crash Aoh3, Random freezes ---> Crash/Restart save

[siyomono0 40]

Just got aoh3 on my pc and got to say it's pretty cool compared to aoh2 and would love to potentially senarios. However keeps completely freezing randomly, cannot do anything but still hear clicking sounds and the date flickering, sometimes crashing. playing at speed 5 it reaches around 1500 untill a crash (from 1440). I am pretty sure my pc is fine as it can games like Victoria 3 and is smooth throught gameplay.

I tried to look up potential fixes but unfortunately no results, tried logs as well but no logs are ever created after crashes, but even so the crashes are not the problem; it is the freezes. If anyone has a fix that would be great otherwise I will have to refund the game.

[Łukasz Jakowski 13,406]

Check out the latest update and let me know if it solves the issue.

https://steamcommunity.com/games/2772750/announcements/detail/545615719765639789
 

Small Optimization Update, but with noticeable improvements, possibly even significantly reducing RAM usage during long play sessions.

To test it properly, make sure no mods are installed.

 

[siyomono0 40]

17 hours ago, Łukasz Jakowski said:

Check out the latest update and let me know if it solves the issue.

https://steamcommunity.com/games/2772750/announcements/detail/545615719765639789
 

Small Optimization Update, but with noticeable improvements, possibly even significantly reducing RAM usage during long play sessions.

To test it properly, make sure no mods are installed.

 

(no mods) It has not stopped, although it might have delayed the freeze, creating a .bat file to change RAM allocation (4GB) for the game helped delay but not remove the freeze (got up to 1560 at speed 5 before crashing). Less ai also delays the freeze too. I've noticed the freeze comes earlier if you go at slower speeds so it's not a late game issue either. It's almost like the game builds up to something like a stack overflow or memory leak.

 

Some extra info while experimenting: 

I managed to launch the game via .bat with Java 17 (Temurin 17.0.16), and it crashes instantly with this error:

EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xc0000005) at steamworks4j64.dll

This crash happens even when launching outside of Steam, suggesting the issue is inside the steamworks4j64.dll or how it interacts with Java or my system.

Since the game also freezes around the year 1500 in normal gameplay, Maybe  it's calling something related to Steam (saving, achievements?) that triggers the same crash in the background. Not much of a tech guy so let me know if there's a specific Java version I should use or if the DLL needs updating. 

Also found: "java.lang.NullPointerException" when it freezes so maybe that might help too.

Edited July 29, 2025 by siyomono0

[anria 0]

 

On 7/29/2025 at 3:49 AM, siyomono0 said:

EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xc0000005) at steamworks4j64.dll

This exception happens when steam client is not working in most cases.

Check if your steam client is running(and has a legit copy in your steam account),and launch the game again.

Close steam(not the window,if steam icon shows in tray,it's still running)will also occur this exception.

if the problem continues,plz send the hs_err log file.