Age Of Wonders 4 lets players build their dream fantasy empire, and defend it against aggressors, or expand and conquer their neighbors. Unsurprisingly, combat plays a major role in how each game plays out, and knowing how to win battles can mean the difference between a failed state or an empire that will stand the test of time.
Reminiscent of XCOM, the combat system sees players take control of units, which are small groups of soldiers that can be controlled as one. Units can move, attack, cast spells, and perform abilities – and a good ruler will know how to use them effectively. Keeping this in mind, here are some battle tips for Age Of Wonders 4.
8 Know Your Enemy
Every unit has different strengths and weaknesses that, if exploited, can boost their damage-dealing capabilities or make them far easier to kill. Players should check their own units and their opponents for vulnerabilities, such as having a low resistance or specializing in a certain type of damage.
Smart players can then take advantage of this, utilizing their strengths and targeting their enemy’s weaknesses. Paying attention to the stats of units (by clicking on their unit portrait), and applying that knowledge to the battlefield will benefit the player immeasurably.
7 Use A Mixed Composition
To exploit an enemy’s weakness and counter their units, players should keep their army composition a mix of different unit types to ensure it includes units for every battlefield scenario. A good mix of melee infantry, shield infantry, ranged, cavalry, and support will usually do the trick.
Combining these units will allow the player to fight well in almost any situation, and avoid difficult battles where the enemy forces might counter the player’s entire roster.
6 Use Defense Mode
AI can fight battles rather aggressively, so Defense Mode will be a commonly used and valuable ability for most players. It grants +2 defense and +2 resistance, as well as making the unit immune to flanking attacks and granting zone of control over all adjacent hexes.
This can come in clutch if a unit is in low health or is about to become overwhelmed while waiting for reinforcements. In some situations, it can save a unit from destruction, preserving the experience they’ve earned over its lifespan. It’s also worth noting that all units that can still act at the end of a turn are automatically placed into Defense Mode, so there’s no need to do it manually.
5 Move, Then Attack
Each unit begins every turn with three action points, which can be spent by moving, attacking, and using abilities. Most attacks and abilities, even if they don’t use three action points, make it so the unit won’t be able to perform another action until the next turn, and therefore won’t be able to move.
As a result, players should move their units BEFORE using any attacks or abilities, as this allows them to move AND use the ability instead of just using the ability and remaining on the same hex. Players should simply make sure they have enough action points left over for the ability.
4 Prioritize Targets
In the same way that units have strengths and weaknesses, different units also have different roles on the battlefield. Some units deal lots of damage, whereas others are tanky and more suited to soaking up damage, whereas support units grant buffs and heal their allies.
Players should prioritize killing the most dangerous and powerful units on the battlefield first, such as damage dealers and support units, before dealing with lower-threat enemies. As each unit only gets one retaliation attack per turn, focusing a unit down with multiple attacks a turn is an effective and quick way of taking them out.
3 Flank
Much like real-world warfare, flanking is a powerful tactic in Age Of Wonders 4. Attacks are considered flanking if they come from the side or behind that unit and deal an extra 25% damage. Mobile units like cavalry excel at flanking attacks, being able to quickly get around or behind the enemy line.
To avoid getting flanked, players should either rotate their unit so they face the flanking unit (which is a free action) or put them into Defense mode. Both of these actions will negate the bonus and force the enemy to think again.
2 Keep Line Of Sight
Each ranged unit has an effective range which determines how far it can shoot, but line of sight also matters. If a unit is obscured by other units or obstacles, it becomes much harder to shoot and will result in a 40% accuracy penalty.
This is a huge debuff that can render ranged units more or less useless in the most crucial part of the battle. To get the best use out of ranged units, players should position them in a way where they maintain line of sight with their target but are also protected by melee units. They should also be kept mobile, to adapt to the changing frontlines.
1 Use Single Entity Units
As units take casualties and lose health, their combat effectiveness gradually weakens and they deal less damage. That goes for units with multiple entities, like infantry, archers, or cavalry. However, some units only have a single entity in their unit, such as a great mythical beast.
These units are not weakened when damaged, meaning they will be as effective at low health as they are at full health. As a result, this makes single-entity units far more impactful on the battlefield, as they can take damage without penalties to attack power, meaning they are some of the most efficient units in the game.
Age Of Wonders 4 is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows.