I specifically focused a lot of my time in custom matches with these two newcomers, and both feel like solid, balanced additions. With the addition of the Swedes and the Incas, there are now 16 civilizations to play. The entire Home City mechanic has mercifully been reworked. When combined with the addition of dedicated servers, I expect players will be a lot happier with the multiplayer scene. Just being able to focus on choosing shipments during a match felt like a huge relief. Now, if you're beginning to explore multiplayer, you won't be at a disadvantage playing against somehow who has hundreds of hours under their belt.
All cards are unlocked from the start for everyone. The entire Home City mechanic has mercifully been reworked outside of the singleplayer campaigns.
