When it comes to 4X games or any strategy title, of that matter, one aspect that tends to feel neglected is that of naval combat. While it is there, it never really shines, and when it does, it’s only in very specific situations, making it an optional, somewhat niche playstyle. Yet Triumph Studios, much like in previous expansions, has found a way to make this feature shine in ways I never thought possible in Age of Wonders 4: The Silver Seas.
Tools of the Trade
While Expansion Pass 4 kicked off with Singer of Storms, its first major expansion, The Silver Seas, leans heavily into the fantasy of becoming a naval conqueror, something I particularly enjoyed.
For my campaigns, I played strictly into the new challenge scenario, Jeweled Seas. Here, your goal is to reign these dangerous seas in whatever way you want, and since I wanted to try the new features of the Manta update and The Silver Seas expansion, it was the perfect playground.
During my first run, I went with one of the pre-established factions with the Aqualon race and Mercantile culture. As someone who prefers to stick to on-land gameplay, and whose favorite culture remains the Primal one, it was pleasant to see how encouraging it was to take everything to the high seas.
When my faction spawned, my first order of business was to establish as many trade routes as possible, just to see how profitable they would become. As expected, it is one of the most rewarding features Triumph Studios has added to the game.
Instead of relying on outposts or controlling mine provinces, I was placing routes with different cities across the map, aiming to be a diplomatic ruler for once, and just watching my resources increase slowly. And even if I was expecting this system to be extremely passive without any danger, I was shocked to see just how hands-on it was.
After a while, pirates were attacking my trading routes, obliterating my poor crew. In other cases, factions were throwing lies and slander about me, which would shut me off from some trading opportunities. Yet, that also opened a few doors for me to raid some routes, which awoke that sleeping pirate side in me.
Of course, another highlight was the challenge realm, which, while not as great as the Story Realms we got for Secrets of the Archmages, was pretty fun, especially when playing the new culture. At all times, I felt the boot of Free Pirates on my neck, as I had to lend them soldiers, food, or sometimes just pay them off to make them happy. You can always say no to them, but becoming an enemy of a pirate city in a water-based map isn’t a good idea. Yet, it makes for a real fun challenge.
Overall, and speaking strictly of the new additions to the free update, I loved every part of it. Trade Routes are among the best additions to the game that expand your passive income opportunities, but also add another strategic layer to your campaign. Still, what truly steals the show is the actual expansion, which is another must-buy.
A Mercantile Approach
After experimenting with the above systems for a while, I decided to leave the pre-made factions and create my own. Behold: the Ruthless Carnassials, my Ogrekin Mercantile Cartel faction. I know it’s a mouthful, but it was a fantastic and unexpectedly fun combination.
At first, I wanted to make a faction that was all about raiding, and I went with several Chaos tomes, as well as a few Shadow ones for that role-playing factor. So, I spawned, started establishing a few trading routes, and scouted the seas. When my first encounters began, I loved how the Cartel organization was all about flanking enemies, meaning that some of the more “stealth-oriented” ones were ideal for my playstyle. Still, I somehow managed to make my pirate crew one of fire-wielding raiders that hit hard and rarely let enemies attack, which I really loved by the time I was razing cities.
While we’ve had some over-the-top cultures in the past, and I say that in the best possible way, I liked the more grounded yet highly customizable approach of the Mercantile culture. It truly opens a lot of possibilities for every type of ruler. You can focus on naval exploration and trading, or you can go the rogue way and destroy every city. As I said before, you can even take down pirates if you want, which was one of my favorite self-appointed goals, which I failed to do spectacularly, but enjoyed every bit of it.
As for the new things happening in this map, I really loved how the tides rolled in with several different effects. In one campaign, my trade routes were blooming, gaining more resources with each turn. In another run, the whole sea froze, spawning new creatures to battle, while also making exploration a bit easier for specific armies. It reminded me of the randomness of Secrets of the Archmages, which, to this day, is one of the best expansions in the game.
Speaking of things you can do on the map, another wonderful addition is the ability to create cities in the water, thanks to the new culture. While I started on land, I slowly made my way to the open seas, eventually creating a water utopia, and one of my favorite ones in all the campaigns I’ve made. I was able to create a few Kraken units to intercept enemies at sea, and a Lightning Crab army to siege cities—it’s everything I ever wanted.
My only minor complaint is that The Silver Seas could’ve used a story realm, similar to previous Age of Wonders 4 expansions. The piracy/naval landscape is so rich that a more narrative-driven realm would have elevated this DLC even more. Still, even without that one, I was extremely pleased with every new feature, faction, enemy, random event, and tome that Triumph Studios gave us.
An Excellent Start for Expansion Pass 4
As always, Triumph Studios keeps raising the bar with each subsequent expansion. While I don’t think it eclipses Secrets of the Archmages, as it’s missing a proper Story Realm, Age of Wonders 4: The Silver Seas is one of the most compelling DLCs we’ve seen for the game, and one that is a must-buy for all rulers who want a life on the high seas. On top of that, it’s a superb official start to Expansion Pass 4, which makes me hopeful for what the developers have in store for us in 2027.
