REASON FOR THE VARIANTS?
Regarding the initial question of the topic: “I don’t think the variants were created to solve any specific problem”, but rather to take advantage of campaign units (Ayyubid), architecture for alternate Landmarks (Zhu Xi) and novel concepts that could not work in the normal way with normal civs.
Variants are fine as variants - a new idea to create civs from concepts that are not just kingdoms or nations (heroes, organizations). They have different gameplay and a way to create new play styles that are fun. Concepts like a civ with a Hero like JoanDArc, or strong units like OotD, passive or random cassino bonuses like Ayyubid, or new landmarks as Zhu Xi are very fun to play.
Also, with them come the possibility to make concepts of civs that normally couldn’t be released as “normal” and fresh civs because there is already another with which it shares a language and model of units (Aztecs - Tlaxcaltecas, Milan–Toscana, Ayyubid - Mamelukes - Abbasid, etc.).
Another thing is that some are not well balanced in contrast to their parent civ:
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1.- Order of the Dragon vs HRE.- With the OotD there is no problem with the HRE, the latter has already had problems since before its variant, lacking more unique units (Note: *in the current state of the game since there are civs with up to 13 unique units, before in season 1-4 it was not a problem *), or due to the little use of some of its landmarks.
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2.- Ayyubid.- With the Abbasid there is a problem with the Ayyubid, because the latter has more unique units than its parent civ and better strategies for feudal Rush or economic boom. That doesn’t make Ayyubid bad or broken, but if Abbasid is in need of some bost, perhaps free villagers and imams when choosing his economic wings or cultures, Ayyubid does it.
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3.- JoanDArc vs FRENCH.- JoanDArc in itself is fun and adds a difficulty to the French ones that makes me like playing them more. However, it has “So many” elements of its parent Civ (in addition to the bonus of 2 extra unique units and Joan’s bonuses at 4th level), that I think the French should consider adding more content to it to separate it from its variant, or unless they are used again in ranked; mainly for Imperial or Castle age.
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4.- ZHU XI vs China.- With ZhuXi, the problem is not that China is weak, which isn’t (it is still a strong civ), but that ZhuXi’s alternate Dynasty bonuses are too extreme that, in fact, now Zhu Xi is too broken against any civ in general and not just his father civ. So much so that in theory it is preferable to play ZhuXi over China with greater probabilities of victory in any mode. A Reddit suggestion from “Vaesaryn” was to balance better the Zhu Xi Dynasties bonuses and Meditation Garden, nerfim them a little (Tang Dynasty: 15% → 10% discount; Meditation Gardens: decrease the range slightly; Song Dynasty: 40% → 30% wood reduction)
Solutions for ballance?.- I previously made a post where I suggested some unique units to give the Parent civs a boost about their variant civs, so that they are more balanced. ( Suggestion: New Units and Mechanics to Classic Civs - January 2024)
- To the French Scots Guard, 100 Swiss, Mercenaries such as Genoese Crossbowmen and Swiss Pikemen for the French; Black Reiter for HRE, Naffatum for Abbasid, Lang Xian and Wolf Troops for China
