Every Unique Unit Compared to History (Part 3 - AoK civs part 3)

Welcome again!

Today we're going to go through the last few AoK civs. However, before we begin I would like to say that I am not at all saying anything bad about Ensemble Studios or Forgotten Empires. Both studios are absolutely brilliant, and have made one of the best games in the planet. All I am trying to do is explain to you what each UU is and what its abilities had to do with history.

I would also like to say another huge thank you to all the support you've given for the past two parts of this series (Which you can see here for part 1, and here for part 2).

So without further ado, let's get started!

Saracens - Mameluke

Ability: Camel with hand-to-hand attack at distance. Excels vs. other mounted units.

What it Was: Mameluke, also pronounced Mamluk, were slave warriors of the Muslims. They were essentially slave mercenaries. Most of them were Kipchak, Georgian, Circassian, and Balkan tribes captured and sold into slavery. Mamluks eventually gained huge political power, eventually forming their own empire in modern day Egypt (I'm serious, search up the Mamluk Sultanate.)

Significance to The Saracens: Since The Saracens represent the Muslim world during the Middle Ages, Mamluks were extremely important. They had so much political power that they could literally crown sultans. However, the mamluks were depicted on horses, not camels.

How the game relates it to History: The infantry attack at a range is probably based off of the fact that Mamluks wielded many weapons, including swords, lances. Although their main weapons were composite bows and curved swords. Their bonus vs cavalry probably doesn't have to do with Mamluks however. Middle Eastern cavalry troops rode camels quite frequently, so when European horses, who had never seen camels before, met them on the field of battle they would go haywire and try to run away. This made killing cavalry easier.

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Teutons - Teutonic Knight

Ability: Infantry with effective armor and slow but powerful attack.

What it Was: The Teutonic Order was formed during the Crusades to build hospitals for the Christian crusaders. They also did mercenary work, and would later found many cities in modern day Prussia, including the capital Königsberg, which is known as Kaliningrad in the modern day. They fought in countless battles, and do still exist today.

Significance to The Teutons: Although The Teutons in game represent the HRE more than the Teutonic Order, there are still parts of the Teutonic order that are very clear in their bonuses and uniques. The Teutonic Knight was a very important part of medieval history, and the Teutonic Order, so obviously they would be a UU for a civ called "The Teutons".

How the game relates it to History: The Teutonic Knight's heavy armor has many routes, but my favourite idea is that it was because Knight's were an important social class in the Medieval social system, and could afford good armor. This is my favourite idea for the bonus because it also fits in with the Slavic Boyar, which we will talk about when we get to the civs of The Forgotten.

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Turks - Janissary

Ability: Hand Cannoneer with longer range and no minimum range. Powerful close attack, but inaccurate at range.

What it Was: The Janissaries were The Ottoman Empire's elite infantry troops. The Ottomans would take the children of families from places they conquered (like Bulgaria and Serbia), convert them to Islam, and train them in combat. Janissaries have been used in many famous Ottoman conquests, including the Siege of Constantinople, and the defeat of the Mamluk Sultanate of Cairo.

Significance to The Turks: The Ottoman Empire was Turkey at its fullest extent, and was a big factor in the start of the renaissance, and age of exploration. The Janissaries were their famous soldiers, and were devastating on the field of battle. (Fun fact, the Janissary was originally going to be an archer unit that would upgrade into a Hand Cannoneer, but was scrapped due to an archer unit already existing.)

How the game relates it to History: The Janissaries no minimum range, and powerful melee attack probably has to do with the fact that Janissaries were skilled in Saber combat as well as Muskets, meaning that they were a powerful force in melee combat. Their longer range probably is because the Janissaries were extremely skilled, and the worse accuracy at a longer range is most likely due to the fact that Muskets were extremely inaccurate, especially at long ranges. Although you might think it is weird for the Turks to have an HC in Castle Age, I think it sort of makes sense because The Ottomans brought gunpowder to Europe in the Renaissance.

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Vikings - Berserk

Ability: Infantry that slowly heals itself.

What it Was: Berserkers were Viking warriors who would put themselves into a mad rage, and eat a hallucinogenic mushroom, and didn't wear proper armor. They were extremely scary, and one famous Berserker held the bridge for the Norwegians who were caught off track by Harold Godwinson's army at Stamford bridge. He killed so many people until somebody went under the bridge and speared him in the bottom.

Significance to The Vikings: Berserkers were uniquely Viking. No other group of people had them. They were extremely terrifying, and the Vikings were super interested in dying glorious death to get to Valhalla.

How the game relates it to History: I'm not entirely sure how the regenerating ability relates to the berserker, but my theory is that it has to do with the fact that it could fight large amounts of enemies, and still live to fight another day. But idk *shrugs*

Vikings - Longship

Ability: Fires multiple arrows.

What it Was: Longships were the iconic Viking ships. They were sleek and fast, and were excellent for raiding coastlines.

Significance to The Vikings: I mean, they were VIKING ships, duh

How the game relates it to History: This is the only one that has completely stumped me. Longships were not at all used in naval skirmishes, and should really be used more like Transport Ships. So Im really not sure. This is the only UU so far that I have been completely stumped on, and will probably be the only one. If you have an idea of what it relates to, feel free to jump in and say it.

So yeah, that's all for now. Next time, we will do all of the civs of The Conquers. See you then!

tysm again!!!!