The English is one of the primary civilizations a player may lead to glory inAge of Empires 4. With an emphasis on a strong farming economy and a network of formidable defenses, the English are the best civilization fornew players learning the ropes.
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Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the English civilization is crucial forachieving victory while playing as them. They’re a powerful, yet uncomplicated faction that can grind opponents down with their excellent Longbowmen and Men-at-Arms. With this guide, players will possess a clear outline of what it means to play as the English inAge of Empires 4.
An Overview Of The English Civilization
The English can steadfastly rely ona tough defense while preparing to go on offense. Their unique unit, theLongbowman, makes the English the bane of enemy light infantry. Meanwhile, the exclusive upgrades that can be made to theirMen-at-Armsgrant them a highly efficient pool of heavy infantry.
As far as resources are concerned, theEnglish prioritize farming. Farmscost less Woodto build while planting them close to Mills bestows abonus to Villagers' gathering speed. With theNetwork of Castlesability, troops stationed nearbyTown Centers,Keeps,Outposts, andTowersreceive abonus to their attack speed. Lastly, many EnglishLandmarksserve asfully functioning Keepsfor added defense.
Unique English Units
The English Longbowman represents a significant improvement over the generic archer. Longbowmen possess agreater rangecompared to regular archers and alsoinflict more damage. They canplant stakes in the groundto disrupt enemy cavalry charges. TheirCampfireability allows them to heal on the fly. Finally, Longbowmen can acquire theVolleyability, which increases their rate of fire.
Although of minor consequence, EnglishVillagersalsomake use of a bow while in combat. As such, they stand a better chance against wild animals since they can attack from a distance. Nevertheless, English Villagers still won’t stand a chance against enemy military units. It’s also worth noting that EnglishTown Centers fire more arrowsat approaching enemies than other civilizations.
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In terms of siege equipment, the English (and the French) have access to theRibauldequin. This gunpowder unit is superb in an anti-personnel role. It can shred through the ranks of advancing infantry foolish enough to approach it. It’sslow to reload, so be sure to protect it in between bursts.
Unique English Technologies & Abilities
WithNetwork of Castles, enemies spotted by a Keep, Town Center, Outpost, or Tower buffs nearby friendly troops with a+25% attack speed bonus. This jumps to+50%when upgraded toNetwork of Citadels.Armor Cladgives Men-at-Arms a+2 bonus to their ranged and melee armor rating.Shattering Projectilesincreases thearea-of-effect of a Trebuchet projectile.
Island of Agricultureallows Farms to be produced with50% less Wood.Mill Influenceincreases the harvest rate for Farmsbuilt within the influence of a Mill.Enclosuresprovide a+1 Gold every 3.5 secondsfor every Farm that’s tended by a Villager. Finally,Defensive Byriglets the English recruitVanguard Men-at-Arms starting from the Dark Age.
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English Naval Advantages
The English alsopossess a few advantageswhen it comes to their naval forces. Allmilitary shipsreceive a+1 range bonus, which typically allows the English to strike first in an encounter. Furthermore, theShipwrightsupgrade at the Docksreduces the cost of ship production by -10%.
English Landmarks
Tips For Playing As The English
Based on their unique technologies and abilities, theEnglish excel in the early game. The fact that they can recruit Vanguard Men-at-Arms in the Dark Age, while everybody else has to wait for the Castle Age,gives them a significant edge. A smart player may want toconsider mobbing their opponent right from the start, thereby taking advantage of the faction’s superior quality units in the early ages.
Buildingseveral Mills and Farmsis a great way tojumpstart Food production. With theEnclosures upgrade, English players can rely on a small stream of Gold to supplement their income. Lastly, don’t be afraid toconstruct plenty of defenses and station Longbowmen nearby. An efficient defensive network gives the English player time to build their army and purchase upgrades before going on the offensive.
Age of Empires 4was released on July 10, 2025 and is currently available on PC.
