ADVANCING THROUGH THE AGES

Master the Stone, Tool, Bronze, and Iron Ages in Age of Empires IV. Learn how technology, resources, and economy drive your civilization's progress.

Hey there! So, you're diving into Age of Empires IV? Awesome! This game really captures how civilizations grew over thousands of years. Think of it like this: historians break down human history into different 'ages' based on the main materials people used for tools and weapons. In Age of Empires IV, we're talking about four big ones: the Stone Age, the Tool Age, the Bronze Age, and the early Iron Age. Each age is named after what people were primarily using – stone, then better stone tools, then bronze, and finally iron.

It's pretty cool how the game shows that technology builds on itself. You can't just jump to making iron swords without figuring out how to work with stone and bronze first. Even the earliest cultures in the game had to learn from what came before them, and that knowledge spread over time. Advancing from one age to the next wasn't a quick thing in real life – it took a lot of changes in how people did everything, from finding materials to building new workshops. But, once those changes were made, they really paid off with new efficiencies.

The game covers a massive span of history, about 12,000 years, all broken down into these four ages:

• Stone Age: This is all about survival. You'll be focused on building shelter and finding reliable food sources through hunting, fishing, and gathering. Think basic survival tools here.
• Tool Age: Things start picking up! You'll see farming settlements, more stable food supplies, and the beginnings of defense. Population starts to grow, and you'll get a simple economy going with a budding military.
• Bronze Age: This is where competition really heats up. You'll be fighting over resources, developing more advanced tech, and getting into metalworking. Trade becomes important, you might start colonizing, and you'll see more organized government, religion, and a serious military for conquest.
• Iron Age: The big leagues! Economies are driven by precious metals. You'll be building empires, expanding like crazy, and constructing massive cities. Military organizations get super sophisticated with siege tactics, armor, and powerful weapons. You'll even dominate the seas with warships and start those epic Wonder of the Ancient World projects.

Your typical game starts you off in the Stone Age, and your main goal is to push through all the ages to reach the Iron Age. As you level up through the ages, you'll unlock new buildings, military units, and technologies. Just remember, advancing costs resources and time. To move to the next age, you'll need to have built two different technology buildings from your current age. Keep that in mind as you plan your expansion!