Fun build I've been doing.
I am not exactly certain why it is working, but I've been winning a lot lately with it.
The XP feels great (XP from banks/bank wagon, Trade Post, Church, FORT wagon)
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Build Order:
age 14 vils -> (Bank in transition)
400w -> (Bank)
Bank Wagon -> (Bank)
700W -> (Church, TP, Market, Barrack/Stable ) || 700w -> (double outputs in base, Church)
700c -> (5 huss "still age fast") || 600w -> (Barracks/Stable, pikes) || save shipment for age 3
age fast
build envoys to get vision
build ruyter/skirm for map control
FORT Wagon -> (FORT "either aggressive or defensive")
Shipment -> 9 ruyter || 8 skirms || 5 huss
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DECKS
Deck Normal:
Deck Defensive:
Water Deck (replace fort with fluyts):
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Goal of Gameplay:
Get to FORTress age as fast as possible, while still bulding 3 banks.
Usually I am able to age up to age 3 by 7:40 ~ 8:00.
Send FORT as first age 3 shipment.
FORT gives map control plus very useful unit production (double ruyter or double skirmisher or falconet production is very convenient for Dutch)
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Early Game Strategy (age 1 and transition to age 2):
Goal is to age with 14 vils.
Put all vils on food. Pray to GOD to find enough coin (100c) from treasures to make 1 vil.
This makes finding coin treasures your #1 priority
Treasure Focus:
- coin #1
- food #2
- XP #3
- wood #4
Explorer Guide:
- ABK with your explorer
- Always Be Killing: get that XP from killing treasure guardians (this build is highly reliant on getting good XP to get a good shipment curve)
- Avoid taking fights, we have better things to do (get that coin and XP)
- use envoy to scout nearby explorer to maximize age 1 treasures.
Obviously you will need to adjust plan as age 1 develops, for example:
no coin treasures -> (throw a bunch of vils on coin to pump out 1 vil)
As soon as you get 800f to age up: do standard Dutch stuff (get bank in transition):
- split about 9 vils on wood and 5 vils on food (also depends on treasures)
- Treasure Priority becomes wood #1, food #2, coin #3, XP #4
- as soon as you get 350w 350f slap down the bank defensively in base, transition a bunch of vils to coin (to prepare to queue next vil)
- after you get that first vil you can pull all but 2 (leave these 2 vils on coin for vil production) vils back on food (need to get enough food to build bank from 400w age up)
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Age2 Strategy (age 2 and transition to age 3):
Villager Control:
- put most vils on food, a few on coin; transition vils as needed to get 1200f 1000coin
SCOUTING IS CRITICAL (as all true Dutch mains know):
- envoy near enemy base to peak at unit production facilities and shipments
- explorer scouting middle map to find any forward bases
- be aware of timing of enemy age 2, that will determine the time you need to scout (takes 30 seconds for first shipment to arrive, and 30 seconds for unit production building to build)
Basically just follow the build order exactly as written above:
- focus on getting that bank from 400w up ASAP (there is no need for unit production because we aged so fast, the enemy cannot be attacking yet)
- sometimes when your age 1 goes really bad you will have to build a church and TP with the first 400w because the food is not gathered (still ship bank wagon first)
FIRST MAJOR DECISION: "What to do with 700w shipment"
- the scouting you have done will influence this decision
- standard order of buildings: church -> tradepost -> market -> barracks/stable -> house (push the barracks/stable forward if you scout fast enemy unit production)
- if you scout an all in attack (example: double barracks mid map) you can play standard with a barracks; but your age up is going to slowed down significantly if you build any units. I have found success in building 2 outposts in base to shut down aggression.
SECOND MAJOR DECISION: "Send a third age 2 shipment or save it for age 3"
- highly depends on what opponent is up to
- standard is to hold on to shipment for age 3 to get FORT ASAP and follow up unit shipments
- 700c is great if going for huss
- Queue 8 pikes in case enemy tries to dive base (HIGH LEVEL MANEUVER: EXPERTS ONLY)
- Irish Brigadiers is great for holding against high pressure
- 600w is good to add a barracks or stable or 4th bank, but kinda goes against entire build order; I only do this when I have an unexpectedly long age 2
At this point you have hopefully successfully clicked up to age 3:
-build some units ASAP during age up; we need units to protect FORT wagon
-queue envoys for age 3
-get market upgrades
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Age 3 Strategy:
Vil Control:
- you should have about 20 vils at this point
- put 5-6 vils on wood (dont forget market upgrade)
- depending on unit production assign vils to food or gold (skirm %50f %50c) (huss %70f %30c) (ruyter %30f %70c)
build envoys and spread them around map:
- can see where enemy army, avoid for FORT placement
build units to protect FORT wagon
- hopefully you got 1 batch of units out during age 2
- you can get 1 more batch out while FORT wagon ships
- with minutemen, this should be enough to get up FORT
send FORT wagon immediately after aging up
THIRD MAJOR DECISION: "Where to place FORT"
- if enemy is playing passively build FORT close to their base
- if enemy has many units consider building further back
- you want to build your FORT as close to enemy base as your enemy will allow you to
second shipment usually is a unit shipment
- ruyters are great for getting map control or if enemy starts cav
- skirms are great if enemy went for musketeers in age 2
- when in doubt send ruyters
From this point on:
(a) if enemy is building up a mass of units, you want play defensively, let your better eco (3banks, church, TP) do work
(b) if enemy is playing passive and going for economy you want to harass enemy base it is excellent choice to build falconets from FORT.
Deny enemy natural resources:
- use envoys vision to see enemy vilagers gathering location, raid with ruyter or a few halberdiers.
- the FORT allows you to defend your economy while extending army out to deny enemy resources.
Unit Production:
Utilize FORT for a flexible unit production.
If enemy is going for heavy infantry -> skirms
If enemy is going for cav -> ruyters
If enemy is going for falconets -> build your own falconets
Standard Production is 2 barracks 1 stable 1 fort (maybe 1 artillery foundry for culverins if enemy goes heavy into cannons)
Huss Switch:
It can be devistating tactic to do a huss switch by building 5 huss from stable 5 huss from fort and 5 huss from shipment (15 huss total)
try to have Veteran and Cav Combat (possible arsenal upgrade too)
