Map Specific Strategies (Multiplayer)
Mastering the diverse landscapes of Age of Mythology: Retold's multiplayer maps is crucial for competitive play. This section details actionable strategies for common map types, focusing on early game advantages and resource control.
Coastal Maps (e.g., Anatolia, Mediterranean)
Coastal maps emphasize naval superiority and early aggression. Securing fishing spots and controlling sea lanes are paramount.
- Early Game Naval Rush:
- Gods: Favor Poseidon (Greek) for his Hippocampus scout and faster fishing boats, or Isis (Egyptian) for her cheaper Monuments and powerful early myth units.
- Build Order: Immediately send villagers to gather wood and food. Prioritize building a Dock as your first economic building after your initial houses. Train 2-3 Fishing Boats as quickly as possible.
- Scouting: Use your starting scout (e.g., Hippocampus for Poseidon) to locate enemy docks and prime fishing locations.
- Aggression: Once you have 2-3 Fishing Boats, consider training a few Triremes or War Barges to harass enemy fishing operations. A successful early naval raid can cripple an opponent's food economy.
- Resource Control:
- Shoreline Gold Mines: Many coastal maps feature gold mines close to the water. Secure these with a Town Center or a fortified position (e.g., Tower, Fortress) to deny your opponent vital gold.
- Relics: Relics on coastal maps often appear on small islands or peninsulas. Use fast naval units to scout and secure these for their powerful bonuses.
High-Resource Maps (e.g., Ghost Lake, Watering Hole)
These maps offer abundant resources, leading to faster economies and potentially earlier Age-ups. The key is to leverage the increased resource flow efficiently.
- Aggressive Fast Mythic Age:
- Gods: Zeus (Greek) for his faster Age-up times and powerful God Powers, or Ra (Egyptian) for his economic bonuses and strong myth units.
- Build Order: Focus heavily on food and gold collection. Aim for an early Heroic Age by around 5-6 minutes, then push for Mythic Age as quickly as possible.
- Economic Expansion: Build multiple Town Centers rapidly to maximize villager production. Secure all nearby gold mines and huntable animals (e.g., Deer, Boar).
- Mythic Age Power Spike: Once in the Mythic Age, unleash powerful myth units like the Colossus (Greek) or Mummy (Egyptian), backed by potent God Powers such as Lightning Storm or Meteor.
- Early Raiding and Map Control:
- Unit Composition: With abundant resources, you can afford to train a larger, more diverse army earlier. Consider a mix of fast raiding units (e.g., Hippikons, Chariot Archers) and core infantry.
- Forward Bases: Establish forward Town Centers or Fortresses near key resource nodes or choke points to exert map control and pressure your opponent.
Choke Point Maps (e.g., Midgard, Alfheim)
These maps feature narrow passages and natural barriers, making defensive play and strategic engagements crucial.
- Fortified Defense and Siege:
- Gods: Hades (Greek) for his strong defensive buildings and powerful underworld passages, or Odin (Norse) for his powerful Hersir and Ulfsark units.
- Early Fortifications: Identify key choke points early in the game. Build Towers, Walls, and potentially a Fortress to deny enemy access.
- Siege Warfare: Once your defenses are established, transition into siege units (e.g., Catapults, Ballistae) to break through enemy fortifications or push through choke points.
- God Powers: use defensive God Powers like Earthquake to collapse enemy walls or Frost to freeze attacking armies in choke points.
- Flanking and Map Manipulation:
- Scouting: Thoroughly scout for alternative paths or less obvious routes around choke points.
- Underworld Passages (Hades): If playing as Hades, strategically place Underworld Passages to bypass enemy defenses and launch surprise attacks on their economy.
- Myth Unit Deployment: Use myth units with special abilities (e.g., Minotaur's gore attack, Fenris Wolves' speed) to break through concentrated enemy forces in narrow areas.