Age of Wonders III

The game was announced in February 2013 for the PC. By that time, developers had been working on the game for more than two years. Initially, the release was planned for autumn 2013, but then it was postponed to the beginning of 2014.

Age of Wonders 3, unlike other games in the series, is completely three-dimensional . Heroes and their armies travel the world, communicate with each other, capture cities and control the elements with the help of magic. The battles remained turn-based , but were reworked (for example, attacks from the flanks were added and the set of special skills for units was expanded). The game contains the classes of heroes characteristic of RPGs : warlord, theocrat (theocrat), robber (rogue), supreme druid (archdruid), magician (sorcerer), technocrat (dreadnought). In addition to classes, the hero also chooses specialization (adept / master of water, earth, air, fire, creation, destruction, explorer, builder). Any hero, regardless of race, can choose any class and any specialization. According to the developers, the classes helped them move away from the usual fantasy .

Also in the game will be a random map generator and level editor.

Story

The plot tells of a conflict between the Imperial Commonwealth and the Alliance of Dark and Forest Elves .

Races

The game has a choice of 8 races:

People

People have a strange mixture of qualities of other nations. Some of them want to invent and build, others dream of power, others prefer to sit in the shade of trees and tell stories to children. Some people are engaged in self-improvement, while others study the arts that were considered long forgotten. Their governments are constantly improving, each member of the society has his own opinion on any issue. Anyone strives to go to their goal, ignoring the laws of nature and the usual way.

Racial Feature: Sailor.

Racial Unit: Knight (Cavalryman)

Favorite landscape: Meadows

Dislikes: Arctic and underground landscape types

Hates: Fatal and volcanic landscape types

High Elves

Elves are immortal, their life can be infinite. These graceful creatures are one of the oldest inhabitants of the world. Elves are closely related to nature, they love music, literature and dancing, but at the same time they prefer solitude, hiding from prying eyes. Peering into their forests, strangers do not want to leave from there. Those who, after a long life among the elves had to leave the forest, often fade from sadness.

Racial Feature: Inhabitant of Forests, Vulnerability to Poison.

Racial Unit: Gryphon Rider (Trooper)

Favorite landscape: Thickets

Dislikes: Tropical and underground landscape types

Hates: Fatal and volcanic landscape types

Gnomes

Dwarves are a strong people who chose dungeons and inhospitable corners of the world as their housing. Above all, they value hard work and strength. They do not greatly respect subtle diplomatic moves, preferring to beat the enemy directly, without wasting time on sleepy conversations. They love to create new things, especially large architectural structures, adorned with jewelry found underground. Dwarves are great fighters. With confident steps, they step along steep mountain slopes.

Racial Feature: Inhabitant of the mountains, cave dweller, night vision, protection against poison.

Racial Unit: Firstborn (Footman)

Favorite landscape: Mountains

Dislikes: Tropical landscape

Hates: Fatal landscape type

Goblins

Goblins emerged from the womb of the earth, from forbidden and inaccessible depths. They are cruel, the main joy for them is destruction and unrest. Goblins climb out of the ground like dirty foam. They are stunted and skinny, hunched over, with long arms hanging to the floor. Their skin is usually brown or dark yellow, in tone with the earth. They see perfectly in the dark, and therefore it is difficult to catch them by surprise.

Racial Feature: Caveman, Night Vision, Swamp Dweller, Poison Protection.

Racial Unit: Goblin Beetle (Cavalryman)

Favorite landscape: Swamps

Dislikes: Arctic and tropical landscape types

Hates: Volcanic landscape type

Orcs

Orcs are obsessed with destruction. They live to break and destroy. Huge work is worth the leader to bring the orcs together and force them to build a city. Magic doesn't appeal to them too much; they prefer to rely on strength and cruelty. Orcs hate everything beautiful, making an exception only for dangerous beauty. Bored, they can begin to destroy both others and themselves. They become organized only under the iron authority of a strong leader, under the whips of overseers.

Racial Feature: Night Vision.

Racial Unit: Sturmovik (Infantryman)

Favorite landscape: Desolace

Dislikes: Arctic type of landscape

Hates: Fatal and volcanic landscape types

Draconids

When the human race came to power, dragons, especially young ones, suffered a terrible fate. Among humans, dragons were valued more dead than alive. They were hunted for fame, entertainment, money, odorous potions from their blood. Without thinking about how wise dragons become over time, people destroyed winged dinosaurs. Dragons turned to the sorcerers of Evermore, so that with the help of magic they created defenders for them. To restrain the advance of people, they sacrificed the rest of the young. The dragons put their power into the eggs, swearing that after victory they would again become the people they once were.

Racial Feature: Fast healing, fire protection, vulnerability to ice.

Racial Unit: Flyer (Footman)

Favorite landscape: Desolace, lava

Dislikes: Arctic type of landscape

Hates: Fatal landscape type

Halflings

(added to Golden Realms DLC)

According to the plot of previous games, it was assumed that all half-lights were destroyed. However, some lucky halfling survivors fled to distant lands. Coming to new lands, three competing noble houses of half-sheds had to face unknown monsters. Subsequently, these three houses were combined into a single house. The main feature of halflings is luck, it gives a small chance to avoid a direct attack or hostile spells.

Racial Feature: Luck, physical vulnerability - 20%, −1 melee damage, +1 physical damage in ranged combat.

Racial Unit: Eagle (Cavalryman)

Frostclings

(DLS)

According to the plot, the frostlings repulsed the offensive of the empire with great losses, the main character meets a necromancer who allows him to revive his clan in the form of undead. Frostlings are an icy people with matriarchy in the north. The main features are bonuses to women (the built-in martyr of the theocrat at the spearmen) and their "power of ice".

Racial Unit: Ice Queen (Support, Cavalry)

Troops

All races have the same types of units of I and II levels, which, however, differ in available skills and characteristics.

• Militia
• Shooter
• Infantryman
• Pikiner
• Cavalryman
• Support

Plus a unique level III unit.

There is a system of counter units. For example, due to the increased value of movement points, cavalry effectively copes with arrows. And pikemen have a bonus to attack and defense against cavalry.

Classes of Leaders and Heroes

The game has 7 classes to choose from:

Rogue (Rogue)

Lords of the rogues are masters of disguise, manipulation and deception. Anyone who has enough stupidity to prevent them, disappears into the night without the slightest rustle. Dodgers pacify subjects and control enemies with the help of spells, poisons, assassins and shadow magic. They have two faces: one they wear in public, and the other they reveal only to themselves, pondering their dark plans behind closed doors, controlling the sinister forces that wait in the shadows for the right moment to strike. - “Gifted rulers of the Third Era,” chronicler Ralinstone Pedant.

Warlord

One military leader once told me: "A people living in the world is a people that produces cowards and future slaves." Warlords rule by the Law of the Sword, the right to command them is determined by military glory and deadly fights. Their troops consist of experienced and swift detachments, as well as powerful beasts obedient to their will. Warlords are excellent tactics, and often themselves are glorified warriors. Although they put the power of their armies above supernatural forces, they do not shy away from spells that strengthen troops. They give their troops incomparable courage, and strike fear into the hearts of enemies ... - “Gifted rulers of the Third Age”, chronicler Ralinstone Pedant.

Sorcerer

After the reign of the Wizard Kings at the end of the Second Era, power was seized by a new group of magicians called sorcerers. They sought to uncover the secrets of the universe and learned to intervene directly in the flows of mana and control magic in its purest form. Sorcerers are able to summon various magical creatures to themselves, from lights to terrible horrors. They are more focused on magic than others and possess many combat spells, and can also enchant troops and entire lands. Sorcerers' possessions are usually covered with various protection - domes from magic, security signs and the like. They themselves strike their enemies with harmful spells. Needless to say, sorcerers prefer gold to mana and rely on spells instead of brute force. Armed with their secret knowledge, they hope to regain the power once held by the Wizard Kings. - “Gifted rulers of the Third Era,” chronicler Ralinstone Pedant.

Archdruid

Archidruids rule their people from distant natural sanctuaries. Their cities are self-sufficient formations whose existence is based on a natural balance. Their lands are full of life, their sources grant fertility to the most arid wastelands. Their possessions are vigilantly guarded by hunters, shamans and wild animals. It seems that even the trees bow to the will of the arch-druids. The power of those ruler arch-druids I met was undeniable and sometimes even seemed cruel - if we forget that their actions are dictated by the need to maintain equilibrium. In order to master the forces of nature, they do not seek to soullessly protect life alone, because death is a natural order of things. - “Gifted rulers of the Third Era,” chronicler Ralinstone Pedant.

Theocrat (Theocrat)

Theocrats rule the masses of the heart. They heal, persuade, preach and convert to their faith. Their adherents are completely devoted to them and are sure that any of their actions will be rewarded in the afterlife. Theocrats rarely attack the enemy directly, and therefore may seem harmless - but history has already proved the whole untenability of this opinion. Many kingdoms have already fallen victim to the merciless crusades, in which martyrs, preachers, Templars, priests and angels burn out all heresy on the lands of the Gentiles. - “Gifted rulers of the Third Era,” chronicler Ralinstone Pedant.

Technocrat Dreadnought

The world of technocrats is the world of cars, gears, boilers and blocks. These are inventors and engineers, they do not give in to the supernatural and firmly believe in technology and logic. Their machines free peasants from exhausting labor on farms. Their guns, tanks and ships allow ordinary soldiers to kill monstrous creatures. Technocrats will stop at nothing, because they are preparing to enter a new era. But for industrial power you have to pay your price, the fearless rulers must constantly find ways to extract resources from the world of magic. - “Gifted rulers of the Third Era,” chronicler Ralinstone Pedant.

Necromancer (DLS)

Life and Death are opposite as night and day, and only a necromancer can release true power by finding it in the twilight between them. Only a necromancer is able to push a person to the edge of death and keep him there forever, in the form of an abominable shadow of himself. Only a necromancer is able to penetrate behind the veil and pull out from there dark creatures that are being watched from the darkness to be their servant in the light. Only a necromancer is able to be the ruler of lifeless lands, devastated from the outside, and full of dark energy, and at the same time laugh when you call him evil. Why should a person be good or evil when he stands in the gates of Eternity? Shadow Puppets, Grimber Ambul, a necromancer.

• - the official website of Age of Wonders III
• Purchase on the publisher’s website in Russia
• Age of Wonders 3 on GameDeus.ru