Summary

  • The Abbasid Dynasty is a surprising choice for sieging in Age of Empires 4 due to its ability to construct Siege Towers without researching siege engineering.
  • The Ayyubids offer improved siege workshop benefits and access to the powerful Tower of the Sultan siege unit.
  • The French civilization excels in both offense and defense, making it a strong option for siege gameplay in the late game.

Age Of Empires 4 can be a complicated game, especially for beginners to the franchise or genre. With so many civilizations available and so many different styles of gameplay integrated, it's easy to get confused while playing. For siege gameplay, there are many different benefits to each civilization, and it can be difficult for players to select the best option.

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Siege is an important factor in any game of this genre, but especially this one. It's a vital part of success. So, the question remains: What is the best civilization specifically for sieging in Age Of Empires 4?

10 Abbasid Dynasty

Ability To Construct Siege Towers Without Researching Siege Engineering

An overview of the Abbasid Empire in Age of Empires 4

The Abbasid Dynasty is not one many players would usually consider as a siege civilization in Age Of Empires 4, as the civilization is more geared towards technology and city planning rather than siege and battle. However, it is still a good one for a siege, especially from the Dark Ages onwards, as this civilization can construct Siege Towers without needing to research siege engineering first. It's the only civilization with this benefit, making it unique.

The Abbasid Dynasty is a lesser-known civilization in Age Of Empires 4, but it should not be overlooked.

9 Ayyubids

Siege Workshop Benefits And Unique Siege Units

The tower of sultan from Age Of Empires 4

The Ayyubids are a variant civilization of the Abbasid Dynasty available in the expansion of The Sultans Ascend. However, they have even better benefits for siege gameplay and are a slightly better option for this play style. The siege workshop benefits are improved as, upon reaching a golden age, siege units cost 20% less to build, meaning a big siege army can cost far less. The Ayyubids also have access to the Tower of the Sultan, one of the more powerful siege units in the game.

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The Ayyubids are a civilization not focused on siege, but they have a good amount of benefits for players just starting out.

8 Japanese

Offers The Incredible Ozutsu Unit

An overview of the Japanese Empire in Age of Empires 4, with cherry blossoms in the background

The Japanese civilization in Age Of Empires 4 is often hailed for its infantry power, and while it is a fantastic civilization, there are also benefits to sieging. The main one is the unique siege unit, the Ozutsu. The unit is a heavy-ranged gunpowder unit, and they carry around handheld cannons. Best for sieging enemy buildings, this unit can really make a difference in a siege battle situation as players progress through the ages.

The Japanese civilization is not usually brought up when players are talking about the best sieging civilizations, but they are definitely a good option.

7 Holy Roman Empire

Offers The Culverin Gunpowder Siege Unit

An overview of the Holy Roman Empire in Age of Empires 4

The Holy Roman Empire in Age Of Empires 4 is a Culverin civilization, meaning it automatically has a huge benefit regarding siege gameplay. The culverin is a gunpowder siege unit and a cannon that is excellent at taking on other siege units and winning against them. With a 12-tile range, there really aren't many siege units in the game better than this. The only real downside is its weakness against melee.

The Holy Roman Empire has access to the culverin, which automatically boosts them when considering siege in Age Of Empires 4.

6 English

A Good All-Round Civilization, But Not As Good In The Late Game For Siege

An overview of the English Civilization in Age of Empires 4, focusing on the Blacksmith

The English civilization is one of the best for beginners in Age Of Empires 4 because they are good at everything and are a balanced civilization. This also applies to siege. They do not have many units or buildings that are focused explicitly on siege gameplay, but one huge benefit they have is the shattering projectile technology. This causes the projectiles fired from a Counterweight Trebuchet to have a bigger area of impact, making them more effective.

The English civilization in Age Of Empires 4 has a lot to offer players in all aspects of the game, but the unique technology increases their effectiveness in a siege situation.

5 French

Strongest Anti-Siege

An overview of the French Civilization in Age of Empires 4

The French civilization has appeared throughout the franchise and also in Age Of Empires 4. They have siege as a focus, meaning a lot of their units are fantastic in this area of the game. This lies both in their Cannon, a powerful siege unit in the game, and their anti-siege in the Royal Culverin. These factors combine to make the French civilization one of the better civilizations in the late game, as players have access to solid offense and defense to balance out the need for attacking and protecting.

The French civilization is a great option in Age Of Empires 4, particularly for siege gameplay.

4 Rus

An Overall Well-Rounded Civilization For Siege

An overview of the Rus Civilization in Age of Empires 4

The Rus civilization in Age Of Empires 4 is well-rounded for siege gameplay. They have one of the best unique technologies in the game for sieging in the Siege Crew Training tech. This allows typical siege units, including trebuchets, to set up and teardown instantly. The wooden fortresses produced by this civilization are incredibly powerful against enemies, mainly due to the vision upgrade. These factors combine to make the Rus civilization a strong one in the game.

The Rus civilization in Age Of Empires 4 is good for sieging enemies due to the upgrades and technologies available.

3 Ottoman

Best Civilization In The Late Game

The cannons from the Ottoman empire in Age of Empires 4

The Ottomans are one of the best siege civilizations in Age Of Empires 4, especially in the game's late stages. They get access to gunpowder one age earlier than any other civilization, which is already a big help on its own. However, their siege capabilities are majorly increased with the great bombard unit. The Ottomans are nearly unstoppable when paired with the Janissary, a unit that can repair siege engines and deal bonus damage to opposing calvaries.

The Ottoman civilization in Age Of Empires 4 is nearly unbeatable in siege situations.

2 China

Best Civilization For Aggressive Sieges

An overview of the Chinese Civilization in Age of Empires 4, including traditional Chinese architecture

The Chinese civilization in Age Of Empires 4 is the best for aggressive sieging, especially in the early ages of the game. Their units specifically aimed at siege are best used strategically and are powerful, such as Nest of Bees, which fires a barrage of rocket arrows at the enemy. Their bombards shoot faster than other civilizations, which can make a big difference in battle. Chemistry technology for free is also helpful in this area.

The Chinese civilization is good for hitting the enemy hard and is fast in a siege situation, making them one of the best in Age Of Empires 4.

1 Mongols

This Civilization Has Long-Range Anti-Siege Units And The Best Infantry

Some units from the Mongol empire making their way around a building in Age Of Empires 4

Finally, the best civilization for siege gameplay in Age Of Empires 4 is the Mongols. Their springalds alone have a massive range of 13, which outperforms every other siege unit in the game. This is a massive advantage for siege, as the further away the player is from the target, the better. The infantry can construct every siege unit available, which is another significant advantage over other civilizations. With upgrades, the siege army of the Mongol civilization is unstoppable.

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The Mongol civilization is the best for a siege in Age Of Empires 4 simply because everything about the units available is better and stronger than in other civilizations.

Age of Empires 4
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Real-Time Strategy
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Released
October 28, 2021
Developer(s)
Relic Entertainment, World's Edge
Genre(s)
Real-Time Strategy