Civilization Match-up Discussion Round 8 Week 1: Aztecs vs Cumans

A new year, a new round, and a whole new set of civs being introduced!!

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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 Byzantines vs Persians, and next up is the Aztecs vs Cumans!

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Aztecs: Infantry and Monk civilization

• Villagers carry +5
• Military units created +15% faster
• Monks +5 hp per Monastery tech researched
• Start with +50g
• TEAM BONUS: Relics generate +33% gold
• Unique Unit: Jaguar Warrior (Heavy anti-infantry infantry)
• Castle Age Unique Tech: Atlatl (Skirmishers +1 attack, +1 range)
• Imperial Age Unique Tech: Garland Wars (Infantry +4 attack)

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Cumans: Cavalry civilization

• Additional Town Center can be built in Feudal Age
• Siege Workshop and Battering Ram available in Feudal Age
• Cavalry move +5/10/15% faster in Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age
• TEAM BONUS: Palisade Walls +50% hp
• Unique Unit: Kipchak (Light cav archer that fires multiple arrows at once)
• Castle Age Unique Tech: Steppe Husbandry (Light Cavalry and Cavalry Archers train really fast)
• Imperial Age Unique Tech: Cuman Mercenaries (Each team member can train 10 free Elite Kipchaks at Castle)

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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!

• Believe it or not, this match up, round, and start of the year all happened coincidentally 11. Okay okay, so for 1v1 on an open map like Arabia or Gold Rush, we have the old guard vs the new guard. Aztecs hit hard and fast with their strong early game eco and military, and their monks, eagles, and farms allow them to continue that advantage throughout the game. Meanwhile, Cumans will be starting off more defensive, but even after the nerf, their additional TC can still put them a good 15+ vills ahead when both players reach Castle Age. On top of that, Steppe Lancers and Kipchaks. Whom do you favor?
• On a closed map like Arena or Black Forest, both civilizations can leverage incredibly powerful economies to get up to their mid/late game armies faster than other civs. However, Aztecs critically lack cavalry, Cumans lack good Monks, and both miss gunpowder. How do these civs take advantage of this on these sorts of maps?

Okay I think that's plenty to consider already haha. Thank you as always for participating! From now on, the new civilizations will be introduced into each round of discussion (which will also make them longer I suppose). This is done to make sure that we get through the match ups at a relatively even rate, without favoring any particular civ. So, be on the lookout for the others! Next week we will continue our discussions with the Teutons vs Vikings. Hope to see you there! :)

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Previous discussions: Part 1 Part 2 (glhf Majike getting these new ones sorted out)

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P.S. RIP Ornlu's Excel spreadsheet with all of the civ match ups neatly organized in a pretty chart (2017-2020)