Starting crate
Starting crates are the fixed resources and units a civilization receives at the beginning of a match. Their composition differs by civilization and helps define its first gathering and production choices. Some earlier releases also added random resource crates to all players.
Version differences
In the original game and expansions before Definitive Edition, players received a random 100-resource crate and could receive a second crate of a different resource. Definitive Edition removed that extra random-crate rule and adjusted civilization starts. The Chinese have a fixed opening rather than random crates, and some maps add their own crates.
Opening economy
Use the actual civilization and map start to choose the first shipments, building, and Settler allocation. Do not assume an older guide’s random crate when planning a Definitive Edition opening; fixed resources and map bonuses can change the best first step.
Fixed starts, random crates and map bonuses
Every civilization has a fixed opening, and several have distinctive starting resources or units. In the original game and the expansions before Definitive Edition, players also received a random 100-resource crate; there was a two-thirds chance of a second crate containing a different resource. Definitive Edition removed that extra random-crate rule and adjusted the fixed starts as compensation. The Chinese have a fixed opening and never receive random crates. Some maps, including Carolina, Deccan, Hispaniola and Mongolia, add map-specific crates on top of the civilization’s normal start. This changes the first shipment and worker assignment: a Coin-heavy start can support a different Age-up plan than a Wood-heavy start, while extra map crates can make an early building possible sooner. Check the active map and edition before following an old opening build order.
Planning the first minute
Opening resources affect whether the first Villagers can be assigned to Food, whether Wood is available for a production building and how quickly the player can pay an Age-up cost. The map may add bonus crates, while civilization-specific starts can include livestock, Envoys, Settler Wagons or additional military units. Read the fixed start for the active civilization and map before copying an older build order; the Definitive Edition’s removal of random crates makes those old opening totals unreliable.
Civilization starts and random-crate changes
Starting crates are the fixed resources and units each civilization receives at the beginning of a match. Their composition determines early worker assignments, the first building and how soon the player can afford a shipment or military queue. In the original game and expansions before Definitive Edition, players also received a random 100-resource crate and could receive a second crate of a different type. Definitive Edition removed that extra random-crate rule and adjusted civilization starts; the Chinese have a fixed opening instead.
Read the map and version before planning
Some maps add their own crates, so a civilization’s default start may not describe every match. Use the actual resources on screen to assign Settlers and select an opening rather than assuming a guide’s older random bonus. Fixed resources can make an age-up or production building available sooner, while a different map crate can shift the best first shipment. Check the game release, civilization and map rules when comparing build orders, since the starting crate system has changed across versions.