Team games

How should one think when playing Team games?

Should I try a feudal rush on my neighbor enemy, or should I try to boom very fast? Hm though I am on the corners, I guess I should rush. But what kind of rush? Hm...

These questions often pop up in my mind when I start a team game, and I find myself a bit doubtful and divided. So to get more focused on what to do I think we should try to analyze the situation.


Corner positions
Some players will have their base closer to the enemies then others, and these players is often called "corners". A common idea about these players (the corners) is that they should engage battle early. But in some games corner players wait to attack until castle.

Here are my opinions of how to act in corner positions:
1. If you want a risky but aggressive tactic you should try a scout rush with pop 22, with 4 scouts. If you do this you can attack fast and disturb many, and hopefully reach a decent castle around 18-19 minutes.
2. If you want a less risky tactic you should go for an fast castle, with pop 27 or 28.

Middle position
This/these players (also called "the pocket") have a bit longer distance to the enemies, and therefor often set their goal to either reach a fast castle, or to boom.

My tactic opinions:
1. Go for an fc (fast castle) with pop 27 or 28.
2. You might try scout rush, but as the corner rush, it´s risky since you will get a slower castle time. But if you do, I think you should hit the other middle guy since he like yourself will be trying to go for an fast castle.



The feudal rush
Team games can be quite fun but also frustrating. An good old successful feudal rush in team games can actually turn out to be catastrophic for yourself, and your team mates, if not done correct. If you do not prepare yourself for an early castle attack while you rush, your economy will be an easy target for other opponents.

Here are some thoughts about feudal rush:

- Tower feudal rush -
This is a good choice in 1v1 games, but when it comes to team games it has an negative side. The tower rush (trush) demands that you set of villagers early for your attack, which will slow down castle time with at least 2 or three minutes. And when you manage to make towers they can easily be destroyed by your enemy allies when they reach castle.

- Unit feudal rush -
A good quote from AoC Heaven forum:

flush on black forest can be hard though, it is better to try sneaking a villager to your opponents side of the map and raid with kights when you reach castle age.
if you flush on arabia or other open maps, dont only attack your nearest enemy. it can really hurt if you send a few archers or scouts to the enemy pocket player. since he is probably doing a fast castle he wont have any defence. try to take out his gold, then he wont be able to make knights.

Castle rush
This strategy (called fc for fast castle) is often used in team games like GA (green Arabia). The advantage with this one is that you can focus more on defending and building up your economy, and then go for an strong castle rush.

-Unit combinations -
1. If you are an paladin civilazation you should go for knights. But if you counter a lot of pikes from one unit you should either cry on your ally to make archers or either do that yourself. Though it is good if you can cooperate with your ally in building a good combo (combination) of units.

2. If you happen to be Mayan or Aztec don't be afraid to make EW:s (Eagle Warriors). Though when you raid with EW:s make sure you can cooperate with an ally that has an army of archers (chrossbowmen), in case you counter knights, since EW:s might have an hard time fighting knights, but with the help of archers they might actually win against knights.

People often panic when they get pocket as mayan, sometimes its on random civ other times its mong, hun, mayan picked civs, but either way eew, plumes, monks, boom or even xbow can work. As stated in that other topic i've gone ew at 16mins as meso pocket and with my flank goin arch vs his guy, also archer, our arch + ew combo beat their knt + arch, i had twice as many ew of course, as they're cheaper and i'd a better boom than enemy pocket. So yes it works, i don't have any old record's anymore i havent played in so long but ill try play a 3v3-4v4 arabia and prove it.

Booming
Like the castle rush you can focus on you base more, but an really fast booming without making any unit at all (or walling) is very risky, and often painful for your allies who might end up with 1 extra opponent on themselves.


Communication
One aspect of Team games which really makes it different from single combat games, is the importance of communication. I can't say I am good at this, but I can imagine how practical it might be in team games.
For instance if you play a 3v3 and only one of you goes aggressive in feudal rush, the risk is very big that he will get all three enemies on him, if you don't cooperate and help each others. And of course a good aggressive is much more affective if you are two.



I will try to update this thread as the time goes. If you have any advice on how to think please post it here.

very nice topic OLOF thanks for sharing

flush on black forest can be hard though, it is better to try sneaking a villager to your opponents side of the map and raid with kights when you reach castle age.

i see record from L_Clan_Cris he send 1 vil to enemy area early in dark age and make wall around and kill boar's, this kill enemy eco in dark age.