Talk:Malians/Strategy/@comment-66.210.76.252-20170119201209/@comment-37.6.3.207-20170119203237

The Malians are indeed a jack-of-all-trades, having defensive and offensive options almost as diverse as the Chinese, but lack heavily at trash (unlike the Byzantines).

These features are heavily stressed, as their miliary is good but not the best in any domain (arrow-resistant but meh infantry, mighty but not complete Stable units and ok but still lacking archers). Their lower wood cost is neat, but farms don't benefit, and free gold techs are ok, but don't ensure a spectacular boom. If anything, I'd say they are more of a j.o.a.t than Byzantines and Chinese, as both have more clearly defined military advantages (the first have counterunits and nice if still lacking cavalry, the second have Chu Ko Nus and Scorpions, great range warfare).

BTW, the Malay aren't a jack-of-all-trades, as they are a civilisation that emphasises on massive economic advantages on water and on attrition/mass rushes on water (their weaknesses are also more glaring and defined). New civs that are such a thing, are the Khmer (their unconventional bonuses force them to operate so) and to a lesser degree, the Burmese (though their terrible Archery Range puts into question whether they are a 100% jack-of-all-trades).