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[MonkeyKungFu]

Here are a few places to go to look for specific strategies, game help, etc... before posting a question in the forum:

Big Huge Games: RoN Strategy Guides
Rise of Nations Heaven
Out4Blood's Rise of Nations Strategy Blog

Each of these serve as tips of the RoN strategy iceberg available online.  Of course, after you finish reading up on a strat, or find something that works for you, come back here and tell us about it.

Monkey
 

[ElvisKungFu]

dude, I can't believe you left off Mr. Fixit.

MFO is awesome for all sorts of tips and strategies.

http://www.rtscentral.com/ronHome.asp

[18Weapons]

fyi, I have not read any strategy ever on Rise of Nations.  We felt it would keep the competition pure and no one would get too advanced over night.  To boost your resources I have not found any better technique than building all the refinery facilities in each city that mines that resource.  If you read the mouse over on the refinery it says it boosts that city's production by x%

[ElvisKungFu]

Yeah - for me I think I just need to work on a few major things at the moment to really improve my game:

1.  Troop management
2.  Good handle on buildings, upgrades, sequencing.  I'm getting better at it. 
3.  Maxing population - this is much harder to do than I would have expected.
4.  Hot keys - There are some really cool hotkeys to use.

I have tried to read a few general strategies, but there really isn't much out there.  I had a very fun time last night and look forward to playing again soon.  I played a 1v1 vs. the computer after you guys logged off and just ran through the ages and technologies again to get a good feel for sequencing some more. 

[18Weapons]

Figured I would freshen up this sticky while I was writing RoN strategy today:



So, I mentioned above that your refinery buildings were key to resource accumulation.  The upgrades to these need to be taken before building additional gathering locations.  Rather than building additional gathering locations, build additional refineries at each city in order to maximize gather rate and minimize population.  When you start collecting oil, be sure to build oil refineries (in any city) asap... they have no upgrades but are key to keeping up with necessary oil production.

Knowledge is the same as any other resource except that the University itself is the locaiton to upgrade gather rate.

Wealth is the resource with the most ways to gather.  Tax is based upon land control... so maximize your borders in order to collect additional wealth.  Upgrade tax grather rate at the Temple as well as the borders (in the Temple and Castle)  Trade caravans provide additional wealth, but are fragile to invaders.  If you still have a lack of wealth remember that markets themselves collect +10 wealth so build one at every city until you are maxed.  Also, if you have abbundance of other resources you can sell them at the market in order to gain more wealth.  And lastly, the best way to collect wealth is the dual resource of Fish!  Fishing is a nice way to gain wealth without having to upgrade anything... if you are on a water map always gather and defend the sea.

Know the style of map you are playing on.  I can think of three map types that give me economic trouble:
1) the type with Trees around all the edges of the map and only enough for 2-3 citizens at each city in the middle area
- With this map you need to know right to build additional wood camps at the edges and potentially build the Temple of Tikal

2) maps with limited land such as Continental (surrounded by water)
- Water tends to limit the amount of land you are on so to gather iron it may be necessary to have an Ankor Wat
- Also, land it limited so caravans may be more easily disrupted... building into the water for food, iron, and wealth is important.  back up your fishing ships with a hefty navy and perhaps the Porcelain Tower.  If you're Spanish or Japanese you already have an advantage
- Production will be slow with less cities as well... some times you can't build as many as you're allowed, but always try even if it is right on top of another of your cities.  Counter-act this with some economic boosting wonders such as Pyramids, Temple or Tikal, Ankor Wat, or Eiffel Tower

3) maps with limited mines are a pain... so it is often a race to see who can get Ankor Wat built first. 


Distribution of gathering is important to consider when building cities.  Remember if you build two mines or two wood camps at a city then it will be twice as dangerous for you to lose that city.  I have made this mistake many times of building two mines at two cities near the enemy and being crippled when that city is taken down.