How to Play Age of Empires 3

1. Play the game's tutorials. There are 2 of them, both of which will help you get ready to play Age of Empires 3 either competitively, or in the single-player campaign. If you are already familiar with the basics of Real-Time Strategy (or RTS) games, skip the first tutorial and go to 'Try a Game.' The principles and commands upon which Age of Empires 3 is built are common to nearly every other RTS game, so if you've played another Age of Empires, Warcraft, Starcraft, Dawn of War or any other RTS, you've already got the basics of unit movement, building construction and resource gathering.

2. Build Manor Houses to increase your unit cap. Age of Empires 3 allows you to construct a massive amount of units (200 total, including laborers.) Manor Houses are the structure used to increase the current number of units you can build.

3. Gather resources. There are 3 resources which must be collected in order to build more units, buildings and expand your colony. Food, wood and coins. Food is gathered from fishing, hunting or farming a Mill. Wood is gathered by cutting down trees and Coins are gathered from harvesting Silver Mines, working a Plantation or harvesting Whales. Set a bunch (10+) Settlers on gathering each type of resource and just let them go for it.

4. Train Skirmishers and Cannons as quickly as you can. Both of these units are the best there is in terms of military units. Training a lot of them quickly will ensure your military superiority. Skirmishers or Musketeers are essential for eliminating enemy units while artillery are essential for destroying enemy buildings quickly.

5. Construct Walls and Defense Towers to block the enemy from entering your territory. Walls may not be very strong, but they will force enemy Settlers to find alternate routes into your territory, or give your units time to eliminate them.

6. Remember to check back at your home city to receive resource shipments and use experience.