Which nations need bennies?

[Twan]

Personnally if a change is to be made affecting Machaka I would like a change of light units prices/upkeep affecting all nations. With all human non elite units with 7 or less protection having a cost of 8 gold instead of 10 (and very low morale + low protection militias say 6 gold), the machaka low ressources cost and high mapmoves infantry would become really interesting. Armors need to be made by artisans and repaired, so it seems logical that units with a chain mail cost a little more than naked ones (or quasi naked ones).

As it is Machaka will prefer to recruit any indep unit in medium armor, as paying the same price/upkeep for troops one shoted by anything isn't very cost efficient. I think with a specific price for leather/naked infantry, using the machaka warriors, will become more a valid choice (one more mapmove / more ap at the price of the 4-7 protection most light indies have).

ps : witch doctors aren't old, only black sorcerers and some sorceress are (as for most human nations, the best capitol only mages are the older)

[DrPraetorious]

Well, I agree with Twan in principle - *national* light infantry should cost less money, if that is most of what you get. Slingers actually do seem to get this discount. Independent light infantry should not.

This way, Machaka and possibly even Mictlan would actually field their scum from the huts of scum. Right now I'll put a few of them scattered in front of my hoplites as skirmishers and that's it.

However, that is too drastic a change for this context. If we want to make Machaka light infantry more practical, we can consider things like a cheap, area-of-effect, machaka national stoneskin? Or barkskin. Spiderskin!

An area of effect version of barkskin, for HH, would do a lot to improve those guys. That'd be pretty cool. I've always thought that Machaka should have some reason to send the Voice of the Lord into combat. Does anyone know anything about ethiopian orthodox liturgy? I recall reading somewhere that medieval europeans believed that there was a christian king in north africa who had knights that rode on giant ants. I've always assumed this was a partial inspiration for Machaka. Anyone know this reference?