Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings Game Tips

The Age of Empires 2 version added new civilizations, updated the graphics, and kept the game relevant to the new meta. Therefore, this is a great time to start stepping into this real-time strategy game masterpiece.

In this article, learn important tips to know when playing Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings.

Know the keyboard shortcuts

Age of Empires 2 has a complex system of shortcuts, used to maximize unit generation, build buildings, and gather resources in the most efficient way possible. Even going straight to the center of town will have a shortcut.

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Age of Empires 2 has a lot to explore, and players can't spend the entire game moving their mouse to the edge of the screen and looking for everything. Even learning a few basic keyboard shortcuts can save valuable time when trying to keep up with your enemies.

Choose the right map

The choice of map also makes a difference when playing AoE 2. There is a more suitable map to play, depending on the level of experience, civilization,.

The two best maps for beginners are Arena and Black Forest as they give early defense boost. The Arena begins with a Dark Age settlement surrounded by a stone wall. The Black Forest has a multitude of trees that act as a buffer against enemy invasions.

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It is important to choose a map that best suits the civilization you want to play. For example, if you're playing on a map without water, think twice before picking the Koreans, as one of their best units is the Turtle Ship.

Using Scouts Correctly

At the start of AoE 2, the only possible military unit is a scout and it is invaluable for early game efforts.

The Dark Age begins with the map being covered in a black fog of war, making it impossible to see any enemies there. Resources and Ruins, which give a lot of Gold, can also be in the fog.

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The player can manually control where the scouts go or through the game's Auto Scout feature. Avoid putting the Scout in any danger, as he will likely die easily.

While it's not the only scouts, it will take some time to acquire other military units.

Don't waste food

One of the worst things that can be done in Dark Age is wasting food. The player will start the game with herdable animals that are slaughtered easily and, importantly, harvest their meat efficiently.

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When a Villager collects enough meat from an animal, they will walk to the nearest place that accepts it. However, walking to somewhere takes time and the meat spoils in that time.

To avoid food waste, slaughter animals close to where they need to be. At this point, the Villager just needs to get up to deliver the meat where it needs to go. Put multiple Villagers on an animal so they can all consume that food at the same time.

Marvin Fry

Update 19 April 2022