Concentrating on the late medieval period, Age of Chivalry: Hegemony replaces or significantly alters each of the civilizations in the original game, while adding a number of new ones, allowing the player to control Central and Western European states. Many new units and technologies have been added and gameplay dynamics have been changed considerably in this complete overhaul of Age of Empires II.
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Age of Chivalry takes the winning formula of Age of Empires and adds focus and detail. Instead of civilizations from broad swaths of time and space, it selects very specific European countries from a more compact timeline. Throughout, it embraces a very high attention to historical detail.
The basic structure remains very familiar, with skirmishers, light cavalry, and the same siege units, though things tend to be moved up an age. But it adds complexity with castle-trained knights in addition to the lower status militia and medium cavalry. Crossbows bolts are far more damaging than an arrow, but a longbow can fire much more quickly. Many countries can supplement their armies with quickly raised mercenaries, whether they are German-speaking knights, famed English longbows, fearsome Swiss pikemen, or skilled artillerymen.
These countries are seeded with more distinctions than the basic game, with more bonuses, weaknesses, unique units and technologies that correspond to composition and vulnerabilities suffered in history. Burgundians can raise exceptional expensive troops, but are very unimpressive when their florins run low. Florentine militia, abiding by the Scuola Braccesca, are without peer; but they must use mercenaries if the need arises for knights.
These differences are heightened with mutually exclusive technologies that align with different political paths. The Swiss choice is quite minor: better light troops or better heavy pikemen? The Bohemian choice completely redefines their army: either a Holy Roman Emperors' heavy cavalry, or the innovative Hussite rebels.
Even the basic mechanics can change for a few countries. The princely, urban, and rural states have their distinct government buildings, which act as a research center, tiny castle, or a barracks, with different lategame technologies found at each. Scotland distributes its stable units between the barracks and archery range. Some countries have cheap, small, weak castles; others have expensive, large, and strong ones. Occasionally, a country can gain access to a troop an age before any opponent. Brandenburg alone does not upgrade their archers to crossbows, but has access to both simultaneously.
There are also significant cosmetic differences between countries. Numerous new buildings graphics of excellent quality are added, some unique to a country, others shared several states. An astonishing number are based on particular buildings, whether the Danzig Krantor, the Belfort of Bruges, or the Palace of the Doge. Regional names are added for various troops and buildings: you'll rarely see 'knights', but many times Ecuyers, Ritters, Grietmannen, Schilknechten, Rytirs, Lovag, Scudieri, or Ridders.
If you don't learn enough history from playing the mod, it even incorporates excellent essays in the history sections about each country, some of the historical troops and buildings in the mod, and many battles covered in its campaign.
Age of Chivalry is a very in depth look at Medieval Europe, within the classic Age of Empires format. It's full of high quality material and historical detail, down to renaming all the knights in some campaign missions after nobles present in that battle. It's quite well balanced and has a tendency to update with new content and improvements. There's no reason you shouldn't try it out.