Fast Imperial · Swabia — Holy Roman Empire AoE4
Meinwerk Palace next to the gold (0:00–5:30)
Click up at 2:45 with 14 villagers: 2 miners build the Meinwerk Palace next to the gold. Age II at 5:30 with 22 villagers.
- 0:00 — The 6 starting villagers on food; the Prelate herds the deer toward a Mill. The first produced villager hunts the deer; the second builds a House next to the Town Center, then a Mining Camp on the gold, with the rally on gold.
- 2:30 — Rally on wood, up to 2 villagers.
- 2:45 — Age up: 2 miners build the Meinwerk Palace, placed right against the gold.
- 3:30 — Rally on the sheep as soon as 2 villagers are on wood.
- 4:30 — Rally still on the sheep; gold climbs to 8 miners.
Cathedral started at 5:40 (5:30–7:00)
Start the Regnitz Cathedral at 5:40 with 8 villagers taken from the deer or the sheep: Age III around 7:00 with 26 villagers.
- 5:30 — Age II reached: 12 villagers on food, 10 on gold.
- 5:40 — Age up: 8 villagers from the deer or the sheep build the Regnitz Cathedral. Send the Prelate toward a relic, and produce another one at the Town Center to pick up relics; rally on food.
Prelates, gold bank, Palace of Swabia (7:00–11:00)
Restart production with at least 4 Prelates, put every villager on food at 950 gold (the relics pay the rest), then start Age IV at 9:40 with 17 builders.
- 7:00 — Cathedral done: restart production and queue a Prelate the moment the building finishes, 4 at minimum.
- 8:30 — Production keeps going, with the rally on food.
- 9:00 — At 950 gold in the bank, every villager moves to food: the relics will bring in the rest.
- 9:40 — Age up to IV: 17 builders place the Palace of Swabia on the woodline; 11 villagers on wood.
Outposts, stone, army (11:00)
Hold the base with Outposts and relics placed on defense, then move from stone to gold once the towers are secured, and build the army.
- 11:00 — Put down Outposts and set the relics up for defense; 10 villagers on stone; rally on wood.
- 14:00 — Once the stone covers every tower, move to gold: a Monastery, Farms, then a Barracks and a Stable for Men-at-Arms and Horsemen.
Tips
- The relics and sacred sites fund Age IV: at 950 gold every villager moves to food, and the relics pay the rest.
- At least 4 Prelates as soon as the Regnitz Cathedral is done: they pick up the relics and inspire the villagers (+35% gathering, according to another author).
- The Meinwerk Palace goes against the gold, the Palace of Swabia on the woodline.
- This plan does not look for a fight: it relies on Outposts and on relics placed on defense in Age IV, around 11:00.
Source: AoE4 Guides