To the surprise of many, and the delight of some, Microsoft has announced today the first expansion for the AoE II DE.

“Lords of the west” will include 2 new civilizations: Sicilians and Burgundians. In addition the expansion will include 3 new campaigns.

As a highlight, the Burgundians, a cavalry civilization, will have access to economic technologies one age earlier, and the kignt-line will return, at death, 50% of their cost in gold. They will also have a technology that transforms the villagers into a unique military unit.

The Sicilians, for their part, will be an infantry civ,  with a unique building (like the Bulgarians and the Krepost). Their main bonuses will be that the units will receive 33% less “bonus” damage, and that their farmers will gain +1 load capacity with each farm upgrade.

Unexpected, no doubt. What seems to be clear is that this will be the first of several expansions, which will probably include civilizations from other parts of the world.