Aztec vs everyone

[Jackedrabbit4]

1.age up fast

2.click 4JN big button(abusing covermode)

3.rush / wp boom and age up with 2 noble hut

yeah that build ruins the civ for me that's not fun like Aztecs were in TAD. I like the rush 4 jags I save for overpop, or if I suddenly need anticav; if I send them first it slows down my unit production.

[Lukas_L99]

The rush is quite a bit weaker compared to mainly cause the slinger cards got nerfed and most maps have enough hunts to secure an age up to 3.

[Garja]

The 35 wood 40 mace hurts the most in practice, but having no cover mode coyote to tank first volley, tc shots, or retreating, 8/9 mace vs 9/10 mace and weakened stats on puma (which also impacts the 6 puma shipment) compared to TAD also shows up. 150 res to 300 res for warchief xp button, and age one is arguably worse than it used to be bc hero can't convert animal guardians, but the scout definitely makes up for it. Playing vs towers instead of units for a large percentage of my games, and map control means nothing

Ye didn't even recall half of those nerfs, Aztecs are considered a top civ atm but they're overrated AF. Most people just don't have the baseline of the past in mind so can't make a fair comparison and emotionally react to the ez 4jpk BB (admittedly very good) and call the civ OP.
That said, all good Azzy strats now do rely on the 10wp boom. 4jpk BB is good most of times (it should atleast force mm or some idle time) but it does slow your own WP boom down a little (which btw is nerfed too compared to TAD iirc).
Most opponents are overall lenient (simply not aware of Aztec timings or timings in general) so you usually have a good chance to reach strong mid age3 and sometimes end up with enough of a good setup to even reach age4 and take advantage of some other civ strong features (cheap WH upgrades, stronger skull knights, some new good shipments, etc.).
Opponents just don't plan the game well enough with cheap aggression (huss semi is kinda out of meta) into boomy skirm goon so you usually have time to setup the 2 noble huts midmap and get away with suboptimal combo which usually involves JPK (they're cheaper now and come in big numbers from cards). Opponents usually give you time to upgrade one or two of the WH units and then randomly take bad fights at the right time just so that you can trade the JPK and switch to a better long term combo which usually involves ERK as anticav (altho JPKs are a good choice vs "infantry civ" which is where DE Aztec are quite strong in practice).
Basically there is not a specific build that is particularly strong. Just 10WP with 4JPK and move from there. Age2 timings are kinda meh now with 40w slinger and nerfed coyo/puma, so the idea is to FF. FI for slinger and skull knights is also probably still quite strong and because opponents are more accomodating now your probably get away easier to industrial and your suboptimal combo also will work better than it should be (most players are so bad at relentless kiting nowadays for some reason). Just beware lot of civs have OP stuff too in industrial so that kinda compensates.

[Jackedrabbit4]

I used to like to warrior priest boom as more of a way to spice up the civ after rushing ten times in a row. I really liked how Aztecs could have 15-20 pop forward base usually well before 6 min. What other civs can pull off a rush on par with old Aztec rush? I do like Iro, but I prefer Aztec age 2 comp over iro, and iro doesn't have as much siege. Some of the new DE civs must have some fast rushes or maybe Russia? I tried the African civs a little, and they seem to have much better follow ups than what Iwas ever used to with Aztec, but they also feel like they start ramping up a minute or two after Aztec would have.
I like my rushes to be as fast as possible, before the player can camp w 2 outposts or so I can catch the foundation

[Jackedrabbit4]

Also, if it's the Noble hut units and WP boom that make the civ a top civ why is it the rush being nerfed to the ground and not the DE JPK with promotions lol. Also, 2 noble hut age up instead of one like in TAD, just weird that they buff a side of the civ people don't like facing and nerf the classic way it was played into obsolescence

[Jackedrabbit4]

The rush is quite a bit weaker compared to mainly cause the slinger cards got nerfed and most maps have enough hunts to secure an age up to 3.

Some maps even have enough in base hunts to go to age IV! I'm shocked that people can just send outposts to hold a rush and make it up an age even after wasting a shipment.

[Garja]

I used to like to warrior priest boom as more of a way to spice up the civ after rushing ten times in a row. I really liked how Aztecs could have 15-20 pop forward base usually well before 6 min. What other civs can pull off a rush on par with old Aztec rush? I do like Iro, but I prefer Aztec age 2 comp over iro, and iro doesn't have as much siege. Some of the new DE civs must have some fast rushes or maybe Russia? I tried the African civs a little, and they seem to have much better follow ups than what Iwas ever used to with Aztec, but they also feel like they start ramping up a minute or two after Aztec would have.
I like my rushes to be as fast as possible, before the player can camp w 2 outposts or so I can catch the foundation

As Iro you still have the old fast age lame rush but considering all the DE changes (safer hunts, nerfs/buffs etc.) it's more of a contain strat now, still very powerful (probably best rush strat).
As African civs, Hausa is like Iro but slightly slower, while Ethiopia plays out more like Otto. You can actually 1010 rush as Hausa with tower and outlaw units. It's low eco and you need perfect macro but it's quite strong and eventually you still get a decent follow up. Can also do 1010 rush with standard units or with palace first card and then 5 akan nats card.

[Jackedrabbit4]

interesting, age up options for the hausa 10/10 builds? tower for outlaws would you go 200 coin or wood age up for normal units?

[Garja]

For standard units the wood one is better (worth more), for the outlaw rush the standard is coin but you can go wood and build the tower in transition with cattles. Btw your age1 shipment is 4cows which replace the starting cows you eat at the 9th vill popping for no idle time.

[shake2020aoe]

The 35 wood 40 mace hurts the most in practice, but having no cover mode coyote to tank first volley, tc shots, or retreating, 8/9 mace vs 9/10 mace and weakened stats on puma (which also impacts the 6 puma shipment) compared to TAD also shows up. 150 res to 300 res for warchief xp button, and age one is arguably worse than it used to be bc hero can't convert animal guardians, but the scout definitely makes up for it. Playing vs towers instead of units for a large percentage of my games, and map control means nothing

Ye didn't even recall half of those nerfs, Aztecs are considered a top civ atm but they're overrated AF. Most people just don't have the baseline of the past in mind so can't make a fair comparison and emotionally react to the ez 4jpk BB (admittedly very good) and call the civ OP.
That said, all good Azzy strats now do rely on the 10wp boom. 4jpk BB is good most of times (it should atleast force mm or some idle time) but it does slow your own WP boom down a little (which btw is nerfed too compared to TAD iirc).
Most opponents are overall lenient (simply not aware of Aztec timings or timings in general) so you usually have a good chance to reach strong mid age3 and sometimes end up with enough of a good setup to even reach age4 and take advantage of some other civ strong features (cheap WH upgrades, stronger skull knights, some new good shipments, etc.).
Opponents just don't plan the game well enough with cheap aggression (huss semi is kinda out of meta) into boomy skirm goon so you usually have time to setup the 2 noble huts midmap and get away with suboptimal combo which usually involves JPK (they're cheaper now and come in big numbers from cards). Opponents usually give you time to upgrade one or two of the WH units and then randomly take bad fights at the right time just so that you can trade the JPK and switch to a better long term combo which usually involves ERK as anticav (altho JPKs are a good choice vs "infantry civ" which is where DE Aztec are quite strong in practice).
Basically there is not a specific build that is particularly strong. Just 10WP with 4JPK and move from there. Age2 timings are kinda meh now with 40w slinger and nerfed coyo/puma, so the idea is to FF. FI for slinger and skull knights is also probably still quite strong and because opponents are more accomodating now your probably get away easier to industrial and your suboptimal combo also will work better than it should be (most players are so bad at relentless kiting nowadays for some reason). Just beware lot of civs have OP stuff too in industrial so that kinda compensates.

at this point defending aztecs should be punishable by death, army of 1.5 rof units with fast age jags into 10 wp boom or if they want to the best rush or timing age 2 in the game. not to mention they are unbeatable on water

[shake2020aoe]

The 35 wood 40 mace hurts the most in practice, but having no cover mode coyote to tank first volley, tc shots, or retreating, 8/9 mace vs 9/10 mace and weakened stats on puma (which also impacts the 6 puma shipment) compared to TAD also shows up. 150 res to 300 res for warchief xp button, and age one is arguably worse than it used to be bc hero can't convert animal guardians, but the scout definitely makes up for it. Playing vs towers instead of units for a large percentage of my games, and map control means nothing

Ye didn't even recall half of those nerfs, Aztecs are considered a top civ atm but they're overrated AF. Most people just don't have the baseline of the past in mind so can't make a fair comparison and emotionally react to the ez 4jpk BB (admittedly very good) and call the civ OP.
That said, all good Azzy strats now do rely on the 10wp boom. 4jpk BB is good most of times (it should atleast force mm or some idle time) but it does slow your own WP boom down a little (which btw is nerfed too compared to TAD iirc).
Most opponents are overall lenient (simply not aware of Aztec timings or timings in general) so you usually have a good chance to reach strong mid age3 and sometimes end up with enough of a good setup to even reach age4 and take advantage of some other civ strong features (cheap WH upgrades, stronger skull knights, some new good shipments, etc.).
Opponents just don't plan the game well enough with cheap aggression (huss semi is kinda out of meta) into boomy skirm goon so you usually have time to setup the 2 noble huts midmap and get away with suboptimal combo which usually involves JPK (they're cheaper now and come in big numbers from cards). Opponents usually give you time to upgrade one or two of the WH units and then randomly take bad fights at the right time just so that you can trade the JPK and switch to a better long term combo which usually involves ERK as anticav (altho JPKs are a good choice vs "infantry civ" which is where DE Aztec are quite strong in practice).
Basically there is not a specific build that is particularly strong. Just 10WP with 4JPK and move from there. Age2 timings are kinda meh now with 40w slinger and nerfed coyo/puma, so the idea is to FF. FI for slinger and skull knights is also probably still quite strong and because opponents are more accomodating now your probably get away easier to industrial and your suboptimal combo also will work better than it should be (most players are so bad at relentless kiting nowadays for some reason). Just beware lot of civs have OP stuff too in industrial so that kinda compensates.

at this point defending aztecs should be punishable by death, army of 1.5 rof units with fast age jags into 10 wp boom or if they want to the best rush or timing age 2 in the game. not to mention they are unbeatable on water

its also the only civ in the game with a positive winrate across all elo levels including 2k plus

[Garja]

Imagine the state of the game then

[Jackedrabbit4]

I don't think they are the best rush in the game right now, at least 4 or 5 better civs for rushing after all the nerfs, and sometimes with better eco and better units too. It's the noble hut stuff that's a weird DE thing, the jags providing snare at higher speed makes the other 2 noble hut units perform better as well because they get a lot more shots off. They should have just left that jag unit alone the promotions are another weird DE thing. Also fast movement in stealth is another DE change, too many sudden buffs for jags out of the blue

[MaxMagous]

ez4twc