Fast Castle · Hippodrome — Macedonian Dynasty AoE4
Hippodrome started at 2:25 (0:00–4:00)
Reach Age II at 4:00 with 17 villagers (9 on food, 6 on wood, 2 on gold) and an Imperial Hippodrome built by 4 villagers who start it at 2:25.
- 0:00 — 5 villagers on sheep; the sixth builds a Varangian Warcamp. Rally on gold until 2 miners, then on food until the age-up.
- 0:40 — The next 2 villagers go to gold; the first builds a Mining Camp. After that, every new villager goes to sheep.
- 2:25 — Age up with the Imperial Hippodrome: 4 villagers from the sheep build it, then return to food. 2 sheep villagers go to wood, with the rally point on wood until 6.
- — A House, then an Outpost near the gold as soon as possible, around 4:00. Once 6 villagers are on wood, the rally point goes back to food.
Two horsemen, then the Tower (4:00–8:30)
Harass with 2 Hippodrome Horsemen and the free Hippodrome Scout while gathering the gold for the age-up (about 450): 5 more miners at 6:30, then the Golden Horn Tower, built by 8 villagers.
- 4:00 — Age II: the 4 builders go back to the sheep. Queue 2 Hippodrome Horsemen right away.
- 4:30 — As soon as the second Horseman is queued: 5 food villagers to stone, just long enough to collect 50 stone for the Outpost’s Arrowslits. The 6 wood villagers leave: 3 to gold, 3 to food. The author counts about 290 wood to keep on hand for the Horsemen, the Houses and the buildings.
- 5:30 — Varangian Arsenal finished: Scale Barding right away. The 5 stone villagers have gone back to food; the rally point stays on food.
- 6:30 — When the gold nears the 450 needed for the age-up, 5 food villagers move to gold.
- — Age up with the Golden Horn Tower: 8 food villagers build it next to gold, deer or berries, so that it covers those resources.
Upgrades, then Riddari (8:30)
Strengthen the economy once the age is reached: new villagers to gold and wood, the upgrades, then constant Riddari and a Monastery to go and fetch the relics.
- — Age III: new villagers go to gold and wood, with the rally point on food. Research Specialized Pick, Double Broadax, Survival Techniques and Horticulture as soon as possible, along with the military upgrades.
- — Riddari come out of the Imperial Hippodrome, and the Varangian Warcamp switches to Riddari too.
- — A Monastery as soon as possible to go and fetch the relics, with Riddari protecting them if needed. Later, a Stable or a Varangian Stronghold to produce even more Riddari.
Tips
- The Hippodrome Horsemen and the free Hippodrome Scout are for harassing. Azure’s variant: a single Horseman queued at 3:53, 2 or 3 if you prefer to play it safe.
- Place the Golden Horn Tower on gold, deer or berries to cover them; if that is too risky, wherever it earns the most.
- Azure’s variant: Age II at 3:53 (age-up started at 2:16), Golden Horn Tower started at 7:12 with 8 villagers, and Blade Inlaying while waiting.
- The 5 stone villagers only stay long enough to gather 50 stone for the Outpost’s Arrowslits, which protect the gold.
- Against the heavy cavalry of Age II (French, Japanese), look at “Fast Castle against Feudal Knights” instead: Atgeirmaðr and a Varangian Stronghold earlier.
Source: AoE4 Guides