Fast Castle · Imperial Palace — Chinese AoE4
Mill, gold, Academy at 2:20 (0:00–3:13)
Reach Age II around 3:13: a Mill close to the base, 2 villagers on gold, then the Imperial Academy built by 3 villagers at 2:20, facing the wood and the Mill.
- 0:01 — A Mill close to the base, and near the wood if possible: the Imperial Academy will have to sit next to the Mill and the Lumber Camp.
- — Rally on gold for 2 villagers: the first builds a Mining Camp, the second a House.
- — Rally on food until you can afford the Imperial Academy.
- 2:20 — Age up: 3 villagers build the Imperial Academy; 2 food villagers move to wood, and the next villager is rallied to wood.
Scouts, army, then Imperial Palace (3:13)
Raise 3 Imperial Officials, 5 Scouts and the first production buildings by 6:00, decide at 7:00 between staying in Age II and going to the Castle Age, then start the Imperial Palace at 9:30 with 8 villagers.
- 3:13 — Age II: produce 2 Imperial Officials; the Academy builders put up a Lumber Camp.
- — The first Imperial Official supervises the Lumber Camp, or whichever economy building has the most villagers.
- 3:49 — A Village, built by any villager, wherever it is best placed.
- — The second Imperial Official supervises the Mill; remember to micro for more gold. With low APM, take a third Imperial Official.
- 4:16 — Build a Stable; 3 villagers move to food.
- — A Horseman from the Stable, supervised by an Imperial Official, then Scouts.
- 5:10 — Professional Scouts.
- — Go up to 5 Scouts, counting the free one; one scouts the opponent, unless it isn’t needed.
- — A third Imperial Official.
- 6:00 — Archery Range and Barracks: Spearmen and Archers, or mass Horsemen and Spearmen against cavalry and archers.
- — Wheelbarrow and Horticulture; Double Broadax if you play offensively.
- 7:00 — Decide: fight in Age II, or go up to the Castle Age.
- 7:30 — Pump up the gold to reach Age III.
- 8:20 — Double Broadax and a Market.
- 9:30 — Age up to Age III: 8 villagers build the Imperial Palace.
Imperial Palace and Farms ()
Keep growing the economy in Age III and slowly transition to Farms around minute 14.
- — Around minute 14: slow transition to Farms.
Tips
- Five Scouts in total, counting the free one: one scouts the opponent, the others hunt deer.
- At 7:00, decide: fight in Age II or go up to the Castle Age; at 7:30, pump up the gold for Age III.
- Against cavalry and archers: mass Horsemen and Spearmen; otherwise Spearmen and Archers, with the Archery Range and the Barracks from 6:00.
- With low APM, a third Imperial Official keeps you from missing taxes; otherwise, micro the Mill for more gold.
- Variant (Liam): the Astronomical Clocktower at 8:30 instead of the Imperial Palace.
Source: AoE4 Guides