Aoe4's july season 2 patch will tremendously change the way chinese will be played. In fact, famous AoE4 caster Aussie Drongo says that he doesn't know what the game plan is for the chinese anymore: "song dynasty 2tc into GG". Other famous AoE4 figure such as pro player BeastyQT is also concerned, as he feels like the developpers are making the civs more and more similar, only differentiating them by minor discounts and bonuses.

Here are the changes that will be occuring as the new season releases

• Fire Lancer move speed increased from 6 to 6.5
  • Developer Note: We've got more plans for the Fire Lancer in the future. This was an easy win to help fit it into its intended raiding role.
• Fire Lancer time between attacks reduced from 1.75 to 1.62
  • Developer Note: We made some backend changes to attack speeds which resulted in some units attacking slightly slower. This change helps set the unit back to its original strength.
• Pyrotechnics only affects Handcannoneers instead of all gunpowder units. Weapon range bonus changed from +20% to +1.5 tiles. Total cost reduced from 1000 to 500 resources.
  • Developer Note: Chinese were stacking bonuses onto their gunpowder units, creating super units like the Clocktower Bombard that is too good in too many roles. Focusing Pyrotechnics just on the Handcannoneers allows it to stand out more from other Handcannoneers and lets us buff some of the other unique gunpowder technologies like Reload Drills.
• Reload Drills attack speed increased from 25% to 33%
  • Developer Note: Power level increased to help offset the loss of Pyrotechnics. Tooltip is slightly incorrect here as it still refers to reload speed instead of attack speed.
• The Nest of Bees and all Clocktower siege units are included in the Melee v Siege Rework (see above)
• Granary cost reduced from 250 Wood to 150 Wood
  • Developer Note: 250 is a very high cost to ask when farm transitions are being made. This lower cost is also more commensurate with the 10% increase to gathering rates this building provides.
• Barbican of the Sun Landmark changes
  • Now has the ability to purchase the Springald and Cannon Emplacements
  • Developer Note: These changes give the landmark better late game scaling potential as enemy army sizes get much bigger.
• Great Wall Gatehouse Landmark changes
  • No longer provides damage bonuses to units locally around the Landmark
  • No longer provides bonus health to Stone Walls and Gates
  • Now comes with a Nest of Bees emplacement that fires a burst of 16 arrows.
  • Now provides all your units on Stone Walls with +25% ranged damage.
  • Developer Note: The Great Wall Gatehouse led to a passive style of gameplay that relied on building a huge mass of Stone Walls that took too long to get through. We've refocused the gameplay around making the placement of the building impactful and encouraging combat on and around walls.
• Spirit Way Landmark changes
  • Spirit Way Landmark no longer reduces the cost of dynasty units in Stables and Archery Ranges around the Landmark.
  • Spirit Way Landmark now houses dynasty technologies which can be researched for -50% cost and +100% research speed.
  • When a dynasty unit dies nearby units will receive +20% attack speed and +20 health over 10 seconds.
  • Developer Note: We wanted the landmark to add more adaptive and dynamic elements to the China gameplan. Previously you committed to 1 building type around the spirit way and were locked into those units. Now you can mix in different forces based on your current dynasty and combat needs.
• Scouts now keep their Tang Dynasty bonus vision when advancing to the next age.
• The Ming Dynasty bonus no longer increases the health of Keeps, Stone Wall Towers, and Outposts.

Source : https://steamcommunity.com/app/1466860/discussions...