Valdy dives into the intricacies of playing the Tughlaq Dynasty in Age of Empires IV, offering strategic insights for 2026 gameplay. He covers unique unit compositions, effective economy management, and matchup tips that can help players maximize their potential with this civilization. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this guide is packed with valuable information.

Beastyqt shares an effective build order for the Tughlaq Dynasty, perfect for climbing the ladder in Age of Empires IV. He breaks down the key strategies and timings to maximize your efficiency with this civilization, ensuring you dominate your matches with ease.

Croissantini highlights a bug with Serwan's fervor, revealing that it fails to apply bonus damage as intended, which significantly weakens its effectiveness. This issue could impact strategies for players using this civilization, making it crucial for those invested in optimizing their gameplay to be aware of this flaw.

Avalox6213 highlights a concerning bug in build 15.4.8719.0 where military attacks on enemy historical buildings result in their destruction after reloading a saved game. This issue occurs consistently, impacting gameplay for players who rely on saving and reloading during matches. It's crucial for the developers to address this glitch to maintain game integrity.

Confident_Gap819 highlights the Sengoku civilization's impressive win rates, boasting 54% in 1v1 matches and 55% in 4v4 team games above Diamond rank. This dominance across all ages raises questions about potential nerfs, as players debate the civ's overall strength and balance in competitive play.

Icy_List961 showcases a clever 'drive by conversion' strategy that turns the tide of battle with a surprising army value swap. This innovative play highlights the importance of scouting and timing in Age of Empires 4, demonstrating how a well-timed conversion can shift momentum in your favor.

Wojter322 shares an insightful apology to War Elephants, revealing their surprising tankiness despite being slow and vulnerable to crossbows. They discuss using the Bhakkar governor strategy to effectively spam these units in the Castle Age, while also reflecting on struggles against the English, particularly when facing a two-Town Center macro strategy.

Lttgom shares insights on using the Abbey of Kings with a Horseman opening, highlighting its impressive healing rate of 2.0/s compared to Chivalry's 1.0/s. After achieving Conq II with Tughlaq, they explore the English civ's prolonged Feudal Age and cavalry aggression, suggesting that the Abbey's healing might need a nerf due to its synergy with early aggression.

RedWarpPrism2 introduces the latest version of the Micro Challenge mod, designed to enhance your micro skills against advanced AI. With reduced loading times and new features like difficulty toggles and improved AI behaviors, this update makes practicing more efficient and engaging. Don't forget, you'll need the Sultans Ascend DLC to get started!

RitchJ94 dives into the viability of Shaolin Monks as a replacement for Men-at-Arms in a Zhu Xi army composition. They explore which units the monks can effectively counter beyond archers and discuss scenarios where these unique units shine, providing valuable insights for players looking to optimize their strategies.

Big_Point2160 shares their struggles against French early aggression, detailing their attempts to counter it with strategies like early spearmen and tower placements. Despite these efforts, they find themselves overwhelmed by the rapid growth of French Knights and subsequent pressure from rams. This discussion is a great opportunity for players facing similar challenges to exchange tips and refine their strategies against the French.

Zelcon01 is seeking help with a frustrating multiplayer issue in Age of Empires IV, where one player consistently disconnects 10-20 seconds after joining a match, despite being on the same version (15.4.8719.0) and testing various network setups. They've ruled out common problems like firewall settings and proxy configurations, leading them to suspect a deeper issue with session or network authentication. If you've encountered and resolved this specific disconnect problem, your insights could be invaluable.

Slow-Big-1593 speculates on the upcoming DLC for Age of Empires IV, suggesting that the delay until early May might coincide with announcements during the Wololo event. This timing could maximize viewer engagement and excitement for new content, making it a hot topic for fans eager for updates.

RubyLykos shares their struggles with transitioning to the Castle Age as the Delhi Sultanate, especially after a successful Feudal phase. They often find themselves overwhelmed with resources from sacred sites and deer, leading to chaotic unit production, primarily elephants and crossbows. The discussion focuses on optimizing stable usage and effective unit compositions during this critical transition phase.

MNPhantom raises an interesting question about the Knights Templar expansion, pondering its value for 1v1 players. While the $15 price tag might seem steep, many players find the new mechanics and unique civ features quite engaging, especially for those who enjoy competitive play. If you're looking for fresh strategies and gameplay, it could be worth the investment.

True-Giraffe4350 raises an interesting point about Macedonian villagers not receiving the blacksmith upgrades for damage and armor from arsenals, unlike other civilizations. This could impact their survivability against certain units, leading to a discussion on whether it's an intentional design choice or a bug that needs addressing.

TheIluminated shares their experience comparing the learning curves of Age of Empires IV and Age of Mythology: Retold, noting that they find AoE4's fundamentals more challenging to grasp. They highlight the intuitive nature of AoM Retold, while expressing that AoE4 feels more complex with numerous mechanics to master. This discussion invites insights from other players on their own experiences with both titles.

ReplacementUnited740 shares their struggles as a Malian main facing the Ottoman civilization, expressing frustration over being outmatched even after switching to French. They seek advice on how to effectively counter the Ottomans without relying on man-at-arms, highlighting the challenge of gaining map control against their strong early game presence. If you're also grappling with this matchup, the discussion offers insights and potential strategies from the community.

Aoseth suggests a keybind adjustment for worker elephants in Age of Empires IV, specifically the ability to unbind the 'Seek Shelter' command from them. Currently, this command is shared with villagers, leading to frustrating situations where a worker elephant takes the place of a villager during critical moments, like when knights are charging. This change could enhance player control and strategy during intense gameplay.

MockHamill shares insights on countering the Sengoku civilization, discussing various strategies like the 1 TC Feudal all-in, 2 TC builds, and Fast Castle approaches. If you're struggling to find the right strategy against Sengoku, this discussion offers valuable perspectives to refine your gameplay.

PipeAlternative1482 highlights a frustrating bug where villagers tasked to chop straggler trees will abandon their wood-gathering duties if another order is queued. This issue has been encountered by many players, making it a significant concern for those relying on efficient resource management in their games.

mrmikemtl announces the SMF Conqueror Cup 1, set to kick off in May, specifically catering to North American players with an open MMR format. This tournament promises exciting competition and a prize for the last Conqueror standing, alongside other RTS events organized by SMF.

NecessaryOwn7271 shares a thought-provoking perspective on the Age of Empires IV meta, arguing that the emphasis on rushing to the Castle Age overshadows the importance of strategy and tactics. They highlight historical examples, like the Mongols and Mamluks, who triumphed through clever tactics despite technological disadvantages, suggesting that the game should reflect this dynamic more effectively.

Hoeveboter shares a frustrating bug encountered on PS5 while playing the final mission of The Norman Invasion campaign. After completing the mission, the game unexpectedly returns to the main menu, preventing further progress. If anyone has found a workaround for this issue, your insights would be greatly appreciated!

Confident_Gap819 dives into the Sengoku period, clarifying its timeline from 1457 to 1615 and how it aligns with Age of Empires III's historical context. This discussion is perfect for players looking to deepen their understanding of Japanese history and its representation in the game.

OneThree31 shares their excitement about transitioning from AoE3 to AoE4 on PS5 and seeks advice from the community. Players are encouraged to share their experiences and tips, highlighting the key differences in gameplay mechanics, civilizations, and strategies that new players should consider when diving into AoE4.

SecureTeach shares their frustrations about the matchmaking system in Age of Empires IV, noting that they've consistently been paired with much higher-level players, including a recent match against someone at level 459. This experience raises questions about the fairness and effectiveness of the current matchmaking algorithm, as they feel overwhelmed and unable to enjoy the game. If you're new and facing similar challenges, you're not alone!

Dylan_1524 shares frustrations about facing high-level players in Bronze rank, highlighting the matchmaking system's shortcomings in providing balanced matchups. This discussion sheds light on the challenges new players face when matched against seasoned veterans, making it a relatable topic for many in the community.

OldOne999 highlights a frustrating bug for PS5 players in Age of Empires IV, where the UI narration setting keeps resetting to 'on' despite Microsoft claiming it was fixed in Patch 15.1.7064. After turning it off and saving, the setting reverts back to 'on' upon restarting the game, leaving players disappointed with the lack of a proper fix.

DearMomImDead dives into the meaning behind a specific icon in Age of Empires IV, sparking a discussion about chat bans and player communication. This thread is a great resource for players curious about in-game symbols and their implications on gameplay and community interaction.

TheIluminated sparks an interesting discussion among players about their preferred number of civilizations for ranked play. Many share their experiences, suggesting that while some stick to a main civ, others find success using 2 or 3 to adapt to different matchups. It's a great read for beginners looking to diversify their gameplay!

Confident_Gap819 sparks an interesting discussion about the potential Chinese DLC for Age of Empires IV, questioning whether players would be willing to purchase it if it only includes single-player missions priced at $15. This conversation dives into the community's expectations and preferences for content, highlighting the ongoing desire for more multiplayer features alongside campaign missions.

Blazemccay takes us on a fascinating journey to explore the real-life Altai region, showcasing its stunning landscapes and cultural significance. This content beautifully parallels the in-game Altai map in Age of Empires IV, enriching our understanding of the environment and history behind this unique setting.

StoneAgate0 raises several intriguing points about potential improvements for Age of Empires IV, such as the need for movable mangonels, connecting palisades to buildings, and the ability to construct siege units in castles. They also suggest enhancing the game's graphics and increasing the population limit, sparking a discussion on how these changes could enrich gameplay and realism.

Nhatminh94 raises serious concerns about blatant hacking in Age of Empires IV, specifically highlighting an incident where a player was able to change their opponent's civilization to Mongol at the start of a match. They argue for stronger measures against cheaters, suggesting IP bans instead of just account bans, and emphasize that addressing these issues could lead to increased sales of future DLCs. The post also acknowledges a player, Eldarklimov, who managed to defeat the hacker despite the unfair advantage.

PurePlayinSerb argues that towers in Age of Empires IV are currently underwhelming, describing them as overpriced scouts that fail to effectively deter armored infantry. They suggest that instead of relying on towers, players might be better off rushing infantry, especially given the console meta's dominance over cavalry.

Confident_Gap819 shares intriguing teasers about the Aztecs from Age of Mythology, sparking hope for their inclusion in Age of Empires IV. The discussion emphasizes the desire for more infantry-focused civilizations, which could diversify strategies and gameplay dynamics in AoE4.

Dudewith2eyes shares an intriguing encounter with a player using a race change hack in Age of Empires IV, specifically highlighting a match where IHateAOE44236 switched to Mongols and executed a tower rush. The discussion raises concerns about cheating and its impact on the game's integrity, sparking a conversation among the community about fair play.

Every-Golf-784 shares their frustrating experience of dropping from Platinum 2 to Silver 3 due to teammates leaving matches. They're looking for a reliable partner to climb back up, emphasizing the need for someone who can hold their own in 2v2 matches.

Valdy is live with a fun twist on 1v1 matches where subscribers get to pick his civilization. This interactive stream not only showcases his gameplay but also offers coaching tips and guides, making it a great opportunity for viewers to learn and engage with the Age of Empires community.

Corviinus1 is live streaming a Free-for-All Nomad match where viewers can influence the game by donating or subscribing to pick his civilization. He’s also offering coaching sessions, making this stream a great opportunity for those looking to improve their skills while enjoying some casual gameplay.