Morocco

Morocco

Leader	Ahmad al-Mansur
Benefit	Gateway to Africa
Unique Units	Berber Cavalry
Unique Improvement	Kasbah

Introduction

Morocco is a center for trade and survival in the middle of a harsh and unforgiving wilderness. Their abilities allow them to thrive in the middle of desert tiles, where most other civilizations won't want to place their cities. Through this, Moroccans can expand without having to attack others as often. Peaceful expansion is good for Morocco because their trade brings in a great deal of Gold. They can use the money to sustain a high number of buildings and to quickly build whatever they lack.

If you want a nation that plays defensively but gets to control the financial markets, you're on the right track. Cultural and Diplomatic Victories are both quite doable for this nation, and Science can be a viable route to victory as well.

Passive Benefits

Gateway to Africa

Receive +3 Gold and +1 Culture for each International Trade Route with a different civilization or City-State. The Trade Route owners receive +2 Gold for each Trade Route sent to Morocco.

Morocco's passive ability makes it easy for them to make money through trade. They should make themselves a central hub between multiple other civilizations so that more people can trade. Not only does this help to make you rich, but it's an ideal way to keep the peace between Morocco and its rivals. People who are making tons of money off of your cities are going to be less interested in attacking you. Doing so would hurt their bottom line and potentially tick off other nations that are close to you.

Unique Strengths

Berber Cavalry

Berber Cavalry are defensive fighters with a mean streak. Their two big bonuses are for fighting within your borders, or for combat that takes place in the desert. If you can settle around flood plains and oasis areas in the early-to-mid-game, this becomes quite impressive; your cavalry units can move quickly, stack their bonuses, and fight on deserts close to home where support is never far away.

All of that fits well into Morocco's playstyle. The nation can develop desert tiles with their unique improvements, so settling in and around desert is quite sensible for them during the Medieval Era and beyond. In addition, Moroccan players need defensive units because they're often such economic powerhouses. Moroccan trade is top notch, and someone is going to want a piece of that action. Use Berber Cavalry to protect your Trade Routes, and waylay anyone who comes into your desert to take what's yours.

If any weak rivals have also settled near the desert, there's no reason not to go on the offensive. Be careful, because Morocco isn't a military giant. But use your cavalry to their fullest, and bring plenty of siege units and some traditional ground pounders to do the actual city fighting.

Kasbah

Shake up the desert with this amazing improvement. Kasbahs turn nearly worthless land into productive tiles that give you a bit of everything to work with. You still need some food support from flood plains, oases, or Trade Routes with your own cities, but Moroccan cities become larger, stronger, and more profitable in the desert than anyone else in the world. That means that you can settle areas that would be worthless (or at least very expensive) for others to develop. Build good roads through these lands and protect your routes well. You might be able to connect yourself to multiple nations without making any enemies in the process.

The Big Picture

Morocco is a trading powerhouse. Their passive power makes them capable of getting huge financial gains from Trade Routes, and you're quite likely to have an edge in pursuit of a Diplomatic Victory. Your money assists in influencing City-States, and long-term trade makes it easier to keep other nations on your side.

Consider Patronage and Commerce as major Policy branches. These two make Morocco both rich and influential. The friends you make contribute toward a Diplomatic Victory, and the World Congress is your tool to marginalize opponents. Bring up resolutions like Standing Army Tax if the biggest threat to you is from conquerors, Ban Luxuries that are at the core of an opponent's trading plan, or Put an Embargo down against someone. It's all within your power if you send enough Diplomats out. When things are going well, push your own interests with International Projects, establish a World Religion (yours, of course), and promote your Ideology.

Morocco doesn't have much of its own power in terms of defense or offense, so keep a decent reserve of Gold on hand to assist with your empire's defense. Purchase buildings to upgrade your cities' Combat Strength, as needed, and to deploy units quickly in times of trouble. Your large cash reserves allow Morocco to have a deceptively modest standing army that can build up quickly with modern units instead of having to wield a hodgepodge of modern and older troops.