The Filipinos represent the various polities and people groups of the Philippines during the late Middle Ages and early modern period. They have the Southeast Asian architecture set, shared with the Burmese, Khmer, and Malay. My vision for them has them introduced in an Oceania expansion that adds a new architecture set, so they do not have a unique castle. Their Wonder is a torogan, ancestral homes lived in by rulers.
Their specialties are ships and gunpowder, like the Portuguese, but significantly more specialized and less flexible. Although horses are not native to the Philippines, they were brought to the islands through trade and colonization, so the Filipinos have basic cavalry options available.
Let’s get into their civilization bonuses.
Civilization Bonuses
- Town Centers cost -25%
This references how there were many Filipino settlements.
- Docks and Blacksmiths built 100% faster
As a maritime island society, Filipinos would naturally have a lot of harbors and shipyards to build their ships. One famous Filipino, known as Panday Pira, was a blacksmith.
- Gunpowder units (except Bombard Towers) heal 25 HP per minute
The Philippines embraced gunpowder weaponry even before Spanish colonization, because the Indonesians and Malaysians introduced them to the islands. Cannon usage was very common in three ways: as field artillery, as part of fortifications, and as weaponry mounted on ships.
- Loom costs wood instead of gold
This is a reference to traditional Filipino abaca cloth, which is made from banana fiber.
- Team bonus: Gunpowder units +2 LOS
This is simply a further reference to the gunpowder usage as mentioned earlier.
Unique Unit 1: Bagani
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This is an infantry unit that reduces the attack rate of nearby enemy units by 25%. The effect has a radius of 4 tiles. I haven’t figured out the unit’s stats yet, but it can cost 50 food and 20 gold.
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Bagani were a class of warrior leaders of the island of Mindanao. They had total control over the settlements they led, except for the oversight of a council. They also led groups of forty to fifty warriors.
Unique Unit 2: Karakoa
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This is essentially a stronger version of the Galley line, firing one large cannonball and two smaller cannon shots. It has the same range as the War Galley and Galleon, with 6 and 7 for Elite, and has 8 and 10 attack for the main projectile, while the two additional projectiles each deal only 2 damage. The main shot has 5 damage against both ships and buildings (10 for Elite), but this bonus damage is increased by the bonus. They cost slightly more, at 100 wood and 35 gold, but perform better.
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The Karakoa was a large outrigger canoe used by Filipino seafarers as a raiding vessel and warship. Initially, it fired only typical projectiles, but Panday Piray, a famous blacksmith, outfitted Karakoas with lantakas, mini swivel cannons.
Unique Techs
Barangay: Villagers and Fishing Ships created 50% faster
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Cost: 500 food, 350 wood
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This technology helps improve Villager and Fishing Ship production, which is very useful for growing the economy. Its lack of a gold cost makes it easy to afford in situations where gold is running low and the player needs a strong economy.
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The reference for this tech is two-fold: the term barangay originally referred to a type of ship, but eventually began to refer to independent, self-sufficient villages. The effect references both usages.
Lantaka: Bombard Cannons, Bombard Towers, Cannon Galleons, and Karakoa fire 50% faster
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Cost: 750 food, 400 gold
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The Filipinos do not have Siege Engineers because of their bonus damage increase for gunpowder units, so that bonus and this technology can really help to offset that missing technology (though the range will still be lacking). The technology is expensive, but really pays off in the end, especially since both Siege Rams and Siege Onagers are missing.
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I mentioned it earlier, but a lantaka was a type of bronze swivel cannon, first used by Indonesians, but then introduced to the Philippines. It was used as field artillery, as part of defenses, or on ships, the latter two being far more common.
Tech Tree
Missing Units: Champion, Eagle line, Arbalester, Elephant Archer, Hussar, Paladin, Camel line, Battle Elephant line, Steppe Lancer line, Siege Ram, Siege Onager, Fast Fire Ship, Heavy Demo Ship.
Missing Techs: Gambesons, Thumb Ring, Parthian Tactics, Redemption, Heresy, Illumination, Block Printing, Theocracy, Hoardings, Plate Barding Armor, Bracer, Architecture, Heated Shot, Siege Engineers, Arrowslits, Stone Shaft Mining, Guilds.