So, I got this cool idea for new cards that would affect Aztec and Hauds
as many of you are familiar with, all the native civs have big button abilities that allow them to get expensive but high-power techs, often resources or units.
there is even already a card for big button techs available in the third age called “the old ways” available for these civs that greatly lowers the cost of these upgrades. but nobody really sends this because by the time some of these techs are worth it you have more than enough economy to just use it immediately
that’s because a lot of the techs are timing based on their effects, such as “send 1 (unit) for every X minutes that has passed (max 30 minutes)”
the big button upgrades that are timing based are available for Hauds, giving 500 of a resource for every 10 minutes that pass in a game (they have 1 for each resource), Inca which have timing based big buttons for spawning macemen and llamas, and Aztec who have almost ALL of their big button abilities as unit shipments that are time based on how many you get
so my new card idea is this: an age 2 or 3 card that boosts the game timer specifically with timing based big buttons. lets say 10 minutes as an example, and using aztecs
so lets say its 8 minutes in the game. at your war hut is a big button ability that ships 1 puma spearmen for every 2 minutes that passes. it costs 750 coin. at 8 minutes that delivers 4 pumas, but if you ship this card, all the big buttons are boosted by 10 minutes, so you could spend 750 coin and get 9 pumas. also available at the house for 500 coin is the exact same thing but for otontin slingers. once you get to age 3, say at 12 minutes, at the farms for 600 food and 500 wood is a big button that gives 1 eagle runner for every 2 minutes, with this shipment counting for 10 extra minutes, that’s 11 eagle runners.
the techs are still very expensive, so it wouldn’t be broken or anything, as the buttons would require a lot of investment in the early game for them. and if you wanted to invest a second shipment into the old ways to make them cheaper, then cool
that means at 10 minutes with this shipment, hauds could spend 500 of each resource to get 1000 of each resource in crates, a neat little boom ability that requires some investment for a cool pay off that allows them to either recover from a failed rush, or set up some neat timing push
it means Inca could get 5 macemen from their big button at the 10 minutemark, if they sent this card. and follow it up with llamas either for dancing or eating.
my point is, having this addition would not only open up an entirely new playstyle and strategy archetype for Aztec, but it would serve as a neat way to recover from a rush as Hauds, or do some wonky weird maceman strat with Inca… and I love my wonky strats
what do you think of my card idea? anyone got a developers ear? XD