Aztecs
Infantry & MonksTeam Bonus
Relics generate +33% gold
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"The Aztecs are an infantry and monk civilization known for their fast military production, powerful Jaguar Warriors, and monks that grow stronger with each monastery technology."
Civilization Bonuses
- 1
Start with +50 gold
- 2
Villagers carry +3
- 3
Military Units train +15% faster
- 4
Monks gain +5 HP for each researched Monastery technology
Unique Units
Unique Technologies
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AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
Aztecs are a formidable infantry-and-Monk civilization with one of the most aggressive economies in the game. They start with +50 gold, villagers carry +3 resources (a constant eco edge), and military units train +15% faster — letting them mass armies from fewer buildings. Their Monks are exceptional: +5 HP per Monastery technology, plus a team bonus where Relics generate +33% gold. With no cavalry and no gunpowder, the Aztec game plan is Eagle Warriors, Jaguar Warriors and Monks, backed by Siege. They are a perennial top Arabia pick thanks to that fast military production and strong eco.
History & balance
Aztecs have been a feared civ since The Conquerors, and balance designers tread carefully because their bonuses are all economic multipliers rather than a single unit. The villager carry +3 bonus is quietly one of the strongest eco bonuses in the game. The +15% military train speed enables their signature fast army timings. Definitive Edition adjustments have focused on their Monk power and Garland Wars (the Imperial unique tech giving infantry +4 attack), keeping Aztecs strong on open maps without making them oppressive on closed ones.
In pro play
On Arabia, Aztecs are a feared pick: the +15% train speed and strong eco let pros pump Eagle Warriors and Men-at-Arms aggressively, then transition into Jaguar Warriors against infantry or massed Monks against cavalry. The Monk + Siege Ram push (relic-fueled gold) is a signature Aztec timing that can end games in Castle Age. Infantry specialists favor Aztecs for their flexibility. Because Aztec gold income from relics is so strong, they can sustain gold-unit armies (Jaguars, Monks) longer than most gold-light civs.
How to counter it
The Aztec weakness is the complete lack of cavalry — a mobile mounted army raids their economy and outmaneuvers their slow infantry. Knights and Camels punish them on open maps. Archers also trouble Aztecs since Eagles, while pierce-resistant, still take losses to massed Crossbows backed by siege. Crucially, deny their Monks: spread your army to avoid mass conversions, and pressure relics. The macro counter is early aggression — Aztecs want to use their eco lead to mass an army, so an early Scout or Knight rush that kills villagers disrupts their entire snowball.