Incas

In Age of Empires II, Incas are best understood as a infantry civilization, a profile that shapes everything from their economy to the units they lean on in a fight. Much of their character comes down to a handful of civilization bonuses: Houses and Settlements provide +5 population space, Buildings cost -15% stone, Military Units cost -5/10/15/20% food in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age and Villagers affected by Infantry Blacksmith upgrades starting in Castle Age. They are also a welcome addition to any team, thanks to the team bonus Start with a free Llama that extends to their allies.

They can also research unique technologies that no rival has access to: Fabric Shields (Kamayuks, Slingers and Champi Warriors +1 melee/+1 pierce armor) and Andean Sling (Skirmishers and Slingers no minimum range; Slingers +1 attack). On the clock, Incas players usually hit Feudal around 10:24 and Castle around 21:42. They are strongest against Gurjaras (about 59.3%) and weakest against Romans (around 38.9%) — a spread worth remembering when the picks come in.

Popular and effective in equal measure, they show up in around 1.6% of games and convert a 49.3% win rate over 104924 RM 1v1 matches — enough for rank #34 of 54. The Castle-trained Kamayuk headlines the roster, but the wider army is dominated by infantry (~50% of units), anchored by the ever-present Spearman at about 23% of production.