Hera (2753) vs Nicov (2715) | Malians vs Armenians | Age of Empires II

In this thrilling match-up of Age of Empires II, Hera, playing as Malians in blue, faces off against Nikov, who takes on the Armenians in red. The game is a battle of infantry civilizations with unique units and strategies. Both players rush to advance to the Feudal Age, leveraging their respective civilization's strengths. The Malians, known for their infantry and cavalry with an attack boost, are countered by the Armenians' early infantry availability and unique units like the Warrior Priest and Composite Bowman. Throughout the game, Hera and Nikov engage in a tense struggle over resources and map control, with strategic walling, military build-up, and economic management playing key roles. The match culminates in a battle of attrition, where Hera's superior economy and military pressure ultimately wear down Nikov's defenses. Despite a valiant effort from both sides, it's Hera who emerges victorious, showcasing the importance of economic and military balance in Age of Empires II.

Takeaways

• 🎮 The game is a high-low battle in Age of Empires II between Hera (Malians) and Nicov (Armenians), both known for their infantry civilizations.
• 🏰 Each player begins by advancing to the Feudal Age, with a focus on exploration and resource gathering.
• ⚔️ Malian unique units, the Gabo, have strong ranged melee attacks but lack health and armor, while their cavalry can receive a significant attack boost.
• 🏹 Armenian infantry benefit from extra line of sight and are available earlier, with the ability to upgrade for increased health.
• 🤴 The Warrior Priest is a unique Armenian unit that can heal friendly units and gather relics, providing support on the battlefield.
• 🛡️ Both civilizations have defensive strengths: Malians have their Town Centers garrisoned for increased firepower, while Armenians have a fortified Church that comes with a free Relic.
• 🏗️ Economic advantages for Malians include reduced wood cost for buildings and faster university work, whereas Armenians have cheaper mule carts and more effective mule cart technologies.
• 🌲 Map control becomes crucial as both players have similar starting conditions, with Hera having better forest coverage and Nicov having more secure primary resources.
• 🔥 Nicov takes an aggressive approach early on, achieving several kills and putting pressure on Hera's villagers.
• 🏰 Castles and bombard cannons play a significant role in the mid to late game, with both players building up their military and engaging in strategic battles.
• 🏆 The game concludes as a war of attrition, with Hera emerging victorious due to superior economic management and military pressure.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video?

The main theme of the video is a high-level game of Age of Empires II, featuring a battle between two infantry civilizations, the Malians and Armenians, represented by players Hera and Nikov.

What are the unique units for each civilization in the game?

The Malians have the Gabo, a quick infantry unit with a strong ranged melee attack, while the Armenians have the Warrior Priest, an infantry unit that can heal friendly units and gather relics.

What is the advantage of the Malians' cavalry?

The Malians' cavalry can be upgraded to receive a massive plus five attack boost, which makes the Malan cavaliere have a higher attack than a paladin.

How do the Malians benefit from their buildings in terms of resource cost?

All Malan buildings, except for Farms, cost 15% less wood, which helps in training units.

What is the special ability of the Armenians' first unique unit, the Warrior Priest?

The Warrior Priest has the ability to heal friendly units and gather relics, making it a versatile unit on the battlefield.

What is the strategic advantage of the Armenians' second unique unit, the Composite Bowman?

The Composite Bowman's attack ignores the armor of all land units except for Siege, making it effective against various types of infantry.

What is the significance of the players starting with 16 villagers each?

Starting with 16 villagers provides a decent opportunity for both players to develop their economy and military at a similar pace, leading to a balanced early game.

How does Hera's base layout affect his strategy?

Hera's base has a triangle-shaped smallish forest cover, which offers a good opportunity to wall off his settlement. However, his primary gold is more exposed compared to Nikov's, which could affect his resource security.

What is the impact of Nikov's early aggression on the game?

Nikov's early aggression results in several kills, including villagers and military units, giving him an initial advantage in terms of military power and map control.

How does the game's outcome reflect the players' economic management?

The game's outcome is largely determined by the players' economic management, with Hera winning due to better resource allocation and attrition, despite Nikov's larger military presence at times.

What is the role of the bombard cannons in the game's final stages?

The bombard cannons play a crucial role in the game's final stages by providing long-range support and causing significant damage to the enemy's forces and structures.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 Civ Matchup and Base Layouts

The paragraph introduces the civilizations and players in the game, detailing the strengths and unique features of the Malians and Armenians. It discusses the Malians' infantry focus, free armor upgrades, unique unit 'gabo', and cavalry attack boost. The Armenians are highlighted for their early infantry availability, unique unit 'warrior priest', and strong composite Bowman. The players' base layouts are compared, noting Hera's (Malians) forest coverage and Nikov's (Armenians) resource locations.

05:02

🛡️ Early Game Skirmishes and Strategies

This paragraph describes the early game strategies and minor skirmishes between Hera and Nikov. Hera takes advantage of the Malians' extra armor to engage Nikov's villagers, resulting in several kills. Nikov responds by walling off his base and utilizing his unique units to counter Hera's aggression. The paragraph also highlights Hera's failed attempt to raid Nikov's base and the importance of the players' resource management and military tactics.

10:02

🏹 Resource Accumulation and Technological Advances

The paragraph focuses on the players' efforts to accumulate resources and advance technologically. Both are seen gathering resources to progress to the Castle Age, with Hera leading in population but lagging in idle time. The players build military and economic structures, such as blacksmiths, stables, and archery ranges, to strengthen their positions. The paragraph also notes the strategic importance of the Town Center in the game, particularly for the Armenians.

15:03

🏇 Cavalry and Archer Engagements

This section discusses the engagements between the players' armies, focusing on cavalry and archer units. Hera uses his light cavalry and unique 'gabo' units to challenge Nikov, who counters with his composite Bowman. The paragraph highlights the tactical movements and decisions of both players, including Hera's castle placement and Nikov's defensive measures. The importance of positioning and unit matchups is emphasized in the ongoing battle.

20:04

🏹 Upgrades and Unit Counters

The paragraph delves into the upgrades and unit counters employed by both players. Hera focuses on economic development and military upgrades, while Nikov invests in monk upgrades and light cavalry production. The unique abilities of the Malians' 'gabo' and Armenians' composite Bowman are highlighted, along with the strategic use of bombard cannons and trebuchets. The players' resource management and unit production strategies are critical in this phase of the game.

25:06

🏰 Castles and Siege Weapons

This section describes the construction of castles and the deployment of siege weapons by both players. Nikov builds multiple castles to fortify his position, while Hera uses bombard cannons for their mobility and power. The paragraph details the strategic placement of these structures and the impact on the battlefield. The players' decisions to focus on military or economic advancements are analyzed, with the game's momentum swinging back and forth.

30:07

🏆 Final Confrontation and Game's End

The final paragraph covers the decisive moments of the game. Hera's relentless production of light cavalry and use of bombard cannons eventually overwhelm Nikov's forces. Despite Nikov's efforts to maintain his economy and military, he is unable to keep up with Hera's aggressive tactics and superior resources. The game ends with Hera's victory due to economic and military attrition, marking an intense and strategic battle between the two civilizations.

Keywords

Age of Empires II

Age of Empires II is a historical real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft. It is the second game in the Age of Empires series and was released in 1999. In the context of the video, it is the game being played by the two players, Hera and Nikov, and serves as the central theme around which the entire narrative of the video is built.

Infantry

Infantry refers to a branch of an army that engages in military operations on foot. In the context of Age of Empires II, infantry are units that fight on foot and do not ride any animals. Both Hera's Malians and Nikov's Armenians are described as infantry civilizations, meaning they have strengths in producing and using infantry units in their strategies.

Unique Unit

In Age of Empires II, each civilization has a unique unit that is only available to that civilization and cannot be produced by others. For example, the Malians' unique unit is the Gabo, while the Armenians have the Warrior Priest. These units often provide strategic advantages and are a key part of the gameplay.

Feudal Age

The Feudal Age is one of the four main ages in Age of Empires II, following the Dark Age and preceding the Castle Age. It is a period of development in the game during which players can advance their technology and military capabilities. In the video, players are urged to reach the Feudal Age as quickly as possible to unlock more advanced units and structures.

Military Industrial Complex

While not a direct term used in Age of Empires II, the phrase 'military industrial complex' is used metaphorically in the video to describe the infrastructure a player builds up to support their military forces. This includes structures like barracks for training units, archery ranges for archers, and stables for cavalry. For the Armenians, building their first fortified church provides a boost to their military capabilities.

Relics

Relics in Age of Empires II are objects that players can collect to gain various benefits. They are often found in monasteries and can be collected by monks. In the video, the Armenian player gains a significant advantage by collecting relics, which can be placed in certain buildings to provide bonuses like increased unit health or attack strength.

Composite Bowman

The Composite Bowman is the Armenians' unique ranged infantry unit. It is a powerful archer that can ignore the armor of all land units except for siege weapons, making it a formidable force on the battlefield. In the video, the Composite Bowman plays a critical role in the Armenian's military strategy.

Trebuchet

A Trebuchet is a type of siege engine in Age of Empires II that is capable of throwing large stones or other projectiles over long distances to damage or destroy enemy structures. They are particularly effective against buildings and are featured prominently in the video as both players use them in their military campaigns.

Bombard Cannon

The Bombard Cannon is a siege unit in Age of Empires II that uses cannons to launch explosive projectiles. It is highly effective against buildings and units, and its mobility is praised in the video. The player Hera makes extensive use of Bombard Cannons to devastating effect against the Armenian forces.

Economic and Military Attrition

Economic and military attrition refers to the gradual depletion of a player's resources and military forces over time, often due to prolonged conflict. In the context of the video, this concept is central to the outcome of the match, as the game is ultimately won by the player who can better manage their resources and maintain their military strength in the face of the opponent's challenges.

High Ground

In strategy games like Age of Empires II, the term 'high ground' refers to elevated areas of the map that provide tactical advantages to the units positioned there. Units on the high ground generally deal more damage and have a better line of sight. In the video, control of the high ground is a significant factor in the players' strategic decisions and outcomes of battles.

Highlights

Hera and Nicov, two skilled players, compete in an intense game of Age of Empires II.

Hera plays as Malians with unique unit Gabo and enhanced Cavalry, while Nicov represents Armenians with early infantry and unique units like Warrior Priest and Composite Bowman.

Malians have a significant advantage in wood cost reduction for buildings and faster university work, aiding in rapid military build-up.

Armenians have the unique ability to upgrade infantry for increased HP and can field a strong archer unit that ignores armor.

Both players start with 16 villagers, providing a balanced opportunity for early game development.

Nikov takes an aggressive approach, achieving several early kills and putting pressure on Hera's villagers.

Hera utilizes the Malians' extra Pierce armor from the barracks to withstand Nicov's initial attacks.

Nikov's strategic walling and discovery of Hera's primary gold source leads to a tactical advantage.

Hera's decision not to wall off early exposes his base but allows for faster economic development.

Both players successfully advance to the Castle Age, indicating a prolonged game with more complex strategies.

Nikov's fortified Church with a free Relic introduces a new dynamic, potentially impacting the game's outcome.

Hera's economic strength becomes evident with a market purchase and rapid unit production.

Nikov's military pressure with Knights and light Cavalry forces Hera to make strategic decisions.

The game transitions into a battle of attrition, with both players struggling with resource management.

Hera's advanced economy and military production capabilities give him an edge in the late game.

Nikov's strategic placement of Castles aims to control the map but faces challenges from Hera's bombard cannons.

The final stages of the game are marked by Hera's relentless military production and Nicov's resource depletion.

Hera emerges victorious through a combination of economic and military attrition, showcasing the importance of resource management and strategic depth in Age of Empires II.