So I guess Firaxis did not wanted to make CIV7's Mexico too similar to Humankind's Mexico and CIV6's Gran Colombia. Still as a Mexican I would like to have...
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HACIENDA (Mexican UD)
* Capilla, being many times far from proper towns each hacienda had their own small churches for their religious needs. Most contemporary haciendas turned into touristic resorts that rent these chapels for weddings. Religion+Tourism boost.
* Lienzo, started as the place to handle cattle but it turned into a sport arena, basically the older Mexican Rodeo. Charreria is the national sport of Mexico, Charros horsemen were originally the hacienda masters and their foremen that were also the source of New Spain and independent Mexico cavalry corps included famous ones like the Rurales. Military+Happiness boost.
* Palenque, is the place were Agave pencas are procesed, fermented and destilled to optain the Mezcal (included Tequila) liquor. This provide us an unique resourse the Mezcal(Tequila) from the Agave plants and bonus to production. Production+Culture boost.
Anyway there are others options like:
* Tianguis, instead of Portal de Mercaderes it could have an actually unique characteristic, this market rather than take a building slot it is a "road improve" tha would turn the quarter streets into a busy market day.
* Camposanto, instead of Catedral, in Mexico the Atrio of churches turned to be a very significative place since the Capillas Abiertas were a syncretic way to introduce the Mesoamerican population into the Catholic rites. Even more since Atrios were a holy place to bury people and the Panteones have Capillas, in game we can have this mix represented.
About the Celebration part is obvious that Firaxis want the
"Fiesta and Siesta" stereotype for Mexico, so lets have actual traditions instead of political manifest:
* Guelaguetza tradition, the great representation of dances from the many cultures and celebrations (Calendas) of the diverse state of Oaxaca. Happiness in settlements bonus.
* Charreadas tradition, in absence of Hacienda and the mexican Charros (Lanceros, Rurales, Chinacos, etc.) the ranching tradition could still provide the combat strenght bonus. So Charrería, Mariachi and Tequila for Jalisco representation.
* Animecha Kejizitakua tradition, the Día de los Muertos as is mostly know is based in the particular way this remembrance of the deceased is commemorated by the Purepecha people of Michoacan. Perfect for the bonus about culture in towns.
* Fiestas Patrias, the civic calendar of relevant dates that changed Mexico´s history, the revolutions and the pantheon of political figures. The progressist discourse of the last 150 years justify the science focus.
Now if we talk about the civics from where those traditions come, in their corresponding order these are:
> Cacicazgo, the spanish conquest of Mesoamerica was possible only by the cooperation of native elites that preserved most of their privileges, at the point that today in Mexico any person that exercise local abusive leadership is also called a Cacique.
> Hacendados, now we have another form of exploitative elite, the criollo landowners of great ranchs, plantations and mines, some of these have their origins in the Encomenderos during the conquest.
> La Guadalupana, the Nuestra Señora Guadalupe or the Virgen del Tepeyac is the top simbol of Mexican syncretic religiocity, native converter and first national banner since the start of the war for independence, so a mexican icon that even some of the "not so religious" presidents had recognized her identitarian role.
> Muralismo, the arts at the service of the ideological discourse of early 20th century. The building of a new national identiy and the political agenda with the signature of great figures like Diego Rivera (but maybe most people remember more his wife Frida Kahlo).
In the topic of the units:
* Yes I agree that
Soldaderas is a more unique unit, but the previous CIV's ways to represent units is a cheap excuse to keep poor representations (by the way the new system of armies is also the chance to have limited unique units that better cover the many UU besed on elite corps). For example Soldaderas would fit better as support units that boost and heal others militar units plus a decent ability to fight back by themselves. If the idea was to have irregular/insurgent troops (other thing that civs could represent as different units instead of groups of Bazookas) the
"La Bola" is a more folkloric and dark way to represent what be part of La Revolución really means. But I guess be in cyclical fraticide revolutions is the way we Mexicans war the most.
Talking about "Civil War" the civ!... I mean Mexico, the names
Cuadillismo and
Caudillo are more unique an proper than "
Revolución" and
Revolucionario.
By the way the list of Firaxis Revolucionarios have some "trivia" figures instead of relevant ones. My list of 10 would be more like:
* Miguel Hidalgo
* José María Morelos
* Vicente Guerrero
* Antonio López de Santa Anna (hated but he not only help for American recognition but also certainly fit as a Caudillo).
* Porfirio Díaz (as the caudillo of La Reforma since he was a militar unlike Benito Juarez that should be istead the leader for Mexico)
* Emiliano Zapata
* Venustiano Carranza
* Pancho Villa
* Plutarco Elías Calles
* Lázaro Cárdenas
As a whole these figures are example of the classic "You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain".
Well, maybe I was expecting something better for Mexico than Firaxis design, but I guess AoE3's Mexico lovely design with similar themes spoiled me.
