It's imperative that players understand how a civilization operates in Age of Empires 4 before committing to it in a match. The Chinese civilization represents one of eight available factions players may control in Age of Empires 4. As far as the difficulty curve is concerned, playing as the Chinese is a bit more involved compared to other cultures.
Nevertheless, even though it may take a little practice, playing as the Chinese civilization can be immensely rewarding. With a plethora of directions in which to lead this faction, fans don't lack options when it comes to gameplay strategies. Knowing what makes this faction unique is certainly crucial information.
An Overview Of The Chinese Civilization
The Chinese are one of the most adaptable factions in the game. Their unique Dynasty system offers a range of benefits for a variety of tactical situations. Furthermore, Chinese Villagers can construct buildings and defenses much faster than their rivals, which offers a key advantage for aggressive players.
The hallmark of the Chinese military is their expert use of gunpowder. Various units and structures can employ this deadly mixture to great effect. Unique units such as the Imperial Official can be put to work to acquire extra Gold for the player's coffers. By the late game, the Chinese are difficult opponents to defeat.
Chinese Civilization Bonuses
Similar to their rival civilizations, the Chinese possess their own set of faction bonuses. These Civilization Bonuses include:
- Villagers construct defenses 50% faster and all other buildings 100% faster
- Enter a Dynasty by building both Landmarks from an Age, providing access to special bonuses
- Chemistry technology granted for free when advancing to the Imperial Age
- Docks work 20% faster
The most significant takeaway from these bonuses concerns the Villagers. Being able to outbuild one's foes is invaluable, especially in regards to defense. Rushing the Chinese early can be a difficult prospect as a result. The bonus attributed to Docks can also come in handy on maps that feature plenty of water.
Unique Chinese Units
- Palace Guard
- Zhuge Nu
- Grenadier
- Fire Lancer
- Nest of Bees
- Imperial Official
The Palace Guard is a unique, improved variant of the generic Man-at-Arms. Palace Guardsmen inflict decent damage and are a bit faster than their standard cousins. The Zhuge Nu are expert Crossbowmen, capable of firing a burst of lethal bolts in quick succession.
Grenadiers lob their handheld payloads at their enemies, causing a fair bit of destruction. Fire Lancers are light cavalry that makes use of a devastating charge bonus. The Nest of Bees is a siege unit that incorporates impressive rocket artillery, useful against foes clumped too close together. Finally, the Imperial Offical collects taxes from surrounding buildings, resulting in extra Gold income. They can also supervise a particular resource building to increase its efficiency.
Unique Chinese Technologies & Abilities
- Imperial Examinations
- Battle Hardened
- Reload Drills
- Reusable Barrels
- Pyrotechnics
- Ancient Techniques
- Extra Materials
Imperial Examinations increase the amount of Gold carried by Imperial Officials from +20 to +40. The Battle Hardened upgrade increases the health of Palace Guards by +30. Reload Drills reduces the reload time of Bombards by -33%. Reusable Barrels reduces the cost of Nest of Bees by -25%.
Pyrotechnics increases the range of gunpowder units by +20%. Ancient Techniques increases the gathering rate of Villagers by +5% for each dynasty achieved. With Extra Materials, Stone Wall Towers and Outposts repair nearby damaged Stone Walls. A single section is repaired at a time for +20 health per second.
Chinese Naval Advantages
- Extra Hammocks
Chinese ships are just as dangerous in the use of gunpowder as their troops on land. Since Chinese Docks have an increased production speed compared to other factions, recruiting a formidable navy in a short span of time is possible. With the Extra Hammocks upgrade, Junks of the Archer Ship type gain additional crew, allowing them to fire two more arrows in each volley.
Chinese Landmarks
- Barbican of the Sun (Feudal Age, Defensive) – Fires a long-range hand cannon and adds arrowslits while garrisoned. Offers vision into stealth forests.
- Imperial Academy (Feudal Age, Economic) – Nearby buildings generate +100% Tax Gold.
- Astronomical Clock Tower (Castle Age, Military) – Acts as a Siege Workshop and produces siege engines with +50% health.
- Imperial Palace (Castle Age, Economic) – Has large sight radius. Activate to view location of enemy Villagers for 10 seconds.
- Great Wall Gatehouse (Imperial Age, Defensive) – Increases health of Stone Walls and Gates by +100%. Nearby troops on walls deal +50% damage. Must be built over Stone Walls.
- Spirit Way (Imperial Age, Military) – All buildings can create previously achieved dynasty units. Buildings near this Landmark produce dynasty units at -30% cost.
Chinese Dynasties
The Chinese civilization is composed of four dynasties, which include the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming. Each dynasty is composed of its own set of benefits. Thus, depending on one's playstyle, fans can decide whether or not it's worth advancing to the next dynasty. Players advance to the next dynasty by building both Landmarks in an Age. The bonuses of each dynasty are:
- Tang – Scouts gain +30% line of sight.
- Song – Villager production time reduced by -35%. Unlocks Zhuge Nu and Village (which increases maximum Population by 40).
- Yuan – Villagers, Officials, and Military Units gain +15% speed. Unlocks Fire Lancers and Granary (which improves the Farm gather rate of nearby Villagers by +15% and generates tax when resources are dropped off).
- Ming – Military units gain +10% health. Unlocks Grenadiers and Pagoda (when a Relic is placed within, it generates 50 Food, Wood, Gold, and Stone every 30 seconds; also generates tax over time).
Tips For Playing As The Chinese
The Chinese are an advanced civilization suitable for more experienced players. Understanding the dynasties and their benefits is the key to success when playing as the Chinese. Fans don't necessarily have to unlock every one of them. Stick with the dynasty that suits your playstyle the most to reap the maximum benefit.
Players shouldn't skimp on producing Imperial Officials. The amount of Gold that can be made from tax collection is too good to ignore. Bigger cities mean greater revenue. Since Chinese Villagers construct buildings at a faster clip, rapid expansion is encouraged. Regarding the military, Fire Lancers and Grenadiers can make short work of enemy formations if properly supported by a balanced army.
Age of Empires 4 was released on October 28, 2021 and is currently available on PC.
