In competitive play, the game often starts before you even move a villager through a . This determines which maps and civilizations will be played.
: These are optimized step-by-step instructions for the first 5–10 minutes of a game. Popular examples include the Fast Castle or the Scout Rush . Age of empires
: Use your starting scout to find your resources (sheep, berries, gold) and then immediately find your opponent to see what they are building. Knowing their strategy allows you to build counter-units. 2. The Tournament Drafting Guide In competitive play, the game often starts before
: Hoarding resources does nothing for you. If you have a surplus of wood or gold, spend it on buildings, upgrades, or more units. If you have too much of one resource, use the Market to trade for what you lack. Popular examples include the Fast Castle or the Scout Rush
: Never let your Town Center be idle. Always be building villagers until you reach a high population (typically 100-120+) to sustain your late-game army.
: Players take turns banning maps they dislike and picking maps they excel at. For a best-of-three, players typically have three vetos each.
For a deeper dive into how professional players handle the high-stakes drafting phase in tournaments, watch this explanation: