| “ | [Player name] mocks your puny achievements. Relic and Wonder victories now take longer and Relics now generate less gold! | ” |
| —Message when an enemy has researched Atheism | ||
Atheism is a technology in Age of Empires II: The Conquerors that is unique to the Huns and can be researched at the Castle once the Imperial Age is reached. Once researched, it makes Wonder and Relic victories take +100 years (8 minutes and 20 seconds of in-game time at 1×; 4 minutes and ~54 seconds on normal speed which is 1.7×) longer for all players (including the researching player) and reduces the resource generation of Relics controlled by enemies by 50%.
Strategy[]
The effect regarding Wonders and Relic victories affects all civilizations, not just the player who researches it. It adds only 100 years even if two or more players research it.
Choosing to research Atheism is entirely based on the situation of the game and is less effective in games where players are opting to win through conquest. In games where players are attempting a Wonder or Relic victory or in the Defend the Wonder game mode, the extra 100 years combined with their special ability to quickly raze enemy structures makes it considerably easier for the Huns to spoil their opponents' attempts for a Wonder or Relic victory.
Secondly, the significant reduction in Relic resource generation for enemies of the Hunnic team can prove powerful in prolonged games where gold becomes scarce and teams rely heavily on Relic gold generation. In particular, it can significantly hamstring the Aztec team bonus of +33% bonus Relic gold generation and Grand Trunk Road of the Hindustanis, as well as other civilizations incentivized to collect Relics, such as the Lithuanians and the Burmese. It also affects the Burgundians' team Relic food income, but it is less noticeable since food is not usually an issue by the late game. Moreover, the Relic gold generation malus stacks if there are multiple Hun enemies with Atheism researched (25% Relic income for two Hun enemies, 12.5% for three Hun enemies, and so on). The Relic generation malus affects only enemies of the Hun players, not those players who they have set their diplomatic stance to Neutral.
Team bonuses[]
Portuguese: Researching Atheism is 25% faster.
Changelog[]
The Conquerors[]
- Atheism: It costs 500 food, 500 gold. Its primary effect is to prolong Wonder and Relic victories. Its secondary effect is reducing the cost of Spies/Treason by 50%.
Lords of the West[]
- With update 44725, secondary effect is reworked. Cost reduction effect of Atheism is removed; instead, enemy Relics generate -50% resources.
- With update 50292, "a new threatening but familiar sound" (the former Hun civilization selection jingle) plays when enemy players research Atheism.
Dynasties of India[]
- With update 81058, Atheism costs 500 food, 300 wood.
Bugs[]
- Atheism does not affect enemy Relic wood or stone generation. This may be because there are no civilization or team bonuses or unique technologies affecting them, though it can be enabled either via Scenario Editor triggers or modding. The concept of Relics generating wood and stone was added with Dynasties of India, whereas the concepts of resource handicap and Relics generating food was added with Lords of the West.
History[]
| “ | The paganism or outright lack of faith of the Huns offended the Romans who came to think of them as truly sub-human. The Huns, in turn, were unencumbered by the laws of structured religions. Laws of social and religious order were too restrictive for a civilization that was constantly on the move. The Huns put little faith in monuments and artifacts, therefore, focusing mainly on the here and now. | ” |
Trivia[]
- Atheism is widely considered to be the least useful unique technology in the game, since its usefulness only applies to the Wonder-related gameplay and the final scenario in Attila the Hun's campaign. However, the update to the unique technology in update 44725 added the reduced enemy Relic gold production, making the technology situationally much more useful, and update 81058 made it significantly cheaper, most notably not having a gold cost.
- In reality, the Huns did not lack a religion, but likely practiced a form of animism and ancestor-worship called "Tengrism", a faith shared by a vast array of steppe peoples like the Mongols, Cumans, pre-Muslim Turks and Tatars, and pre-Christian Bulgars and Magyars.
- The sound which plays when an enemy player researches this technology is the pre-Definitive Edition jingle of the Huns civilization:
Gallery[]
