The Byzantine Empire in the Sultan’s Ascend expansion is considered to be one of the most complex and rewarding civilisations in the Age of Empires IV roster. The layered depth of their civilisation is a product of their unique Aqueduct system, the versatile Mercenary house, and their powerful Olive oil economy. This is the prime reason why mastering the Byzantine Civilisation is not an easy task. It requires a roadmap of precision to navigate the unique mechanics of their economy without falling behind in the early game.
You can thus pick your Age of Empires IV Steam key from LootBar to command the Cataphracts or rain fire with Cheirosiphons. Once the game is acquired, the real challenge to master this civilisation starts. Given below is a well-formulated guide with the essential steps to convert this humble settlement into an unstoppable Roman Empire.
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Foundation of the Empire
The management of Cisterns and the generation of Olive oil govern the early phases of the Byzantine civilisation. While other civilisations focus primarily on Food and Gold, the players of the Byzantine civilisation should also think about their “influence”. Hence, the first and most viable option is the establishment of a Cistern network that covers the most vital resources.
Initial Villager Allocation
As the match starts, players are advised to send all their villagers to Sheep, but quickly pull one away to build the first Cistern near the Town Centre. The first Cistern should ideally be an influence on your Woodline or on your Berries. During the Dark Age, rather than relying on the Byzantine unique building and Olive Grove for olive oil, the secondary source of a player’s income comes from standard Berry bushes.
First Cistern Management
The Cistern is the core of your base, and by toggling the “Dialectics” settings, you can increase the speed of research and production in the nearby buildings. During the early phase of the game, this is an important move to churn out villagers faster than your opponent. Players are advised to keep their first three villagers on Food, while the next two are sent to Wood to sustain the house and early mining camp requirements.
Roadmap to Feudal Age: The Choice of Landmarks
The Feudal Age is when the Byzantine civilisation stretches out to two primary landmarks- The Grand Winery or the Imperial Hippodrome. The Grand Winery acts like a superior choice for players who want a defensive and balanced approach because it acts as a drop-off point for Food. Moreover, it also boosts the production of Olive oil from nearby Berries and Olive Groves.
The Grand Winery
If The Grand Winery is your choice of approach, make sure to place it near a large patch of berries in order to increase the Olive oil gathering rate by 60%. This further allows you to access your first batch of Mercenaries much earlier. While the landmark is in the process of being built, transition four villagers to gold, as later on you’ll need a steady stream of gold not just for Ageing up, but also for heavy equipment. After the Grand Winery, your next target should be the Mercenary House that will enable you to field a diverse army without spending a single point of Food or Wood on these units.
The Imperial Hippodrome
The Imperial Hippodrome is a military landmark and has a unique power of turning combat success into a powerful army-wide buff. Another defining feature of this landmark is the Triumph points, which can be collected by defeating enemy units or destroying enemy structures. After an accumulated amount of Triumph point you can manually trigger “Triumph” at the landmark. This remains for a limited duration during which all your cavalry receives a significant bonus.
Scaling the Economy: Olive Groves and Aqueducts
During the mid-game phase, the prime goal of the players should be to expand their Cistern network using Aqueducts and connect new resource nodes back to their main Influence web. Your friends can secure themselves a LootBar game key and join in for some team-game rotations, which will double the fun for you, as this phase requires players to manage the “Level” of their Cisterns. Wherein, higher the level, greater the buff received.
With your depletion in Berry Bush, you can further transition to Olive groves, which are a perpetual provider of Olive oil. Wait until you have 10 Villagers on Wood to build these, so you can afford the 75 Wood cost per grove without compromising on Military production.
Castle Age: Foreign Engineering Company
Introduction to the Castle Age is marked by the Foreign Engineering Company, which is a game-changer in the Byzantine Civilisation. It enables you to produce powerful military siege engines and unique units from other civilisations using Olive oil. This is exceptionally efficient, as you can build counters to what your opponent is using. During this phase, players are required to upgrade their Cisterns to Level III to maximise “Praesidium” buff. Moreover, they should also prioritise beginning Cataphract production and establish a second Town Centre.
The Imperial Age: Roman Restoration
This is the late game phase by which your Byzantine Empire is an unstoppable force with its Palatine School Landmark, which offers to produce units for free every time a unit is trained at the Barracks, Archery Ranges or Stables. This, in turn, replaces your army faster than your enemy can kill it. This phase should see your economy being supported by at least 40 Olive groves, which will provide enough oil to continuously soak Mercenary units, allowing you to keep your gold intact for the elite Cataphract upgrades.
Conclusion
The Byzantine Civilisation is not an easy one, as it needs constant monitoring of the UI to toggle Cistern buffs and a keen eye on Olive oil levels. However, with the given guide and the build order in place, you’ll be commanding a versatile and resilient empire, down to growing your Roman Legacy.
While the learning curve may feel steep at first, players who invest time into understanding its mechanics will gain access to one of the most versatile and resilient civilisations in the game. If you’re ready to take on that challenge and experience its full potential, LootBar make it easy to get your Age of Empires IV Steam key, so you can step into the battlefield and build your Roman legacy with confidence.
