"From the deep oceans a long lost civilization appears! Their extreme isolation has given them special aquatic abilities that are unknown to the other more human tribes. Aquarion have a slightly different tech tree and have access to the unique amphibious turtle units that no other tribe can train."
- Tribe description
The Aquarion tribe is the first special tribe and the 11th tribe overall to be added to Polytopia. Aquarion does not have any starting technology; instead, Aquarion has three tribe-specific units: the Amphibian, the Tridention, and the Crab, which replace the Rider, Knight and Giant, respectively.
Aquarion is often considered to be one of the weakest tribes in the game. Aquarion's main strength is their Tridentions, powerful ranged units with fast movement and a strong attack that are nearly unstoppable in groups. However, it takes Aquarion a long time to amass enough stars to research Spearing, the technology required to train Tridentions. Aquarion has few, varied resources; Spearing is on a different branch from resource technologies; and Aquarion cannot upgrade its capital until at least turn 2. The investment in Spearing leaves Aquarion economically weak and vulnerable until they amass Tridentions. Aquarion’s weakness is exacerbated by the fact that it has no starting technology, early-game exploration with Warriors may be hindered due to having fragmented landmasses. Also, Amphibians can only move one tile at a time on land (without Roads), greatly hindering their utility on land; in particular, it does not allow them to fully exploit their escape skill.
Resources
Aquarion has -Forest and +Water. (30% of Aquarion's tiles are replaced with water.)
Cities: Gray stone pillars with pink or gold roofs and ornaments
Helmet: Fish head
Color: Salmon
Lore
2020 Aquarion Day: The Aquarion empire is vigilantly defended by the mighty behemoths, the Crabs. It was a pact long ago that brought the Crabs and the Aquarion together, and this pact will remain until peace is brought to the Square once again.
Web Shop: When the Turmelons are not helping Aquarion warriors, they like to spend their time in the mysterious depths of the ocean, swimming about in the palace of the lost city.
Web Shop: Aquarion warriors always... drink a mixture of salt water and octopus blood before going to battle.
Steam: Having risen from the depths of the ocean to fight in Square-wide struggle, the water-breathing, fish-like Aquarion have summoned their aquatic allies to take dominion over their land-dwelling kin.
Instagram: THEY CAME FROM THE DEEP – eons at peace with turtle and crab – raged by stirring ships above. AQUARION RISE – defend the deep!
Special Technologies and Units
The Spearing branch of the Aquarion technology tree
As a special tribe, Aquarion has modified technologies. The Chivalry branch of their technology tree has been modified into the Spearing branch.
Riding allows the player to train Amphibians instead of Riders and unlocks movement in shallow water. Amphibians have the Swim skill. Units with that skill can move in water but, without Roads, can only move one tile at a time on land.
Free Spirit is renamed "Free Diving", and allows for movement in Ocean tiles for all units (including naval units), even if Navigation has not been researched..
Aquarion’s special units formerly did not receive a defence bonus in cities. However, in the update that introduced the Fortify skill, Amphibians and Tridentions received that skill. (The Crab, like other super units, does not have the Fortify skill.)
An early version of Aquarion from teased in a Tweet by Midjiwan. The Mountains have since been changed, and the Crab has replaced the Giant. The color of some of the rooftops have also been changed.
During part of the beta testing period, Aquarion started with the Aquatism technology.
