Interestingly, I was also planning 2 concepts for Incas and Aztecs, although the Aztecs one is more of a variation of the Age of Mythology Mod “The Return of the Gods” and took various attributes from other concepts. I was looking for information about the Mayas,
About possible American Civs, I think that in general they would have these characteristics.
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Considering how they did with the Malies, the native units would be similar to the Musofadi, with low attack but big bonuses against what they are good at.
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Age 4 Siege Weapon Replacement: Offset at least 3 of the castle siege weapons with specialist units, something like this:
– Springald - anti-siege units - Infantry or Archer anti-siege
– Mangonel - Area Damage, Anti-Archers - Infantry or Archer Area Damage
– Trebushet- Long-range anti-buildings. - Tank Infantry -
Replacement of the Trebushet with Range Unit.- My Japanese concept already uses a replacement for the Trebushet, the archer that shoots Bo-Hiya (a rocket attached to an arrow), which elite evolves to Bo-Hiya O- Zutsu, a rifleman who fires incendiary rockets. It has a long range, but they are ranged infantry so they are easier to destroy than the stone throwers, but they move better.
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In AoE-3-DE, the Aztecs have skull warrior to replace short range cannons, and arrow knight to replace bombards. In the Incas the substitutes are the Nobleman Chimu warrior (Maceman) and the Andean slinger. As a substitute for the anti-siege culverin, they have an ultra-fast infantry unit (Coyote runner, Chimu runner) that has an anti-siege bonus as well as the Andean slingers and arrow knights.
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Siege Weapons of the 2nd Age: Battering Rams and Siege Towers, there are reports that both the Incas and Aztecs forced the gates of forts or used siege ladders to climb over them. Both units can be allowed, although perhaps in a simpler mode, like that of the Aoe3, or nordic aoeM:
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Capture Siege Weapons: In my concept of Aztecs, well, the idea comes from “Skadidesu” (How can we make Meso-Civs balanced? - #27 by Skadidesu) and others users that suggest that. The Aztecs were good at “capturing enemies”. In fact, on The Sad Night (“Noche Triste”) they captured Spanish horses and weapons. They sacrifices the horses but conserved the cannons. For that, they could also have the ability to “STEAL” siege weapons, via the capture mechanic. Easy something like "If a melee unit drops a siege weapon’s health to 10%, it comes under your control. It will make you think twice about letting the Aztecs get close to your siege.
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About Inca cannons.- Due to the fact that the Incas captured cannons and harquebuses and used them during the 40-year rebellion of the Incas of Vilcabamba, this unit could easily be incorporated into their base army, of course with limitations: In the 4th age and only if you build 2 landmarks and the Vilcabamba dynasty is unlocked (In my opinion there would be 4: mythological, hurin, hanan and vilcabamba). Since even the Chinese have a hard time unlocking the Grenadier, the same goes for the Incas as well, so one must prepare to put together their strategy without depending on the idea of reaching the Incas of Vilcabamba. The Incas would also have their “age of castles” siege substitutes
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Capture prisoners and Sacrifices to the gods.- In fact, I have the idea that part of the mechanics of the Aztecs would be similar to that of the Age of Mythology Mod “Return of the Gods”, and that their melee units have the “floral war” mode that reduce their damage by 10 or 20% but let your melee units a chance to capture enemies and make them prisoners (or make them prisoners if their HP is low than 10%) converting those units in “prisoners” (10 HP, has a mask and dont speak). If you lead these units to the High Altar, they are then sacrificed and you get blood points, which can be used for Rituals to Gods, 9 or 10 choices available on screen similar to the Ottomans with their cards, and give you temporary passives like the Bara Griot Mali .
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Religious Rituals.- As explained in the previous point, the Aztecs would have to pay with sacrifices of prisoners for their rituals, the Incas would sacrifice food, the Mayans would vary depending on the god, being able to have food sacrifices, gold, wood, or count of dead units (Kukulkan did not demand blood, but others did, animal sacrifices count as food, offerings of wood and gold like that, etc).
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AoM: Return of The God: To finish some images of the mod “Return of the Gods” from AoM:
If there is a prisoner capture mechanic in this Mod, the same could very well apply for AoE4 on Aztecs. Only of course without mythical units.