- Use terrain to your advantage. Changes in elevation slow down your opponents, and high ground is an excellent place to position archers and seize weapons because units at higher elevations deal higher damage, while units at lower elevations deal only three-quarters of their full damage potential, which makes plateaus excellent places to build fortified bases.
Tailor your strategies to suit the terrain. Levels with many islands, for instance, emphasize control over the seas, an excellent way to hamper you enemies' movements and control fishing.
Economy is key in Age of Empires. Villagers should be set to gathering shore fish first, which yield the most food, then to gathering berries and only then to farming. Your next priority should be wood.
When cutting down trees to gather wood, don't destroy those trees, which form natural protective walls surrounding your base. On the other hand, furtively chop down trees to make your own path into your enemy's base for a sneak attack and gather lumber at the same time.
Spread your base of operations. The more locations you have bases in, the harder you will be to remove and the more time you will have to build up your forces while your opponent struggles to figure out where to strike. - Whenever you engage in combat, do so with troops that are greater in number and more technologically advanced than those of your opponent and also with troop-types equipped to exploit the weaknesses in your opponents troop-types.
Troops produced by academies, including hoplites and centurions, are well-suited to attack cavalry but ill-suited to attack artillery units and archers, while cavalry is well-suited to attack artillery units and archers but poorly suited for attacking academy-type troops.
Try to find and destroy your opponent's base before he can develop forces that rival your forces. A particularly aggressive strategy to use is to build defensive towers or unit-producing structures inside their base.
When assaulting enemy fortifications, use long-range artillery bombardments to destroy walls and towers and to force enemy soldiers out of hiding.
Economic concerns are as important for your opponent as they are for you. Target enemy villagers whenever you can, this will force your opponent to make more villagers instead of military units that can be used against you.
Possessing control of the seas means you can use transports to land soldiers at undefended sections of your enemy's base, preferably while your opponent is focused on fighting at the front lines. This can allow you to wreak havoc on that player's economy and possibly defeat him outright.
Don't forget about your priests, who can be used to convert your enemy's most powerful units, and even defensive structures, to your side.
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