v0.3 - The Rework Update

v0.3 is out, and with it a bunch of shiny new things. I think this should fix a bunch of issues that were plaguing the mod previously, as well as add a bunch of new toys for you all to play with. Highlights include three new major civs, and a reworked Religious victory (might want some feedback on that one, the cost for the Ascension Monolith might be a bit high). Next update will probably include tech tree reworks, including a magic path and some techs giving more bestial units because having everything be a replacement for War Elephants seems strange to me. Stay tuned for that, if you're interested. Also sorry for the delay folks, I don't post often because I am working full-time now (I have previously stated this as being for "personal reasons" but then again, just about everybody has or wants a job). I had some help finding bugs this time around, but the person who helped me would prefer to stay anonymous, so I will leave it at that. Enjoy the update!

Full Changelog (Also included in the repository's changelog.txt file)
Not everything here is new, with this update I have also listed everything from pre-v0.2 that has occurred since the "Final Preparations for Version 0.2" commit. You can tell what commit a change is from because it will have "| Commits: " followed by the commit names of any applicable commits for the change. Things that are specifically new to this update are under the commit "Update v0.3".

Additions

• Gnoki Empire: A culture focused civilization of gnomes that rely on Farms and Hills to grant Food, Culture, and Science. | Commits: "Added Gnoki Empire"
• Soldür Great-Holds: A dwarven faction with an emphasis on military and culture. | Commits: "Soldür Update"
• Free Peoples of Rhone: A human (Free Peoples) faction designed to play tall, both defensively and peacefully, gaining huge population booms on entering a golden age, but only when not at war. Cities get increased strength, and provides a counter to nations that play wide by giving bonuses to unit strength when fighting empires with more cities than you. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Crusaders of Kasia: A human (Unaligned) faction built around attacking cities, beasts, and fliers to gain faith. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Grand Eskein: A human faction that prefers to play diplomatically. Can spend gold to puppet/annex city states that have been allied for 3 turns, and can generate large amounts of culture based on the food production of conquered cities. Has very strong bestial and cavalry units as well. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Orruk-Tar: Orcish city-state. Units start with high experience. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Velis: A human (Skyfolk) faction that enjoys having very strong cities. Fun Fact: Their defeat line (which I believe isn't used because they're a city state) references the way Fort Velis was destroyed in-lore. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Alchemy Engine: A renaissance-era tank unit that replaces Lancers for the Gnoki empire. Comes pre-equipped with Blitz and the ability to destroy tile improvements when attacking. | Commits: "Added Gnoki Empire"
• Great Bard: A replacement for Great Artists for the Gnoki empire. Can no longer build Landmarks, but can instead be expended to immediately grant 500 Culture. Spin those tales! | Commits: "Added Gnoki Empire"
• Crimsonblooded Dragon: A mighty flier unit that replaces the Great General for Zharia. Can no longer build citadels, but more than makes up for it with the sheer power it brings to the table. | "Zharia rework & Golden Age unit syntax fix"
• Great Kharn: Ever wonder why fantasy Mongolia didn't have Khans? Well now it does. Oddly enough this addition came alongside the Zharia rework. | Commits: "Zharia rework & Golden Age unit syntax fix"
• Giant Slayers: A Soldüran unique unit, replacing Longswordsman. Specializes in taking out Bestial and Armored units, and gives Culture for doing so. | Commits: "Soldür Update"
• Dawr Forge: A special building unique to Soldür. Provides massive bonuses for the city that has it, but can only be unlocked after getting Future Tech. One free copy is provided to the capital by default, however. | Commits: "Soldür Update"
• Soldüran Forge: A Soldüran unique building, replacing the standard Forge. Specially designed to mass-smelt gold, which is used in dwarven technology (and of course currency). Provides bonuses similar to its non-Soldüran counterpart, with extra bonuses for Gold tiles. | Commits: "Soldür Update"
• Grand Paperworks: Unique Library replacement for Zharia, which grants science whenever you capture a city. I believe it stacks, so extra balance testing may be necessary. | Commits: "Updated Uniques"
• Alchemical Lab: A Gnoki unique building, replacing the standard Forge. Provides instant Culture upon completion, but cannot be sold to prevent exploits. Also provides instant Science upon researching Chemistry, encouraging you to build multiple before researching that. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Spirit Barrier: Unique to city-state "Hili", replacing Walls. Increases city strength more than usual, but increases city health less. Also provides Culture when you kill any unit (the amount received is based on Cost). | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Ritual Arena: Unique to city-state "Xagge", replacing Arena. Grants far more experience than a standard Arena, and for nations other than Xagge, it gives produced units the "Strength of Xagge" promotion. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Token Press: Unique to city-state "Threfek", replacing Mint. Grants Gold from Forest tiles, and also from Trade Routes - both in addition to the usual bonuses from Gold Ore and Silver resources. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Raider Barracks: Unique to city-state "Yate", replacing Barracks. Allows its owner to purchase Melee units for only 50 Gold, but at an increasing price. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Gilded Monolith: Unique to city-state "Tetku", replacing Monument. Gives culture upon conquering a city (amount is based on the captured city's gold production) while you own it, and globally increases gold production by 20%. When the city containing it is captured, the attacker receives double gold. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Head Spikes: Unique to city-state "Orruk-Tar", replacing Walls. Increases city strength significantly, but doesn't increase city health at all. While at war, a city with this building has -100% unhappiness from population and +10 production. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Sky Dragon Hatchery: Unique to city-state "Velis", replacing Barracks. Increases city strength by a huge margin, but doesn't give experience bonuses. Also provides a free "Sky Dragon" unit when declaring war on a major civilization. Requires a nearby mountain to build. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Great Hero: A new Great Person unit. Akin to a Crimson Dragon in that it's basically a super-powerful combat unit. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Griffin Lancer: An Imperian unique unit, replacing Lancer. Has far greater strength and cost, as well as a bonus vs Mounted units. Also is a Flier, and comes with the "Bestial Charge" promotion. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Clay Golem: A Jharappan unique unit, replacing Composite Bowman. Has far greater strength and cost, moves slower and has less range. Can be purchased with science in all cities. Has bonuses on defense vs Melee units when defending, and far stronger bonuses vs cities when attacking. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Elemental Brave: An Onuqian unique unit, replacing Warrior. Has slightly lowered costs, but its true strength comes in the form of its unique ability - when it ends its turn, it gains a promotion based on the terrain and features of the tile it ended its turn on. Over time this can stack to make it an insane unit once upgraded. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Thunderbeak: An Onuqian unique unit, replacing War Elephant. Costs slightly more, but but is far more powerful in exchange. Has increased strength vs Water units, and is a Flier. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Bladethrower: A Rhonan unique unit, replacing Catapult. Loses its bonus vs cities, but has far better stats. While in open terrain, it gets +1 Range and +100% Strength when defending. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Bowgunner: A Rhonan unique unit, replacing Crossbowman. Can make 2 extra attacks each turn. Starts with the Volley and Spread Ammo promotions. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Longbowman: A Kasian unique unit, replacing Crossbowman. Starts with the "Extended Range" promotion, and has increased strength vs Bestial (+50%) and Flier (+150%) units when attacking. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Dragonslayer Paladin: A Kasian unique unit, replacing Knight. Has higher base strength, and has 4x strength against Bestial (all variants, ranged or otherwise) and Flier units. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Company Shipsbane: A Kasian unique unit, replacing Privateer. Cheaper, can move when bought, and deals 2x damage to water units when attacking. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Flat Hunter: An Eskein unique unit, replacing Horseman. Has a ranged attack and can withdraw before melee. Starts with the unique "Hunter's Training" promotion. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Krush Rider: An Eskein unique unit, replacing Knight. Hard-hitting, but with less mobility - both due its unique starting promotion "Krush Mounts". Also starts with the "Bestial Charge" promotion. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Grand Hussar: An Eskein unique unit, replacing Cavalry. Has extra flanking bonuses due its unique starting promotion "Hussar Charge". Also has extra sight. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Jabberfang: An Eskein unique unit, replacing War Elephant. Extremely costly by comparison, but with a whopping 40 strength. Also buffs nearby allied wounded units, and debuffs nearby enemy wounded units (both by 50%). Bonus vs Sword units of +50% (as opposed to +33%). | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Golden Knight: A Ghandorian unique unit, replacing Knight. Practically immune to ranged fire. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Orruk Brute: An Orruk-Tar unique unit, replacing Warrior. Half as costly, and 50% stronger. Also has a +25% strength bonus vs cities. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Velian War Dragon: A Velian unique unit, replacing nothing. Immensely powerful Flier unit, but extremely costly and limited to 3 per civilization. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Sky Dragon: An event unit, generated via Sky Dragon Hatchery upon declaring war with a major civilization. Immensely powerful Flier unit, but cannot be obtained normally. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Natural Avatar: An event unit, generated via Druidic Circle upon entering a golden age. Impressive by era standards, and heals constantly and outside of friendly territory, but cannot be obtained normally. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Druid : An event unit, generated via Druidic Circle upon its construction. Decent early-game flier unit, not especially strong but heals constantly and outside of friendly territory. Is also fairly easy to obtain. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Ascension Monolith: A new National Wonder that allows you to achieve a "Religious Victory" after becoming the World Religion. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Colosseum: A Rhonan unique building, replacing the standard Arena (the roles would be reversed in vanilla). Provides instant Culture upon killing a Military unit (sum based on the Strength of the killed unit), and has increased experience gains compared to the standard Arena. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Druidic Circle: A Kasian unique building, replacing Garden. Increases growth moderately. When built, provides 3 free "Druid" units. Upon entering a golden age while built, provides a free "Natural Avatar" unit. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Eskein Kennel: An Eskein unique building, replacing Stable. More tame than most unique buildings due to the strength and quantity of Eskein's unique units. Provides greater Mounted unit production boosts, and a boost to Bestial (melee only) production. | Commits: "Update v0.3"

Major Changes

• City states will now gift military units when allied even if they aren't militaristic, however Militaristic city-states give units much faster. | Commits: "Fixed an error with the Soldüran Forge, Updated City State Mechanic"
• Zharia's bonus to Great General production reduced from 250% to 200% to balance the addition of the Crimsonblooded Dragon. | Commits: "Zharia rework & Golden Age unit syntax fix"
• Flier units (such as Crimsonblooded Dragons) now ignore terrain costs. | "Added Gnoki Empire"
• Crimsonblooded Dragons nerfed significantly (Strength: 40 -> 20), but they gain strength as you progress in eras. Their Strength Bonus for nearby units has also been increased slightly (20 -> 25) to compensate. | "Added Gnoki Empire"
• Noraskan Rebalance. They no longer have increased melee unit production, but they instead get the ability to recruit defeated water units and a unique promotion for "Sword" category units. | Commits: "Updated Uniques"
• For the time being, the Bloodtalon Rider and Sunclaw Rider units have been removed, as they were an extra bonus that their nations did not need. | Commits: "Updated Uniques"
• Faith Changes. Multiple Pantheon beliefs have been added, removed, or replaced to better fit in with the lore of the world, and how most of its divine entities function. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Dawr Forge now provides 5 Science per 2 population in its city rather than 5 Science flat. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• City-state unique buildings now have the "Never destroyed when the city is captured" unique, giving players access to these rare buildings. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Aeronia speed bonus reduced (3 -> 2), but now gets a 10-turn golden age and a free Great Hero upon declaring friendship. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Ssu'vi now get a +1 movement speed bonus during golden ages. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Onuqi nation is back (and better than ever)! | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• New promotion line for Bestial units. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Flier units now have access to a mixed bag of promotions from various other unit types. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Multiple "Strength vs cities" uniques have been reworked to only function when attacking. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Giant Death Robot is here. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Large nerf to Pyrian Wasteraider (Uniques: "Can move after attacking","No defensive terrain bonus","[+200]% Strength " -> "Can move after attacking","No defensive terrain bonus","[+33]% Strength ","[+100]% Strength ","[-50]% Strength "). Pyria itself will likely be buffed later on, but this unit was severely overperforming. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Herald Of The Sun has increased Hurry Cost (20 -> 100). | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Imperial Guard changed to be a replacement for Swordsman (as opposed to Warrior), gaining increased stats and costs. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Herald Of The Sun has increased Hurry Cost (20 -> 100). | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• War Elephant rebalanced with increased costs and stats, and nation unique replacements for it have been adjusted as well. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Barbarian units restricted. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Barbarians now have access to unique versions of Archer (Slinger) and War Elephant (Brute Elephant), which reduce their value and strength as units but also provide some slight advantages over their civilized counterparts. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Mohtan Warrior removed in favor of Elemental Brave. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Phoenix Knight powered up and reworked - no longer replaces Knight, as that is now the job of Golden Knight. Instead, it is a separate unit with the same tech requirements. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Religious Victory now supported. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• The Manaliths now provide +10 Great Hero points. | Commits: "Update v0.3"

Minor Changes

• Modified Solar Chariot to no longer require horses, as that doesn't make sense considering the Chariot is magically charged by the Sun. | Commits: "Modified Solar Chariot"
• Despite what it says in the Github commits, the Manalith buff was actually a rebalance. The Manaliths now work until the Medieval era as opposed to the Renaissance era, and provide +250% Strength instead of 200% to compensate. | Commit: "Hotfix for Eras"
• Updated the uniques for most anti-cavalry units to include Bestial units as well. | Commits: "Soldür Update"
• Ghandor now reduces its maintenance costs by 50% for land units instead of 25%. | Commits: "Updated Uniques"
• Colosseum renamed to Arena, now gives experience bonus for recruited units in addition to vanilla functionality. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Arcanian Forest now has increased maintenance costs (1 -> 3), but also reduces unhappiness from population in its city by 100% (akin to what Arcania's nation unique previously did). | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Hili's unique effect replaced, as city states do not need culture ("Earn [25]% of killed [All] unit's [Cost] as [Culture]" -> "Damage is ignored when determining unit Strength"). | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Sangali's unique effect altered to only affect Military units. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• All city-states now have Start Bias. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Tetku's unique effect replaced, as city states do not need culture ("Upon capturing a city, receive [10] times its [Gold] production as [Culture] immediately" -> "[+3] Sight"). | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Arcania's unique effect replaced. ("[-100]% Unhappiness from [Population] [in all cities]" -> "[+50]% growth [in all cities]"). | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Added more religions. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
• Added Hero specialist to allow for Great Hero points to be accumulated. Various buildings now provide Hero specialist slots. | Commits: "Update v0.3"

Major Fixes

• Updated Eras.json with the new in-world wonders. | "Hotfix for Eras.json"
• Fixed an error with Soldüran Forge's uniques that prevented the mod from loading. (This was done as a hotfix that came after the previous commit). | "Fixed an error with Soldüran Forge's uniques that prevented the mod from loading."
• Updated the syntax of various "Golden Age Generation" units so that they function properly again. | Commits: "Zharia rework & Golden Age unit syntax fix"
• Giant Slayer is now properly unique to Soldür. | Commits: "Update v0.3"
  Minor Fixes
• Updated Units.json to fix an issue with the auto-update uniques function of Unciv, removing Strength vs cities from multiple units that weren't supposed to have it. Units should no longer randomly have anti-city bonuses. | Commit: "Fixed an annoying auto-update"
• Unit Promotions no longer provide extra bonuses against cities - these were an unintended side-effect of the auto-update feature Unciv has built-in. This was intended to be fixed in the commit "Fixed an annoying auto-update" but I hadn't realized this was an issue for promotions too at that the time. | Commits: "Zharia rework & Golden Age unit syntax fix"
• Updated multiple uniques to their modern format. | Commits: "Soldür Update"