Civilization Match-up Discussion Round 10 Week 18: Byzantines vs Mayans

First discussion of the year, last one of round 10! That means each civ (except the Last Khans ones) has had 10 discussions so far :)

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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 Chinese vs Japanese, and next up is the Byzantines vs Mayans!

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Byzantines: Defensive civilization

• Buildings +10/20/30/40% hp per Age
• Camels, Skirmishers, and Spearmen cost -25%
• Fire Ships attack +25% faster
• Advancing to Imperial Age costs -33%
• Town Watch free
• TEAM BONUS: Monks heal +50% faster
• Unique Unit: Cataphract (Heavy cavalry with bonus damage vs infantry)
• Castle Age Unique Tech: Greek Fire (Fire Ships +1 range)
• Imperial Age Unique Tech: Logistica (Cataphracts deal 5 trample damage; get +6 additional damage vs infantry)

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Mayans: (Foot) Archer civilization

• Start with +1 Villager, but -50f
• Resources last +15% longer
• Archers cost -10/20/30% in Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age
• TEAM BONUS: Walls cost -50%
• Unique Unit: Plumed Archer (Quick-moving, tanky foot archer)
• Castle Age Unique Tech: Obsidian Arrows (The definition of a 'win-more' tech)
• Imperial Age Unique Tech: El Dorado (Eagle Warriors +40 hp)

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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!

• Two civs that love their cheap units! For 1v1 Arabia, Mayans have always hovered near the very top, while Byzantines have never shone through to those highest echelons, yet have remained absolutely rock-solid as a strong all-around civ. Both have strong Feudal Age play with their unit discounts, although Mayans will be able to excel with their powerful eco bonuses. However, they will not quite be as able to match the cost-efficiency of Byzantines, and a quick Imp from the latter can be devastating. Which civ do you favor here?
• On closed maps like Arena, Hideout, and BF, Mayans have always been a bit odd. They are incredibly strong in FC scenarios where they can snowball the game with Plumes, Archers, or Eagles, but then they fall off a lot in post-Imp. Byzantines are pretty much the opposite, where they will likely be defending until the later stages of the game, where they have many potent options. Can Mayans snowball the game before Byzantines get up and rolling?
• On Gold Rush/Golden Pit, both of these civs are very powerful options, with both able to powerfully secure the middle of the map. Mayans can camp with their castles and archers, whereas Byzantines are incredibly difficult to remove from a strong defensive position. Mayans do have the possibility to flood eagles forever with access to much gold, but Byzantines generally do not need a ton of gold anyway. Which civ do you favor on these sorts of maps?

Thanks as always for participating! Next week we will begin round 11 with the Persians vs Khmer. Hope to see you there! :)

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Previous discussions: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3