Let's just amuse ourselves... (Swampy) Fortress in Heroes 5.

[Macros the Black]

In real life the Aztecs worshiped a god called Qutzicalatal(sp?) who was said to be the god of wind and knowledge. It was said that is in his true form he was a feathred serpant (something like a flying snake I suppose.)

That's what the things you meet in the first dungeon of Might and Magic 8 are based on iirc

Gorgons, Basilisks, Cockatrice.... these are all kinda similar - basically they can kill people by staring at them. It needs more variety imo. I've always liked the gnolls, lizard men and dragon fly's that Fortress had so those should be kept at least.

To be honest Raeleg your ideas remind me too much of the Dungeon faction. The Fortress has always been a collection of different beast folk rather than a unified force. It shouldn't rely on too many lizard people (it would feel too much like the lizard men are in charge of the other beast men). The humans sound too much like a cross between peasants and minotaurs (they're slaves in HoMM 5), they're just a little too simple. Why not keep the Gnolls? They could have bash and cleave, which would be pretty good for a level 1 unit. The Laima remind me of the whole elves thing that HoMM 5 has where's there's good elves and evil elves... I don't really like that kind of thing, it's kinda lame. Lizard Beast sound just like Dungeon's Mistresses, a spellcasting type of unit that's of the same race as the unit that's the backbone of the army (in this case lizard men). Again, something more original would be better. I don't nescesarily have a problem with crocodile riders... The Tezcatlipoca have a really unintelligable name and they're a bit like Assassins from - again- the Dungeon faction. Jaguar like people sound cool though, although come to think of it isn't that what Gnolls are? The Quetzalcoatl needs a shorter name imo. Sounds like a Thunderbird, although chain lightnings sounds cool (might be overpowered?).

Overall it doesn't really stand out from the other factions. I'm also wondering why you left out gnolls and dragonflies? How about adding Werewolves or cannibals/headhunters by the way?

[Phate]

To be honest Raeleg your ideas remind me too much of the Dungeon faction. The Fortress has always been a collection of different beast folk rather than a unified force.

If they were to make one it should fit in to the Heroes V style of of more race-orientated towns, i.e. less random assortment of swamp-beasts and more sophisticated culture of lizard/beast-people.

Of course a few random swamp-beasts need to be thrown in, 2-3 tiers of them or so. Perhaps the Dragonflies could be left as tier 3s but be large enough to be the mounted cavalry of the lizardmen.

Gnolls are perfect for tier 1, and could fit in the same way minotaurs do with Dungeon in HV.

[Raelag84]

I am not particularly attached to the units I created and so if everyone else thinks they should be changed, then they should be changed. That said I do have one request; if you are going to contribute to the discussion please, please read up on the original Aztec, and Mayan legends if you have not already and don't use other video games as sources. There's a whole world of ideas out there and some of them might be good.

[BMJedi]

How can you have a swamp town without Hydras as the apex of it? To me, swamp town equals Hydras.

[Midas]

Gorgons should be the Medusa type, I have a suggestion, why not have something like an eel? the electric one? and the abilities could be something like: can grab on to a unit, it will shock that unit every turn, dealing damage based on attack, and if the unit (the one who is grabbed) is attacked, the eel will get hurt instead...
Huh? hows that? the ability has a pro and con...