Offensive Civilizations in Age of Empires 4 are often feared for their ability to wreak havoc. Whether it's early game or late game, players should be aware of any incoming sneak attack.
In the defensive area, some Age of Empires 4 Civilizations have it handled without much effort. These defensive nations have strong buildings that are meant to protect their base from potential invaders. The strength is obtained from extra building's HP, powerful units, or unique technologies. Even the most offensive factions should think twice before mindlessly charging on these Civilizations.
Updated December 24th, 2021 by Russ Boswell: Age of Empires has been captivating fans for months now, with many players starting to get comfortable with their favorite civilization. More and more players are hopping into Age of Empires 4 in the hopes of dominating the opposition with powerful civilizations and heroes. But there are some gamers out there that are looking for a defensive-minded civilization. But what exactly is the best civilization in Age of Empires 4 for defense? To better help answer that question, the following list has been updated to include even more information regarding defensive civilizations in Age of Empires 4.
English
The English have a unique network between their Town Centers, Keeps, Wall Towers, and Outposts. When enemies enter their perimeter, an alarm will be triggered and the defending units will react faster. Longbowmen can stand behind Walls and defenses, melting any approaching army. This unique English unit has a longer range than all other archers in the game.
In addition, the English can build two Landmarks that act as Keeps, The White Tower and Berkshire Palace. They drastically increase the base's defense. Moreover, since Keeps produce most of the English troops, players can advance through the map and protect their resources with their Keeps.
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire’s buildings have access to a unique ability called Emergency Repairs. It can repair damaged buildings without Villagers. The Romans can also build defensive structures for 25% cheaper. This includes Wall Towers, Keeps, and Outposts.
As for Keeps, this Civilization also has many Technologies that buff their Walls and defenses. If players upgrade Reinforced Defenses, HRE Walls, Gates, and Towers’ HP will be increased by 40%.
Additionally, in the Castle Age, when players are able to pick up Relics, they can place those Relics inside Keeps or other buildings to increase their Armor and performance.
Chinese
The Chinese have a rich Civilization filled with unique buildings and units. However, their true power appears at the endgame, when all their puzzle pieces are in place. To reach the Imperial Age, the Chinese count on their defensive superiority to protect the vast amount of buildings and Landmarks they can construct.
The Chinese Villagers can Construct defenses 50% faster than other Civilizations. In addition, their Keeps have a unique technology called Extra Materials. After upgrading, the Keep will automatically repair all nearby Outposts, Walls, and Wall Towers without Villagers.
When advancing to the Feudal Age, the Barbican of the Sun Landmark possesses a long-range Cannon, and garrisoned troops will shoot Arrow Slits. However, their best defensive Landmark is the Great Wall of Gatehouse; built to advance to the Imperial Age, this gate increases all Walls' HP by 100% and provides defending troops nearby with 50% more damage.
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate operates in a similar capacity to the Chinese, by making use of incredibly powerful late-game units that are capable of bullying opponents and keeping them on their toes. Their War Elephant is a powerful, beefy unit that is capable of shredding through defensive structures, buildings, and walls, making it perfect for taking out enemy bases but the Tower War Elephant gives defensive-minded players access to a mobile turret of sorts.
Gamers can position these large units outside their cities and walls, giving them a great defensive weapon that can be repositioned should a player attack. During Age 4, the Sultanate will produce these powerful units periodically, helping players to save on resources.
Although the Delhi Sultanate is capable of great offense and solid defense against raids, it is important to note that it suffers in the early game compared to other civilizations. Players will need to utilize Scholars, the Delhi Sultanate's variant of a Monk, to help them speed up their research and unlock upgrades faster. Players that can keep the course and defend against attacks without wasting precious research time will find themselves in a great position to steamroll the opponent in the late game.
Age of Empires 4 was released on October 28, 2021, and is currently available on PC.