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[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; 4 minutes and ~54 seconds on normal speed) longer for all players (including the researching player), and reduces the resource generation of enemy Relics by 50%.

Strategy[]

The effect regarding Wonders and Relic victories affects all civilizations, not just the player who researches 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 hundred 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 teams 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.

Team bonuses[]

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[]

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.

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:

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.

Gallery[]

Unique technologies in Age of Empires II
AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of Kings civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Britons Yeomen · CivIcon-Byzantines Greek Fire · CivIcon-Celts Stronghold · CivIcon-Chinese Great Wall · CivIcon-Franks Bearded Axe · CivIcon-Goths Anarchy · CivIcon-Japanese Yasama · CivIcon-Mongols Nomads · CivIcon-Persians Kamandaran · CivIcon-Saracens Bimaristan · CivIcon-Teutons Ironclad · CivIcon-Turks Sipahi · CivIcon-Vikings Chieftains
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Britons Warwolf · CivIcon-Byzantines Logistica · CivIcon-Celts Furor Celtica · CivIcon-Chinese Rocketry · CivIcon-Franks Chivalry · CivIcon-Goths Perfusion · CivIcon-Japanese Kataparuto · CivIcon-Mongols Drill · CivIcon-Persians Citadels · CivIcon-Saracens Counterweights · CivIcon-Teutons Crenellations · CivIcon-Turks Artillery · CivIcon-Vikings Bogsveigar
AoE2-DLCicon-1 The Conquerors civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Aztecs Atlatl · CivIcon-Huns Marauders · CivIcon-Koreans Eupseong · CivIcon-Mayans Hul'che Javelineers · CivIcon-Spanish Inquisition
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Aztecs Garland Wars · CivIcon-Huns Atheism · CivIcon-Koreans Shinkichon · CivIcon-Mayans El Dorado · CivIcon-Spanish Supremacy
AoE2-DLCicon-2 The Forgotten civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Incas Andean Sling · CivIcon-Italians Pavise · CivIcon-Magyars Corvinian Army · CivIcon-Slavs Detinets
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Incas Fabric Shields · CivIcon-Italians Silk Road · CivIcon-Magyars Recurve Bow · CivIcon-Slavs Druzhina
AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African Kingdoms civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Berbers Kasbah · CivIcon-Ethiopians Tigui · CivIcon-Malians Royal Heirs · CivIcon-Portuguese Carrack
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Berbers Maghrebi Camels · CivIcon-Ethiopians Farimba · CivIcon-Malians Torsion Engines · CivIcon-Portuguese Arquebus
AoE2-DLCicon-4 Rise of the Rajas civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Burmese Howdah · CivIcon-Khmer Tusk Swords · CivIcon-Malay Thalassocracy · CivIcon-Vietnamese Chatras
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Burmese Manipur Cavalry · CivIcon-Khmer Double Crossbow · CivIcon-Malay Forced Levy · CivIcon-Vietnamese Paper Money
AoE2-DLCicon-5 The Last Khans civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Bulgarians Stirrups · CivIcon-Cumans Steppe Husbandry · CivIcon-Lithuanians Hill Forts · CivIcon-Tatars Silk Armor
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Bulgarians Bagains · CivIcon-Cumans Cuman Mercenaries · CivIcon-Lithuanians Tower Shields · CivIcon-Tatars Timurid Siegecraft
AoE2Icon-LordsWest Lords of the West civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Burgundians Burgundian Vineyards · CivIcon-Sicilians First Crusade
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Burgundians Flemish Revolution · CivIcon-Sicilians Hauberk
Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the Dukes civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Bohemians Wagenburg Tactics · CivIcon-Poles Szlachta Privileges
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Bohemians Hussite Reforms · CivIcon-Poles Lechitic Legacy
AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of India civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Bengalis Paiks · CivIcon-Dravidians Medical Corps · CivIcon-Gurjaras Kshatriyas · CivIcon-Hindustanis Grand Trunk Road
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Bengalis Mahayana · CivIcon-Dravidians Wootz Steel · CivIcon-Gurjaras Frontier Guards · CivIcon-Hindustanis Shatagni
AoE2Icon-ReturnRome Return of Rome civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Romans Ballistas
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Romans Comitatenses
AoE2Icon-MountainRoyals The Mountain Royals civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Armenians Cilician Fleet · CivIcon-Georgians Svan Towers
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Armenians Fereters · CivIcon-Georgians Aznauri Cavalry
Removed technologies
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Persians Boiling Oil · CivIcon-Saracens Camelry · CivIcon-Saracens Madrasah · CivIcon-Mayans Obsidian Arrows · CivIcon-Slavs Orthodoxy · CivIcon-Koreans Panokseon
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Vikings Berserkergang · CivIcon-Persians Mahouts · CivIcon-Sicilians Scutage · CivIcon-Saracens Zealotry
Revised technologies
UniqueTechImperialDE Couriers · UniqueTechImperialDE Manipur Cavalry · UniqueTechImperialDE Paper Money · UniqueTechCastle-DE Royal Heirs
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