People who main less popular civs, make your case for your favorite.

Especially low-mid Elo players. What about then covers your weaknesses or plays to your strengths?

I will start. I am 1020 Elo. I play Malians more than any other civ.

Wood bonus that scales with economy requiring nothing from player.

Free gold mining makes an archer rush easy while putting extra vils on farms for faster castle

every castle age tech available

Fully upgraded Farimba heavy camels are insane against cav civs. Their light cav is some of the best in the game, which is good because I sometimes float too much food in the late game.

Champskarls are great for countering meso civs which tend to include archers or skirms in their armies

Redemption monks to counter mangonels at your TC in castle.

Fast working universities allow fast bombard cannons to counter trebs in case opponent makes it up to Imp faster than you. (Happens a lot to me)

Gbeto warriors are just plain fun to use. Good at protecting trebs or bbc in surprisingly low numbers.

Unique tech that has tc’s fire when ungarrisoned helps compensate for no bracer, defensively. Also incentives the creation of more tc’s which I sometimes struggle with.

Who else plays scarcely picked civs for your Elo?