Identify the Strong Powerspike Moments of Existing Civilizations
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For instance, when playing as the Turks civilization in Age of Empires II, they automatically receive the chemistry technology for free when upgrading to Hussars.
Another example would be the Mayans civilization having a cost reduction for archery units in the Feudal Age. This is because the Mayans were skilled archers historically and the game reflects their expertise.
Similarly, the Vikings civilization has a time-window advantage in the early game because their infantry units have extra HP, making them stronger in the Feudal Age. This reflects the Vikings’ historical reputation as fierce warriors.
Franks – when you start taking berries, until mid imperial.
Mongol steppe lancers with extra hp if you get up to castle age quick.
Tatars with thumb ring!
Ethiopians get extra resources so they have very strong early castle age. Plus, their crossbows fired faster making them quite hard to deal with. On top of that they get free pikeman upgrade which helps with any scout/knight rushes. Overall, very good power spike in early castle age.
Bulgarian 2HS.
Kshatryas w Gurjaras. If I can hang back and get it researched, spend resources on blacksmith etc upgrades, build extra stable, and then start to spam once it’s done my counter units it’s tough for the opponent to take good trades.
Turks also have one for hitting castle age, they get free light cav upgrade and then free hussar in imp also. Underrated.
Tatars obvs with thumb ring and PT.
There are multiple of what I call “gunpowder castle spike” civs that get an OP unit in castle age that other civs can’t deal with very effectively until imp. Portuguese, Spanish, Turks, and Koreans (turtle ship) come to mind.
Some civs spike in more subtle ways. My favorite civ, Chinese, spikes very hard in castle age with how cheap techs become. They can easily run +2/+2 chu ko nu with ballistics and thumb ring and +2/+2 light cav + camel rider with husbandry and bloodlines by the end of castle age, it is incredibly oppressive as most other civs will struggle to deal with full upgrade cav and archers at the same time. Chinese can do this in a reasonable timeframe because of tech discounts, no other civ can apply the same pressure with double gold comp as early as Chinese. The only answer is to survive to imp where you have better cavalry than Chinese and have access to siege onager to deal with chu ko nu.
Goths researching Perfusion
Sicilians with 5 TCs in Castle Age + first crusade (20-24 minutes). Go from booming eco to an army of 35 with an eco to support follow up. It’s wildly greedy, but when you can pull it off it’s rage inducing.
korean castle age – free tower and archer armor upgrade can be really nice
Goth after anarchy? Perfusion? The tech where you can spam huskarls from barracks. No actually, both castle techs.
Cumans around minute 19-20 on arena after they have boomed with 2 tcs in feudal. If your flank opens up an enemy with a castel or petards, you can go 3 stable knights plus continue producing with 2 tcs and very soon add another stable or another tc.
When you reach castle age as magyars, fully upgraded knights are very easy to start making with free iron casting
Britons get their cheap TCs and better archers in Castle Age, which is very strong.