The Chinese are one of the strangest Age of Empires IV civilisations. They’re not as asymmetrical as the Mongols, and they’ve got plenty of unique content and strengths, much like the Rus. But the way you unlock this potential makes this a very tricky civ to exploit to the fullest, with careful timing required.
At the start of a match, the only thing the Chinese have going for them is the Imperial Official and some improved scouts. The Official is an economic support unit that does nothing but watch over your villagers and bark orders, improving the efficiency of the specific building they’re overseeing. When not being a bossy boots, they also wonder about your settlement and collect taxes from buildings, netting you an early gold boost.
Villagers can also build things faster – defenses are built 50% faster, and everything else 100% faster. Other than that, the Chinese get the Chemistry technology for free the moment they enter the Imperial Age (Age IV), and their docks work 20% faster. On top of this though, the Chinese can access up to five unique military units and three unique buildings, but not all at the same time. On paper, at least, the Chinese play much like everyone else, but it’s in their core mechanic where the Chinese civ’s potential lies hidden.
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