The Anniversary Edition is Age of Empires IV one year on from its October 2021 launch, adding the Ottomans and the Malians to the original eight civilisations for a roster of ten. Every civilisation ages up by building Landmarks rather than clicking a generic button, so the choice between two Landmarks per age is a real strategic fork instead of a formality. Matches run to a 200 population cap across four ages, and you win by Landmark destruction, by holding Sacred Sites, or by finishing a Wonder and surviving the countdown.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | A | Balanced | Best available |
| French | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Mongols | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Ottomans | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Malians | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition tier list.
A-Tier: English
English is a top-performing option in Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Longbowman | The English unique archer, with longer range than a standard archer and the ability to plant palings that stop cavalry charges dead. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Landmark ageing up | Advancing an age means choosing and constructing one of two Landmarks, each with a different bonus. |
How to Play English
English focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Longbowman does the damage and Landmark ageing up keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: French
French is a strong option in Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Royal Knight | The French unique heavy cavalry, which gains a damage bonus from its charge. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Relics and Sacred Sites | Religious units collect Relics from ruins and garrison them in a Monastery, Mosque or Prayer Tent for a steady gold trickle. |
How to Play French
French focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Royal Knight with Relics and Sacred Sites and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Mongols
Mongols is a strong option in Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Mangudai | The Mongol horse archer, which fires while moving. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Counter unit triangle | Spearmen beat cavalry, cavalry beat archers and ranged units, archers beat infantry, and handcannoneers such as the Ottoman Janissary punch through armour. |
How to Play Mongols
Mongols focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Counter unit triangle covers the gap Mangudai leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Ottomans
Ottomans is a specialized option in Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Janissary | The Ottoman handcannoneer, which does extra damage to cavalry and can repair siege engines in the field. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Siege engines and walls | Stone walls, towers and Keeps make direct assaults expensive, so battering rams, mangonels, bombards and the Ottoman Great Bombard exist to break them. |
How to Play Ottomans
Ottomans focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Siege engines and walls rather than raw numbers, and Janissary is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Malians
Malians is a specialized option in Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Musofadi Warrior | The Malian stealth infantry, lower on health and armour but fast and dangerous in ambush. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Civilisation specific economies | Economies are genuinely asymmetric. |
How to Play Malians
Malians focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Musofadi Warrior and Civilisation specific economies pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with French: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to English once you understand core mechanics and have access to Longbowman
- Keep a Mongols setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Malians for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Send your scout on a loop the moment the game starts and keep it moving. Sheep found in the first two minutes go straight under the Town Center and save your villagers from walking, which is worth more than any Dark Age upgrade.
- The Town Center should never sit idle in the first ten minutes. A single missed villager compounds through the whole game, and the difference between a good and a bad opening is usually five or six villagers, not army composition.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Guides
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Overview
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Tier List
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Walkthrough
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Beginner's Guide
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Tips & Tricks
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Weapons Guide
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Combat Guide
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Boss Guide
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Maps & Locations
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Crafting Guide
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition, check out these related guides:
- Sid Meier's Civilization V Builds: strategy game with similar mechanics
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Builds: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Builds: strategy game with similar mechanics
