How to win at Age of Empires II
Age of Empires II is one of the world's most popular real-time strategy games. Developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft in 1999, the game still has a large fan base and an active online community.
If you're a fan of the game and want to improve your strategic skills to win against your opponents, you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll provide you with some useful tips on how to win at Age of Empires II.
Knowing the Civilizations
The first thing you need to do to win at Age of Empires II is to know the civilizations present in the game well. Each civilization has its unique strengths and weaknesses, so it's important to know what their strengths are and how to use them to your advantage.
- For example, the Mongol civilization is famous for their ability to train cavalry archers, while the Viking civilization focuses on producing warships.
- In addition, some civilizations may have special bonuses that can affect your gameplay, such as the Byzantine civilization which has better defense than other civilizations.
Therefore, take the time to study each civilization present in Age of Empires II and understand their unique characteristics.
Knowing the Map and Resources
To win at Age of Empires II, it's important to know the map you're playing on and the available resources. Each map has unique features that influence gameplay, such as the presence of rivers, mountains, or forests. Additionally, each map offers a different amount of resources, such as food, wood, gold, and stone.
Resources
Resources are essential for building buildings, training military units, and developing advanced technologies. Here's a brief description of the main resources in Age of Empires II:
- Food: Food is necessary to maintain population and train military units. It can be collected from farms, fishing or hunting;
- Wood: Wood is necessary to build buildings and ships. It can be collected from trees;
- Gold: Gold is necessary to train advanced military units and develop advanced technologies. It can be collected from gold mines;
- Stone: Stone is necessary to build advanced buildings and fortifications. It can be collected from stone mines.
It's important to learn how to manage resources efficiently. For example, if you're playing on a map with few wood resources, it's important to use it sparingly and look for alternatives like collecting food or using other units to gather resources.
Map
The map greatly affects the game strategy. Here are some examples:
- Rivers: Rivers can only be crossed by certain units and can pose an obstacle for opponents;
- Forests: Forests can provide wood but also hide enemy troops;
- Mountains: Mountains can be difficult to cross and often represent an excellent defensive position;
In addition, it is important to know the arrangement of resources on the map. For example, if there are gold mines near your base, it will be advantageous to protect them from enemy attacks.
In general, knowledge of the map and available resources can make the difference between a victory and a defeat in Age of Empires II. Carefully studying these aspects of the game can lead to winning strategies and more effective gameplay.
Choosing the Right Civilization
Choosing the right civilization is crucial to winning at Age of Empires II. Each civilization has its own unique characteristics, special units, and advanced technologies that can make a difference in battle.
Before choosing a civilization, it is important to consider your playstyle and preferences. If you prefer a defensive approach, it may be better to choose a civilization with good defenses and ranged units. If you prefer an aggressive approach, it may be better to choose a civilization with fast units and devastating attacks.
Civilizations Recommended for Defensive Playstyle:
- The Byzantines: have stronger walls and advanced technologies to improve them.
- The Chinese: have access to cheaper watchtowers and advanced technologies to improve them.
- The Koreans: have a unique fortress that can withstand enemy attacks.
Civilizations Recommended for Aggressive Playstyle:
- The Mongols: have fast light cavalry and deadly horse archers.
- The Turks: have devastating heavy artillery and better siege units.
- The Vikings: have strong melee combat units and advanced technologies to improve them.
Remember that choosing the right civilization also depends on the map you are playing on. For example, if you are playing on a map with a lot of water, it may be better to choose a civilization with good naval units like the Vikings or Koreans.
Finally, don't forget to take advantage of your civilization's unique characteristics during the game. Use special units and advanced technologies to gain an advantage over your opponents.
Building a Solid Base
Building a solid base is crucial to winning at Age of Empires II. A good base allows you to gather resources, create units, and defend against enemy attacks.
Choosing the Right Site
Before starting to build your base, it is important to choose the right site. Look for an area with plenty of available resources, such as forests, mines, and hunting grounds. Also, make sure the area is easily defensible, with few access points for attackers.
Planning the Layout of Your Base
After choosing the right site, plan the layout of your base. Start by building the Town Center and position it in the center of your area. Then, build farms near the cultivated fields and mills near sources of water. Also position barracks and archives near the resource production area.
Defending the Base
Defending your base is just as important as building it correctly. Build walls around your base to protect it from enemy attacks. Also, place watchtowers along the walls to increase the security of your base.
- Remember to place watchtowers in strategic points, such as near the gates or along the borders of your base.
- Also build a garrison to defend your base. A garrison is a group of units that remain in your base and only move when the base is attacked.
Creating a Balanced Army
One of the keys to winning at Age of Empires II is having a balanced army. This means that the army should be composed of different units, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
Choosing the Right Type of Unit
Firstly, it's important to understand what types of units are available in the game and how they behave in battle. There are four main types of units:
- Infantry Units - such as swordsmen and pikemen
- Cavalry Units - such as knights and cavalry archers
- Siege Units - such as mangonels and catapults
- Ranged Units - such as archers and crossbowmen
Each type of unit has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, infantry units are effective against cavalry units but weak against ranged units. On the other hand, cavalry units can move quickly on the map but are vulnerable to opponent's traps.
How to Create a Balanced Army
To create a balanced army, you need to choose a combination of these units that work well together. For example, you could create an army composed of:
- Swordsmen - to counter enemy infantry units
- Knights - to quickly attack enemy ranged units
- Crossbowmen - to hit enemies from afar
- Mangonels - to destroy enemy buildings and siege units
This way, your army will have good coverage against different types of enemy units. However, it's also important to consider the opponent's strategy and adapt accordingly.
Other Factors to Consider
In addition to choosing the right units, there are other factors to consider when creating a balanced army. For example:
- Technological level: make sure you have access to the latest technologies available to improve your units.
- Resources: make sure you have enough resources to create and maintain your army.
- Battle tactics: use tactics such as flanking or hit and run to defeat your opponents.
Take the necessary time to plan and create a balanced army. This way, you'll be able to face any challenge the game presents you with and win battles.
Maximizing the use of technologies
One of the keys to winning at Age of Empires II is maximizing the use of available technologies. There are many different technologies in the game, each of which can provide a significant strategic advantage.
Early game phase
In the early game phase, priority should be given to gathering resources and building your economy. However, do not underestimate the importance of some fundamental technologies such as:
- Wheelbarrow: This technology increases the speed at which peasants collect resources, allowing you to accumulate resources more quickly.
- Horse Collar: This technology improves the productivity of farm animals, increasing the food they produce.
- Double-Bit Axe: This technology improves the speed at which peasants cut down trees, allowing you to obtain wood more quickly.
Mid-game phase
In the mid-game phase, you can begin to focus on creating an army and defending your base. Some of the important technologies in this phase include:
- Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, and Bracer: These technologies improve the accuracy and damage of archers, making them more effective in battle.
- Forging, Iron Casting, and Blast Furnace: These technologies improve the strength and damage of melee units such as knights and swordsmen.
- Ballistics: This technology improves the accuracy of projectiles launched by towers and castles.
Late-game phase
In the late-game phase, technologies become even more important. Some of the fundamental technologies for winning include:
- Siege Engineers: This technology increases the damage inflicted by siege machines such as trebuchets and cannons.
- Chemistry: This technology improves the damage inflicted by units that use ranged weapons such as crossbowmen or bombardiers.
- Paladin: This technology transforms your knights into paladins, which are much stronger and more resistant to damage.
Make sure to carefully study all available technologies in the game and choose those that best fit your strategy. Also remember to plan carefully when to purchase technologies: some may be expensive and require many resources, so it may be necessary to wait until your economy is sufficiently developed to allow you to purchase them.
Attacking the opponent with intelligence
Attacking the opponent is a fundamental part of the game, but doing it with intelligence can make the difference between victory and defeat. Here are some tips on how to attack the opponent effectively:
1. Know the weaknesses of the opponent
Before attacking, it's important to know the weaknesses of the opponent. For example, if the opponent has a heavy cavalry army, they may be vulnerable to ranged archers or light infantry units.
2. Attack with multiple armies simultaneously
Attacking with multiple armies simultaneously can confuse the opponent and make them unable to defend effectively. Additionally, it can be useful to attack from different directions to divide their attention.
3. Use guerrilla tactics
Using guerrilla tactics can be very effective against an opponent who has a larger army than one's own. For example, fast units can be used to attack the opponent's supplies or to destroy important buildings without having to face their main army.
4. Attack when the opponent is engaged elsewhere
Attacking when the opponent is engaged elsewhere can be very effective. For example, if the opponent is attacking an ally or building a fortress in a remote area, they may not be able to defend adequately against a sudden attack.
5. Use special units
Special units can be very useful for attacking the opponent. For example, the French have access to Frankish knights, which are particularly effective against ranged archers. Additionally, many civilizations have units with special abilities, such as the ability to heal other units or destroy buildings faster.
- Always remember to be careful with your army and avoid losing too many units unnecessarily;
- If possible, try to attack when you have a numerical or technological advantage;
- Do not underestimate the importance of defenses: before attacking, it's important to evaluate the strength of the opponent's defenses and look for any weaknesses.
By following these tips and using an intelligent strategy, it will be possible to successfully attack the opponent and move towards victory!
Conclusion
In summary, winning at Age of Empires II requires a combination of strategy, tactics, and skill. It's important to have a good understanding of the available units, their strengths, and weaknesses.
It's equally important to be able to adapt to constantly changing game conditions and make the best use of available resources. This also means being able to carefully plan your economy and defenses.
Finally, to become a true champion of Age of Empires II, it's necessary to gain experience through constant practice and learning from defeats. There's nothing wrong with learning from mistakes and continuously improving.
- Always remember to have a well-defined strategy;
- Learn to make the best use of the resources at your disposal;
- Be flexible and adapt your strategy to game conditions;
- Plan your economy and defenses carefully;
- Practice constantly to improve your skills;
- Learn from your mistakes and don't be afraid to try new strategies.
By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to becoming an expert Age of Empires II player and winning against any opponent.
Michael Anderson - Software Engineer
My name is Michael Anderson, and I work as a computer engineer in Midland, Texas.
My passion is sharing my knowledge in various areas, and my purpose is to make education accessible to everyone. I believe it is essential to explain complex concepts in a simple and interesting way.
With GlobalHowTo, I aim to motivate and enrich the minds of those who want to learn.