The Kingdom of Benin in the area that is now modern Nigeria specifically representing the years 1180 - 1600 (their history was passed on by oral traditions so the dates are not exact) These years represent the approximate start of the kingdom of Benin with the first Oba to the point where the Obas transitioned away from directly leading their troops on the battlefield.
A controversial flag the British recovered this flag in 1897 and although it is not confirmed to be their flag it is the oldest recovered flag from the area.
Focus: Defence, Infantry, Economy
Difficulty: 2/3
Bonuses:
- Stone age ups: age ups are done with food and stone instead of food and gold, same with blacksmith upgrades (can only mine gold starting at age 3)
- Earthwork walls: instead of building stone walls they build earthwork walls out of soil and red clay polished with palm oil. They take much longer to construct but are much cheaper and have 15 fire armour. Costs a bit of stone and wood, available in age 3, and has higher hitpoints than stonewalls.
- Rainforest clear cutting: villagers chop down trees at double the speed and carry +5 more wood
- Yam mounds. replace the farm costing less wood to produce (40 wood compared to standard 75 wood) but more time to construct (50% more time)
- Agro-forestry. yam mounds produce less than farms but more for every tree adjacent or within 1 tile to them (at base +20% for first tree then +5% per tree up to 40%)
- Oil Palms. Can plant oil palm trees (containing 150 wood) for 40 food taking 2 seconds to produce (oil palms are not automatically cut down unless specifically tasked to cut and oil palm)
- Egba Iyan (meaning yam barn): a tech that allows yam mounds to stock up on food over time very slowly, allowing villagers to instantly gather up to maximum yeild from a yam mound that has been idle for a while
- Palm oil medicine: a unique tech available at the shrine (unique church replacement) at age 3, that makes units heal 1 health per second for 10 seconds after not being attacked for 10 seconds.
- Has a unique tech that lets infantry construct earthworks.
Unique units:
- No cavalry
- Omian Raider: acts as a scout gathering sheep in the dark age and a fast anti archer unit
- Igbeni: a javelin throwing skirmisher that specializes in killing elephants at range (decent against horses too) has bonus vs cav and elephant in melee too
- Ogan warrior: unique spearman carrying a large rectangular shield that boasts increased melee armour +1 and attack +1
- Ekaiwe: Elite heavily armoured (+3 melee armour and +3 ranged armour) spearmen carrying a heavy thrusting spear (ogan) and a highly decorated shield. It has higher health than standard spearman. Melee upgrades have double effect on them. Costs food and stone.
- Isienmwen: a unique man at arms available in age 3 that costs gold and food. Carrying a heavy Umozo it does a cleave attack every 3rd attack that does 35% of its damage in a frontal area in addition to regular damage.
- Oba: The leader of Benin joins the fight! Similar to the khan he is available from the start and respawns after death on a timer. His damage and hp scales every age up. Unlike the khan he is on foot and can train melee infantry at 50% the speed of a barracks and increasing by +50% per age. Increases the damage of melee infantry in an aura.
Unique military techs:
- heartstopping poisons: archers and crossbows do poison damage over time and inflict a small 15% slow to enemies causing the troops affected to lag behind
- 2 handed Umozo: damage of Isienmwen is increased by +4
- Bronze castings: makes hand cannons and bombards cheaper by 25% but have 10% reduced hp
- Spearwall: allows Ogun warriors and Ekaiwe to negate the first attack from any melee unit when braced. Has a 30 second cooldown map wide
Landmarks:
-
Age 1- Age 2
- Iwifenmwen archery guild: allows early training of crossbows and produces ranged infantry at 200% speed
- Ignun Guild Hall: Acts as a blacksmith researching at half cost and double speed also acting as a drop off point for stone and gold
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Age 2- Age 3
- Court of Olokun allows training of preists at a 30% cost at double speed and can garrison 3 relics for an increased yield
- Great Walls of Benin: The largest earthwork system in ancient history spanning 16000 kilometres of wall. In game it serves as a gate that reduces the time it take to build earthwork walls by 50% and increases the hitpoints by 50% of all walls connected to it
- Age 3 -Age 4
- Oba’s Royal Palace: Allows the Oba to train infantry 100% faster than otherwise max and double his max health and damage
- Royal Foundry Pits: Enables the recruitment of bombards and hand cannon for -40% cost at this building and unlock bronze castings tech (reduces cost of handcannons and seige by 25% but reduces health by 10%)
Completely open to suggestions and ideas. 