Age of Mythology: Retold has brought many changes to classic units, and the Cyclops is no exception. This guide will provide an in-depth analysis of the Cyclops Mythic Unit (MU), covering its stats, strengths, weaknesses, special abilities, and the best ways to utilize this unique Greek unit in your gameplay.
Cyclops Mythic Unit Overview
The Cyclops is a Greek Mythic Unit available to players who choose Ares as their minor god in the Classical Age. Known for its powerful melee attacks, the Cyclops is a formidable opponent against buildings and human units, leveraging high health and an entertaining throw ability to dominate early skirmishes. With its significant changes in Retold, the Cyclops now serves as more of a meatshield, boasting higher HP and improved abilities that help it remain somewhat relevant even in later ages.
Key Characteristics:
- Role: Melee Mythic Unit (MU)
- Strengths: High health, excellent against buildings, crowd control via throwing ability
- Weaknesses: Slow movement speed, susceptible to ranged attacks, inconsistent special ability
- Cost: 175 Food, 18 Favor, 3 Population
- Available: To Greek players choosing Ares (Poseidon/Hades)
Stats by Age (Without Upgrades):
- HP: 720 (Classical) / 840 (Heroic) / 960 (Mythic)
- Hack Damage: 16 / 19 / 22
- Crush Damage: 20 / 24 / 28
- Hack Armour: 30%
- Pierce Armour: 50%
- Crush Armour: 80%
- Speed: 3.50
- Rate of Fire: 1.4
- Line of Sight (LoS): 16
- Bonus Damage: 2x vs Myth Units, 0.5x vs Heroes
- Training Time: 20 seconds at the Temple
Special Ability: Throw
The Cyclops has a unique ability to pick up any human unit (even as large as elephants!) and throw them a distance of 8 to 14 meters, causing splash damage upon landing. The damage depends on the thrown unit’s HP, ranging from 37 hack damage (e.g., for a hoplite) to over 70 (e.g., for a war elephant). If the unit’s corpse bounces, the damage is multiplied with each bounce, typically 2-3 times. However, the ability is inconsistent, which can be both a blessing and a curse.
Important Notes on Throw Ability:
- The throw direction usually matches where the Cyclops was facing but can be adjusted in Retold by clicking to micro the throw towards a specific target.
- It takes 5 seconds for the Cyclops to perform the throw, during which it is vulnerable to attacks.
- Throw distance is independent of unit size; larger units, like war elephants, can be thrown farther than smaller ones, like archers.
- AI control may cause the Cyclops to re-target if its original target moves out of reach, improving upon earlier versions of the game where pathfinding issues were prevalent.
- The special attack’s splash damage is limited to a small circular area at each bounce point of the thrown unit.
- The ability does not affect buildings or heroes.
- Myth Units take 2x damage from thrown corpses, though they cannot be lifted.
Upgrades: Elder Cyclops
The Cyclops can be upgraded to the Elder Cyclops by researching the Will of Kronos at the Temple for 200 Gold and 15 Favor, taking 40 seconds. This upgrade enhances its attack by adding an area of effect (AoE) damage, covering a 3-cell wide area, making it effective against clusters of small units. It also increases the damage of the throw ability.
Cyclops vs Other Units and Strategies
The Cyclops’s stats may suggest it’s a Heroic Age unit, but it’s actually available from the Classical Age. Its role as a slow, high-health tank makes it suitable for early rushes, especially given the free Cyclops you receive upon advancing to the Classical Age with Ares. However, due to its high cost, especially in food, it can be challenging to use effectively without delaying your advancement to the Heroic Age.
Usage Scenarios and Testing:
- Vs Infantry (e.g., Zeus Hoplite): The Cyclops’s normal attacks include an underarm swing and an overhead swat, averaging damage over time. Against a Zeus Hoplite, a regular Cyclops can defeat it in 15 seconds with 570 HP remaining, while the Elder Cyclops can do it in just 10 seconds with 600 HP remaining.
- Vs Buildings (e.g., Town Center): Using two unupgraded Cyclopes, a Town Center (2800 HP) can be destroyed in 95 seconds, though one Cyclops may be lost in the process. This demonstrates the potential for early game rush strategies, particularly for Hades players who can support the Cyclops with archers to fend off heroes.
- Vs Myth Units (e.g., Mountain Giant): The Cyclops excels against other Myth Units, thanks to its bonus damage. For instance, an Elder Cyclops can defeat a Mountain Giant in 42 seconds, showcasing its prowess in Myth Unit matchups.
- Vs Mixed Armies (e.g., Hoplites and Toxotes): In larger battles, the Cyclops’s slow speed and pathfinding issues can be a disadvantage. In a test against 10 Hoplites and 5 Toxotes, three Cyclopes were defeated, highlighting the unit’s vulnerability when outnumbered and poorly positioned.
Conclusion and Strategic Tips
The Cyclops is a powerful unit with a unique niche in Age of Mythology: Retold. Its strengths lie in its high health, powerful attacks, and unique throw ability that can disrupt enemy formations. However, it is also expensive, slow, and can become a liability if not managed carefully. The Cyclops is best used in early rush strategies or as a tanky distraction to protect your more vulnerable units. Players should be cautious about over-investing in Cyclopes, as they can drain resources needed for advancing to the Heroic Age and developing other unit types.
Suggested Usage by Civilization:
- Vs Greeks: Effective against Greek buildings and units with proper micro to utilize the throw ability against key targets.
- Vs Norse: Caution is advised due to Hersirs; however, the Cyclops’s high crush damage can still be valuable against Norse buildings.
- Vs Egyptians: Avoid due to high vulnerability to priests and pharaohs. The Cyclops can counter war elephants post-Heroic Age but otherwise struggles against Egyptian counters.
- Vs Atlanteans: While weak Atlantean buildings may tempt Cyclops use, its slow speed and susceptibility to ranged units make it a risky choice.
Ultimately, the Cyclops in Age of Mythology: Retold is a versatile but challenging unit. Its throw ability can be a game-changer in the right hands, but it requires careful positioning and timing to maximize its potential without exposing it to undue risk. Use this guide to leverage the Cyclops effectively, and experiment with different strategies to find the best fit for your playstyle. Happy gaming!