The Imperial Age is the most advanced and demanding stage of Age of Empires 4. Battles are fought in every corner of the map: you must attack, defend against constant raids, destroy castles and enemy buildings while constructing your own, manage the army and siege, and handle the scarce resources remaining on the map. It is the hardest age to master, but also the most exciting.
Economy and Resources
Upon reaching this stage, you will unlock new economic technologies. Food is no longer a problem thanks to the ability to build Farms anywhere. However, wood and, above all, gold can become your biggest concerns.
In Imperial gold is scarce and only the central mines remain: controlling it with walls and towers is crucial.
◆In many maps wood runs out and the only remaining sources are in the center of the map, exposing your Villagers.
◆Gold mines near your base also run out quickly, leaving only those in the center of the map.
◆Map control through walls and defensive structures is crucial to guarantee access to resources.
◆In desperate situations, establishing a trade route can be the solution if the map allows it, but you will need to defend it with everything you have.
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Technology and Upgrades
The priority in the Imperial Age is to upgrade your military units as quickly as possible.
You need 10-15 military buildings of each type to replace losses and keep up the pressure in Imperial.
10–15
military buildings
of each type
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Too few military buildings
❌ Producing your whole army from one or two buildings — you can't replace losses after a battle.
✅ Have 10 to 15 military buildings of each type so production never stalls, even after suffering losses in battle.
Do not forget to research Blacksmith and university upgrades. The university becomes crucial in the Imperial Age for its powerful military technologies. All these upgrades have a high gold cost. If you do not have enough reserves and Villagers dedicated to mining it, it may not be worth advancing to this age until you have that economic foundation.
Military Units and Defenses
Cannons on towers and Keeps, with area damage, reinforce map control in the Imperial Age.
The Imperial Age introduces new units and defenses:
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Hand CannoneerArchery range
A unit with high destructive power and excellent population efficiency.
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Gunpowder siege unitsSiege workshop
Varies by civilization.
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Cannons on towers and castlesDefense
Make them extremely effective thanks to their area damage.
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Stone walls and extra castlesMap control
Reinforce map control and protect resource routes.
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Wonder Victory
With the arrival of the Imperial Age, Wonder Victory is unlocked. It is an uncommon strategy due to the Wonder's high cost. In 1v1 matches it is practically impossible to gather those resources; in 4v4 matches it is very difficult but not impossible, thanks to the ability to send resources from one player to another.
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The Real Challenge: Multitasking
The true challenge of the Imperial Age is not just managing resources or upgrading units. What is really difficult is coordinating all these actions simultaneously: defending, attacking, managing the economy, upgrading technologies, besieging and gathering resources — all under constant enemy pressure.
◆It is rare to suffer aggression in the first age, but there are exceptions such as Mongol or Ottoman attacks.
◆Gold or stone mines behind your Town Center are very valuable; they make enemy attacks more difficult.
◆Always build age-up buildings near the Town Center to protect them.
◆Military buildings should be built closer to the enemy so that troops reach the front faster.
◆Reserve the rear of your base for Farms, especially if you are playing with the English.
◆When building palisades, identify the easiest areas to close off and prioritize those zones. Always remove the side stakes to optimize space and resources.
castles
Food
Farms
wood
gold
Villagers.
Blacksmith
university
Cannons
Mongol or Ottoman attacks.
English.
stone
Town Center
palisades