The Incans have a great economic power that usually translates to great military power. Their economic power doesn't kick in until Classical Age but when it does you'll have a huge supply of Wealth (and typically only Knowledge is harder to collect than Wealth at that point in the game). This affords them a number of interesting strategies. For starters, they can make extensive use of the Market with all that Wealth. Incan Knights are a force to be reckoned with, as mining provides both the resources required for these expensive units and you'll receive a 25% refund when each of them dies. Lastly, spending all of the Wealth on Scholars will allow the Incan player to advance in ages very quickly.

The simple way to utilize an Incan Knights strategy is to start your economy off just as you normally do, progressing up to Classical Age a little faster than usual. Once you reach Classical Age, immediately create Mines at mountains and fill them with Citizens until you've reached your Wealth and Metal commerce limits. Around the same time, construct 2 Stables and begin training as many Knights as possible. Add in a few Archers and perhaps some siege, and you'll quickly have an overwhelming amount of Knights to make your attacks with. The icing on the cake is that when your units die, you'll receive a 25% refund!



Your mines make Wealth as well as Metal.

Why is it important?

As the defining bonus of the Incans, this bonus allows Citizens that you place on Mines to be doubly effective at harvesting resources, since they harvest +10 Metal and +10 Wealth (before upgrades). The wealth advantage enjoyed by Incan players allows them a myriad of strategies unheard of by other nations.

How do I maximize this nation power?

• Occupy all the mountains in your territory: Always look for more mountains to occupy and add workers to your mines if you don't already have your Metal and Wealth incomes maxed at the Commerce Limit.
  
  
• Mine immediately upon reaching Classical Age: The sooner you can take advantage of this great nation power, the better!
  
  
• Control the mountains: Mountains are often found near the center of the map and it's very important that you maintain control of those mountains. If your opponent border pushes you off a mountain, it will reduce your Metal/Wealth production significantly. You'll have plenty of Metal and Wealth, so build 1-3 Forts if you have to.

Wealth commerce limit +33%

Why is it important?

This enhances the ability of the Incans to gain a Wealth advantage over their opponents. Not only do their mines help them reach high levels of Wealth income rapidly, their Wealth commerce limit is 33% higher!

How do I maximize this nation power?

• Make good use of mining and don't neglect Caravans: Caravans (and Markets, to a lesser extent) are still fairly cost-effective ways of increasing your Wealth income, so just because you get a lot Wealth from your Mining operations, that doesn't mean you shouldn't actively try to reach your 33% higher Wealth commerce limit as often as possible. Remember that Wealth is the easiest resource to turn into other types (through Market trade), so more is always better!

When one of your units is killed by an enemy, you receive a 25% refund

Why is it important?

This reduces the pain of losing units. It's especially useful when using Heavy Cavalry, since those units are already very expensive.

How do I maximize this nation power?

• Queuing units: There's a trick to maximizing this nation power. Units that are queued up count towards the current price of that unit and the refund you receive is based directly off of this current price. This means that although you only paid 60 metal, 60 wealth for that first Heavy Cavalry, the refund could be much higher than 25% of that price if you have made many more Heavy Cavalry before it dies.

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