Early aggression — French AoE4
Early Wheelbarrow, school at 2:50 (0:00–4:30)
Research Wheelbarrow at 0:35, click Age II at 2:50 with 16 villagers and build the School of Cavalry: Age II at 4:30 with 21 villagers.
- 0:00 — Start: 2 villagers on sheep, 3 on gold, 1 builder who puts down a Mill and then a House.
- 0:35 — Research Wheelbarrow.
- 0:55 — The builder joins the sheep.
- 1:30 — Scout: if the opponent is an aggressive civilization and you see a Barracks, 4 sheep villagers go to gold to speed up the age-up.
- 2:50 — Age up: 4 sheep villagers build the School of Cavalry, 3 others go to wood. Rally on sheep to produce Royal Knights nonstop, regularly sending villagers to wood to keep building.
Two production plans (4:30)
Produce units nonstop to force the opponent onto farms early or into dying, without ever committing fully: 35 villagers at 9:00 (14 on food, 11 on wood, 10 on gold).
- 4:30 — Age II: Survival Techniques soon (or Horticulture if the villagers are still on sheep and not on deer), Royal Knights, then Specialized Pick and Double Broadax.
- 6:00 — Two options. An Archery Range with the rally on wood, for Royal Knights and Archers; or a second Stable and then 2 Archery Ranges (good against 2 TC builds), which needs 10 villagers on gold.
- 9:00 — Produce units nonstop, then let the opponent run out of food while you expand and take the map’s resources. Split for the second option.
Tips
- Archers against Spearmen, Royal Knights against Horsemen: choose the composition from what the opponent produces.
- At 14 Royal Knights, split off 4 for discreet raids on the villagers and keep 10 in the fight.
- After a big fight that leaves several Royal Knights low on HP, Chivalry - II heals them: research it at that moment.
- Do not die by overcommitting: the goal is to wear the opponent down, not to kill him at any cost.
Source: AoE4 Guides