United States strategy
The United States adapt through Federal State age-ups, each of which provides Federal Home City Cards. Construction Wagons from the State Capitol can help extend map control, and later age choices can change the economy and military plan.
Civilization identity & tools
The opening Collection of Books provides experience toward an early shipment. Selecting a Federal State determines which two Federal cards are added for the age-up, so the choice shapes the next stage. Construction Wagons can establish buildings away from the starting base, while Industrial Age options include powerful economic investments.
Matchups & timing
Read the Federal State rewards before aging up and pick cards that help the next objective, such as defending, expanding or preparing an army. Send construction wagons toward positions that can be supported rather than isolated.
Practical plan
Use the first shipment to solve an immediate economic or scouting need, then build around the chosen State rewards. Recheck the opponent before each age transition because the flexible card route is most valuable when it answers the actual match.
United States strategy: decisions shape the civilization
The United States begins with a Collection of Books that grants 100 experience, helping secure the first Home City shipment quickly. Its starting economy has no broad gathering bonus, and its Villager limit is comparatively low, so the player depends on shipments and Federal State choices to shape growth. Each age advance grants two Federal Home City Cards, making the selection a defining strategic decision rather than a generic age-up. The States can adapt to a map or matchup, but a poor card or state sequence delays the benefit and can leave the army behind. Choose a direction early, then select later cards that build on it: economic wagons, defensive structures, infantry, artillery, native allies, cavalry, or a Revolution-supported recovery.
Strengths: shipment-led economy and expansion
The State Capitol gives the United States unusual access to construction wagons, including Covered, Outpost, Mill, Estate, and Trading Post Wagons, with some options unlocking later. This makes it possible to add infrastructure in locations where ordinary workers would need time to build. Expansion can secure resource sites, trade-route access, or forward production, but each wagon still needs a safe route and a defendable destination. Shipment cards can reduce future economic costs or add new income sources, though they often do not increase military output immediately. The player should distinguish infrastructure that will repay itself from a wagon placed too far forward to survive. Map control is powerful when the army can protect what the State Capitol has established.
Army composition: ranged core and its protection
The American roster leans toward ranged units and lacks ordinary hand infantry, with relatively few cavalry counters. State Militia can form a large mass, and hit-point stacking helps that mass withstand attrition, but heavy cavalry can punish them if they are caught without support. Carbine Cavalry is the dedicated anti-cavalry escort; it is somewhat cheaper than a Dragoon but weaker and has fewer upgrades. Position Carbine Cavalry so it can intercept a charge without sacrificing the Militia’s firing line. This composition rewards scouting: identify whether the opponent is building heavy cavalry, artillery, or light infantry, then add a counter instead of assuming the ranged core wins every fight.
Army composition: Gatling Guns and Legion options
In the Fortress Age, Gatling Guns give the United States strong anti-infantry fire. Coffee Mill Guns changes their attack from bursts to sustained fire, which can control a wide area against large infantry formations. Guns still need screening against cavalry and artillery, and their firing position matters. Legion shipments add further choices: Magyar Hussars, Prussian Uhlans, Legion Dragoons, or Legion Grenadiers with grenade launchers can be trained from Forts after their respective cards. This shifts the army according to the Federal State and map plan. A Fort-centered force can continue to produce specialized units near the front, but the Fort and its production must be protected; a card enabling production does not guarantee safe access to it.
Weaknesses and shipment discipline
The United States can receive Settlers and buildings through shipments, yet many economic bonuses reduce the cost of future development rather than immediately accelerating military production. A shipment spent on long-term infrastructure can therefore create a vulnerable timing window. The Federal State system adds another opportunity cost: choosing a state with the wrong supporting card can delay a coherent plan. Track which shipments have already been used, what the next age will unlock, and whether the current army can survive until the payoff. A versatile civilization can still fall behind if it changes direction repeatedly. Use flexibility to answer a real map or matchup condition, not as a reason to collect unrelated bonuses.
Exploration Age: immigration and delayed population
Irish Immigrants sends two Settlers plus two more for each five minutes elapsed, up to 30 minutes; at the maximum timing it can provide twenty. It can be sent early for immediate workers or delayed to rebuild after California’s Bear Flag Revolt turns Villagers into Californios. French Immigrants sends three Coureurs des Bois and improves Villager-type units with 35% more hit points, 100% more ranged attack, 0.5 speed, and ranged resistance; it also improves affected units’ hit points and speed by 10%. The shipment costs Wood, while the United States’ lower Villager limit makes population efficient. German and Irish Immigrants or Massachusetts’ Plymouth Settlers can complement this worker-focused route.
Exploration Age: Dutch and German income
Dutch Immigrants sends a Bank Wagon, raises Villager mine Coin gathering by 5%, and makes mines last 10% longer; the Bank limit is one. The shipment requires 300 Coin in the current listed version, so the player must plan the cost before relying on it. It can connect with Capitalism and Coin improvements, or Pennsylvania’s Philadelphia Convention and Pennsylvania Pound. German Immigrants makes each existing and newly built Mill spawn a Settler Wagon, with up to five additional wagons from Mills in the Industrial Age. Though available early, it pays off best after several Mills exist. Sending it too soon with no Mills postpones its main value; plan the economic buildings and wagon capacity alongside the shipment.
Exploration Age: defensive and expansion shipments
Spanish Immigrants sends an Outpost Wagon, supplies a 1.70 experience trickle, and enables a Levy variant that calls six Tercio Pikemen from the Commerce Age without losing hit points over time. The experience income is useful on maps without Trade Routes, while the Outpost supports a defensive position. Chinese Immigrants sends a Trading Post Rickshaw, increases Trading Post hit points by 40%, and enables free Trading Post Rickshaws through a special Levy. This can accelerate expansion along a Trade Route or toward Native settlements. The two cards serve different plans: Spanish Immigrants builds defense and experience, while Chinese Immigrants places expansion infrastructure. Scout the site and protect the wagon or Rickshaw until the building is complete.
Exploration Age: naval openings
Virginia Oak improves the hit points of Docks, Fishing Boats, Sloops, and Frigates by 15%, making it an opening support card for naval maps. The bonus adds survivability but does not create fish, improve gathering, or replace a fleet. Pair it with safe fishing access and a plan to defend the Dock, and consider the opportunity cost against worker or land expansion shipments. On a water map, verify where fishing resources and opposing landing routes are located before committing the economy to ships. A naval bonus is only valuable if the player can keep boats operating and convert the stronger fleet into map control.
Commerce Age: hero and light infantry
Sheriff is the United States hero card. It grants Heroes 50% more hit points and attack, gives the General a 2.0 attack multiplier against Treasure guardians and Outlaws, and unlocks Carbine Attack. Sending it as the player reaches Commerce Age helps the General claim more treasures and supports later General-focused cards such as Land of Lincoln, Bear Flag Revolt, Moultrie’s Militia, Missouri River Expeditions, and United States Army. Long Rifles gives State Militia and Minutemen four additional line of sight and range and unlocks Sharpshooters from Commerce Age. It strengthens a defensive light-infantry plan by improving reach and vision, but still needs a response to heavy cavalry and artillery.
Commerce Age: Trading Posts and State Capitol
Arkansas Post sends three Trading Post Wagons and lets them build Markets, Saloons, and Meeting Houses, supporting rapid expansion and new production sites. It can pair with Chinese Immigrants for a Trading Post-heavy plan. Springfield Armory sends an Arsenal Wagon and unlocks Flint Lock, Paper Cartridge, Military Drummers, Pillage, Professional Gunners, and Trunion; the Arsenal technologies become free but take 250% longer to research. This trades resources for time. Virginia General Assembly sends a State Capitol Wagon, raises the Capitol build limit by one, and makes the next Capitol technology free except Spies and Blockade. Because the Capitol trains wagons, this supports the civilization’s expansion strength. Time the free research where a long-term benefit justifies the delay.
Commerce Age: economic boom cards
Advanced Homesteading sends two Homestead Wagons; Mills and Estates gain eight line of sight and support five population in the current listed version. German Immigrants can add Settler Wagons from those Mills. Hamiltonian Economics makes Hunting Dogs, Gang Saw, Placer Mines, Blunderbuss, Great Coat, Steel Traps, Log Flume, and Amalgamation free and refunds the cost of upgrades already researched; its Market buy factor is also reduced by 5% in the current version. Washington Lumber Mills sends 400 Wood and improves Villager tree gathering by 10%. These cards build a boom through discounted upgrades, worker support, and construction resources. Their delayed return should be balanced against the immediate army a Commerce Age opponent may field.
Commerce Age: natives and Carbine Cavalry
Scottish Immigrants sends one Highlander for each Saloon, Meeting House, and Trading Post, up to ten, but costs Coin. It is most efficient after the player has secured those buildings, perhaps through Arkansas Post and Chinese Immigrants; Pennsylvania’s Philadelphia Convention can support the Native settlement and Trade Route side of the setup. Seminole Scouts sends twelve Seminole Sharktooth Bowmen that can use stealth, and can be sent twice, making it a strong start for a native-unit strategy. Lee’s Legion sends six Carbine Cavalry and unlocks their Commerce Age production, supporting an early cavalry rush or anti-cavalry escort. These cards should be selected according to the map: native infrastructure is not useful if it cannot be secured, and Carbine Cavalry needs an enemy cavalry threat or a larger army to escort.
Fortress Age: infantry upgrades and immediate force
United States Army raises the General, Minutemen, and heavy infantry hit points and attack by 15%. It is a core infantry card and combines with Sheriff, Spanish Immigrants, Minuteman Companies, Scottish Immigrants, United States Marines, and related Federal State effects. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteers sends five State Militia and four Regulars and upgrades them to Veteran, offering an immediate infantry push for 400 Food. Continental Rangers gives Owlhoots, Sharpshooters, and State Militia 15% more hit points and attack, supporting rifle-infantry or outlaw strategies. Each card can serve either a sustained army or a timing attack, but the player should maintain enough production and population capacity to reinforce the initial shipment.
Fortress Age: Minutemen and production tempo
United States Marines upgrades Minutemen into stronger Marines that do not lose hit points over time. It can combine with Minuteman Companies and shipments of Outposts, Town Centers, or Forts, which give the emergency militia system useful infrastructure. Patriotism reduces training time by 45% for State Militia, 35% for Regulars and Sharpshooters, and 25% for Hussars and Carbine Cavalry; this can reduce pressure to build more military buildings. Georgia Hussars upgrades Hussars to Veteran and reduces their cost by 15%, supporting raids during the middle game. These production and upgrade cards work best when the appropriate unit line is already being trained. Research or shipment investment in an idle unit line yields no immediate battlefield return.
Fortress Age: artillery and frontier defense
Coffee Mill Guns makes Gatling Guns fire continuously rather than in bursts, helping the United States’ Falconet replacement control massed infantry. Springfield Armory and South Carolina’s Marion’s Diversions can further improve the artillery plan. Rolling Artillery sends a sequence of three, then two, then one Gatling Gun and resets after each set of three uses; in most cases, ordinary production is preferable to relying on repeated shipment cycles. Russian-American Company sends two Blockhouse Wagons that build Frontier Blockhouses and increases Villager hunt gathering by 20%, combining defense with economic improvement. Place the Blockhouses to protect workers and routes, not so far forward that they can be destroyed before supporting the army.
Fortress Age: ships, outlaws, and Native units
Mississippi Steamers increases Steamer hit points and attack by 35% and adds two line of sight and range, fitting naval Federal States such as Rhode Island, Maryland, and Illinois. Reno Gang sends seven randomly selected Gunslingers, Cowboys, and/or Owlhoots, supporting an outlaw deck. Oklahoma Black Mesa sends a Coal Prospector Wagon and five Gunslingers; the Gunslingers can gather Coin from mines, connecting outlaw forces to an economic boom. Apache Scouts sends eight stealth-capable Apache Cavalry and upgrades them to Elite, suiting a Native-unit plan. Each option creates a distinct force: naval investment, ranged outlaw pressure, mining support, or stealth cavalry. Avoid mixing all four without a coherent map or matchup reason.
Fortress Age: Legion units from Forts
Armand’s Legion sends ten Legion Dragoons and unlocks their training at Forts; Pulaski’s Legion sends twelve Prussian Uhlans and unlocks their Fort production. Both work with Fort-focused Federal States such as Ohio, Texas, and Florida. These cards convert a defensive building into a forward cavalry production point and give the army alternate roles: ranged cavalry or fast melee raiders. They also require the player to build and protect the Fort and pay for later queues. When planning a Legion army, choose the Federal State and Fort location first, then time the unit shipment for a fight the new cavalry can reach. The ability to train a special unit at a Fort is sustained value only while the structure survives and resources support its queue.
Industrial Age: rebuilding after California
Missouri River Expeditions sends a Covered Wagon, increases the Town Center build limit by one, and lets the General summon a Hot Air Balloon. It combines expansion with scouting, and can reinforce a California plan or other Town Center shipments such as TEAM Louisiana Purchase or TEAM Alaska Purchase. Irish Immigrants can be saved to rebuild after Bear Flag Revolt converts Villagers into Californios; British Immigrants later allow Houses to train Settlers at twice the normal time, adding another recovery route. These cards address the economic cost of a transition by restoring workers or settlement infrastructure. Establish the post-Revolution sequence before changing the population, because a strong immediate attack can still fail if the player cannot resume resource production.
Industrial Age: sharpshooters, cavalry, and artillery
1st Michigan Volunteer Sharpshooters sends eight Sharpshooters and Cree Trackers; the Cree Trackers become Champion and receive nine line of sight and Eagle Eye. Sharpshooter or Native improvements, plus state options such as Pennsylvania’s Tammany Festival or Kentucky’s Kentucky Hunters, can support the force. Buffalo Soldiers improves Carbine Cavalry: the current version gives 15% attack, 10% ranged resistance, and one additional range. Five Captured Rockets supplies five Rockets for 1,000 Food and 1,000 Wood, giving the United States long-range artillery it cannot produce at its Factory. Knox Artillery Train upgrades Horse Artillery to Heavy Horse Guns, raises Horse Artillery and Heavy Cannon hit points by 20%, and reduces their training times by 20% and 10% respectively. Choose among these according to whether the army needs infantry range, anti-cavalry, or siege.
Industrial Age: Forts, militia, and outlaws
Kosciuszko Fortifications halves Fort cost and build time and increases the Fort limit by two in the current version; it suits Ohio, Texas, or Florida and enables Legion cards to produce from a cheaper network. Shotgun Messengers sends four Owlhoots and four Cowboys, adds twelve line of sight to Trading Posts, and gives them Shotgun Messengers’ charged ability; Arkansas Post, Chinese Immigrants, and outlaw cards can support this plan. Minutemen Companies replaces Levy with Conscription, which sends ten Minutemen, making a defensive deck more resilient when combined with Long Rifles, Tennessee’s Watauga Association, or Spanish Immigrants. These shipments turn infrastructure and emergency forces into a late-game defense, but still need careful placement and population planning.
Industrial Age: economy, mercenaries, and naval units
Minneapolis Mills supplies 800 Food and increases Villager gathering from Mills by 10%, providing a late economic boost. Poker costs 3,500 Coin, sends thirteen random mercenaries, and permits up to three random mercenary types to be trained at the Saloon; New Hampshire and New York age choices can complement a mercenary plan. Dance Hall upgrades the Saloon to train Ronin and reduces Outlaw population use by two. Hulks upgrades Ironclads to Hulks, raises their build limit by one, and gives them a 25% chance to block incoming attacks, supporting an Illinois, Maryland, and Rhode Island naval route. These investments are resource-intensive or map-dependent. A Saloon or Dock must exist and survive, and a naval shipment should be paired with control of the water rather than sent on a land-only map.
Industrial Age: native and Legion finishers
Navajo Scouts sends 21 Navajo Riflemen that can use stealth and upgrades them to Elite and Champion; the shipment costs 500 Food and 500 Wood. Indian Friendship sends large shipments from each different allied Native tribe, reduces Native Warrior training time by 10%, and halves Native shipment arrival time. Tammany Festival, Native Treaties, and other Native cards can expand its value. Washington’s Legion sends sixteen Legion Grenadiers with two extra line of sight, grenade launchers, and Incendiary Grenades, and unlocks their training at Forts. Kovat’s Legion sends nine Magyar Hussars and unlocks their Fort production. The Legion cards fit Ohio, Texas, and Florida. Choose a finisher that reinforces the army’s existing upgrades and the structures still standing on the map.
Team cards: battlefield and expansion support
TEAM 2 Gatling Guns gives every player two Gatling Guns, which allies with unit-specific improvements can further strengthen. TEAM North Carolina Quakers sends five Quaker Guns and can be repeated; the units are useful as a distraction. TEAM Westward Expedition provides four Military Wagons for shared rapid expansion and map control, particularly in large team matches. These cards trade a shipment for a force or infrastructure affecting the whole team. Coordinate the arrival with the allies’ ability to use the units and with a location that can be held. A Military Wagon sent when there is no safe expansion route may be less helpful than a combat shipment, while Gatling Guns need the same infantry screen as the regular army.
Team cards: Town Centers and map intelligence
TEAM Louisiana Purchase sends a Covered Wagon and causes each existing and new Town Center to spawn three Bisons. It benefits civilizations that can raise their Town Center limit or add more Town Centers through a Revolution, and combines with allied Covered Wagon shipments such as Conestoga Wagons or TEAM Nuevo México Territory. TEAM Alaska Purchase sends six Polar Bears and gives existing Town Centers a Silver Prospector Wagon; its value grows when the team has several Town Centers. TEAM Lewis & Clark Expedition reveals Treasures, resources, Trade Routes, and Native settlements and shows what enemies can see for 20 seconds. That information can coordinate early treasure contests or expansion. TEAM 10 Cree Allies sends ten Cree Trackers and upgrades them to Elite, helping allies whose decks already support Native units. Team cards reward coordination rather than isolated use.
A practical United States plan
Start by identifying the map’s strongest opportunity: safe economy, a Trade Route, native access, water, or defensible expansion. Use the Collection of Books to secure early shipment tempo, then select an immigration or infrastructure card that turns that opportunity into lasting value. Choose Federal States for their actual two-card package and supporting structures, and decide whether the army will use State Militia and Sharpshooters, Gatling Guns, Carbine Cavalry, Fort-trained Legions, Native units, or a naval force. Preserve a counter for the opponent’s likely composition. Before each shipment, verify the required structure, unit mass, population room, and time until its payoff. Before a Revolution, decide how Villager production resumes afterward. This keeps the States’ range of options focused on a single playable army and economy.