Some civs lack anti infantry options

With the nerf to Aztec ERK against infantry in March PUP, it reminds me of the previous Inca nerf against infantry (Bolas warrior and huaraca reduced damage vs infantry). Now these civs who already lacks artillery have more difficulty against infantry mass especially light infantry.

Usually in aoe3 there are 2 counters to a particular unit, for example HI die to LI and falcs, LI die to HC and falcs. For civs without falcs or equivalent, they are already missing this important counter.

Now against mass skirms, properly protected by heavy infantry, civs without anti-infantry artillery has no way to counter. Civs including Aztecs, Inca, China, India, Lakota has no way to deal with a ball of skirms. When using skirms against these civs we don’t need to worry about cannon shots landing on us. Musk skirm mass can confidently walk into these civs’ base without worrying about anything. It is not fair at all.

China has flying crow which is weak and terrible vs infantry. Flamethrower is usable and meme. Consulate artillery cannot be produced regularly.

India is given a bit of compensation with rocket shipments, Lakota has some sort of area dmg cavs that can kinda kill it but still pretty terrible vs skirm mass when theybare protected.

Aztecs and Inca nerfs basically means there is no counter unless opponent mis micro or throw units. The best thing they can do is making their own light infantry and trade evenly against skirms. But they only have foot archers which have low range and longer animation, low hp. Against very strong foot archers that beat other LI, for example longbow mass, malta crossbow mass, Aztec and Inca has literally no counter. Is this a proper balanced game? Or is the devs trying to make the game historically accurate by weakening the native civs again and again?

5 Likes

Flamethrowers absolutely wreck infantry and China can get heavy cannons and consulate artillery so I’m not sure what you’re talking about with them.

5 Likes

Aztecs always had problem with big infantry mass but now after ERK nerf it will become not only a balance issue but rather civ design issue.

Aztecs are one of the least picked civ but still there are about 5 threads on the forum where people complain about those nerfs which shows how much people dislike the changes.

Most of us are OK with ERK nerf because it was indeed a great unit but devs need to buff or redesign other aspects of Aztec gameplay to balance this civ.

5 Likes

I would say inca maybe have a bigger problem after the big bolas nerf vs infantry, huaraca reduction of damage, etc…they not only struggle vs infantry but more so vs artillery

2 Likes

ERKs werent unstoppable, artilelry and muks killed them effectively. We have to remember that they are more expensive than musks.

People want them to act like light cavalry but they arent. They are ranged shock infantry: less HP, less speed, more vulnerable to AoE attacks…

The issue with them is that people dont know how to counter them, not they being unstoppable.

2 Likes

But I am certain think consulate artillery should be a little easier like paying for them separately.

Part of me wonders if Arrow Knights should be counter-skirmisher units.

But the main unit of aztec are Coyote runners with their excelent panting and cheap cost and decent bulk i’ve found that musketeer units are usually too sluggish and clumsy against them and I’ve defaulted to Pikemen against them when I could.

i think arrow knight need to do bonus damage to inf. and maybe jaguar warriors taged as light inf. could help them a little bit

not to mention china has anti light inf cav and a lot of skirmishers.

china is comfortable against inf civs like ports.