Age of Lost Civilizations is an RTS age game, covering the lost history of ancient lost civilizations, such as Atlantis. The game generally takes place in ancient times, and involves only the lost civs. It's not very special in any way, suffice some minor adjustments that make the gameplay much grander and more realistic in a way.

Resources
There are three universal resources: food, stone, and wood. Food is either hunted from animals, fished at sea, butchered out of livestock, or farmed in farms. Food is a resource used only for soldiers, machines, and ships, and not for buildings or walls. Stone is mined out of natural rock formations anywhere. Stone is a resource used only for buildings and walls. Wood is lumbered from trees, and is used both for buildings and for units.

Special Resources
There are, though, additional resources in the game. Oil, which can be harvested from natural oil-wells and underwater cashes, is used only by the Atlanteans and Lemurians, especially for ships and war-machines. Gold, which can be mined from batches in rock, is used only by the Shebans and Amazons, especially for buildings. The Rapa-Nui use no special resource.

The Ages
There are four ages in Age of Lost Civilizations; each each providing a large array of units, buildings, technologies, and adventure. The first is the Prehistoric age, in which the civilizations where still primitive and just starting their way. The second is the Dark age, in which agriculture was invented and city-states were growing. The third is the Civilization age, in which the tribes and city-states grew into mighty, united civilizations. The fourth and last Golden age, is the peak of the lost civs' achievements and prosperity.
Prehistoric Age – 10,000-7,000 B.C.
Dark Age – 7,000-5,000 B.C.
Civilization Age – 5,000-2,500 B.C.
Golden Age – 2,500-1,000 B.C.

Tribes
In a way similar to AoE3, there are 'native' tribes. A tribe is generally composed of several huts, the villagers hunting and going about, and a Settlement. From the Dark Age onwards, A Settlement can be claimed as an Outpost, giving the builder dibs on the village. From the Outpost, you can control tax rates, which are given as food, and hire the village as a mercenary army. You can also choose to intimidate the villagers by destroying some huts, making them a slave-army. You can send priests to make them like you more, and then they'll perhaps serve you for free. Each village has a 'history' in which it remembers the last occupier and compares it to the current one. The tribe might undermine the current occupier in favor of the last.
The tribes are:

Greek – can farm, okay warriors, have basic siege machinery, has good strategy
Barbarian – good warriors, fight in guerrilla tactics, hard to kill
African – good at long-range combat, very faithful to occupier
Indian – has mass-numbers, pays plenty of tax, has large armies
Native American – has strong religion and good archers
Phoenician – has ships and good AI, exploring the seas for allies

Universal Units

Citizen – Prehistoric
Worker unit. Gathers resources, builds buildings, and repairs.

Merchant Caravan – Prehistoric
Market unit. Transports goods to other markets.

Scout -> Spy – Prehistoric
Scouting and espionage unit. Hidden, fast, and has large LOS. Spy can 'contaminate' enemy farms and waterways, 'sabotage' their buildings, and learn to 'assassinate' enemy units.

Spearman -> Armored Spearman -> Phalanx – Prehistoric
Basic infantry unit. Useful against anything

Fishing Boat -> Fishing Ship – Prehistoric
Worker ship, gathers food from fish batches in the sea. In Atlantean and Lemurian civs, it can also construct Oil Platforms and gather oil from them.

Trade Cog – Prehistoric
Market ship. Transports goods to other docks via seaways.

Priest -> High Priest – Dark
Clergy unit. Converts enemy units, slowly reducing their loyalty from a range, until they're on your side.

Chaplain – Dark
'blesses' units, making them stronger. Can also sacrifice own blood to increase the power on nearby priests.

Maceman -> Axeman – Dark
Slow, but strong assault infantry. Swings hard, and can do well vs. other infantry and buildings.

Warrior -> Swordsman -> Elite Swordsman – Dark
Fast infantry unit, good against archers and effective in guerrilla tactics.

Bowman -> Composite Bowman -> Crossbowman – Dark
Basic medium-ranged archery unit. Good vs. buildings and infantry, does really bad vs. cavalry.

Javelineer -> Skirmisher – Dark
Counter-archer long-ranged archery unit. Can also do okay vs. cavalry.

Scout Cavalry -> Light Horseman -> Raider – Dark
Initially almost useless in combat, but upgrades to become the main anti-archery unit of the game.

Light Ram -> Heavy Ram -> Steel Ram – Dark
Unique hand-to-hand siege unit. Once it settles infront of it's target, it slowly builds-up attack speed.

Bireme -> Trireme -> Decareme – Dark
The most essential combat ship, fast, furious, strong. Good vs. other ships.

Light Ram-Ship -> Steel Ram-Ship – Dark
Good siege ship, also effective vs. other ships. Heavily armored.

Transport Ferry -> Cargo Ship – Dark
Transports units and such across water-bodies.

Pikeman -> Halberdier – Civilization
Extremely powerful anti-cavalry unit. Slow, but can easily kill a cavalry unit in a single strike when standing ground.

Archer -> Sharpshooter – Civilization
Long-ranged archery unit. Good vs. infantry, and can do well against buildings. Can shoot above walls and buildings. Has flaming arrows.

Mounted Infantry -> Armored Cavalry – Civilization
Slow, heavily armored cavalry. Pretty much – a knight. Very strong vs. other cavalry, but not so good against infantry.

Mounted Skirmisher -> Mounted Archer – Civilization
Fast-moving, effective, but almost unarmored unit based on mobility and firepower. Can shoot at any direction while moving to any other direction.

Siege Tower – Civilization
Unique siege unit; infantry and archers loaded inside can enter and capture enemy walls and gates once the slow-moving tower gets to them.

Balista -> Fire Siphon – Civilization
Medium-ranged siege weapon, effective mainly against units, but okay vs. buildings.

Galley – Fire Galley – Civilization
Secondary ship, good at short-range combat vs. other ships, and in hit'n'run attacks against civilian targets

Siege Ship – Civilization
Fires multiple bolts in an arch towards a target, completely bombarding it. Deadly.

Commander – Golden
Mounted unit that enhances the performance of other nearby units. Enhancements do not stack.

Catapult – Golden
Long-ranged devastating siege weapon, good at battering-down buildings and walls from a safe distance.

Universal Buildings

City – One per age
The central structure. Trains Citizens and Scouts, and collects resources. You can initially expand the 'housing' of the city, making it contain more pop, and build an observatory to expand it's LOS. In the Dark age, you can also build a Shrine, making nearby units unconvertible. In the Civilization age, you can Fortify it, giving it more armor, and build even more housing. In the Golden age, you can build a Castle, giving your city a defensive attack.
Trains: Citizen, Scout
Researches: Housing, Observatory, Shrine, Fortification, Housing, Castle

House – Prehistoric
A House provides 10 population. Population is used to purchase units. Infantry and archers require 1 pop, cavalry 2, siege 3, and ships also 3. Houses can only be build in the 'range' of cities, but a city's range expands with each house built.
Trains: n\a
Researches: n\a

Granary – Prehistoric
Used to collect food. The presence of a Granary also increases farm production, and prevents dead animals from decaying.
Trains: n\a
Researches: Hunting Dogs, Shephardy, Irrigation, Wheelbarrow, Feed Lots, Dairy

Warehouse – Prehistoric
Used to collect any other resource. The presence of a Warehouse also improves mining speed and wood-chopping speed.
Trains: n\a
Researches: Wood-Axes, Mining-Picks, Lumber-Mills, Smelting Techniques

Oil Platform – Atlantean\Lemurian Special – Dark
Built by Fishing Boats over underwater oil cashes. Fishing Ships harvest oil from it.

Market – Prehistoric
Used to purchase resources and train Merchant Caravan. You can also create trade routs, setting a percentage of one of your resource income be regularly sent by a merchant to an allies market, in exchange for a percentage of one of their resources.
Trains: Merchant Caravan
Researches: Bazaar, Trade Law, Port Markets, Cargo Wagons, Coinage,

Barricade – Prehistoric
Primitive walling method. Weak, but damages hand-to-hand units.
Trains: n\a
Researches: n\a

Barracks – Prehistoric
Basic training building. Trains infantry, who play the role of the most basic, essential, and widespread troops of any army. Infantry are usually good against cavalry.
Trains: Spearman, Maceman, Warrior, Pikeman
Researches: Medium Infantry, Heavy Infantry, Champion Infantry, Chainmales

Dock - Prehistoric
Naval building. Trains ships – ships can only travel on water.
Trains: Fishing Boat, Trade Cog, Bireme, Ram-Ship, Galley, Siege Ship
Researches: Medium Ships, Heavy Ships, Champion Ships, Hydrodynamics

Armory – Prehistoric
Can only be built once. Improves armor for all units. Required to advance to Dark age.

Farm – Dark
Used to harvest infinite food. Farms require irrigation or waterways to work, and when a Granary or river ain't nearby, a formation of farms create a well on their own. Spies can contaminate water supplies, destroying farms and killing farmers.
Trains: n\a
Researches: n\a

Temple – Dark
Religious building. Trains clergy units, and researches upgrades.
Trains: Priest, Chaplain
Researches: Worship, Religion, Theology, Philosophy, Sacrifice, Clerical Hierarchy

Wall – Dark
Walls are a bit different. They are almost invincible without siege weapons, and block movement. Through Towers, infantry and archers can be loaded onto walls. When an infantry unit climbs-up the wall, he becomes a 'Guard'(fully balanced infantry unit) that patrols the wall generating a large LOS. When identifying an enemy unit, the Guard will notify you, nearby archers, and attack on his own. Archers act similarly, but do not turn into Guards.
Trains: n\a (kinda trains Guards)
Researches: Tower, Gate, Copper Wall, Bronze Wall, Iron Wall, Steel Wall

Tower – Dark
Upgraded wall corner-stone. Towers are a pathway for infantry and archers to patrol. Towers have a weak attack on their own, and can load-in up to 10 archers, increasing their attack by 20%, and to by 30% and 45% with upgrading.
Trains: n\a
Researches: Medium Guards, Heavy Guards, Champion Guards, Battle Stations, Battle Turrets

Gate – Dark
Upgraded section of wall, which opens for friendly units to go in or out (can be locked).
Trains: n\a
Researches: n\a

Stronghold – Dark
Medium defensive structure, has short range but good anti-infantry capabilities.
Trains: n\a
Researches: n\a

Archery Range – Dark
Secondary training building. Train archers. Archers are usually good vs. infantry, but have other roles. When mounted onto a Tower, they can shoot at enemies with greater strength, and they can also patrol walls.
Trains: Bowman, Javelineer, Archer
Researches: Medium Archers, Heavy Archers, Champion Archers, Flaming Arrows

Stables – Dark
Important training building. Trains cavalry, which represents the main soldiers of mobile warfare tactics. Cavalry are fast, and are usually good against archers and other cavalry.
Trains: Scout Cavalry, Mounted Infantry, Mounted Skirmisher, Commander
Researches: Medium Cavalry, Heavy Cavalry, Champion Cavalry, Bloodlines

Siege Works – Dark
Factory that constructs siege weapons for battles. Most siege weapons are used against walls and buildings, though some are used to create chaos and mass-damage around infantry.
Trains: Ram, Siege Tower, Balista, Catapult

Outpost – Dark
Built on Settlements, used to control tribal populations, showing tax-rates, religious status, and enabling the hire of a mercenary army to act as your ally.
Trains: n\a
Researches: n\a

Academy – Dark
Can only be built once. Improves LOS and health for all units. Required to advance to Civilization age.

Fortress – Civilization
Heavy defensive structure. Has long-ranged multi-shot strong weapons, and is capable of dealing with siege weapons
Trains: n\a
Researches: n\a

Palace – Amazon Special – Civilization
Most advanced training structure. Trains Amazon hero units: “Matriarch”. There are five names for Matriarchs: Ainia, Asteria, Claite, Helene, Hippolyta.
Trains: Matriarch (Amazon hero unit)
Researches: n\a

Elephant Pen – Sheban\Lemurian Special – Civilization
Most advanced training structure. Trains War Elephants, dangerous creatures who are good against buildings, infantry, and anything that gets in their way.
Trains: War Elephant
Researches: Medium Elephants, Heavy Elephants, Champion Elephants

Moai – Rapa-Nui Special – Civilization
Expensive facial statue. Increases the morale of nearby units, making them move and attack faster.
Trains: n\a
Researches: n\a

Shipyard – Atlantean Special – Civilization
Builds Atlantean unique naval units.
Trains: Submarine, Saboteur Barge, Admiral Flagship
Researches: Black-Powder, Explosives, Naval Command

Serpent Guild – Lemurian Special – Civilization
A Lemurian player must choose between the three guilds: the sneaky, hidden Guild of the Serpent, the fast, flexible Guild of the Lemur, and the heavy, mighty, Guild of the Ape.
Trains: Serpent Warrior, Spitting Cobra
Researches: Slithering Snake

Lemur Guild – Lemurian Special – Civilization
A Lemurian player must choose between the three guilds: the sneaky, hidden Guild of the Serpent, the fast, flexible Guild of the Lemur, and the heavy, mighty, Guild of the Ape.
Trains: Lemur Warrior, Pathfinder
Researches: Dancing Lemur

Ape Guild – Lemurian Special – Civilization
A Lemurian player must choose between the three guilds: the sneaky, hidden Guild of the Serpent, the fast, flexible Guild of the Lemur, and the heavy, mighty, Guild of the Ape.
Trains: Ape Warrior, Sentinel
Researches: Charging Ape

Wonder – Civilization
Can only be built once. Improves morale and loyalty for all units. Required to advance to Golden age.

The Civilizations

Atlantis
Atlantis was a large island about 3-days'-sail from the straights of Heracles. Since most of the northern and eastern coast of Atlantis were covered with mountain ranges, it wasn't until the Civilization age that they reached the Mediterranean. The Atlantean oligarchy began it's colonial empire by seizing the coasts of Africa. Unfortunately, they were defeated and abolished by an alliance of the local tribes. The Atlanteans follow a monotheistic religion, and worship the sky and the sea as one, omnipotent being.
Bonuses: -20% cavalry cost and build time, +25% ship health and attack speed, ships cost -1 pop
Unique Resources: Oil
Unique Buildings: Oil Platform, Shipyard
Unique Units:
Saboteur – unique gunpowder infantry that has a powerful suicide attack
Steam Cannon – steam-powered ancient weapon, with a long-ranged attack
Submarine – hidden light watercraft, capable of damaging enemy ships severely
Saboteur Barge – unique gunpowder ship that has a powerful suicide attack
Admiral Flagship – special water-hero-unit that can gain experience and enhance nearby water units

Amazons
The Amazons, or warrior women, created their small kingdom near the coasts of the euxine sea, in Anatolia. Their empire covered all of modern-day Turkey, and they fought many wars with the Greeks. No men were permitted in the Amazon kingdom, but once a year, some elite men of another kingdom would come to create the next generation of Amazons. The Amazons worshiped several Greek female deities.
Bonuses: +20% infantry movement speed, -20% city cost and build time, +15% wood gather rate, all troops receive morale bonus
Unique Resources: Gold
Unique Buildings: Palace
Unique Units:
Screaming Women – fast-moving warrior-women that can scream to reduce nearby foes' morale
Marine – unique beach-landing infantry, untrainable
Amphibian – special transport ship, starts with six Marines inside
Matriarch - (Ainia, Asteria, Claite, Helene, Hippolyta) hero-unit, enhances nearby infantry and cavalry

Sheba
The kingdom of Sheba was a vast African monarchic empire, covering all of modern-day Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, and parts of Sudan and Yemen. The Shebans were a trading-based empire, and relied a lot on spice-trade and exports of gold from inner Africa. The Shebans followed a polytheistic religion, though some of the upper-circles converted to Judaism in the late bronze age.
Bonuses: +25% Merchant and Trade Cog movement speed, +15% gather-rate for all resources, houses have reduced armor, put provide +2 pop
Unique Resources: Gold
Unique Buildings: Elephant Pen
Unique Units:
Miner – special gold-gathering only unit, cheap but dies easy
Royal Guard – instead of Guard, much stronger and has larger LOS
Lion Soldier – fast, but unarmored elite Sheban hero, very skilled
War Elephant - dangerous creature, good against buildings, infantry, and anything that gets in it's way.

Lemuria
Lemuria was a small island just off the southern coast of India. The island was a jungle-land, famous for it's Lemurs. The Lemurian confederacy began it's mighty civilization by conquering the nearby Indian population. Unfortunately, they were torn-apart by civil war, thus forming the three guild of war: The Guild of the Lemur, the Guild of the Serpent, and the Guild of the Ape. These guilds did all the fighting for the local rajas. The Lemurians worship about two-hundred animal gods, and regard the Lemur as sacred.
Bonuses: -15% cost and research-time for technologies, +25% armor, health, and attack for Citizens, +20% attack-range for siege weapons
Unique Resources: Oil
Unique Buildings: Oil Platform, Elephant Pen, Guild of the Serpant, Guild of the Lemur, Guild of the Ape
Unique Units:
Serpent Warrior – Serpent Guild hidden warrior, good at guerrilla tactics
Spitting Cobra – Serpent Guild fast moving, hidden, firepower concentrated light artillery
Lemur Warrior – Lemur Guild armored fast warrior, good for elaborate strategies
Pathfinder – Lemur Guild special hidden scout that can pass through dense woods
Ape Warrior – Ape Guild powerful mass of armor and muscle (no brain in there, though)
Sentinel – Ape Guild boulder-hurling slow archery unit
Guild Master – any guild hero unit, enhances nearby guild units
War Elephant - dangerous creature, good against buildings, infantry, and anything that gets in it's way.

Rapa-Nui
The Rapa-Nui were an ancient civilization located in the Easter Isle, a territory of modern-day Chile. The Rapa-Nui first advanced as a civilization when Hiro, a Rapa-Nui leader, traveled to east-Asia and introduced writing to them. The proud civilization engaged in a mass-project of carving 'Moai' ritualistic stone faces. The Rapa-Nui mainly worshiped the nature gods, dedicating the Moai to them, but also worshiped the fertility gods under the birdman cult.
Bonuses: -20% cost and build time for buildings, +20% armor for scouts and archers, +25% power and effect for clergy, Scout Canoe auto-spawned at newly-built Docks
Unique Resources: n\a
Unique Buildings: Moai
Unique Units:
[whisper]Mason – special worker unit that can only harvest stone and build Moai
Slinger – basic archery unit, good at close range against other archers
Birdman – uniquely-clothed attack unit, with a special jump attack
Scout Canoe – light scout sea-unit, cannot be trained, when a Dock is built, it appears
Chieften – Rapa-Nui hero unit, hidden when not attacking, fast; enhances nearby units, especially archers

--Upcoming:
Days of the East: Setting Sun --- x-pack
Wars of the Prophets
Minions: the Lesser Ones
Age of Thought

[This message has been edited by Empror (edited 01-27-2006 @ 08:04 AM).]