Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition 'Drush' build order and strategy guide

Age Empires 2 De Drush Source: Windows Cardinal

An Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition Drush (shortened down from Dark Age rush) is a great style to get the upper mitt early in a match, just information technology doesn't come with its off-white share of risks. If you're wondering how y'all can harass your opponent early and effectively in your side by side game, this guide should help you smash and nuts of a Drush.

Why Drush your opponent?

Age Empires 2 De Drush Source: Windows Fundamental

There are many Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition strategies to choose from. If you prefer applying pressure to your opponent early on and non letting up as you move through the ages, the Drush is no doubtfulness the best option.

The Age of Empires 2 Drush strategy is meant to surprise and delay your opponent with early on aggression.

The Drush involves sending militia (the only military unit of measurement bachelor in the Dark Historic period) to the enemy'south base of operations to disrupt early economy. The goal of the Drush isn't to pad your kill-to-death ratio. Information technology's instead meant to distract and delay your opponent to the point where they cannot proceed up to the pressure you proceed applying through the ages. Worry less about killing villagers and focus more on pulling them abroad from their assigned duties.

If your opponent is playing as a civilization with potent cavalry, it's natural to assume they will attempt to hit you with fast-moving Lookout man cavalry as soon as Feudal Age is reached. Harassing their foragers, hunters, and even farmers (if they're not too close to the Boondocks Center) volition cause nutrient shortages.

On the other manus, if the opposing civilization is strong with archers, crippling their forest and gold economic system as they head into Feudal Age is paramount. An Age of Empires 2 lucifer is generally a number of minor opportunities that, when seized, grow into a victory.

Some civilizations are better geared for a Drush, including those with extra food and gold bonuses (Lithuanians, Aztecs) or those with cheaper infantry (Goths). All the same, all civilizations tin can pull off the Drush to some extent.

How to Drush in Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition

Similar whatever adept Age of Empires 2 strategy, there are multiple means to pull it off depending on the game'south current meta-state. I volition focus here on a Drush that volition have militia harassing your enemy at around the ten-minute marking of the match.

The Drush is best paired with mid- and late-game strategies; information technology alone will non win a game unless your opponent is seriously underprepared. Two common exit strategies will have your Drush into archers or into a standard Fast Castle. Since I've already written an Age of Empires ii: Definitive Edition Fast Castle strategy guide, I will focus on a Drush into archers with the post-obit build society.

Most civilizations brainstorm a match with three villagers and a picket, which I will focus on here. I will too ignore private civilization bonuses (like extra starting gold or nutrient) to make it improve suited to all playstyles.

Age Empires 2 De Drush Source: Windows Central

Immediately queue up as many villagers as possible in your Town Eye (TC). You lot never desire to let your TC idle.
Your scout should exist on the move, searching out domesticated animals (like sheep) and wild animals (like boars) near your TC. Immediately send any found sheep to your TC.
Transport 2 villagers (1, 2) to build i House. Call up to save room for farms around your TC.
Send the other villager (3) to build a separate house.
The new villager (four) created should begin harvesting sheep under the TC.
Send villagers (ane, two, three) to harvest sheep once houses are congenital. Attempt to e'er harvest ane animal at a fourth dimension to avoid wasting food due to carcass decay
Transport ii new villagers (5, 6) to harvest sheep. Go along calculation new villagers to the TC queue to ensure at that place's no downtime.
Send new villager (7) to build a lumber military camp on a large stand of copse. Toward the back of your base is preferred but not e'er possible.
Ship new villagers (viii, 9, 10) to chop wood at the lumber camp.
Ship new villager (11) to build a house. Endeavour building it most a boar or other wild animal since yous will employ the same villager to lure the animal back to your TC. Retrieve defensively when placing new buildings. Walls aren't the only structures that can delay invading armies.
Send new villager (12) to build a mill next to berries.
Send new villagers (13, xiv) to collect berries.
Attack boar with villager (eleven) in one case then retreat to your TC. When in range, order the villagers harvesting sheep to attack the boar to bring it down as rapidly every bit possible. Harvest boar with aforementioned villagers.
Send a villager currently harvesting boar to lure the next boar back to the TC. Aim to send the villager out to lure when the previous boar has about one-third meat left depending on proximity.
Consider sending your scout away from your base to notice the enemy. Knowing the position of enemy resource and gathering points is crucial.

Age Empires 2 De Drush Source: Windows Central

Send new villager (15) to build a firm near a gold deposit at the forepart of your base of operations.
Ship new villagers (16, 17) to gather berries.
Send villager (15) to build a barracks adjacent to the house but built. Ensure you remain close to the gold deposit.
Ship new villagers (18, 19, 20) to harvest sheep and boar.
Send villager (fifteen) to collect 10 aureate from the nearby mine. No mining military camp is needed. Have the villager drop off the gilt at your TC equally presently as information technology is collected.
Queue upwards 3 militia at your barracks. As soon every bit all iii are trained, group them with your scout and ship them to the enemy'southward base to harass villagers. Assign the armed services group to a hotkey so that you can switch back and along between micromanaging them and your economic system.
Send the two villagers weakened past luring boar to build 1 farm each. Not a huge blitz here, just build them as woods supply allows.
Send villager (15) to build a house one time gold is dropped off.
Send new villagers (21, 22, 23) to harvest sheep and boar. Consider hunting deer if they are shut enough to your TC or factory.
Ship new villager (24) to chop wood.
Research Loom at your TC.
Research Feudal Historic period at your TC.
Ship one villager from sheep/boar to chop wood.
Send 6 villagers from sheep/boar to build a second lumber camp.
Send four villagers from sheep/boar to build a gold mine.
Send two villager from sheep/boar to build a house. Think defensively. One time the house is built and Feudal Historic period is researched, build two archery ranges toward the front of your base. Finally, build a blacksmith.
Transport the two builders to mine aureate.

These concluding few steps will differ depending on your culture'southward needs. If you lot're low on ane resource, retask the sheep/boar/deer villagers equally needed.

You're at present in Feudal Age with the buildings required to railroad train archers and upgrade their equipment. All villagers are tasked with gathering resources, and your militia and scout should continue to cause issues at the enemy'due south base if they're nonetheless live.

Age Empires 2 De Drush Source: Windows Central

Starting time training archers from both archery ranges, and be certain to pull villagers away to build more than houses equally needed. As resources let, inquiry Double-Bit Axe at the lumber camp, research Fletching at the blacksmith, and research Padded Archer Armor at the blacksmith.

New villagers created during Feudal Age should be tasked to farms; the current half-dozen villagers on gold and 12 villagers on forest should exist enough to support your archer production. If your gold production is lagging behind, movement new villagers to gold every bit needed. Castle and Regal Ages volition see huge demand for golden.

With Fletching and Padded Archer Armor researched, send a group of archers to the enemy base. Focus on killing villagers and keep your archers away from the enemy TC. Consider splitting your archers upwardly into groups to make it harder for your opponent to defend. Never send archers in to fight one at a time.

Quick-glance summary of Drush steps

Age Empires 2 De Drush Source: Windows Primal

Post-obit are the above steps condensed downwards to make them easier to read while in a live lucifer.

Villagers (1, 2, iii) build houses then harvest sheep.
Villagers (4, 5, 6) harvest sheep.
Villager (7) builds lumber camp.
Villagers (8, ix, 10) chop wood at lumber camp.
Villager (xi) builds a house then lures boar.
Villagers (12, xiii, fourteen) build mill and collect berries.
Villager (15) builds a house about front gold.
Villagers (xvi, 17) gather berries.
Villagers (18, 19, xx) harvest sheep/boar.
Villager (xv) builds a barracks and so collects 10 gold from nearby mine.
Queue up 3 militia at billet. Send them to attack as a grouping once trained.
Injured villagers (boar luring) build 1 farm each.
Villager (15) builds a business firm.
Villagers (21, 22, 23) harvest sheep/boar. Consider hunting deer if close to your TC or mill.
Villager (24) chops wood.
Enquiry Loom.
Inquiry Feudal Age.
Send one sheep/boar villager to chop wood at existing lumber army camp.
Ship six sheep/boar villagers to build new lumber military camp.
Send 4 sheep/boar villagers to build gold mine.
Send two sheep/boar villagers to build a firm, two archery ranges, and a blacksmith in that lodge. Send them to mine aureate once building is complete.
Begin training archers from both ranges.
Enquiry Double-Bit Axe, Fletching, and Padded Archer Armor equally resources allow.
Villagers (25+) build farms and mine gilded. Keep your economy balanced. Move villagers who were foraging berries to resource that are lacking.
Send archer groups to harass enemy villagers once Fletching has been researched.

Perfecting the Age of Empires 2 Drush

Age Empires 2 De Drush Source: Windows Central

There are enough of variables and unforeseen happenings that can cause your Drush to fail. The enemy might wall their base of operations early on, boxing your militia out. You might not be able to notice the enemy's base of operations in fourth dimension to surprise them. Or the enemy might plan their own Drush, surprising you lot at home while your units are across the map. Good scouting, as with any strategy, is required to pull information technology off successfully.

Focus more on pulling enemy villagers away from resources than on killing them. Villagers can't defend themselves and gather resources at the same fourth dimension.

If a Drush goes according to plan and you surprise the enemy with militia, focus on keeping your minor regular army alive. The longer your units run around the enemy base of operations, the more distracted and frustrated the enemy becomes. Don't rush in and stand your basis to attack a grouping of villagers. Militia are relatively weak, and a group of villagers volition put up a strong fight. Instead, try to lure villagers away from their work; they can't attack yous and gather resources at the aforementioned time.

Go on your militia and scout together. They are stronger when grouped up. Go along them away from the enemy TC's arrow burn. And don't worry if the Drush units die. As long equally they delay the enemy, y'all should exist able to achieve Feudal Age first. In this case, information technology ways your archers will be ready to attack before the enemy can prepare a proper defense. If possible, pull your scout away before death. It can continue exploring the map.

The Drush is non a game-winning strategy (nearly of the time), merely it provides an splendid foundation for a win gained by making the most of small-scale opportunities. Plan your Drush at the front of another strategy (like Fast Castle or Feudal Archers) for best effect.

Exist sure to have a look at our Age of Empires ii: Definitive Edition Ultimate Beginner's Guide for some great tips on getting your game off the ground. And if yous're yet to take the plunge due to not having the correct PC, check out our guide to best laptops for playing Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

Historic period of Empires ii: Definitive Edition

Microsoft completely revamped and re-released Historic period of Empires two. Different the HD edition, this game comes rocking all-new graphics, sprites, animations, features, and other quality of life improvements.

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