GUIDE · EAST ASIA
Japanese Strategy
Japanese: Use the early infantry bonus and cheaper drop-off buildings to support a fast Feudal military timing. Infantry pressure is the main land plan, with archers and the Samurai adding matchup-specific support.
Overview
Japanese: Use the early infantry bonus and cheaper drop-off buildings to support a fast Feudal military timing. Infantry pressure is the main land plan, with archers and the Samurai adding matchup-specific support.
Opening decision and first timing
Cheaper Mills, Lumber Camps, and Mining Camps leave more wood for the first military building. Faster-attacking infantry can pressure a weak Feudal defense, though the timing loses value if the group waits beneath a Town Center. On water, faster Fishing Ships can create food income only when the fleet can protect them.
Composition, counters, and transition
Samurai are an infantry option that can challenge opposing unique units; use ordinary counters when the enemy army is a different shape. Siege and archers can cover an infantry advance, while the navy offers another route on mixed maps. A strong opening should convert into protected production and map vision rather than repeated unescorted raids.
Opening priorities
Use the early infantry bonus and cheaper drop-off buildings to support a fast Feudal military timing.
Core army
Infantry pressure is the main land plan, with archers and the Samurai adding matchup-specific support.
Technology & transition
Keep production flexible and use the economy saved on buildings to add farms, upgrades, or a water fleet.
Watch for
Cavalry has important upgrade gaps, so do not let mounted units become the only answer to enemy archers.
- Also known as
- Japanese (Age of Empires II)/Strategy
- Focus
- Civilization opening and matchup plan
- Signature / category
- Strategy guide
- Release / context
- The Age of Kings
- Region
- East Asia
- Classification
- Civilization plans