The Basics of Age of Empires II

Age of Empires II is a real-time strategy game released in 1999, in which players build up their empire from nothing and try to dominate their enemies. The game is set in the medieval period and features civilizations from around the world, each with their unique strengths and weaknesses.

To win the game, players must manage their resources carefully, build up their population, create an army, and defeat their opponents. This guide will provide you with everything you need to know about building your empire and dominating your enemies.

Choosing Your Civilization

When you start a new game, the first thing you need to do is choose your civilization. Each civilization has its unique strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to choose one that fits your playstyle.

For example, the Britons are excellent archers, while the Franks have powerful knights. The Mongols are known for their fast cavalry, and the Aztecs have powerful infantry units.

Make sure you read the descriptions of each civilization carefully and choose one that plays to your strengths.

Managing Your Resources

In Age of Empires II, there are four resources you need to manage: food, wood, gold, and stone.

• Food: Used to train units and research technologies.
• Wood: Used to build buildings and create units.
• Gold: Used to hire mercenaries, research technologies, and advance through the ages.
• Stone: Used to build advanced buildings and defenses.

It’s essential to balance the amount of resources you have coming in and going out. Make sure you don’t run out of any resources, or you’ll be in big trouble.

Building Your Empire

Now that you have chosen your civilization and understand how to manage your resources, it’s time to start building your empire.

The first step is to build your town center, which is the heart of your empire. From there, you can start constructing buildings and training units.

Make sure you’re building a variety of buildings to meet your civilization’s needs. For example, if you play as the Aztecs, you’ll want to focus on building infantry buildings, while if you play as the Britons, you’ll want to focus on archery buildings.

Creating Your Army

Once you have some buildings up and running, it’s time to create your army. The key is to build a balanced army that has a mix of units to counter whatever your opponent throws at you.

For example, if your opponent has a lot of archers, you’ll want to counter with cavalry. If they have a lot of cavalry, you’ll want to counter with spearmen.

Make sure you’re researching technologies to improve your units and building upgrades to enhance your army’s power.

Conquering Your Enemies

When you’re ready to start attacking your enemies, make sure you have a plan. Rushing in blindly can be a recipe for disaster.

Scout out your opponent’s base and look for weaknesses. If they have a lot of archers, you’ll want to attack with cavalry or siege weapons to take them out. If they have a lot of infantry, you’ll want to attack with archers or cavalry.

Make sure you’re keeping an eye on your resources as you attack. Running out of resources mid-battle can result in a quick defeat.

Advanced Strategies

Once you have the basics down, there are many advanced strategies you can employ to give yourself an edge over your opponents.

For example, you can use hit-and-run tactics with cavalry to harass your opponent’s villagers and disrupt their economy. Or, you can create a “death ball” army of powerful units that can take out anything in their path.

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to advanced strategies. Make sure you’re keeping an eye on your opponent’s tactics and adjusting your strategy accordingly.