Age of Empires Series Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Info icon
This article is about the civilization in Age of Empires II: The Conquerors. For their appearance as a minor native in Age of Empires III, see Maya.
Civilization Technology tree Strategy

The Mayans are a Native American civilization introduced in Age of Empires II: The Conquerors. They focus on archers.

The Mayans specialize in foot archers and have a robust economy. Situated in Central America, they were best known for their mysterious disappearance around 900 and their ability to build a great civilization in a tropical rainforest climate. The Mayans were resourceful and were able to utilize a variety of natural resources. Examples include limestone for construction, the obsidian for tools and weapons, jade and quetzal feathers used in the elaborate costumes of Maya nobility as well as marine shells, which were used as trumpets. To reflect this achievement, their resources last longer while their unique technologies El Dorado and Obsidian Arrows boost their Eagle Warriors and Archer line. The main force of the Mayan army was archers, and they used them extensively. As a result, their unique unit is the Plumed Archer, a fast archer with a small attack bonus against infantry as well as featuring superior armor and hit points.

Overview

As a Native American civilization, the Mayans lack any form of cavalry and gunpowder. As a replacement, they get the Eagle Warrior which also gets a massive HP boost with El Dorado. Overall, their archer and infantry departments are strong with access to everything that does not ride a horse or wield a firearm (bar the Champion). Their siege weapons miss the Siege Onager, but they get the Siege Ram and Heavy Scorpion. On the water, they have a complete tech tree (apart from the Cannon Galleon, naturally). Their Monks are average. Their defensive structures are overall strong and the same goes for their economy.

Characteristics

Unique unit

PlumedArcherIcon-DE Plumed Archer: Quick foot archer with high pierce armor

Unique technologies

UniqueTechCastle-DE Obsidian Arrows: Gives Archers +6 attack against standard buildings and stone defense.
UniqueTechImperialDE El Dorado: Gives Eagle Warriors +40 HP.

Civilization bonuses

  • Start the game with an Eagle Scout.
  • Start the game with +1 Villager, but with -50 food.
  • Resources last 15% longer.
  • Foot archers are 10%/20%/30% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.

Team bonus

Walls are 50% cheaper.

Changelog

The Conquerors

  • Start the game with an Eagle Warrior.
  • Resources last 20% longer.
  • Plumed Archers cost 46W/46G.
  • The upgrade to Elite Plumed Archers costs 500F/1,000W.

The Forgotten

The African Kingdoms

  • Resources now last 15% longer.
  • Initially can research Arrowslits. With patch 4.8, it was removed from the technology tree.
  • Obsidian Arrows now gives Archers +6 attack against standard buildings. With patch 4.8, Archers also gain +6 attack against stone defense.

In-game dialogue language

In-game, Mayan units speak a Mayan language that has evolved into many separate branches of the original proto-Mayan.

  • Chare/chade
  • Tabish
  • Ashique/hacheekei
  • Atutz
  • Queri
  • Outzca
  • Chastimban
  • Cha
  • Ecรฉ (axe) sounds like ashรฉ
  • Molonel - Harvester
  • Cangnel - Hunter
  • Carunel - Fisherman
  • Casamash - Farmer and Miner
  • Asheyak - Builder
  • Coshonel - Repairer
  • Cayashรฉ - Attack
  • Cocaya - Attack

AI player names

When playing a random map game against the computer, the player may encounter any of the following Mayan AI characters:

  • Bird Jaguar: Nickname of several rulers of Yaxchilan, most notably Bird Jaguar IV (Yaxun B'alam IV ), the 17th ruler; lived 709โ€“768.
  • Black Serpent: Possibly refers to the Maya legend of Sac-Nicte and Canek. Canek means black serpent, a brave prince with a kind heart.
  • Curl Snout: Nickname of Yax Nuun Ahiin, 8th ruler of Tikal; died 404.
  • Eighteen Rabbit: Nickname of Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil, 13th ruler of Copan; died 738.
  • Flint Sky God: Nickname of B'alaj Chan K'awiil, ruler of Dos Pilas; born 625.
  • Great Jaguar Paw: Nickname of Chak Tok Ich'aak, 7th ruler of Tikal; died 378.
  • King Stormy Sky: Nickname of Siyaj Chan K'awil II, 16th ruler of Tikal; died 456.
  • Lady Great Skull Zero: Wife of Bird Jaguar IV
  • Shield Jaguar II: Nickname of Itzamnaaj B'alam II, 15th ruler of Yaxchilan; lived 647โ€“742.
  • Smoke Imix God: Possibly refers to Chan Imix K'awil, 12th ruler of Copan; died 695.
  • Smoke Monkey: Possibly refers to K'ak' Joplaj Chan K'awiil, 14th ruler of Copan; died 749.
  • Smoke Shell: Possibly refers to K'ak' Yipyaj Chan K'awiil, 15th ruler of Copan; died 763.
  • Smoking Frog: Former nickname of Siyaj K'ak', a prominent Mayan political figure in the Classic Period.
  • Smoking Squirrel: Nickname of K'ak' Tiliw Chan Chaak, ruler of Naranjo.
  • Waterlily Jaguar: Not the nickname of a Mayan ruler, but rather a Mayan protector deity.

Gallery

Video overview

Civilizations in Age of Empires II
Categorised by architecture sets
AfricanCivIcon-Ethiopians Ethiopians ยท CivIcon-Malians Malians
Central AsianCivIcon-Cumans Cumans ยท CivIcon-Tatars Tatars
Central EuropeanCivIcon-Goths Goths ยท CivIcon-Huns Huns ยท CivIcon-Teutons Teutons ยท CivIcon-Vikings Vikings
East AsianCivIcon-Chinese Chinese ยท CivIcon-Japanese Japanese ยท CivIcon-Koreans Koreans ยท CivIcon-Mongols Mongols ยท CivIcon-Vietnamese Vietnamese
Eastern EuropeanCivIcon-Bohemians Bohemians ยท CivIcon-Bulgarians Bulgarians ยท CivIcon-Lithuanians Lithuanians ยท CivIcon-Magyars Magyars ยท CivIcon-Poles Poles ยท CivIcon-Slavs Slavs
MediterraneanCivIcon-Armenians Armenians ยท CivIcon-Byzantines Byzantines ยท CivIcon-Georgians Georgians ยท CivIcon-Italians Italians ยท CivIcon-Portuguese Portuguese ยท CivIcon-Romans Romans ยท CivIcon-Sicilians Sicilians ยท CivIcon-Spanish Spanish
Middle EasternCivIcon-Berbers Berbers ยท CivIcon-Persians Persians ยท CivIcon-Saracens Saracens ยท CivIcon-Turks Turks
Native AmericanCivIcon-Aztecs Aztecs ยท CivIcon-Incas Incas ยท CivIcon-Mayans Mayans
South Asian/IndianCivIcon-Bengalis Bengalis ยท CivIcon-Dravidians Dravidians ยท CivIcon-Gurjaras Gurjaras ยท CivIcon-Hindustanis Hindustanis ยท CivIcon-Indians Indians (removed)
Southeast AsianCivIcon-Burmese Burmese ยท CivIcon-Khmer Khmer ยท CivIcon-Malay Malay
Western EuropeanCivIcon-Britons Britons ยท CivIcon-Burgundians Burgundians ยท CivIcon-Celts Celts ยท CivIcon-Franks Franks
Categorised by expansions
AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of KingsCivIcon-Britons Britons ยท CivIcon-Byzantines Byzantines ยท CivIcon-Celts Celts ยท CivIcon-Chinese Chinese ยท CivIcon-Franks Franks ยท CivIcon-Goths Goths ยท CivIcon-Japanese Japanese ยท CivIcon-Mongols Mongols ยท CivIcon-Persians Persians ยท CivIcon-Saracens Saracens ยท CivIcon-Teutons Teutons ยท CivIcon-Turks Turks ยท CivIcon-Vikings Vikings
AoE2-DLCicon-1 The ConquerorsCivIcon-Aztecs Aztecs ยท CivIcon-Huns Huns ยท CivIcon-Koreans Koreans ยท CivIcon-Mayans Mayans ยท CivIcon-Spanish Spanish
AoE2-DLCicon-2 The ForgottenCivIcon-Incas Incas ยท CivIcon-Indians Indians (removed) ยท CivIcon-Italians Italians ยท CivIcon-Magyars Magyars ยท CivIcon-Slavs Slavs
AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African KingdomsCivIcon-Berbers Berbers ยท CivIcon-Ethiopians Ethiopians ยท CivIcon-Malians Malians ยท CivIcon-Portuguese Portuguese
AoE2-DLCicon-4 Rise of the RajasCivIcon-Burmese Burmese ยท CivIcon-Khmer Khmer ยท CivIcon-Malay Malay ยท CivIcon-Vietnamese Vietnamese
AoE2-DLCicon-5 The Last KhansCivIcon-Bulgarians Bulgarians ยท CivIcon-Cumans Cumans ยท CivIcon-Lithuanians Lithuanians ยท CivIcon-Tatars Tatars
AoE2Icon-LordsWest Lords of the WestCivIcon-Burgundians Burgundians ยท CivIcon-Sicilians Sicilians
Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the DukesCivIcon-Bohemians Bohemians ยท CivIcon-Poles Poles
AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of IndiaCivIcon-Bengalis Bengalis ยท CivIcon-Dravidians Dravidians ยท CivIcon-Gurjaras Gurjaras ยท CivIcon-Hindustanis Hindustanis
AoE2Icon-ReturnRome Return of RomeCivIcon-Romans Romans
AoE2Icon-MountainRoyals The Mountain RoyalsCivIcon-Armenians Armenians ยท CivIcon-Georgians Georgians
Advertisement