Chinese strategy
Chinese strategy revolves around Banner Armies: fixed batches of complementary units trained from a limited set of military buildings. This lets China field forces quickly, but the paired unit mix and its counters should determine each production choice.
Civilization identity & tools
Villages provide population space and can support livestock, while Home City shipments and Town Centers add economic momentum. A Banner Army produces a set combination rather than a freely chosen ratio, so the player must account for both units in that batch. War Junks and Fuchuans provide strong naval options where water objectives justify the investment. The Summer Palace and Home City cards can change the production tempo.
Matchups & timing
Scout the opponent before choosing the next banner. Keep enough resources to replace a lost batch, and use a second production line or allied units if one member of the banner is poorly matched. On water maps, protect the economy and shoreline while deciding whether ships can secure an objective. Avoid spending all resources on one rush that cannot be reinforced.
Practical plan
Choose the Banner Army that covers the opponent’s visible force, then preserve enough resources and population to continue production after the first engagement. Keep Village and livestock investment proportional to the expected game length and the army’s housing needs.
Banner Armies and economic planning
The Chinese rely on Banner Armies that train a fixed group of complementary units together. This can assemble an army quickly, but also means the player cannot freely change the unit ratio inside a banner. Choose a banner that responds to the visible enemy force and retain enough resources to replace a lost group; a failed early rush can consume a large share of the economy. Villages cost more than ordinary Houses but provide more population, can garrison Villagers and support livestock. The Chinese navy is a strength on water maps, particularly War Junks and Fuchuans, while the Summer Palace and Home City cards can alter production tempo. Some powerful units, including Meteor Hammers, Iron Flails, Flamethrowers and Flying Crows, have distinct costs and roles. Scout before selecting the next banner and pair its weaker unit with support that covers the matchup.
Avoiding banner deadweight
Banner Armies provide a fixed mix, so some members can be less useful against a particular opponent. Old Han Army pairs Chu Ko Nu with Qiang Pikemen; the ranged units can pressure Heavy Infantry while the Pikemen protect against cavalry. If the matchup does not require both roles, choose a different banner or support the weaker half with another production line. Chinese Villages provide housing and livestock functions but cost more than ordinary Houses, so expand them in line with population demand rather than placing them without a plan.
Adapt fixed unit mixes to the opponent
The player cannot change the ratio inside a Banner Army, so a batch may include one unit type that is less useful in the current matchup. Old Han Army combines Chu Ko Nu with Qiang Pikemen: the ranged units can pressure Heavy Infantry, while Pikemen help against Cavalry. If the opponent’s composition makes one role unnecessary, select a different banner or add support from another production path. The goal is to make the entire batch useful rather than judging it by its strongest unit alone.
Scale the economy with population demand
Chinese Villages cost more than ordinary Houses but provide more population, can garrison Villagers and support livestock. Add them as population demand grows, and use livestock functions when the match is long enough to benefit from the delayed Food. Home City cards, the Summer Palace and shipment timing can accelerate a push, but the army still needs a stable resource base after its first banner arrives.