Age of Empires 3: The Online Experience

This is my observation as a relatively new and inexperienced player online. It was with great anticipation and trepidation that I approached the whole online experience. I had read in forums of people with very short times in reaching Colonial and Fortress ages and I wondered if I would be 'rushed' from the onset. I had expected a lot of great, experienced and aggressive players. I did eventually go online and I have fought four different opponents as of last night. I chose 1 versus 1 encounters regardless of my opponent's city level. In my first encounter, I encountered a player playing the Spanish with a level 16 city. After five encounters, I had managed four victories. I had rushed all my opponents crushing them with the following times: 25, 19, 16, 15 minutes.

Spain versus Spain - 25 minutes. Highlights: Opponent built towers to protect his two trading posts which I destroyed. My subsequent attack saw lancers, falconets, pikemen, musketeers and redolero (a kind of sword and buckler infantry) overrun their town centre. I had a fortified outpost, fortress and barracks at the boundary of their base. I also have five fortified outposts protecting my town centre.

Spain versus Russia - 19 minutes. Highlights: Opponent repulsed four waves before I sent an army with two falconets into their town centre. His gold production was utterly shattered. I had a fortified outpost, fortress and barracks at the boundary of their base.

Spain versus Britain - 16 minutes. Highlights: Opponent defeated my first two waves of attack before my third massed attack overwhelmed the remnants of his army. Opponent tried building walls early in the game. Two sections were completed when my attack was launched.

Spain versus Spain - 15 minutes. Highlights: Opponent disabled my explorer twice and destroyed my exploratory first army. Game ended in Colonial Age after my second army arrived in his town centre.

The terrain ranged from Carolina to Texas.

I play Spain because I am comfortable with the units, economy and strategy. Despite a lot of practice playing the Dutch, I could not get a measure of the strategy needed to succeed. After over forty games, I switched to playing the Spanish.

I guess I have been fortunate. The other players that I have encountered are not those formidable ones that one sees about in forums discussing strategies.

From these few games, I think there are many 'normal' players out there. One need not be an expert to go on Esemble Studios servers. There are between 1800 to 2700 opponents online at Esemble Online (ESO) and the vast number are normal players. The online experience is worthwhile and accessible.

Age of Empires 3 is not a game of fast reactions and reflexes. One simply needs to have a strategy in mind before playing. It's a thinking game. And if one can think on one's feet, fine and good but it is not necessary. I find that the strategic elements are ultimately more important than the tactical elements.

I may embark on the 2 versus 2 games one of these days. The problem with that is the need for a reliable partner and an agreed strategy before play. Co-ordination will be paramount.

Addendum

I finally faced a competent Ottoman player who rushed tonight. Needlness to say, I suffered my first defeat in 28 minutes. My loss came from the lack of tactical finesse. I lost twice with a huge army when I neglected to micro-manage my troops! And they attacked the wrong buildings! I had razed his town centre.

*Image taken from http://www.ageofempires3.com