Early native opener

After listening again to the inca spotlight on the sunbros channel, I decided to give the incas a try. Their build demonstration was not great so I tried to clean it up. Below is an attempt of a clean build. The deck above supports two build orders with different objectives.

1. Main variant : A semi FF protected by either zapotec lightning warriors OR carib blowgunners
2. Secondary variant : A late colonial timing using native treaties

You can also do a naked FF with such a deck. However, it is not fully optimised for such a build.

Pre-requisites of the build :

• Regardless of the variant, you will need a trade route.
• If going with the main variant, you will need at least two safe trade post sites.
• If going with the secondary variant, you will need at least two native settlements, and at least one of these settlements must offer a unit that cost food and wood in age 2 (e.g Cree, House of Vasa, etc.). We will call this settlement the "useable settlement" in the guide.

Game Plan :

Forward your enemy with the native embassy from American allies, then harass your opponent's eco while you quietly go age 3 or prepare a big colonial timing.

Age I :

All variants have the same opening. 15/20 TP+kancha house. Priority on wood treasure until the kancha house is built, then focus on food treasures. Your first shipment is 3 villagers.

When your 14th villager comes out, eat the starting llama. Age up at 15 villagers with the chief (2 builder travois).

Transition :

Collect 50 coin (treasures and/or mining) then put all but 2 villagers on wood. The last two villagers herd animals under the TC. You want to build a market, research hunting dogs, and queue a villager. Your 2nd shipment is American allies. Set the economic TP to a forward tambo (if eligible). From this point, the build order variants diverge :

• Main variant (zapotec) : Ally with the zapotec at the embassy and chop for 360 wood. It is unlikely you will obtain such an amount before age 2 without treasures. However, it is not critical that you get the wood before age 2. After that, shift all your villagers back to food.
• Main variant (carib) : Ally with the caribs and chop for 210 wood. Then shift all your villagers back to food.
• Secondary variant : Ally with the native at the embassy that will complement the useable settlement on the map. Then chop 360wood (if you allied with the zapotec) or 180 wood (carib), then split your villagers 50/50 on food/wood.

Age II (main variant) :

Shipment order : A => B => C => D

Ship 600w as soon as you can and don't forget to set your economic rally point back to your TC. Build one tambo on the trade line and one other useful building (tambo on native settlement with eco/farm/warhut etc.) Train a full batch of native units out of your embassy and start the next one. If you are doing the carib variant, you should have food left to call the plume spearmen.

When the 600w arrive, collect it with 4 villagers to complete your second and third batch of native units. If playing the carib variant, build one kancha house with the leftover wood and research placer mines.

Probe your enemy and harass his/her villagers. you want to trigger a reaction, but do not overcommit. Your 3 batches of units out of your native embassy are the only protection your have.

Ship 5 villagers as your 4th shipment. Task them and any new villager on coin. Your 6th shipment will be 700c to age up. Don't hesitate to sell food at the market to get to 1000c faster. Age up with the messenger, or the priestess, or the warrior.

From this point adapt to what you see. If you are not certain you can siege down the enemy base, fall back to a safe boom behind the stronghold.

Age II (optional variant) :

Shipment order : A => α => β => γ

Ship 600w as soon as you can and don't forget to set your economic rally point back to your TC. Build tambos on both settlements with your travois. Train a full batch from your native embassy, then start training units form both the embassy and your useable settlement. Your 4th shipment is also 600w to grow your mass. You want to reach the build limit from the embassy and the useable settlement. Finally, ship native treaties to overpop your native build limit and push. If you are floating food, abuse the market to make units from your 2nd native settlement.

Inflict as much damage as possible with your mass of native units. From this point adapt to what you see.