American" Immigrants that are available to the Latin American factions are a nod to the real-life ''Confederados'': refugees from the former Confederate States of America who fled to Brazil after the Civil War, whose descendants still retain elements of their origins.
64	* FullBoarAction: Wild boars are treasure guardians in Europe and Africa. They are the only guardians that can also be killed for food.
65	* GatlingGood: A possible late-game artillery unit for some factions is an old-style Gatling Gun.
66	* GoingNative:
67	** The Indigenous route for the Australians has many signs of this, most notably signified by the Aborigine and Maori units made available.
68	** The New France route for the Canadians, in addition to embracing their French/Quebecois heritage, also grants access to Metis rebel infantry towards the mid-late game.
69	** Downplayed for the French, meanwhile, as their Pied Noir worker units wear outfits not too dissimilar from those used by Berbers and Arabs in Northern Africa.
70	** Inverted after a fashion, with the Maori. Depending on what upgrades and Home City cards are used, they could not only adopt more European weapons and mechanics, but also deploy British reinforcements.
71	* TheGunslinger: The North American nations are almost entirely firearms-based, though they're compensated by researchable melee tech.
72	* HiredGuns: On top of the foreign mercenaries from the base game, it's heavily implied that Austria's military units are ''all'' mercenaries and hired contractors.
73	* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Comes with the territory, though Simón Bolívar himself is playable in-game for the Colombians.
74	* InstantMilitia: Whenever a Colombian building is destroyed, it spawns a number of Guerrilla units who, while weak, are useful in fending off the enemy momentarily. This is no longer the case as this ability has been given to the Tupi instead.
75	* JackOfAllStats: The Romanians might have an easier time harassing, scouting the map and fighting in general, but they don't excel at anything.
76	* KatanasAreJustBetter: All Japanese infantry are armed with a katana that ignores most unit resistances and is effective against almost every unit in melee.
77	* LatinLand: Averted as much as possible. The modders are making an effort to show that the Latin American factions ''aren't'' simple reskins of the Spanish and Portuguese, nor of each other, including plans to add new voice packs representing various New World dialects.
78	* MadeASlave:
79	** Brazil's worker/peasant units are all slaves (at least initially). The Americans also gain access to slaves of their own should you take the Confederate path.
80	** [[PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny Paraguay]] has "Forced Labor" available as a technology.
81	** The Romanians use Roma slaves.
82	** The Haitian villagers (and likely their soldiers too) are [[SlaveLiberation rebelling slaves]]. The villagers can be resurrected using faith likely reflecting their Voodoo beliefs.
83	** The Australians use convicted labourers.
84	** Some Latin American countries can bring in Chinese immigrants, who are primarily "Coolies."
85	* MassiveRaceSelection: While the current faction lineup is already considerable compared to the main game (with more European and even African nations planned for "Delta"), the three "Anglo" civilizations (Canada, America, and Australia) take it further by having sub-factions (with their own particular tech and units) depending on which politician you select when aging up. Americans can go Union or Confederate; Canadians can go British or French; Australians can go Colonial or Indigenous (and have access to [[CultureChopSuey Aboriginal and Maori units]]).
86	* MechanicallyUnusualFighter: Every faction has their own quirks, but there are a few standouts.
87	** The Tupi get a special mention for completely forgoing gold, only using food and wood.
88	** The Austrians have no innate ability but picking up one from another faction every time they age up.
89	** The Mapuche have their home city council on the battlefield itself, allowing them to get multiple shipments at once, while risking getting them killed and being unable to get shipments.
90	** The Bulgarians can build weak and cheap infantry and cavalry armies from their town centers but their regular Nation States military rosters are unlocked one age later than other Nation States civilizations. They can ship military units from their home city which transforms all Opalchentsi that has been trained from their Town center.
91	** The Egyptians are nomadic, with every building being a unit that can move around the battlefield.
92	** The Zulu train every single unit (except villagers) from Youth that the Ikhandas and Matriarchs automatically produce.
93	** The Swedes can build annexes next to their structures, granting them unique perks depending on what's added.
94	** The Maori start off with a seemingly limited and primitive roster, which "evolve" into very different units depending on which upgrades are chosen.
95	* MedievalStasis:
96	** The Maltese are this, taking the Spanish role from the base game. They get no gunpowder units, using swordsmen, crossbowmen, and knights, with culverins and mortars as their artillery options. It's also played with, however, in that they can eventually send in modernized infantry as reinforcements from the homeland through a royal decree card.
97	** Played with for the Koreans. Their historic status as a "hermit kingdom" not unlike the Japanese is reflected in their access to more archaic units like spearmen, the Hwacha and explosive fire cattle, alongside more modern cannon.
98	* MooseAndMapleSyrup: Very much represented. The Canadians come in Dominion ("New England") and Quebecois ("New France") flavors, depending on how you age them up. In an added touch, their structures even come with free ''maple trees''.
99	* MultinationalTeam:
100	** In addition to the main game's foreign mercenaries, the Latin American nations can bring in immigrants (such as Germans, Japanese and even Confederate Americans), who provide both tech bonuses and foreign units.
101	** The Austrian faction reflects the multinational nature of the Empire, featuring Austrian, Hungarian and Czech units.
102	** The Australians are an intentional mashup of Australians and (mostly Aborigines), as they wouldn't be much different otherwise, and have access to Aboriginal units if they go the Indigenous path.
103	* LaResistance:
104	** Colombia and to a degree, Mexico gives this impression. Though both gain access to more "proper" units in the mid-late game.
105	** The Bulgarians can only build weak infantry and cavalry volunteer armies from their town center on National Age as most of their military units is unlocked one age later, however their military unit shipments also transform their Town Center units depending on what unit is being sent.
106	* PaletteSwap: In earlier versions of the mod, many of the new factions' units and structures were simply retextured versions of existing assets. Subsequent updates, however, have progressively replaced these with new models.
107	* PoliticallyCorrectHistory: Averted, even compared to the original game. The mod doesn't shy away from, wherever relevant, bringing up slavery, imperialism, and ValuesDissonance from all sides.
108	* ReTool: Started as "War of the Triple Alliance", a mod intended to include South American factions, natives and maps after the creator became annoyed by the [[CreatorProvincialism North American-focus]] of ''The War Chiefs''. Then it became a mod about the post-colonial Americas in general. Then it also included Australians. And then it became a total conversion mod with entirely new mechanics and a changed timeline to the 1789-1918 period.
109	* ReligionIsMagic:
110	** Religion takes up a role similar to earlier ''Age of Empires'' games. A priest can boost morale, heal and ''condemn people to death'' with faith. This is averted should you take up no religion at all.
111	** The Tupi and Inca dances go beyond the boosting experience, gathering, fighting of the original and can now summon natural disasters like plagues, earthquakes, lightning and wildfires.
112	* RightHandAttackDog: In addition to the Spanish war dogs and the dog you get after upgrading the explorer in the original game, the Anglos begin with several herding dog units that cannot be killed.
113	* RuleOfCool:
114	** Canadians and Americans have Mayflower Pilgrims as their Villagers, at least in earlier versions. Recent updates, meanwhile, replace them with more period-accurate Pioneers.
115	** Madagascar is booming with Elephant Birds despite them going extinct before the timeframe of the mod (and likely, though not completely sure, of the original game).
116	* {{Ruritania}}: The Balkan factions feel more rural and unsophisticated than other European civilizations. Surprisingly, they incorporate some mechanics borrowed from the Native American factions.
117	* SchizoTech: The Japanese, [[TruthInTelevision reflecting the 19th Century]]. It's possible to field Samurai and bow units alongside riflemen and Western-style cavalry.
118	* SemperFi: Continental Marines are available to the Americans only in the Union route.
119	* SettingUpdate: The original game's civilizations can now get firmly into the 19th century, with the British receiving Green Jackets instead of Longbowmen, the Russians receiving Ryadovoys instead of Strelets, and the Japanese having access to Meiji-era riflemen and steam ships, among others. Almost all faction leaders now come from the mid to late 19th century as well.
120	* SettlingTheFrontier: The Anglos generally have a frontier aesthetic with their structures, which persists even into the Industrial Era.
121	* SouthOfTheBorder: Obviously, a lot of Mexico draws from the Revolution era, and many of their units like Soldaderas, Chinacos and Insurgentes wear sombreros.
122	* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Like in ''The War Chiefs'', when a Native American faction is upgraded from native tribe to playable civilization, another Native American people takes its former place, but the trope is zig-zagged. While the Caraja that replace the Tupi in Amazon maps are just the Vanilla Tupi with a different name, the Aymara that replace the Inca and Mapuche in most maps is a completely different settlement that provides a female rider in European clothing that throws bolas. And South American maps get all sorts of other new natives, be it Native American (Guarani, Guaicuru, Muisca), black (Quilombola), white (Jesuit, Knights of the Cross) or everything in between (Paulista, Sertanejo, Republiqueta).
123	* TokenMinority: Union-aligned Americans' Buffalo Soldiers are all explicitly black, though the other factions also have minorities of their own.
124	* {{Uberwald}}:
125	** The "Deathly Hallows" map, which changes between day and night, is covered at times in OminousFog, and has evil-looking [[DarkIsEvil black wolves]] with [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]] as treasure guardians. Otherwise, it is very downplayed.

Context VideoGame / WarsOfLiberty