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Last week, we shared our thoughts on balance changes and laid out some of the challenges we want to overcome. Now, we are now rolling out a series of alterations to some units, weapons, and runes in need of modifications, with this first batch of changes going live on January 13, 2022.
[h2]Balance Changes[/h2]
On January 13, we will be implementing several changes to units, weapons, and runes, in order to provide a more balanced game experience. For further details, please read the latest patch notes.
Unit Changes
Axe Raiders

The stats for the Axe Raiders reveal that their average damage taken is 531,100 (23.4% higher than the second-ranked unit) and damage dealt of 273,200 ranked first amongst all units (15.7% higher than the second-ranked unit), and their pick rate was 6.8% (ranked third amongst all units). This exceeded all expectations and intentions, and due to this, we have decided to make changes to their recovery rate from control effects, and their Spite ability to negate their overpowered passive defensive capabilities.

Modao Battalion

The Modao Battalion’s pick rate places them first amongst all units at 9.1%, with averages of 395,200 damage taken (ranked fourth amongst all units) and 157,800 damage dealt (ranking ninth amongst all units). While in Modao Defence, their damage reduction is overpowered, therefore we are making adjustments to improve their strength against cavalry. 20% overall damage reduction will be replaced by 33% against cavalry and 8% against infantry.

Liao's Rangers

We are not satisfied with where the Liao's Rangers sits in terms of their low pick rate of 0.2% (ranked 62nd amongst all units), average damage dealt of 163,100 (ranked seventh amongst all units), and low accuracy while charging (around 15% at 20m), despite being a highly unique cavalry unit. To increase their usefulness and viability, their accuracy rate will be improved and the number of bullets increased. The buff the unit gains from movement speed will also be increased to inflict an extra 15% damage.

Firearm Infantry

Using Tercio Arquebusiers as an example, which ranked 29th with a pick rate of 0.7% in Season IX: Tyranny, we realise that Firearm Infantry has a difficult time dealing burst damage in battles, and their accuracy declines at longer distances. Their damage decay will be reduced and overall accuracy will be increased, while an issue with incorrect sound effects being played when firing will also be fixed.

Cataphract Lancers

According to player feedback, the Cataphract Lancers are still not up to par following recent changes to their kit, and are sitting at a 1.1% pick rate (ranked 24th amongst all units) with an average of 222,500 damage dealt (ranked fifth amongst all units). Rally To Me will be improved again, and when the unit is near the commanding hero, they will slightly speed up while moving closer to the target.

Fortebraccio Pikemen

As the unit with the longest melee weapon, the Fortebraccio Pikemen should be able to counter cavalry well, but that is currently not the case. They are also sitting at a lower than average pick rate of 0.2% (ranked 62nd). Therefore, their damage to cavalry while using Brace will increase by 15%, as will the damage inflicted based on enemy movement speed.
Hero & Weapon Changes
We have noticed that certain weapon classes are used less and have a lower win rate than average. With this round of changes, our focus has been to make adjustments to two weapon classes in particular. We will continue to make adjustments to other weapons where balance changes are required in the future and will detail these in the patch notes.

Longsword & Shield

The Longsword & Shield (ranked eighth with a win rate of 50.11%) is the only weapon class capable of healing, but its effectiveness is currently too low to truly make an impact. It’s possible that this contributes to its low place ranking amongst all weapons used (ranked tenth at 5.5%). It is often the case that you're killed before you can heal; to mitigate this, triggering Mercy of Heaven will now grant a 15% reduction to melee damage taken, and will heal you for 5% of your total possible health for every 3 seconds of its duration. The area of effect healing has not been altered and will act as an additional ability.

Short Bow

The Short Bow is a highly mobile weapon, but some of its skills long cooldowns, detracting from the experience of using it despite its win rate of 49.84% (ranked ninth). We want the Short Bow to be able to better combo skills and basic attacks to improve its 5.8% usage rate (ranked eighth out of all weapons), so cooldowns for four weapon skills will be reduced.
Seasonal Runes
To increase the diversity of picked runes and balance their power, we are improving lesser-picked runes (those under 10%) and mitigating the power of those with a pick rate above 60%. This applies to both common and weapon runes. For further details about which runes will be affected, please check the patch notes.
[h2]Future Changes[/h2]
Right now, heavy shield infantry units are at a disjointed position in battles. They can neither take nor dish out enough damage to be truly effective, making it difficult to utilise them well. We have started to look at how to change units in this category, but it will require a bit of extra time to conduct power and stability tests. We are aiming to implement improvements to the Imperial Spear Guards by January 27 but may need additional time. Keep an eye on patch notes for more up to date information.

For detailed information on all the changes in this article, please check the latest patch notes.

Charging into combat with a weapon that truly expresses your personal battle style is key to any discerning Warlord’s kit. Therefore, we'd like to give you a behind-the-scenes peek at how the Conqueror’s Blade weapon skins for Season X: Highlanders came together, from concept to final product. Lovingly crafted by our development and art team, we hope the weapon skins immerse you in the Highlands culture, conflict, and world.

We spoke to Anton Mamihonov, Creative Director at Booming Tech about the journey to bring Scotland to life in Conqueror’s Blade through our weapon skins.

How did you begin conceptualising the Weapon Skins for Season X: Highlanders?

We usually begin with historical research of corresponding historical periods – events, museums, mythology, symbolism - gathering possible visual references. After that, we select the most vivid points and try to use those in the weapons’ designs.



 How much inspiration did you take from real-world history?

One of the challenges we have is that we sometimes must mix styles. For example – how do you make a Japanese Nodachi look Scottish-inspired? We always seek inspiration in history and add a portion of fiction and mythology. For example – the round shield has a blade, then a dirk (dagger) attached to it to represent how it was used historically. It also features a native protection symbol painted in blue. For the Glaive attire we used the historical shape of the Scottish Lochaber axe.



 How do you want players to feel when they wield these weapons?

We think that every season has a different mood, and it projects on the weapons and the way players would feel while carrying those. For Highlanders, we wanted to highlight key points of bravery, love for freedom, and cultural heritage. We hope that players will feel like heroes who fight for the sake of their people.

What materials do you imagine the weapons to be made of this Season?

We focused on wood and iron for this season but some minor elements had more exotic materials such as deer’s horns (Short Bow).

When you run design playtests, what are you looking out for when it comes to how the Weapon Skins look?

Each weapon must have a visual key point that may be adjusted or improved during the creation process and revisions. Ideally, a weapon would have a background story, connection to historical events, or local mythology. If we’re able to create a design that tells a story – that means that we did something right.



Which is your favourite Weapon Skin of this season and why?

I don’t play Maul myself, but I like the Maul skin the most. It has good size proportions and an interesting idea using the Scottish national animal symbol of a unicorn’s head as the key visual element.

The Season X: Highlanders Battle Pass includes Blades which can be exchanged in the Seasonal Store to get your hands on your favourite Scottish-themed weapon skin!

Broch Eastray is the site of the first Highlanders settlement, now threatened by a Loegrian invasion. This sacred village and its hilltop castle provide the main stage for PvP Siege Battles in Season X: Highlanders. Broch Eastray can be defended or attacked, and invites two teams of 12 players to battle for dominion over it.

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[h2]HISTORY[/h2]
The Loegrians are at the gate, and what bigger prize to secure than that of the Highlanders’ precious Broch Eastray? Their homeland must be reclaimed by the united power of all Aelba’s clans and their new warriors, even if deadly traps may work against them. Much of the landscape has been destroyed, making cover scarce in the battered surroundings. However, new tactics can be deployed to reach the castle and regain control.



[h2]SCOUTING REPORT[/h2]
Broch Eastray’s village stretches up to a cliffside castle where the Loegrians have set up camp within the ruins and used its resources to erect defences, artillery, and traps. But the invaders neglected to realise that the Highlanders would have expert knowledge of this sacred site and find other routes to attack.

Attackers can gain an unexpected advantage by using the various routes and footpaths around the map to flank defenders’ formations. The supply point to the west can be seized early by attackers to gain an early foothold, who can leverage that to take Point B as soon as it's available.

Defenders can hold out at the base flag, fortifying units and artilleries behind the castle walls. The natural and invented defences can protect units from artillery fire and ranged attacks, and the narrow paths offer brace units the chance to hold firm against cavalry advances.

An incendiary catapult is the icing on the cake of this fighting fiesta, a devastating weapon to be turned against both attackers and defenders.



[h2]PLAN OF ATTACK[/h2]

• Tread carefully as you advance. The paths may seem straightforward, but slowing tar traps litter the walkways, which can be lethal if set ablaze and could result in heavy losses.
• Point A is located within the village, with some cover to avoid being attacked from above. It can be reached via a narrow eastern passage.
• The incendiary catapult can be used by attackers (if it can be reached) through a slim entrance, which can then be used to pelt the defenders with flames.
• Point B should be the first major goal of attacking Broch Eastray and can be assaulted via narrow mountain pathways.
• Reaching the castle ruins and claiming the base point is the final goal, which can be reached via the main arch or other sneakier routes. Make sure you have your best units at hand and enough resources left over to take on this fight.

[h2]DEFENSIVE MEASURES[/h2]

• Let the tar traps do the work by luring attackers into them and setting them on fire. Be careful not to get caught in them yourself, though.
• Defenders should man the small entrances to the village and the points, as there are multiple attack routes.
• Defenders can use the defences of the incendiary catapult to hold attackers at bay and use the artillery to attack themselves.
• Point B sits between the village and the castle ruins, meaning it is vital for defenders to keep this point safe and remain vigilant for all ambushes.
• Within the ruins lies the final and focal point of the battle, and defensive measures should be taken to make sure the attackers do not reclaim it.

Need some advice on which fearless warriors to take to Broch Eastray? Check out these brave kinsmen who have joined the fight for freedom—Bagpipers and Claymores.

While you may have explored Season X’s new Siege Map—the Highlanders’ ancestral home of Broch Eastray—you may not have had the opportunity to visit the inspiration behind the iconic landscapes and fortifications of Scotland itself! Never fear, as we’re here to transport you to the land of deep-fried Mars bars, tartan, and bagpipes as we discover some of Scotland's choicest castles and loveliest landmarks that inspired Season X: Highlanders.
[h2]Edinburgh Castle[/h2]
Standing proud and strong on the volcanic Castle Rock, Edinburgh Castle has loomed, quiet and domineering, over Scotland’s capital since the 11th century and has been the home of many monarchs, from James IV to Mary Queen of Scots. Edinburgh Castle is also the most besieged site in Europe, having been attacked no less than 23 times in its lifetime, resulting in much rebuilding.

It’s now a popular tourist attraction where visitors can marvel at its architecture and immerse themselves in its rich and dramatic past.

The castle is also home to the National War Museum. Housed within its storied battlements, it includes exhibits of over 400 years of conflicts.

As well as numerous buildings which once operated as munitions storage, chapels, and more, the sprawling forecourt provides the backdrop for the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a fantastic exhibition of drills, displays, and bands.

Edinburgh Castle

[h2]Loch Ness[/h2]
Does a mythical sea creature lie within the depths of this world-famous natural landmark? That is the question many visitors to the freshwater loch have wondered, and some purport to have even captured the Loch Ness Monster (or Nessie) on camera. Containing more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined, it’s no wonder that wishful thinkers claim there is a cryptid living in its depths.

First brought to wider public attention in 1933 (but allegedly spotted as far back as 565 AD) by George Spicer, whose story of witnessing “the nearest approach to a dragon or pre-historic animal that I have ever seen in my life” in the Courier sparked a greater interest in what could be out there. Since then, several photographs and videos have been taken of ‘Nessie’, and sonar experiments have been carried out to see whether Nessie is lurking deep within the loch. With any pure-hearted seeking of the truth also come hoaxes, including that of a deceased bull elephant seal placed in the water by a zoologist from Yorkshire's Flamingo Park Zoo.

Whether Nessie is real or not, the legend of her existence continues to spark wonder and curiosity in tourists and travellers worldwide.

Loch Ness

[h2]Stirling Castle[/h2]
Atop Castle Hill sits Stirling Castle, one of Scotland’s most important historical sites. Dating back to the 12th century, the stronghold and its buildings have endured many sackings and attacks, most notably by Robert the Bruce. He seized the castle and destroyed its defences during his armies campaign for freedom.

While its past is fascinating, and its sweeping views of the Scottish countryside breathtaking, Stirling Castle has seen its fair share of ghoulish events. Here, James II ordered a brutal assassination of William, 8th Earl of Douglas, resulting in the Earl being stabbed 26 times, then thrown from a window into the grounds below. This was not the only violent killing to take place within the castle grounds, with five skeletons discovered within the last decade with traumatic and blunt injuries to the skulls leading scientists to suggest these poor souls fell to a war hammer.

Don’t let these less than family-friendly occurrences put you off, though, as Stirling Castle has many incredible sights to see, including the exquisite Great Hall, the sprawling and peaceful Queen Anne Gardens, and the Palace Vaults.

Stirling Castle

[h2]Calanais Standing Stones[/h2]
At over 5,000 years old, the Calanais Standing Stones (also known as the Callanish Stones) pre-date even the world-renowned Stonehenge. Erected in the Neolithic era and used for ritual ceremonies, the stones stand in a cruciform formation near the village of Callanish, on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. The thirteen stones have an average height of three metres and are thought to have been used for religious rituals and mapping the sky.


Standing Stones on Lewis, Outer Hebrides (Credit)
[h2]Ben Nevis[/h2]
The highest mountain in the whole of the United Kingdom with a summit height of 1,345 metres, Ben Nevis entices over 100,000 climbers every year who wish to conquer its peak. The first to do so was James Robertson, a botanist, who conquered the mountain in 1771.

Due to its immense altitude and polar climate, snow covers the mountaintop almost all year round, and because of this, avalanches frequently happen, making the notoriously tricky climb even more dangerous.

If you don’t fancy a four-hour trip to the top of Ben Nevis, you can always simply look upon its stunning topography from the safe vantage point of the ground.

Ben Nevis taken from Banavie

Whether you want to climb a mountain, gaze out from a historic castle’s walls, or spot a cryptid, there’s something for everyone in the mystical and magnificent lands of Scotland.

In 1270 AD, in a town named Paisley in the North of Scotland, a boy was born whose first cries would later become cries of freedom for his people. Sir William Wallace, as he would soon be known, is an icon of Scottish history and has been immortalised in history and popular culture (Braveheart, anyone?).

Just as the clans of the Highlands in Conqueror’s Blade fight for liberation from Loegrian rule, so too did the Scottish against the English, who viewed the Northern lands as a feudal state and not a sovereign country in its own right. During the early 1200s, Scotland enjoyed a time of peace and prosperity. The untimely death of King Alexander III led to turmoil, undoing the previous stability, and almost ushering in a civil war.

King Edward I of England, looking for a way to undermine potential heirs to the throne, ordered his armies to storm Berwick-Upon-Tweed (the Battle of Halidon Hill), where the Scots fell in a devastating defeat. This marked the beginning of the First War of Scottish Independence (1296 AD).



Statue of William Wallace of Scotland in Druid Hill Park, Baltimore

Although William Wallace’s military experience is largely unknown, it must have been extensive (and successful) for the role he took in leading Scotland’s armies during this war. He seemed to make the impossible possible through rousing leadership. One such instance is the Battle of Stirling Bridge (September 11, 1297), where even though his men were vastly outnumbered by English forces, they won the day, leading to Wallace’s decoration as Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland, and a knighthood for his valiant efforts and keen leadership skills.

Many more military operations and raids were carried out under Wallace’s determined leadership, who managed to evade being captured by King Edward and the English until 1305, when he was betrayed by John de Menteith. The Scottish knight handed him over to English soldiers, resulting in Wallace’s brutal execution for treason.

“I could not be a traitor to Edward, for I was never his subject."

• Sir William Wallace on his treason charge

While William Wallace may have left the brunt of the freedom-fighting (and eventual triumph) to his successor Robert the Bruce, he remains a symbol of Scotland’s spirit and unerring resilience, and an icon of liberty for the ages. For Freedom!