Strengths and weaknesses of the different civilizations in Age of Empires 4
In Age of Empires 4, Relic Entertainment invites you to take control of 8 different civilizations These include the French, the English, the Chinese, the Mongols, the Rus', the Delhi Sultanate, the Abbasid Dynasty and the Holy Roman Empire. This guide looks at the strengths and weaknesses of the different civilisations to help you decide which one to play.
The estimated difficulty for each civilisation is a score out of 3 ★. This is the one proposed by the developers.
The French
Estimated difficulty : ★ ☆ ☆
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the French?
Benefits
- Easy to handle
- Powerful army with royal knights and crossbowmen
- Unrivalled on the water charts with the best fleet in the game
- Savings bonuses at every age
Disadvantages
- Predictable strategy
- Many players use it
For more information, see our guide to the French.
The English
Estimated difficulty : ★ ☆ ☆
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the English?
Benefits
- Reduced wood costs and increased farm profitability
- Stronger villagers
- Very good defensive buildings
- Best archers in the game
- Attack speed
Disadvantages
- Few single units
- Restricted mobility of the army
- Gameplay potentially a little flat
- Predictable strategy
For more information, see our guide to the English.
The Rus'
Estimated difficulty : ★ ★ ☆
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Rus'?
Benefits
- Interesting maritime force
- Stable and diversified economy
- Warrior-monks are very useful
- Streltsy are extremely powerful
- Very strong civilisation at the end of the game
Disadvantages
- Success based on economics
- No access to stone walls
For more information, see our guide to the Rus'..
The Abbasid Dynasty
Estimated difficulty : ★ ★ ☆
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Abbasids?
Benefits
- Effective against all types of cavalry
- Bonus on berry harvest
- Infantry capable of building siege engines
- Highly effective pikemen in large numbers
- Golden Age Bonus
- Wings of Wisdom Bonus
- Construction of wings without villagers
Disadvantages
- Harvesting of wild boar impossible
- More difficult rush at the beginning of the game
- Construction of buildings constrained by proximity to the House of Wisdom
- Camels are not so strong
For more information, see our guide to the Abbasid Dynasty.
The Holy Roman Empire
Estimated difficulty : ★ ★ ☆
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Holy Roman Empire?
Benefits
- Strong and important economy
- Very interesting profits via relics
- Large and rapidly deployable army
- Strong defences
Disadvantages
- Expensive army
For more information, see our guide to the Romans.
The Chinese
Estimated difficulty : ★ ★ ★
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Chinese?
Benefits
- Possibility to cumulate age buildings
- Very interesting bonuses thanks to dynasties
- Speed of fortification
- Many unique and strong units
- Variety of possible gameplays
- Free chemistry at age IV
Disadvantages
- Dynasty system is difficult to handle
- Non-cumulative dynasty bonuses
- Civilization rather slow at the beginning of the game
- Access to the grenadiers is very difficult
- Strategy a little unclear
For more information, see our guide to the Chinese.
The Mongols
Estimated difficulty : ★ ★ ★
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Mongolians?
Benefits
- Mobility of civilisation
- Unlocking the maximum limit of villagers from the start
- Interesting mobile army
- Duplication of units near the Ovoo
- Easy to handle when you understand how it works
- No villagers deployed on stone harvesting, so used elsewhere
- Possibility of early rush due to available riders at age I
- Yam's network enhances unit mobility and efficiency
- Continued sheep production through "Grazing".
Disadvantages
- No farm. Requires an alternative food source
- Mobility of civilisation
- Dependence on stone
- Layout of buildings constrained to proximity to the Ovoo to obtain bonuses
- Impossible to build walls
For more information, see our guide to the Mongols.
The Sultanate of Delhi
Estimated difficulty : ★ ★ ★
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Sultanate of Delhi?
Benefits
- Free technologies
- Bonus on berry harvest
- Very strong on the water maps at the beginning of the game thanks to the fishing boats
- Easy endgame if access to elephants
Disadvantages
- Harvesting of wild boar impossible
- More complicated start to the game if it is not a water card
- Scholars are in demand for gold
- Mainly elephant-based strategy
For more information, see our guide to the Sultanate of Delhi.
The Ottomans
Estimated difficulty : ★ ★ ☆
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Ottomans?
Benefits
- The big bombs are overpowered
- Presence of military schools on the water
- Take advantage of the bushes to get food easily
- Free military production
Disadvantages
- Requires a good stock of resources
- A little slow at the beginning of the game
- Easily countered if you don't have guns in your ranks
For more information, see our guide to the Ottomans.
The Malians
Estimated difficulty : ★ ★ ★
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Malians?
Benefits
- Very good access to gold
- Higher speed of house building than other civilisations
- Possibility to easily create ambushes
- Easy start to the game
Disadvantages
- Highly dependent on gold
- Possible lack of population at the end of the game
For more information, see our guide to Malians.
Each civilisation has its advantages and disadvantages. Some of them will require more training to fully master their operation. Don't hesitate to test them all to find the one that best suits your playing style. If you are new to Age of Empire 4, you may want to look at the French and English ones.
A detailed tier-list is also available to help you in your choice.
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