The statements about the strength of Yamato and Shang in Iron Age, as seen in the original post can be answered very simply and quickly. That's what I am about now.
Yamato.
Be real. Yamato's Iron has 3 great strengths:
- Comes first!
- Gives immediate access to a "premium" Villager-killing force: cheap and fully upgraded Horse Archers!...
- Gives complete control over the seas to the team (with a SMALL - yes, small - tribute of wood from partners).
This makes Yamato, ran by an experient team member, a deadly a stick to give the firt strikes in Tool (Scout Rush, not so effective in RoR as it was in AoE, but Scout ship rush = death to boomers...), Bronze (getting that Cavalry there so soon really hurts!) and the mighty Iron HA Rush.
With luck, a Yamato can take out 2 opponents, instaead of just one, as it is usual. Of course, you have to be a real fast player to take any advantage of Yamato!...
Shang.
Well, I won't even bother to say anything why Shang is SO good in RoR, period. If one has not yet seen that, then he is not worthy to play them (I know I am not...).
In the habds of a good player, Shang's Iron is a perfect kick-ass Iron in a 1x1 against the following Civs:
Egyptian
Macedonian
Carthaginian
Phoenician (it is particularly sweet against this one
Yamato.Not bad, huh?... All that they need here is to use Scythes + Helepolis or Siege-only (even without Engineering and Ballistics) or go heavy on Horse Archers + Siege.
That's impressive.
Well, against the others Civs, the chances are that the Iron batlle NEVER gets to take place ... and that's "nuff said"!...
If not, oh well, the superior Siege weaponry of the others will dictate the fate of Shang...
Shang is great - but only if you are FAST.