Myth Units & Special Abilities

Myth Units & Special Abilities

Myth Units (MUs) are the divine champions and monstrous allies granted by your chosen deity in Age of Mythology: Retold. These powerful units often possess unique special abilities that can turn the tide of battle, but they come at a cost – typically requiring Favor, a resource gathered by your villagers worshipping at a Temple. Understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and optimal deployment is crucial for any aspiring god-general.

Acquiring Myth Units

Myth Units are primarily trained from the Temple building, which becomes available in the Classical Age. Each civilization and chosen major god offers a distinct roster of MUs. Furthermore, advancing through the ages and selecting minor gods will unlock additional, more powerful Myth Units and technologies that enhance them.

• Temple: The primary building for training most Myth Units. Requires 100 Wood, 100 Gold, and 5 Population.
• Wonder: While not a training building, constructing your civilization's Wonder in the Mythic Age often provides a significant Favor income boost, allowing for more consistent MU production.
• God Powers: Some God Powers directly summon Myth Units (e.g., Zeus's Bolt, Poseidon's Lure). These are one-time uses but can provide immediate battlefield presence.

General Strategies for Myth Units

Myth Units are powerful but not invincible. They are often susceptible to human units with bonus damage against them, such as Priests, Heroes, and certain unique units. Effective use involves:

• Target Prioritization: Focus your MUs on enemy units they counter, or on high-value targets like siege weapons or enemy Heroes.
• Hero Support: Always try to have your own Heroes nearby to counter enemy Myth Units. Heroes deal bonus damage to MUs and can often convert them.
• Resource Management: Favor is a precious resource. Don't overcommit to Myth Units if your economy can't sustain their production and replacement.
• Scouting: Knowing what MUs your opponent is fielding allows you to prepare appropriate counters.

Key Myth Units & Their Special Abilities

Below is a detailed breakdown of some iconic Myth Units and their special abilities, along with actionable strategies for their use.

Egyptian Myth Units

• Anubite (Classical Age - Anubis):
  • Special Ability: Leap Attack - The Anubite can leap a short distance, dealing area-of-effect damage upon landing and briefly stunning enemies.
  • Strategy: Excellent for disrupting enemy formations, especially ranged units or clumped villagers. Use Leap Attack to initiate engagements or to quickly close the distance to vulnerable targets. Combine with Spearmen to protect them from cavalry.
  • Counter: Heroes and Axemen.
• Scarab (Heroic Age - Bast):
  • Special Ability: Acid Spray - The Scarab sprays a corrosive acid in a cone, dealing damage over time to all units hit and reducing their armor.
  • Strategy: Position Scarabs behind your front line to soften up enemy infantry and cavalry before they reach your melee units. The armor reduction makes them particularly effective against heavily armored units like Hoplites or Norse Hersir.
  • Counter: Ranged units (Archers, Slingers) and Heroes.
• Mummy (Mythic Age - Osiris):
  • Special Ability: Curse - The Mummy can target a single enemy unit, transforming it into a friendly, weak "Shambling Mummy" for a short duration. This Shambling Mummy then attacks nearby enemies.
  • Strategy: Use Curse on high-cost, high-impact enemy units like Siege Weapons, other Myth Units, or powerful Heroes. The transformed unit provides a temporary distraction and can even turn the tide of a small skirmish. Prioritize enemy siege units to prevent them from damaging your buildings.
  • Counter: Any strong combat unit, as the Mummy itself is fragile.

Greek Myth Units

• Minotaur (Classical Age - Zeus/Poseidon/Hades):
  • Special Ability: Gore - The Minotaur charges forward, knocking back and damaging all units in its path.
  • Strategy: Ideal for breaking enemy lines, creating openings for your infantry, or pushing enemies off choke points. Use Gore to separate enemy ranged units from their melee protection, allowing your cavalry or other MUs to pick them off.
  • Counter: Archers and Heroes.
• Hydra (Heroic Age - Dionysus):
  • Special Ability: Regeneration & Head Growth - The Hydra regenerates health rapidly. Each time it kills an enemy unit, it grows an additional head (up to 5), increasing its attack damage and attack speed.
  • Strategy: The Hydra is a snowball unit. Protect it early and let it rack up kills. Once it has multiple heads, it becomes a devastating force. Use it to clear out weak units like villagers or basic infantry to quickly gain heads, then unleash it on stronger targets.
  • Counter: Siege weapons, multiple Heroes, or focused fire from powerful ranged units.
• Colossus (Mythic Age - Hephaestus):
  • Special Ability: Gold Gathering - The Colossus automatically gathers a small amount of Gold from nearby Gold Mines or Gold Piles.
  • Strategy: While a formidable combat unit, its unique ability makes it excellent for securing map control and boosting your economy. Station Colossi near contested gold mines to deny your opponent resources while simultaneously bolstering your own. Its high pierce armor makes it resilient to archers.
  • Counter: Siege weapons (especially Catapults), powerful Myth Units with crush damage, and Heroes.

Norse Myth Units

• Troll (Classical Age - Thor/Odin/Loki):
  • Special Ability: Rock Throw - The Troll throws a large rock, dealing damage to a single target from a distance.
  • Strategy: The Troll is a versatile early-game Myth Unit, acting as a mobile ranged siege unit. Use it to take down enemy buildings, towers, or to snipe vulnerable ranged units. Its ranged attack keeps it safer than melee MUs.
  • Counter: Cavalry and Heroes.
• Mountain Giant (Heroic Age - Bragi):
  • Special Ability: Crush Attack - The Mountain Giant deals bonus damage to buildings and siege weapons.
  • Strategy: The ultimate siege breaker. Use Mountain Giants to spearhead assaults on enemy fortifications, quickly destroying walls, towers, and production buildings. Pair them with Huskarls to protect them from ranged units.
  • Counter: Heroes, cavalry, and other Myth Units with high hack damage.
• Fire Giant (Mythic Age - Baldr):
  • Special Ability: Fire Breath - The Fire Giant breathes a cone of fire, dealing heavy area-of-effect damage to all units caught within it.
  • Strategy: Devastating against clumped enemy infantry and archers. Position the Fire Giant to maximize the number of units hit by its Fire Breath. It's a powerful offensive unit that can clear entire sections of an enemy army.
  • Counter: Heroes, siege weapons, and units with high pierce armor.