Civilization Match up Discussion Week 1: Malay vs Vikings

Hello and welcome to the inaugural civilization match up discussion....again! Now that we have figured out scheduling, you can look to see these every week on Wednesday!

Now what is the point of these discussions? We just had the civilization discussions, and as KotD has shown, there is really so much we do not know about how the civs interact with each other on the new balance. These threads exist as a forum where we can collectively dive into a specific match up every week. This is not to simply to evaluate which civ is better overall individually, but rather how they interact with each other on every map/mode/and point of time in the game; their roles in team games as well! Feel free to post any thoughts, tips, or questions you have relevant to the match up, and I look forward to seeing this develop every week!

Now for the Malay vs Vikings!

Malay: Naval Civilization

• Age up +80% faster
• Fish Traps cost -33%
• Fish Traps provide infinite food
• Battle Elephants cost -25%

• TEAM BONUS: Docks +100% LoS

• Castle Age Tech: Thalassocracy (Upgrades Docks to Harbors, which fire arrows)

• Imperial Age Tech: Forced Levy (Swordsman line cost no gold)

• Unique Unit: Karambit Warrior (Cheap, fast, weak infantry that costs only 1/2 population per unit)

Vikings: Infantry and Naval Civilization

• Warships cost -15% in Feudal and Castle Age, -20% in Imperial Age
• Infantry have +10% HP in Feudal Age, +15% in Castle Age, +20% in Imperial Age
• Wheelbarrow and Hand Cart free

• TEAM BONUS: Docks cost -15%

• Castle Age Tech: Chieftains (Infantry +5 attack vs cavalry)

• Imperial Age Tech: Berserkergang (Berserks regenerate faster)

• Unique Unit: Berserk (Powerful Infantry that slowly regenerates health)

Here are some relevant talking points to get you all started. You do not need to address any of these if you do not want to - these are just here to give people ideas:

• Both are incredibly powerful naval civilizations. Which is the stronger pick on water maps and why?
• Faster aging up and free Wheelbarrow and Hand Cart are both amazing economy bonuses, but which is more versatile?
• How do these civs fare against one another on land maps? Can the cheap Malay infantry overrun the bulkier Viking infantry? Are you even going to make infantry when both civs have Arbs?

I hope you will enjoy this series, come back next week for the Aztecs vs Burmese! :)