Villager Basics
In the realm of Age of Empires 2 (AoE2), villagers play a foundational role. By increasing your villager count, especially in the early game, you can expedite resource gathering. A general guideline is to maintain 60% of your total population as villagers. For those playing a standard 200 population game, this translates to around 120 villagers.
Your primary objective upon reaching the Castle Age should be constructing two new town centers (TCs). This strategy not only accelerates villager production but also amplifies your settlement’s defense.
Commencing with 200 stone, ensure you amass an additional 275 wood for each town center before you start building. This strategy safeguards you from resource depletion, which can be detrimental to your progress.
Advanced Villager Techniques
Scouting and understanding your immediate surroundings is fundamental. Before you set out on a conquest against your adversaries, take the time to explore your own map. Early in the game, prioritize scouting for essentials like sheep, gold, and stone.
For sustenance in the initial stages, focus on gathering food. This fuels continuous villager production and enables swift progression to the Feudal Age. Hunting boars, elephants, or rhinos can give you an immediate food advantage, making them optimal choices.
However, as you transition to the Feudal Age, you’ll need to adapt. Natural food sources, though efficient initially, begin to deplete. Hence, it’s essential to set up farms, ensuring a consistent food source.
A little-known tactic involves villagers carrying resources. By directing them to construct economic buildings, you can add their carried resources to your stockpile. This can be a game-changer when you’re short on resources. For instance, if a villager carries gold, you can boost your gold reserve by directing them to complete a mill’s construction.
Building Management and Expansion
As the game unfolds, remember that variety is crucial. Although Age of Empires: Definitive Edition showcases 35 unique civilizations, they all harness similar basic units. The differences between civilizations become evident when you refine your strategy and play style. Before diving into a game, analyze the tech tree, and pinpoint areas where your chosen civilization excels.
Efficient building management is a cornerstone of success. By employing hotkeys, especially the “Jump to Town Center” (default: H) and “Idle Villager” (default: period) keys, you can optimize operations. These shortcuts provide quick access to your town center and idle villagers, respectively, ensuring maximum productivity.
Lastly, your town’s physical expansion is equally vital. Upon reaching the Castle Age, consider adding new town centers. Not only will this foster faster villager production, but it also fortifies your base, making it less susceptible to enemy attacks.
Understanding Civilizations
In the broad world of Age of Empires 2, choosing and comprehending the nuances of civilizations is paramount. The game boasts an array of 35 unique civilizations. While this may initially seem overwhelming, understanding the distinctive features and strengths of each can provide a competitive edge.
It’s essential to recognize that while every civilization has access to general units and buildings, specific units or technologies are where they differentiate. These unique units and attributes often shape the game’s strategy, tailoring it to a civilization’s forte.
Before starting a game, invest time in examining the tech tree. By delving deep into this resource, you’ll gain insights into what each civilization can offer. For instance, while one might be more inclined towards infantry, another may have a predilection for naval units. Recognizing these subtleties and adjusting your game plan accordingly can be the difference between victory and defeat.
Scouting and Exploration
In Age of Empires 2, uncovering the fog of war can spell the difference between success and an unforeseen ambush. Scouts are not just early-game units; they’re your eyes on the field. Venturing into unknown terrain reveals essential resources and enemy positions.
The more you understand your surroundings, the better your decisions. Don’t neglect this step; consistent reconnaissance provides invaluable intelligence.
Hotkeys and Control Groups
Efficiency matters in fast-paced battles. Familiarize yourself with hotkeys, a set of keyboard shortcuts that allow for rapid commands without manual clicks. For instance, training units or constructing buildings becomes a breeze.
Next, grouping units into control groups streamlines your army management. By assigning specific numbers to specific batches, you can swiftly command, reposition, or split forces without sifting through the clutter.
Trade and Gold Management
Gold sustains your empire. As mines deplete, trading becomes the lifeline. Establish trade routes with allies using trade carts or ships. Remember, the longer the distance, the more gold you procure. It’s a balance of risk and reward.
Guard these trade lines, for if they’re intercepted, your economy could suffer a blow. Efficient gold management fuels advanced technologies and units, ensuring dominance in the later stages.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Mastery in combat goes beyond mere numbers. Employ varied tactics:
- Elevation: Elevated terrains, like hills, offer an advantage. Ranged units atop these positions deal more damage. Position your archers wisely.
- Flanking: Surrounding your adversary disrupts their formations. Cavalry excel in this, breaking enemy lines and causing chaos.
- Micromanagement: This involves controlling individual or small groups of units during combat to maximize efficiency. For example, dodging arrow fires with cavalry or targeting specific enemy units with your archers.
- Use of Siege: Siege equipment, though slow, can be game-changers. Trebuchets and rams can decimate structures, but protect them from enemy cavalry and infantry.