The Avars represent the Pannonian Avars, an early medieval alliance of nomadic tribes that combined and formed an empire in Central Europe. It is likely that they are the ancestors of the Hungarians, represented in-game by the Magyars, but this civ concept is notably different from the Magyars in many ways.
The Avars were allied with the Byzantines for a few centuries, but ended up invading them later. This is represented by their Wonder being a ruined and sacked version of Didymoteicho Fortress, as, while there’s no guarantee it was attacked by the Avars themselves, it did face many sieges in the early centuries after the fall of Rome, and is thus rather representative of early Byzantine conflict at the hands of barbarians.
The Avars have Eastern European architecture. I thought about giving them my Caucasian architecture set to reflect where they hailed from, but given they ended up settling around Hungary, it made more sense this way.
Anyway, enough chit-chat and on with the brainstorm.
Cavalry and Siege civilization
Civilization Bonuses:
- Repairing costs -50% wood, -25% stone
- Light Cavalry, Steppe Lancers +1 melee armor in Castle, +2 in Imperial Age (for +3 total)
- Siege weapons +25% HP
Team bonus: Steppe Lancers +2 attack vs cavalry
Unique Unit: Sabir (cavalry unit that can repair friendly siege weapons)
Unique Technologies: Steppe Dynamics (Steppe Lancers +20 HP), Pannonian Woodworking (siege weapons cost -30%)
Tech Tree:
Military Buildings
.
Barracks
- Militia - Man-at-Arms - Long Swordsman - Two-Handed Swordsman - (X) Champion
- Spearman - Pikeman - Halberdier
- (X) Eagle Scout - (X) Eagle Warrior - (X) Elite Eagle Warrior
- (X) Supplies
- Squires
- Arson
.
Archery Range
- Archer - Crossbowman - (X) Arbalester
- Skirmisher - Elite Skirmisher
- (X) Elephant Archer - (X) Elite Elephant Archer
- Cavalry Archer - Heavy Cavalry Archer
- (X) Hand Cannoneer
- (X) Thumb Ring
- Parthian Tactics
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Stable
- Scout Cavalry - Light Cavalry - Hussar
- Knight - Cavalier - (X) Paladin
- (X) Camel Rider - (X) Heavy Camel Rider
- (X) Battle Elephant - (X) Elite Battle Elephant
- Steppe Lancer - Elite Steppe Lancer
- Bloodlines
- Husbandry
- Bonus: Light Cavalry, Steppe Lancers +1 melee armor in Castle, +2 in Imperial Age (for +3 total)
- Team bonus: Stable units cost -15%
- Steppe Dynamics (Steppe Lancers deal trample damage)
.
Siege Workshop
- Battering Ram - Capped Ram - Siege Ram
- Mangonel - Onager - Siege Onager
- Scorpion - Heavy Scorpion
- (X) Bombard Cannon
- Siege Tower
- Bonus: Siege weapons +25% HP
- Pannonian Woodworking (siege weapons cost -45% wood)
.
Monastery
- Monk
- (X) Redemption
- (X) Atonement
- Herbal Medicine
- (X) Heresy
- Sanctity
- Fervor
- (X) Faith
- Illumination
- (X) Block Printing
- (X) Theocracy
.
Castle
- Sabir - Elite Sabir
- Petard
- Trebuchet
- Unique technologies: Steppe Dynamics (Steppe Lancers deal trample damage), Pannonian Woodworking (siege weapons cost -45% wood)
- Hoardings
- Sappers
- Conscription
- Spies/Treason
- Bonus: Trebuchets +25% HP
Research Buildings
.
Blacksmith
- Scale Mail Armor - Chain Mail Armor - Plate Mail Armor
- Scale Barding Armor - Chain Barding Armor - (X) Plate Barding Armor
- Padded Archer Armor - Leather Archer Armor - Ring Archer Armor
- Forging - Iron Casting - (X) Blast Furnace
- Fletching - Bodkin Arrow - Bracer
.
University
- Masonry - (X) Architecture
- (X) Fortified Wall
- Ballistics
- (X) Guard Tower - (X) Keep
- (X) Heated Shot
- Murder Holes
- Treadmill Crane
- Chemistry - (X) Bombard Tower
- (X) Siege Engineers
- Arrowslits
.
Economic Buildings
.
Town Center
- Villager
- Loom
- Town Watch - Town Patrol
- Wheelbarrow - Hand Cart
- Bonus: Repairing costs -50% wood, -25% stone
.
Mill
- Horse Collar - Heavy Plow - Crop Rotation
.
Lumber Camp
- Double-Bit Axe - Bow Saw - (X) Two-Man Saw
.
Mining Camp
- Gold Mining - Gold Shaft Mining
- Stone Mining - (X) Stone Shaft Mining
.
Market
- Trade Cart
- Caravan
- Coinage - Banking
- Guilds
.
Dock
- Fishing Ship
- Transport Ship
- Trade Cog
- Fire Galley - Fire Ship - Fast Fire Ship
- Galley - War Galley - Galleon
- Demolition Raft - Demolition Ship - Heavy Demolition Ship
- (X) Cannon Galleon - (X) Elite Cannon Galleon
- Gillnets
- Careening - (X) Dry Dock
- (X) Shipwright
.
Defensive Buildings
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Palisade Wall
.
Palisade Gate
.
(X) Stone Wall - (X) Fortified Wall
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Gate
.
Watch Tower - (X) Guard Tower - (X) Keep
.
(X) Bombard Tower
Stats and Costs:
Sabir Stats:
HP: 110, 115 (Elite)
Attack: 9, 11 (Elite)
Attack Bonuses: None
Rate of Fire: 1.75
Armor: 1/0, 2/1 (Elite)
Speed: 1.35
LOS: 5
Cost: 45 food, 80 gold
Training Time: 12 seconds
Elite Upgrade Cost: 1000 food, 850 gold
Steppe Dynamics Cost: 650 food, 400 gold
Steppe Dynamics Research Time: 35 seconds
Pannonian Woodworking Cost: 1200 wood, 980 gold
Pannonian Woodworking Research Time: 60 seconds
Historical Explanations:
Repairing costing less wood than usual is a reference to how the Avars specialized partly in siege weapons. Stone is thrown in as a pragmatic addition to make repairing fortifications much easier.
Light Cavalry and Steppe Lancers having a lot of extra melee armor is a reference to the fact that the Avars tended to be heavily armored when riding into battle.
Siege weapons have an additional 25% hit points as a further nod to Avar siege weaponry.
The team bonus of Steppe Lancers dealing +2 vs cavalry is due to lances generally being effective against cavalry.
The Sabir is named after a nomadic tribe that was conquered by and eventually inducted into the Avars. They specialized in siege weaponry, which is why the Sabir can repair siege weapons on the battlefield, a very useful skill if they’re heavily damaged, especially with the bonus.
Steppe Dynamics references the politics that often ended up creating nomadic empires. Since “steppe” is in the name, Steppe Lancers are affected by the tech.
Pannonian Woodworking is yet another reference to Avar siegecraft, which was one of their specialties. It’s not difficult to assume that they’d figure out how to build their siege weapons as efficiently as possible, saving them resources in the process.