Updated design implementing many of @M00Z1LLA’s thoughts.
Alternative Maltese civ design v2.
Civilization Bonus:
Unique buildings grant buffs.
Royal Guard Units:
Crossbowman (Arbalesters) and Falconet (Basilisks)
Unique Units:
Fire Thrower – 2 pop light grenade trooper that specializes in countering infantry. Has low HP and damage but good AOE and multipliers against infantry.
Grand Master – High HP explorer which increases build-rate of nearby buildings (basically the built in age 1 hero card but removing his ability to build things himself).
Hospitaller – 3 pop heavy melee infantry with high melee resist and a Large AOE sword. Good vs cavalry (basically a 3 pop Dopp with lower siege but better in melee)—can slowly heal nearby units when out of combat.
Sentinel – 2 pop heavy ranged infantry that specializes in defense. He can build Guard houses and is buffed by nearby allied buildings.
Chevalier – 3 pop heavy melee cavalry with High hp but also good speed (reference to their sorties and raids).
Cranequiniers – 2 pop light ranged cavalry available from age 2. Low hp and low multiplier vs cavalry—does benefit from the “steel bolts” card increases its range, siege, and multiplier vs cavalry.
Lazarus Knights – 2 pop melee cavalry that is quickly trained but looses hp over time. May be temporarily healed.
Unique Buildings:
Magazine – Military building merging the depot and the artillery foundry—increases nearby units rate of fire.
Guardhouse – Military building merging the barracks and the outpost—increases nearby units HP.
Commandry – Administrative and military building which trains your natural cavalry and increases nearby building workrate (can also shoot and garrison units).
Hospital – Healing and military building which trains your Hospitallers and Lazarus knights (with a card)—heals nearby units slowly and has unique healing upgrades (can also garrison vills to heal them).
Unique Cards:
“British Tongue”. Age 2, 450 wood, ships 6 pikemen, 6 crossbowmen, and 1 Chevelier (as well as the commandry).
“German Tongue”. Age 2, 450 wood, ships 6 sentinels and 1 Hospitaller (as well as the commandry).
“Spanish Tongue”. Age 3, 750 wood, ships 14 Sentinels, and 1 Chevalier (as well as the commandry).
“Italian Tongue”. Age 3, 750 wood, ships 3 Order galleys and 3 Hospitallers (as well as the commandry).
“French tongue”. Age 4, 1000 wood, ships 5 Falconet and 1 Chevelier (as well as 3 commanderies and +3 build limit to showcase the three French tongues).
“Portuguese Tongue”. Age 4, 1000 wood, ships 14 Cranequiniers and 1 Chevelier (as well as the commandry).
“Russian Resettlement”. Age 4, 2000 coin, increases Commandry build limit by +7 (this is mostly for late game style games for people who don’t want to ship 6 cards just to get to that higher build limit. But it wouldn’t be used much in comp because it’s 2000 Coin).
“Trumps”. Age 3, gives your fire throwers and guard houses a charged close range attack.
“Sea Devils” Age 4, grants sentinels more range, speed, siege, and a bonus against villagers.
“Wall guns” (removed). I couldn’t think of any bonus that would be fun or good enough (without being busted) to warrant this generic weapon being a unique card.
“Wignacourt Towers”. Age 2, costs 200 coin, ships 2 Guardhouse wagons and grants Guardhouses +4 LOS (Increases Guardhouse build limit by 2).
“Lascaris Towers” Age 3, costs 300 coin, ships 3 Guardhouse wagons and reduces their cost (increases build limit by +2).
“De Redin Towers” Age 4, costs 400 coin, ships 4 Guardhouse wagons and enables the training of Falconets and Fire throwers from them.
“Auberges” Age 1, commandries now grant 10 population space. Also decreases the cost of tongue cards.
“Gunpowder Mills” Ships 2 construction wagons which can transform into Mills, Magazines, or Arsenals. Grants all three the “self-destruct” ability.
“Saint Elmo’s pay” Grants Guardhouses a Big Button ability, which enables the throwing of fiery hoops that burn and instill fear in the enemy.
“Rapiers” Grants Pikemen, Crossbowmen, Sentinels, and Hospitallers a new Rapier stance which sets them to a hand attack that is 20% better than their standard melee damage, but with no multipliers.