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 E ach of the 18 nations has its own unique
military units and nation powers. Every nation gets between four and eight units
no other nation can deploy, and all nations have access to the 17 lines of military
units that rise and merge and fall through the eight Ages (such as Infantry, Fire
Ships, etc.). Special advantages come with each nation - some economic, some offensive,
some defensive. Architecture, civilian appearance, and military unit appearance
all change, as well. To identify units at a glance in the heat of battle requires
recognizing more than 200 different units.
For the Aztecs,
special unique units include the Atl-atl series, as well as Jaguar Infantry. The
Atl-atl (named after the spear-throwing device used to fling deadly darts at the
foe) is available to the Aztec as a fast, inexpensive, and lethal replacement for
the standard Slingers. Over time, the Aztec player can upgrade the Atl-atl to the
Royal Atl-atl, and then the Xopilli Atl-atl, which is more effective than even the
best Javelineers employed by other nations in the game.
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Jaguar Infantry
and Jaguar Assault Infantry are a "what if," as they represent Aztec troops as they
might have been had that empire lasted into our time. They are named after a special
class of Aztecs (those who had taken more than four prisoners in battle). In Rise
of Nations, these units are fast-moving infantry that appear in the Modern and Information
Ages, and are superior to any other foot unit in the game.
In addition
to their unique units, the Aztecs also have a special national bonus. Aztec infantry
units receive ten bonus resources for each enemy unit they eliminate, so aggressive
combat early in the game is a must for a good Aztec player. Raiding, without intent
to capture or destroy cities or buildings, is a plus, too. Part of the challenge
to an Aztec player is to take advantage of the rewards for early aggressive play,
while at the same time researching technologies and bolstering the economy to support
late-game advances.
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 Atlatl - Light Infantry, Ancient Age
(I)
Fast, cheap, and short-ranged. Quicker and tougher than Slingers.
 Royal Atlatl - Light Infantry, Classical
Age (II)
Fast, cheap, and short-ranged. Quicker and tougher than Javelineers.
 Xopilli Atlatl
- Light Infantry, Medieval Age (III)
Fast, cheap, and short-ranged. Quicker and tougher than Elite Javelineers.
 Jaguar Infantry - Modern Infantry, Modern
Age (VII)
Faster and with a stronger attack than ordinary Modern Infantry.
 Jaguar Assault Infantry
- Modern Infantry, Information Age (VIII)
Faster and with a stronger attack than ordinary Modern Infantry.
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