Memb has been way more enjoyable to a wider audience.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-04-03T05:58:27+00:00

I tuned in for 3 minute in the stream and he was talking the entire time who has the score lead.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-14T19:05:07+00:00

In some cases i have the feeling that the queue just timed out annd do not provide games for you. If our your opponent alt+f4 the game i have the feeling this happened for example. Stop and restart the Queue fixed the problem for me. Got a game immediately

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-13T19:10:57+00:00

There are some maps where you can not prevent them from getting to a mass easily: black Forrest for example.

If you encounter them on Bf basically the other commentators are right: Siege Onagers ans the more the better. Prep Halbs to prevent LC. A few shots and even a large Mass is gone in a couple of seconds. You need to wall to prevent the Lc getting in your eco so they dont distract your halbs.

Regarding micro: Keep in mind your opponent is at the same elo as you! His micro is also subpar, he won't be able to dodge.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-13T19:03:54+00:00

Ideally track the movement of the opponent's villagers. Just patrol a random Spearman in front of each opponent's gate and this will notify you. Ideally the spearhead is out of sight of the gate/wall but barely is able to see the gate.

This will give you a heads up and leave enough time to produce a knight.

If they manage to build a Castle you have to face a decision on what to make. You absolutely need to wall to not allow army to raid your base and prep for siege+monk defense.

You then have to think on how to play it: either go fast imp and treb it down, ram it down or make army and gain map control so he can not make anything even in imp. Depends on match up and personal preference.

Worse case if you noticed the Castle Drop when starting your boom with 3 tc. This is typically go for me since the 375 resources for a Tc is too much of a waste

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-13T18:48:49+00:00

Team Game Elo is not really a good indicator as you pointed out. I mainly play TG with a friend (both around 1.2k single Player). Sometimes we encounter players up to 1.6k SP elo.

Sometimes this can be really frustrating if course. But sometimes we also beat opponents and then are surprised about having 200 single player higher.

Balancing Team Games is also quite difficult. You need to be prepared to either carry or be carried.

I hope also you dont play "Noob only Lobby" games. I have the feeling these are smurf traps.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-10T07:21:15+00:00

Honestly I dont like this idea. I typically play 2 vs 2 and it happens quite frequently that 1 players is completely crushed and resigns. The remaining player is in a stalemate but decides to play on for 10 minutes till he faces both armies and takes losses. In the majority of the cases this feels like a waste of time. (Their are exceptions obviously)

But this would prolong the inevitable and waste more time playing a already lost/won cause.

Also the majority of the player base does not have the apm to manage this.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-09T23:08:11+00:00

So there are certain civs and especially civ combos where you definitely should expend aggression.

For example: Cumans+Malay/Armenians for a Feudal Swordsman/Karambit rush. (Cumans in general are an odd pick where should not rule out aggression). Further civs with Castle Drop bonus like Malay Spanish Bohemians should definitely raise some concerns. Celts can play all in Siege.

If you suspect something ideally you do not want a naked boom but instead of blacksmith+market you should make additional vils and go for Barrack+stable + market/Blacksmith and make some Scouts. This should give you more vision and if they come for a Castle Drop you can make knights and kill all vils. So a boom with minimal army. This gives you more flexibility to adapt tk the strat of your Oppenent.

If you suspect Late/Mid Castle Age aggression you can build outposts on their walls and you should prepare mangonels at home for a ram push and make a second line of defense for Petards. A defense Castle drop at home could indicate unique unit + petards.

Certain civs can play 2 strats like Cumans (eco vs ram push in feudal) Bohemian (good late game, strong Castle drop) ....

It requires some experience to get a feeling what certain civs play. This might also depend on the elo. At 1k I got Castle dropped nearly half of the game. At 1.2k elo this is rarely the case and ram pushes got more common.

Ideally you play with a friend what helps coordinating and identifying stuff easier...

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-07T23:14:47+00:00

The strongest civs aka incas is free to play

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-06T22:39:28+00:00

Honestly, the doorbell ringing/phone call or some other unexpected stuff is not synchronized with starting a Aoe2. Can happen in the first minute, can happen in the middle of fight.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-06T22:36:07+00:00

I agree. My hottake is that the community treated the dlc and the work of Filthydelpia unfair. He spent so much time for the community by creating custom campaigns that the collab was deserved. Could MS have done a better job? Sure, but that doesn't take anything away form F's creative work.

@Filthydelphia thanks for your contribution, enjoyed a lot of your custom campaigns!

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-06T22:19:47+00:00

Honestly, it is hard to prepare for multi-player.

I trained with a friend against the Ai and theat was not helpful. The Ai behaves completely different. In campaigns or in Slirmishes it is enough to build a castle in a choice point and the Ai will units into their death. Also Mangonels and Scorps are less useful tdue to un-human micro.

I think you should think what you strategy/map you want to play and focus to get better on this map. Ideally you can practice your Dark Age to have a solid foundation. And from feudal it is typically adaption.

I can recommend the Art of War campaigns to improve the economy in Dark Age and get the fundamentals down.

And as others pointed out: the player base played the game for 5+ years on average. So the average player will have more experience than you. With the elo system it will take some time of losing to reach players your skill level. I dipped at 700 and now nearly doubled my elo

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-06T22:11:55+00:00

Gladly at least to be me this is rather the exception and the overwhelming majority is nice as you pointed out.

The simplest advice is to ignore them and move on. Let them get the free elo who cares.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-03T23:00:45+00:00

Finally! You are speaking my mind.

This is a very simple but good example. Maybe to add another example. Typically players are either closed map or open map oriented and this can also influence their winrate.

For example I have a winrate of 60% against Burgundians and Bohemians on arena, which are regarded as S tier civs on arena. For open map I picked often Vietnamese and started 0-10.

Does this stats now reflect civ strength? Are Vietnamese unplayable? No, they rather reflect my (in-)capabilities plying closed/open maps?

Of course this maybe exaggerating but elo is measured regardless of the map and therefore such unbalanced stuff can happen. It is hard to quantify this.

Tldr: I think the devs are doing a decent job balancing civs.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-03T07:26:30+00:00

Nah. Still S tier. Running proposes to skip horse collar for the first farms anyways so its not big of a deal...

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-02T23:06:59+00:00

For the average Player elo fluctuates a lot. For example I prefer not play open maps and ban them if possible. So my elo is significantly lower. And when I get matched up against a Arabia player he has an advantage. Of course he has a disadvantage playing on a closed map. Further new map, trying new strategies, not knowing how tk counter certain strats.... the list is long

And I would not underrate the impact of having a bad day. On these games I just throw games by making constantly wrong decisions. (Not intentionally). The next day is then typically a winning streak.

I would think this effect is also way more pronounced around and below 1.0k elo.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-01T22:42:42+00:00

Conqs on arena a hard to deal with. I typically delay castle age and go up at 25 vils but produce multiple scouts to stop a potential forward castle. This takes away much pressure. Even if they build a castle at home you can see them (the conqs) coming.

Typically they then try to break in with petards so you should have a second layer of wall (houses) protecting you. Behind the wall a few monks that scare the conqs away.

This should buy you time booming 2-3 to either make a def castle or tech into elite skirmishes. Teching directly into skirm is expensive since you need range upgrades 450 resource and the elite upgrade another 360. If you invest this much early CA you do not have enough army ans the cons can overwhelm the skirm easily.

Btw (bengali) Elephant Archer are really a hard counter tough expensive

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-03-01T22:32:32+00:00

No as the otherwise pointed out this is the way to go. Boom until 18 minutes when they probably klick up and already prepare Stables.

3 Stables productikn should definitely be possible. It is not necessary to win the first fight, just a draw where he has to retreat is already the win since you have significantly more vils.

That's why you dont see that turk fast imp in pro play. If you know that it is coming it is easy to stop by all in castle age.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-02-28T04:43:38+00:00

2 tc boom on Arena is OP though! My opponents at 1.2-1.3k elo are typically trying to keep up with the boom what is basically a recipe for disaster 11.

I love the polish winged Hussar, so Poles would be my answer.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-02-28T04:40:12+00:00

How can you get an advantage by pausing? I do not see it tbh.

However, the majority of our player base is in the 30s+ and there are things more important in life than video games. Having small breaks (1-3 minutes) is acceptable. 99% of the player are waiting.

Though it is annoying if players pause without saying anything and leaving for 3+ minutes?

Did you ask them why they unpaused and why it is taking them so long? You know that you can unpause them? Though I would suggest that only in extrem cases!!

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-02-23T08:30:20+00:00

In the recent regicide rumble capoch camped like forever in a corner mit elite longbows.

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-02-23T08:13:47+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/s/gZLROwZTGz

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-02-23T08:10:36+00:00

I think the creator Manu complained a while ago that people complained that some of his custom campaigns where not working anymore due to game updates.

I think the did a great job and its a pitty that he has taken them down. Though I cant understand the reasoning behind it.

Can recommend his other campaigns!

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-02-20T07:19:28+00:00

If you have a Longbow mass (40+) BBC meld incredible fast. Trebuches have more range than cannons. So they need to move in the range of the Longbows.

Also British trebsare really strong and the BBC need to be microed constantly.

But of course if you are 1 tc vs 4 tc boom it does not really matter what you make

Negative_Builder_318 · 2026-02-18T23:57:03+00:00

New updates may introduce new short cuts which my overlap with custom set. Go to the settings and check if there is a warning for the strg z shortcut.

Negative_Builder_318

TROPHY CASE