It’s easy to overlook religious units amidst the hustle and bustle of building an economy and a military simultaneously. Utilizing a civilization’s religious units during a match shouldn’t be discounted. Garrison a small military force nearby to deal with any siege engines and let the castle take care of the rest. They can annihilate entire enemy columns with startling ease. Castles upgraded with further defensive improvements are highly recommended. Placing castles behind stone walls is even better in order to frustrate enemy battering rams. Identify narrow chokepoints where foes have no choice but to tangle with a castle. Therefore, it’s a good strategy, where applicable, to build castles at the entrances to one’s base. They’re formidable structures that won’t be demolished easily without the use of siege engines. Just like in Age of Empires 2, castles in AOE 4 shouldn’t be taken lightly. The player’s own forces simply need to mop up the remainder. Fully upgraded defensive emplacements can shred through enemy formations.
Upgrade buildings too, especially structures such as castles. By the same token, deadlier units end fights a lot sooner. More durable units don’t need to be replaced as often. Promoting a type of unit to the next highest tier should also be done as soon as possible once players advance to the next age. To make units even more effective, players must buy upgrades from buildings such as blacksmiths. Recruiting a large army is only the first step in the process. The best thing about possessing a strong economy is that purchasing upgrades becomes a lot easier. Build those as well to potentially exploit an opponent’s weakness. Every civilization also has its own special units unique to that culture. Possess a little of everything in one’s army: archers, spearmen, swordsmen, cavalry, and siege engines. With enough houses and villagers, players can recruit a pretty significant number of military forces compared to previous games in the series.
Understanding the rock-paper-scissors nature of the game’s combat is vital. Throwing cavalry against spearmen, for instance, isn’t going to work very well. That’s because building a mixed composition of military units cannot be overstated. The game stresses this fact quite a bit in the tutorials.
Once they run out, switch to farming to keep the food flowing. Hunting deer and collecting sheep is viable in the early game. If a water source is nearby, fishing is also an option. Build mills wherever open space is available inside one’s base. Producing a large number of villagers, as outlined in the previous entry, will need a good deal of food as well.įarming is one of the most reliable methods for collecting a constant supply of food. Players must stockpile plenty of it to ensure a steady flow of soldiers to replace losses on the battlefield. Why? Villagers, military units, upgrades, and advancements to the next age require food. All resources in AOE 4 are important but prioritizing food in the early stages of a match is essential.