My civ concept series 13: The Iroquois

Hi all! After the Somalis (https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/nlaxk4/my\_civ\_concept\_series\_12\_the\_somalis/), next civ will be the Iroquois, the second of the three North American civs in my concepts. They could also be called Haudenosaunee (People from the Longhouse), but we’ll leave them with the English word. I have highlighted in bold an important feature for NA civs, that I expect will make them more balanced for late game.

The Iroquois were established in the Northeast of modern day USA. They were the result of a union between five important tribes (Mohawk, Onondaga, Seneca, Oneida and Cayuga). In the beginning they belonged to the Algonquian, but they wanted an independent status, and, after a war, they were expelled from Algonquian lands and fled southeast.

There are two supposed dates for the start of the Iroquois State: Some say it was in 1142, and others state that it was in 1450. Anyway, it seems that they, unlike the Algonquians, were a democratic nation, and all decisions were voted. Each tribe had its own language, but they were united, and in its peak, the Iroquois lands extended into present-day Canada, westward along the Great Lakes and down both sides of the Allegheny Mountains into present-day Virginia and Kentucky and into the Ohio Valley.

They were much more aggressive than their neighbors, and held wars for long periods of time. Chronicles say that warriors used a main weapon (mainly spear or mace) and a flint knife, which they used if the main weapon had been lost. Javelineers and bowmen also were part of the army. They had no knowledge for siege weapons, but they knew how to starve fortifications, by attacking small garrisons, poisoning water sources and raiding farming and food collection sites, so more than once, a better prepared fortification had to surrender. They, as the Algonquians, also built palisades around their settlements.

When Europeans arrived, naturally they sided against the Algonquians, and joined the British and the Dutch. The Europeans gave them new weapons and improved the long existing Tomahawk with a metal blade, a weapon that the Iroquois were skilled using at. They survived in their original land until the British Empire, whom they had sided with, lost the war after the American Revolution (this was much later than the AoE2 timeline, but just for more info). As punishment, they were expelled from their lands and had to migrate to the north.

Regarding the civ balance, the Iroquois have an especial tech tree adapted to the Native American civs, but in this case more infantry oriented. They start with more villagers (as an eco bonus, without connection to any historical fact) and their drop point technologies get a small bonus to reflect their ability to adapt to the new land they migrated to. Longhouses could not be introduced, but houses are discounted. Their skilled javelineers get a bonus, and of course, their fierce infantry also. Outposts’ bonus represents their knowledge of their lands, which European allies benefitted from.

The Unique Unit is the Tomahawk Thrower. The tomahawk was invented by the Algonquians before the Iroquois separated. It suited very much an infantry relying civ to have a fast ranged infantry unit, and thus I chose it for that purpose. The Castle Age Unique Tech has already been discussed. The Imperial Age Unique Tech will give the American civ to get access to gunpowder.

North American civ features:

- Can’t build stone walls

- Can’t build stables

- Start with a Native Scout, which is the very same as an Eagle Scout (including costs, armor classes and upgrades) but with different design. The same is for the Native Warrior and Elite Native Warrior

- They can create Canoes at docks, starting in the Feudal Age. The Canoes can be seen in many campaigns and are available in the Scenario Editor. They’re small ships that fire two arrows. No elite upgrades available.

o Creation time: 50s in Feudal Age, 30s in Castle Age and Imperial Age

o Cost: 75 wood 20 gold

o HP 70

o Attack 7 (pierce)

o Armor 0/6

o Range 5

o Reload time 3.05 Frame delay 0 Speed 1.5

o Upgrades: Attack and range (blacksmith); armor and speed (dock).

o Attack bonuses Ships 9 Fishing Ships 9 Buildings 7 Rams 4

- When they reach the Imperial Age, in the Town Center they will get a Technology to research called “Horse Imports”. Cost 300 wood 300 food 300 gold. Its research time will be 90s, and allows NA civs to build Stables and create Mounted Archers in Archery Ranges.

- After researching Horse Imports, they can build Stables at the Imperial Age. There won’t be any technologies available, but can create two units:

o Mounted warrior: A reskinned version of the Hussar. With the same cost, hidden stats and bonuses, and these stats:

- HP 95; Attack 7 - Can be upgraded at the blacksmith; Armor 2/5; Speed 1.65

o Mounted lancer: A reskinned version of the Elite Steppe Lancer. With the same cost, hidden stats and bonuses, and these stats:

- HP 100; Attack 11 - Can be upgraded at the blacksmith; Armor 3/4; Speed 1.60

- When they research Horse Imports, they can also train a new unit at the Archery Range:

o Mounted archer: A reskinned version of the Heavy Cavalry Archer. With the same cost, hidden stats and bonuses, and these stats:

- HP 80; Attack 7; Armor 1/0; Range 4; Can be upgraded at the Archery Range, Blacksmith and University. Speed 1.54

Iroquois: Infantry civilization

- Start with +2 villagers, but -100 food

- Houses are 25% cheaper

- Lumber Camp, Mining Camp and Mill technologies are researched instantly

- Elite Skirmisher upgrade is free

- Barracks units get +1/+1 in Castle Age and +1/+1 in the Imperial Age

Team bonus: Outposts don’t cost stone

Unique techs:

- Flint knives (450 food 350 gold): Infantry attacks 20% faster. Barracks work and are built 50% faster.

- European Influence (500 food 500 gold): Allows the creation of Cannon Galleons at Docks, Bombard Cannons at Siege Workshops and Hand Cannoneers at Archery Ranges (Chemistry also needs to be researched to unlock them)

Unique unit:

Tomahawk Thrower: Fast infantry with ranged melee attack

Cost: 50 food 45 gold

Upgrade cost: 950 food 650 gold

Creation time 17s. Speed 1.15 Reload time 2.15 Frame Delay 24 (16) Attack Delay 1 (0.8) Accuracy 100

HP: 50 (65)

Attack: 7 (10) melee

Armor: 0/1 (0/2)

Range: 4 (5)

Armor class: Infantry

Upgrades: Blacksmith, Barracks

Attack bonus: Eagle Warrior 0 (1) Standard Buildings 1 (2)

Barracks: Champion – Halberdier – Elite Native Warrior – All techs

Archery range: Arbalester – Elite Skirmisher – Mounted Archer – Hand Cannoneer –lack Parthian Tactics

Stable: Mounted Warrior – Mounted Lancer

Siege workshop: Siege Ram –Mangonel –Scorpion – Bombard Cannon – Siege Tower

Blacksmith: Lack all cavalry armor upgrades, the last infantry armor upgrade and the last archer armor upgrade

Dock: War Galley – Fast Fire Ship – Heavy Demo Ship – Canoe – Lack Shipwright

University: Lack Architecture – Bombard Tower –Fortified Wall – Siege Engineers – Heated Shot – Treadmill Crane

Castle: All techs

Monastery: Lack Atonement – Block Printing

Economy: Lack Guilds

This civ will have a similar start to Chinese and Mayans, with loom to be researched in the first place. The camp and mill instant research and cheaper houses are the other eco bonuses.

As for the military, infantry should be the bulk of the army, with the addition of arbalesters and free upgraded Skirmishers, though lacking the last armor upgrade. With 4 infantry units, the Iroquois have the possibility to face many army compositions. Barracks units will benefit since the Castle Age from a bonus for armor, thus resisting better, and ranged units should be fought with Natives (Eagles), Skirms, Arbs, and the UU, which features characteristics between a Throwing Axeman and a Gbeto. Infantry will attack faster and building and production of barracks will be faster with the Castle Age Unique Tech.

When they get to Imperial, apart from the mounted units, now locked behind a Town Center tech, they will be able to unlock gunpowder, so in the end they will have a very complete tech tree.

As always, “it’s difficult to determine the timeline for the Imperial Age of each of the civs” and, since I wanted to introduce NA civs in the AoE2 world, I again, stretched that idea as much as I could. Even if I like the historical facts, making the civs playable is also a challenge for me.

I hope you enjoyed, and of course, suggestions are welcome. Next civ will be the Bohemians. SPOILER: It features a UU I hope you like!

Thank you!