Cavalry and gunpowder tend to work pretty well for me, and I'd rather field a sophisticated army late-game than try to rush a foe early on.
#Age of empires 1 tech tree crack#
In any case, I did promise to take a crack at pinpointing the "best" civilization in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, so here's my take: I like the Spanish, the Huns, the Turks and the Mongols. Consider each race's benefits as a bonus rather than a crutch, and you'll be better off in the long run. You'll always need resources you'll always need buildings you'll always need a standing army of some kind. Truthfully, the same core principles apply for most races it's just the units and technologies you'll want to emphasize that differ.
#Age of empires 1 tech tree how to#
(Image credit: Tom's Guide) How to chooseĮxperienced players don't need me to tell them the best way to learn a new race: play random map games and select "random" when you choose a civilization. Or try them out diving into the deep end is also a perfectly good way to learn. Try anything that says "Infantry civilization," "Cavalry civilization" or "Archer civilization." If a civilization combines two aspects (the Vikings, for example, are an "Infantry and naval civilization,") save them for later. Here's a good rule of thumb: In the tech tree, just below each civilization's name, you'll see a descriptor of their general playstyle. Other good choices include the Teutons, the Franks, the Ethiopians, the Japanese and the Persians. Of course, experienced players can rout a Longbowman battalion - but that's true of any army that leans too heavily on one particular unit. Protect your base with these archers, and an enemy will have a tough time getting close attack a base with them, and enemy soldiers will fall just as soon as they appear. Fully upgraded, an army of Longbowmen can annihilate almost any kind of unit before it even gets close. The Britons have one of the very best unique units in the game: the Longbowman. If you're tired of being harassed by Britons in the first two campaigns, give the race a try yourself. But if survivability is a concern, the Byzantines are hard to beat.
I would argue that mastering the Byzantines is more about late-game performance, and the race's "jack-of-all-trades" approach can leave new players a little paralyzed with choice. Skirmishers, spearmen and camels are cheaper, so it's easy to pump out units to specifically counter whatever kind of early-game rush you might face. Their buildings are more durable right off the bat, and they get Town Watch, a technology that increases line-of-sight early on, for free. The Byzantines are a fairly conventional choice for new players, and it's easy to see why. Some players on Reddit and Steam argue that this builds "bad habits" for new players, and they're not wrong - but there are plenty of other skills to learn without focusing on population growth. You start with your population cap at maximum. Although the Huns start with a deficit of wood, the trade-off is more than worthwhile: You'll never need to build houses. This civilization can create awesome cavalry archers, and their unique Tarkan cavalry are great for hit-and-run attacks against enemy outposts, as Tarkans can demolish buildings with ease. Here's a somewhat controversial take: I like the Huns for new players. There's something to be said for familiarity. The Celts are straightforward to play, but more important than that, they're probably the first civilization that first-timers will encounter in the game, through the comprehensive William Wallace Learn to Play campaign. Their siege weapons fire a little faster it's easier for them to find and keep sheep, which are an important early-game food source. The Celts are an infantry civilization whose soldiers have a bonus to movement speed. Bear in mind that any strategies I give a) are not guaranteed to work in every situation and b) will almost definitely not work at higher levels of play.įirst off, there's the Celts. I'm going to focus on a handful of races that can set up good early defenses, or can lean on a handful of unit types, or don't need to expend too many resources to get off the ground. Still, some civilizations are more straightforward than others. Some are going to seek naval supremacy some are going to want a balanced army some are going to want to turtle up and seek economic victory. Each player is going to approach Age of Empires II a different way. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) The best Age of Empires II civilization for new playersĪt the risk of giving a non-answer, there is no "best" civilization for new players, just as there is no "best" civilization overall.