Atlantean Major Gods
The Atlanteans, a civilization renowned for their advanced technology and unique unit mechanics, offer a distinct playstyle in Age of Mythology: Retold. Unlike other factions, Atlanteans do not require drop-off sites for resources, and their villagers (Citizens) are more expensive but also more efficient, automatically gathering from any resource within their line of sight. Their Myth Units are also unique, often having a "Hero" mode that grants them increased combat prowess against other Myth Units and a bonus against Heroes. Choosing your Major God as an Atlantean player significantly shapes your early game strategy, economic development, and late-game power spikes. This section will delve into the intricacies of each Atlantean Major God, providing comprehensive insights into their unique playstyles, favored units, and strategic implications.
Oranos: The Sky Father, Master of Mobility and Economic Efficiency
Oranos, the primordial god of the sky, embodies speed, mobility, and a potent early-game economic advantage. Players who favor aggressive expansion, rapid map control, and a strong, adaptable economy will find Oranos to be an excellent choice.
- Unique God Power: Shockwave
- Effect: Creates a powerful shockwave that damages and pushes back enemy units within a radius. It can also destroy trees and some structures.
- Strategic Implications: Excellent for disrupting enemy formations, creating escape routes, or clearing forests for new building locations. In early skirmishes, it can turn the tide of battle by scattering enemy units and allowing your own to focus fire. It's also a powerful tool for raiding, as it can clear defensive structures or push units away from resource nodes.
- Unique Technologies:
- Atmokinesis (Classical Age): Reduces the cost of Sky Passages. This is a cornerstone of Oranos's mobility, allowing for cheaper and more frequent teleportation.
- Carnivora (Heroic Age): Increases the attack and armor of Prometheans. Prometheans are already strong melee Myth Units, and this upgrade makes them even more formidable.
- Hesperides (Mythic Age): Increases the speed and line of sight of Citizens. This significantly boosts Atlantean economic efficiency, allowing Citizens to gather resources faster and spot threats sooner.
- Favored Units:
- Prometheans: These powerful melee Myth Units are available from the Classical Age and benefit greatly from Carnivora. They are excellent for frontline combat and can be upgraded to Promethean Offspring for even more power.
- Contarius: Oranos's unique Heroic Age cavalry unit, the Contarius, is a fast and hard-hitting unit, ideal for raiding and flanking maneuvers. They benefit from Oranos's overall focus on speed and aggression.
- Strategic Playstyle:
- Early Game: Focus on rapid economic development with Citizens. Utilize Sky Passages to quickly establish forward bases or raid enemy resource lines. Prometheans provide a strong early Myth Unit presence.
- Mid Game: Leverage the mobility of Sky Passages and Contarius to maintain map control and harass opponents. Shockwave can be used defensively to protect your expanding economy or offensively to break through enemy defenses.
- Late Game: Hesperides makes your economy incredibly efficient, allowing you to out-produce opponents. Combine powerful Prometheans with massed human units and utilize Sky Passages for rapid redeployment.
- Common Pitfalls: Over-reliance on Sky Passages without proper defense can leave your main base vulnerable. Shockwave has a cooldown, so timing its use is crucial.
Kronos: The Titan Lord, Master of Time and Destructive Power
Kronos, the Titan of time, offers a playstyle centered around powerful, game-changing god powers and unique unit transformations. Players who enjoy high-risk, high-reward strategies, devastating attacks, and a focus on powerful Myth Units will find Kronos to be a compelling choice.
- Unique God Power: Deconstruct
- Effect: Instantly destroys an enemy building, returning a portion of its resources to the enemy. Cannot be used on Town Centers or Wonders.
- Strategic Implications: This is a devastating god power for crippling an opponent's economy or military production. Targeting key production buildings like Barracks, Stables, or Temples can severely hamper their ability to train units. It's also excellent for clearing defensive towers or walls to open up attack routes.
- Unique Technologies:
- Spire of Kronos (Classical Age): Allows buildings to be built faster. This is a significant economic advantage, enabling quicker expansion and defensive setups.
- Valor (Heroic Age): Increases the attack and armor of all human units. This makes your entire human army more resilient and deadly, particularly when combined with Atlantean Citizen-Heroes.
- Chaos (Mythic Age): Allows your Myth Units to transform into stronger versions of themselves. This is a unique and powerful ability, essentially giving you access to upgraded Myth Units without needing to research individual upgrades.
- Favored Units:
- Man O' War: Kronos's unique Heroic Age naval unit, the Man O' War, is a powerful warship that can deal significant damage to enemy ships and coastal buildings.
- Lampades: These Myth Units, available from the Classical Age, are excellent against human units and benefit greatly from Chaos, transforming into more potent versions.
- Automaton: While not unique to Kronos, the Automaton (available from the Heroic Age) synergizes well with Kronos's focus on powerful Myth Units and can be transformed via Chaos for increased effectiveness.
- Strategic Playstyle:
- Early Game: Utilize Spire of Kronos to quickly establish your economy and defenses. Deconstruct can be used to disrupt an early enemy rush or destroy a key forward building.
- Mid Game: Focus on building a strong human army, benefiting from Valor. Use Deconstruct strategically to cripple enemy production or defenses. Start accumulating powerful Myth Units like Lampades and Automatons.
- Late Game: Unleash the full power of Chaos, transforming your Myth Units into devastating forces. Combine these with your Valor-buffed human army and use Deconstruct to systematically dismantle your opponent's base.
- Common Pitfalls: Deconstruct has a high cost and cooldown, so using it on a low-value target can be a wasted opportunity. Kronos's early game can be slower than Oranos's, requiring careful defense.
Gaia: The Earth Mother, Master of Defense and Sustainable Growth
Gaia, the primordial goddess of the Earth, offers a defensive and economically resilient playstyle. Players who prefer to build a strong, unassailable base, focus on long-term economic superiority, and utilize powerful defensive structures will find Gaia to be an ideal choice.
- Unique God Power: Forest
- Effect: Creates a dense forest in a targeted area. This can block enemy movement, provide cover, or hide your buildings.
- Strategic Implications: Forest is incredibly versatile. It can be used to wall off choke points, protect vulnerable resource nodes, or even hide a forward base. It's excellent for slowing down enemy rushes or funneling them into kill zones.
- Unique Technologies:
- Channel (Classical Age): Increases the health and armor of all buildings. This makes Gaia's defenses incredibly resilient, forcing opponents to commit significant resources to break through.
- Plant Trees (Heroic Age): Allows Gaia's Citizens to plant trees. This provides a renewable source of wood, ensuring long-term economic stability and allowing for strategic forest placement.
- Gaia's Lush (Mythic Age): Allows Gaia's buildings to slowly heal over time. This further enhances the durability of her structures, making them incredibly difficult to destroy.
- Favored Units:
- Argus: Gaia's unique Classical Age Myth Unit, the Argus, is a powerful anti-Myth Unit and anti-Hero unit. They are excellent for defending your base and engaging enemy Myth Units.
- Caladria: These Myth Units, available from the Heroic Age, are flying healers that can keep your units and buildings alive, synergizing perfectly with Gaia's defensive nature.
- Turma: Gaia's unique Heroic Age ranged cavalry unit, the Turma, is excellent for harassing enemy units and providing mobile defense.
- Strategic Playstyle:
- Early Game: Focus on establishing a strong defensive perimeter with Channel-buffed buildings. Use Forest to block off key access points or protect your initial resource gathering. Argus provides strong early defense against Myth Units.
- Mid Game: Continue to expand your economy, utilizing Plant Trees for sustainable wood. Build up a resilient army, supported by Caladria healers. Use Forest to create strategic chokepoints and funnel enemy attacks.
- Late Game: With Gaia's Lush, your buildings become incredibly difficult to destroy, allowing you to outlast opponents in prolonged engagements. Combine your powerful defenses with a well-rounded army and use Forest to control the battlefield.
- Common Pitfalls: Gaia's early game can be slower offensively, requiring careful defense against aggressive opponents. Over-reliance on static defenses without a strong army can lead to being outmaneuvered.
