Civilization Match-up Discussion Round 11 Week 8: Incas vs Portuguese

Pick your poison: Inca Vill Trush or Portuguese Feitoria camping!

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Hello and welcome back for another Age of Empires 2 civilization match up discussion! This is a series where we discuss the various advantages, disadvantages, and quirks found within the numerous match ups of the game. The goal is to collectively gain a deeper understanding of how two civilizations interact with each other in a variety of different settings. Feel free to ask questions, pose strategies, or provide insight on how the two civilizations in question interact with each other on any map type and game mode. This is not limited to 1v1 either. Feel free to discuss how the civilizations compare in team games as well! So long as you are talking about how the two civilizations interact, anything is fair game! Last week we discussed the Aztecs vs Spanish, and next up is the Incas vs Portuguese!

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Incas: Infantry civilization

• Start with a free llama
• Villagers affected by infantry Blacksmith upgrades
• Houses support 10 population
• Buildings cost -15% stone
• TEAM BONUS: Farms built +100% faster
• Unique Unit: Kamayuk (Powerful spearman with 1 range)
• Unique Unit: Slinger (Anti-infantry foot archer)
• Castle Age Unique Tech: Andean Sling (Slingers and Skirms have no minimum range)
• Imperial Age Unique Tech: Fabric Shields (Kamayuks, Slingers, and Eagles have +1/+2 armor)

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Portuguese: Naval and Gunpowder civilization

• All units cost -20% gold
• All techs research +30% faster
• Ships have +10% hp
• Can build Feitoria in Imperial Age
• TEAM BONUS: Team have shared LoS starting in Dark Age
• Unique Unit: Organ Gun (Light siege unit with powerful ranged attack)
• Unique Unit: Caravel (Galley-like warship that deals pass-through damage like a scorpion)
• Unique Building: Feitoria (Costs 20 pop space, but slowly generates all resources infinitely)
• Castle Age Unique Tech: Carrack (Ships +1/+1 armor)
• Imperial Age Unique Tech: Arquebus (Gunpowder units better track moving targets)

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Below are some match up-specific talking points to get you all started. These are just to give people ideas, you do not need to address them specifically if you do not want to!

• Oh boi this should be interesting. For 1v1 Arabia and similar maps, I would hazard that Incas are generally seen as a bit stronger on average compared to Portuguese. Villager rush aside, Incas are still able to apply pressure early on quite effectively, and possess powerful counter units to pretty much everything out there. Portuguese, meanwhile, have some generally useful bonuses with their gold discount and research speed boost, but otherwise lack a decisive eco bonus or obvious power unit. How do you think these two civs fare?
• On closed maps, both of these civs could be considered middling-to-above-average. Incas still possess the ability to go aggressive and take relics on Arena, or go forward on maps like Hideout and BF. However, their post-Imp is not as impressive as many other civs, and they lack a midgame eco bonus. Portuguese, meanwhile, have an incredibly strong Imperial Age army, but somewhat lack any fantastic tools to get there. Thoughts?
• As a flank civ in team games, both of these civs are quite good, although both fall short of the highest tiers. Inca aggression can again be quite potent here, and this is backed up by FU Arbs and Siege Rams, not to mention Kamayuks. Portuguese are again going to be a bit on the slower side, although the gold discount is great for your FU archers. However, they will truly shine in late game with their slow doom push with all of their gunpowder. Do you prefer the early-midgame strength of Incas or the mid-lategame strength of Portuguese?

Thanks as always for participating! Next week we will continue our discussions with the Spanish vs Vikings. Hope to see you there! :)

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Previous discussions: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3