Although there are a number of civilizations in Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition, naval combat are an important but underappreciated component of the game.
Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition has been published for Xbox systems, and there are a plethora of intriguing ways to engage with the game’s over thirty civilizations. Whether you’re a novice player or a seasoned veteran, one of the most enjoyable ways to play is with a more water-based strategy.
Both offensive and defensive civilizations have competence in ship and dock improvements, which can be easily disregarded as strategies to win, especially on maps with a considerable amount of sea coverage. There are numerous options for those looking for a nautical civilization.
Koreans
The Koreans are quite powerful both defensively and in the water. They even have a special water-based unit, the Turtle Ship, that is highly powerful and has been seen to kill opposing navy while being vastly outnumbered. The Koreans are a powerful ocean army, with access to all gunpowder units and heavy defence against sea attacks due to the vast range accessible to them on towers and Mangonels.
The Koreans also have a strong stone-gathering ability, which allows them to make quick progress early in the game towards constructing these defences, and once they have their docks in place and are surrounded by long-reaching towers, enemies will find it difficult to approach and halt their resource gathering.
Malay
When invaded by sea, the Malay culture may be the most hardest to cope with. Not only can their distinctive unit, the Karambit Warrior, generate cheaply and almost immediately, resulting in a massively defensive army ready to confront any onslaught, but they also have significant advantages when fighting on the sea. Thalassocracy, for example, permits them to transform their docks into harbours, adding a ranged attack to the building.
This makes attacking the Malay by water or land extremely tough, and on top of that, they get cheaper fish traps for early-game resource bonuses on the sea, and they have access to practically every naval unit save the big demolition ship. They have a number of strong naval options, both offensively and defensively, to form a devastating fleet overall, with bombard towers and fortifications also accessible. However, keep in mind that this trade-off comes at the expense of few land-based advancements.
Persians
For a variety of reasons, the Persians are a unique and peculiar civilisation. For example, they are weakest in the middle of any match, starting with a quick economy and regaining their footing late-game, but they are weak and vulnerable to falling behind in the middle segment, around the Bronze Age. From the Iron Age onwards, their Navy is enormously effective, as its Triremes can fire twice as fast as other civilizations.
This is a significant advantage that will gradually diminish later in the game, but Persian civilizations will easily wrest control by focusing heavily at this time in any encounter on generating water-based units. Taking control of the oceans before foes can unlock Juggernaut-level units is unquestionably the best policy.
Japanese
The Japanese are not just good at infantry-based combat, with their special unit, the Samurai, being one of the fastest infantry units with massive attack bonuses against other infantry. The Japanese, on the other hand, are a force to be reckoned with on the water, thanks in part to their fishing ships having larger hit points than other civilizations.
Their Galleons are also significantly stronger because they have a better line of sight. When combined with complete archer technology, players will find attacking the Japanese by water extremely frustrating. Their one major fault on the ocean is their inability to train the huge demolition ship, but with their outstanding galleons, the resources that could be utilised there will be better utilised elsewhere.
Vikings
By sea, the Vikings are devastating. Because of the cheap docks they can build, they will most likely take control of the water before other civilizations. Once they have won control, their mid-game economy will grow thanks to free technologies like Wheelbarrow and Handcart, making it easy to maintain control of the oceans.
It will be difficult to oppose them because of their formidable defences, which include technologies like as fortified walls and heated shots. However, once the Vikings have their distinctive naval unit, the Longboat, they will unquestionably conquer the ocean. This unit fires volleys of arrows and will easily defeat practically anything on the water, making it easy to clear the way for naval supremacy from start to finish.
Italians
However, the Italians may be better than the Vikings due to a number of advantages. They have practically everything at the ports, and a significant boost at the docks because all of their technology are 33% cheaper than other civilizations’. Fishing ships are also less expensive, making it incredibly simple to establish that vital food resource early in Drift Boss game. This allows them to concentrate on procuring wood for more ships on land.
The Italians also have a 15% reduction in ageing, allowing them to move fast through the centuries and become a devastating, updated, and technical force. Even the Vikings will have difficulty gaining control of the water on a map and keeping it from the Italians. Finally, they have many advantages in terms of gunpowder troops, making ships like the Cannon Galleon less expensive and more lethal if properly upgraded.
Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is now available for purchase on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.