Winning matches in Age of Empires 4 requires good resources management and strategies. Gamers have to understand their enemies’ schemes while devising their own plans.
Currently, Age of Empires 4 has eight different Civilizations. Each of them is unique and offers a variety of playstyle. Unsurprisingly enough, all these Civilizations share the same needs for the resources scattered on the map. Later in the match, the gameplay will revolve around who can better dominate these commodities. To reach the point of dominance, players have to make sure they start the game correctly.
English
The English have the most balanced Civilization in Age of Empires 4. This stability came from their Keeps, a building where players can recruit all kinds of troops from. To effectively dive into battles with the English, players should consider these tips:
- All resources are important for the English since each resource has its own use.
- When distributing Villagers, prioritize sending them to mine Gold and gather Food, capping at 15 and 20 respectively.
- It's crucial to construct Farms around each Mill.
- When advancing to the Feudal Age, it’s better to build Council Hall. The Landmark produces Longbowmen faster.
- Feudal Age is when players have to start mining Stone, getting ready for Keeps in the next Age.
- Prioritize advancing to the Castle Age without building any army. Longbowmen are enough and they don't require Gold.
- When ready to move to the third Age, players should choose The White Tower. A defensive Landmark that acts as a keep and can recruit most troops.
- Use Keeps offensively to take over resources around the map.
Chinese
Chinese will enter Dynasties according to the Landmark built. Each Dynasty will unlock different units. This process can be tedious, but starting the game on the right foot can pave the way to a dominant Civilization. Players can follow these steps for a better progression:
- Gold and Food are the most important resources for the Chinese. It is necessary to stack them to reach the fourth Age as fast as possible.
- Do not buy the Imperial Officer in the Dark Age. Instead, wait until building the first Landmark to advance to the Feudal Age.
- Once the resources are ready, players must choose the Imperial Academy to increase their Gold income. The Landmark must be built next to as many structures as possible.
- It is crucial to keep saving Gold and Food specifically to reach the Imperial Age. So it is better not to upgrade many technologies at that Age.
- The technologies that should be upgraded are Imperial Examinations from Imperial Academy, Wheelbarrow, Survival Techniques, and Horticulture from the Mills. Forestry, Double Broadax, and Specialized Pick from Lumberjack and Mining Camps are second in priority.
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate are a strong religious Civilization. They can use their Scholars to speed up their technologies. Most of their upgrades are for free, so it gives them an advantage over other Civilizations. As for their military advantage, the Delhi War Elephants are their powerhouse. They are strong units with impressive offensive and defensive capabilities. Unfortunately, War Elephants require a staggering amount of resources, especially Food. To be able to progressively recruit them, players could follow those steps:
- Since Delhi can upgrade without Gold, players can minimize Gold mining at the start of the game and instead use them to gather Food and Wood.
- No amount of Food is good enough. In this Civilization, Food is always a priority.
- Build a Mosque in the Dark Age but do not buy any Scholar.
- Always upgrade any available upgrade in Mills, Lumberjack, and Mining Camps.
- Advancing to the Feudal Age, players should choose the Dome of the Faith Landmark. Then, players will be able to buy cheaper Scholars. Build Mosques to cover the main and military structures with their influence and use the Dome Landmark to fill them with three Scholars each.
- The Feudal Age is the most important Age for Delhi. Players should start building their army and get ready to mass-produce War Elephants in the next Ages.
- Since all the Gold is going for the War Elephants, it is better to team them with the first Tier of each military building, such as Spearmen, Archers, and Light Cavalry.
- Now, players must prioritize fighting for Gold over the map and protect trading routes between other players’ Markets or neutral Trading Posts.
- While getting ready to move to the third Age, the economic population should cap at 90: 45 Food, 30 Gold, 15 Wood.
Abbasid Dynasty
The Abbasid Dynasty are another balanced Civilization, even in resource management. Camels are unsurprisingly the Abbasids' best troops. The only downside, they require a high amount of Gold, Wood, and Food.
Abbasid pursue to reach the Golden Age, which proves to be beneficial. Both the Golden Age and the House of Wisdom can greatly help the Abbasid with their offensive, defensive, and economic playstyle. To dominate the game with their Camels, players can follow this guide:
- At the start of the game, all Villagers should be distributed equally between Food, Wood, and Gold. Players should produce Villagers not-stop for the first 15 minutes.
- Build the House of Wisdom Landmark and reach the first tier of the Golden Age by building up to ten buildings (can easily be done with houses) around it.
- Advancing to the Feudal Age is a priority. So save the Food and Gold until this point.
- To advance to the second Age, players should upgrade the Economic Wing first from the House of Wisdom.
- Once in the Feudal Age, upgrade the Spearmen and Phalanx from the Barracks. Double Broadax, Forestry, and Specialized Pick from Lumberjack and Mining Camps. Horticulture, Wheelbarrow, and Survival Techniques from Mills. And finally, Fresh Foodstuffs from the House of Wisdom.
- Build Barracks, Archery Range, and Stable; then, start recruiting the first-tier troops.
- Since Food and Wood can be gathered easily, players must fight for Gold on the map and protect Trader routes.
- When advancing to the next Ages, upgrade the Military Wing to reach Castle Age, and the Trade Wing to reach Imperial Age. The Culture Wing can still be upgraded even after the Imperial Age.
Rus
Rus are a Civilization that heavily counts on Cavalry; even their Monk is riding a horse and is considered a Religious Cavalry. Of course, that will make Food and Gold their most valuable resources. The Rus can be very aggressive at the start and deadly by the end of each match.
- From the start, Players should focus their Villagers to gather mostly Food and Gold.
- Players can build Hunting Cabins next to trees. It will generate Gold while Villagers are gathering Food next to it. Be careful not to build too many Hunting Cabins next to each other. They will negate their passive Gold income.
- When reaching the second Age, build The Golden Gate Landmark. Players can visit this Landmark every few minutes to exchange a few hundred resources. It can prove essential in hard times.
- During Feudal Age, Rus got early access to Knights, giving them a great advantage over all Civilizations.
- Players should use that advantage to dominate the map and protect Gold and Trading routes.
- Getting to Castle Age, build Abbey of the Trinity Landmark. It will grant cheap Warrior Monks with important upgrades for these Religious units.
Mongols
The Mongols civilizations are immeasurably mobile; they can reposition their whole base from one place to another. that can give a significant advantage since enemies won’t know where to attack them. Just like the Rus, Mongols also heavily count on their Cavalry with one major difference. Their Mangudai can be recruited by the second Age and can hit arrows while moving. Not pushing enemies very early is a crime to this Civilization.
- When starting, do not build an Ovoo. Instead, locate the Town Center next to trees and build a Ger next to a Gold Vein.
- Players should focus on Gold and Food early on without neglecting Wood and push to the second Age as fast as possible.
- Once having enough resources, build The Silver Tree Landmark and instantly start producing Traders to trade with allies Markets or Neutral Trade Centers.
- After reaching Feudal Age, Wood becomes essential to the Civilization progression.
- Build multiple Pastures next to Gers to increase Food production.
- Build an Ovoo on a Stone Outcropping and relocate The Silver Tree Landmark inside the Ovoo influence. The first Stones produced must be used to double recruit Traders, up to 20.
- Build Outposts the whole way to the chosen Trade destination. It provides the Yam buff, which increases Traders’ movement Speed.
- The first produced Mangudai should keep raiding enemies to kill their Villagers.
- Progressing to Castle Age, construct Steppe Redoubt Landmark. It will further help generate more Gold.
Holy Roman Empire
When starting the game with the Holy Roman Empire, players can instantly recruit a Prelate. It can greatly increase Villagers' gathering rate (when standing next to them). Other than that, Prelate is crucial to gather Relics. For the Romans, Relics can be placed in many buildings to improve their performances.
The Holy Roman Empire have a powerful mix of infantry units. With multiple critical upgrades, they become the strongest infantry in the game.
- When starting the game, assign Villagers to gather Food, Gold, and Wood equally.
- Recruit one Prelate and place it next to the Villagers assigned to gather food.
- When upgrading to the Feudal Age, construct Aachen Chapel Landmark next to a crowd of Villagers. Garrison one Prelate inside the Chapel, and it will boost their production speed.
- Start recruiting Prelate with Villagers and spread them next to each group of gatherers and miners. They can help get to the third Age quickly.
- At this Age, The Holy Roman Empire can recruit Man at Arms. Having a heavy unit this early is always a good advantage.
- Build a Blacksmith and upgrade Marching Drills to increase the movement speed of all infantry. It is crucial for infantry to have that speed boost too soon to help them chase enemies.
- During the Feudal Age, players should prioritize fighting for Gold around the map and increase their Food production.
- When going to the Castle Age, build the Burgrave Palace Landmark. It acts as a Barracks and recruits five infantry at the same speed. This Landmark can help build fast armies but is very expensive. All the work done during the previous Age is to keep this Landmark functioning.
French
This faction exists in almost every online match. Of course, it's not surprising since they possess one of the best two units in the game, Royal Knights and Cannons.
Having a Heavy Cavalry on the early match gives the French a deadly advantage over all other Civilizations. They are fast, armored against arrows, and can burn buildings and Landmarks. If a player manages to recruit 20 Royal Knights, they will hurt any player they choose to push.
- Gold and Food should be prioritized above the other two resources.
- Race to the second Age, and build the School of Cavalry Landmark. Once built, players can now produce Royal Knights 20% faster.
- Build another Stable and keep recruiting the Royal Knights.
- Once players have 20 plus of the Heavy Cavalry, they can push bases and burn everything.
- In Feudal Age, players should keep improving their Food production, fight for Gold, and protect Traders' routes.
- Slowly improve Wood gathering as players advance throughout the Ages. It is needed when the Cannon is unlocked in the Imperial Age.
Age of Empires 4 was released on October 28, 2021, and is currently available on PC.