After somewhat of maybe a years break from AOE and the HG community, I have finally returned. I once again end up playing as the Dutch, and seeing that the old guide is an old thread, I'm going to spoof it up =]

Changed from V1 [ Or things I really wish to add]--Unit section nicer, going to make it short and sweet, most people know which civs have what
-Wishing to add a Hussar semi FF, by the time it was figured out, I had lost intereset in AOE, as well as a few more strats
-Some generic tips going to be added
-I would like to get a matchup section going, and how to face certain civs
-More to come, just off the top of my head for now.

On to the Guide! [Once again, this is still Vanilla]

The Rise of Amsterdam

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Table of Contents
1. Overview
- 1a. Unique Facts
- 1b. Strengths
- 1c. Weaknesses
2. Dutch Units and their usages
- 2a. Non-Military
- 2b. Infantry
- 2c. Cavalry
- 2d. Artilley
- 2e. Ships
- 2f. Useful Mercs
3. Decks
- 3a. Useful cards
- 3b. Generic FF Deck
- 3c. Generic Rush Deck
4. Base Construction
5. Strategies and BOs
- 5a. Basic 1 Bank Start
- 5b. 2 Bank Colonial start [coming soon]
- 5c. Skirm/ Pike Colonial
- 5d. Skirm/ Hussar Colonial with more Economy
- 5e. Skirm/ Hussar Colonial with less Economy
- 5f. Grenadier Rush
- 5g. 3 Bank FF
- 5h. 5 Hussar Semi-FF
- 5i. 10 Skirm 1 Bank Semi-FF
- 5j. 1 Bank Skirm/Pike Semi-FF
- 5k. 2 Bank Skirm/Pike Semi-FF [coming soon]
- 5l. Treaty Tips
- 5m. Deathmatch Tips

6. Basic Tips
7. Specific Civ Matchups
- 7a. Britain
- 7b. Spain
- 7c. France
- 7d. Germany
- 7e. Russia
- 7f. Ottomen
- 7g. Portugal
- 7h. Dutch
8. Good Links and Recorded Games
9. Closing



Overview

Unique Facts
-The Dutch Vils cost gold, not food
-You can only have 50 vils, instead of 99
-Banks= never idle 4.5 vils on gold
-Ruyters and Halbs are HG units
-Skirms can be made in age 2
-Important: Dutch are not the kind of civ where you can just make 2 units and never need to adjust. You should react to the opponent by scouting very often, and always be ready to change you game up.

Strengths:
-Banks are a unique building and are equivalent to 4.5 vils on gold. Banks are never idle.
-Skirm/Ruyter/Falc makes for strong fortress combo
-A good FF due to this
-Good Fortress
-Ruyters are amazing
-Good eco
-Awesome Church Techs: Stadhouders(guard muskets) and Waardgelders(hand cav merc)
-Stadhouder explorer card, makes TCs cost 200 Wood
-3 unique units: Envoys, Ruyters, and Fluyts

Weaknesses:
-The Dutch army lacks xbows and muskets
-Weakness to cav in age 2, if the opponent makes Ranged inf and Hand cav you can be in a bit of trouble
-Difficulty against Russia (Mass strelets> Pikes and they get 9 free cav)
-You can only have 50 vils; and 8 banks= 36 vils 50+36=86, you are still short a few.
-Vulnerable in colonial; Especially until the banks are up
-Cav can be a problem when massed
-Both of their RG units are anti-cav

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Dutch Units and their usages
(Info from here)
The Dutch have two unique army bonuses: Ruyters, and Age 2 Skirms automatically. Thier RG units are Nassau Halberdiers and Carabineers. They also have Envoys, a unit with a good line of sight, but can't fight well.


Now, this is newer. Instead of the painful hour or so of compiling the info, then to double check, I'm going to leave out the stats that nobody really needs, and get to the how and when to use.

Non-Military:

-Villager: Gatherer, your economy is based mainly off these. Cost 100g, can be made in age 1. Not too much to say here, most people know how to use vils [if not all].

-Envoy: Creatable in age 1 from your TC for 50f. Good LOS, but poor attack. You get one of these for free at the beginning of each game.

Infantry:

-Explorer: Leader of your colony, yeah yeah. Explores. Never dies. He is cool.

-Pikeman: Made from a Barracks in age 2 They cost 40f and 40w. Pikes are your age 2 cav counter. You need quite a few to kill cav, because they have little HP and are easily picked off by abus, strelets, and lbows. Don't use these past age 2, ruyters are better cav counter, and halbs have better seige.

-Skirmisher: Your only real ranged infantry, skirms can be made for 50f and 65g starting in Age 2. In age 2, they are beaten by other LI, at least in terms of cost effectiveness. What skirms do have on most other types of age 2 LI is range. Skirms have a 20 range on their volley attack, and they can utilize the attack move. Xbows have a range of about 16, and abus have close to 18. If you don't hit and run with skirms, you really aren't using them to their fullest, as they aren't strong enough to fight for themselves against other LI in age 2.


Halberdier: Can be made during age 3, costing 50f and 70g. Halberdiers are one of your RG units, but IMO, unless you are sieging a town (which falcs are good for), ruyters are better all-around. But it is nice to mix some of them in with your falcs, as they do still kill cav well.

Grenadier: Costing 120f and 60g, these guys are a pretty expensive unit for Age 2 infantry. Without sufficient protection from cav, such as pikes, you will often find that you will be wasting resources with these. The only use I have for them is a Gren/Pike rush, which I rarely perform.

Cavalry:

Hussar: Being made in Age 2 for 120f and 80g, these are your only Hand Cav units, besides mercs. You should also use these guys quite often in age 2, as skirms are inferior to other colonial LI, and hussars are your best counter. Good for raids and cannon killing. However, these are expensive, do NOT leave them to die when you can run them safely away and either heal them or use for scouting purposes.

Ruyters: Made in age 3, Ruyters are your second RG unit. A big basis of fortress Dutch armies, these guys are your friends. They are gold heavy, but you once you have 4+ banks up you can constantly make quite a few. They aren't too good of raiders, and they don't kill artillery very well, even though they have a multiplier against artillery. However, you can get rid of Hand infantry by hitting and running against these. While in TAD Ranged Infantry beats Hanged Cav, in 'nilla there is no multiplier. Another thing worth mentioning is that Ruyters only cost 1 population spot.

Artillery:

-Note: Grens are classified as Light Infantry, they are listed under infantry

-Falconet: Falcs cost 100w and 400g. They are expensive. To use these best, you should crowd them with halbs/ruyters for protection. They aren't cheap, and you should be careful with these, as wasting resources can kill you.

-Culverin: Costing 100w and 400g, they are the best counter to cannons. They have something near 26 range, and take down Falcs in 1 shot. Saves a lot of infantry if you use these. Don't make more than 2-3 of these, they cost pop and serve no purpose besides beating the opponents artillery. They have relatively poor seige.

-Mortar: Makable in Age 4 for 100w and 350g, Mortars have a massive siege attack, and just a few of them can rip apart a base. You should, like all cannons, surround them with anticav as protection. Watch out of culverins on the other side as well.

Ships:

Like last time, I really won't go into a huge explanation of ships. Few people play water maps, and of these games, few people use the water. However, as Dutch, with only 50 vils, you can make 15-20 Fishing boats for a very powerful boom, as 50vils+ 8 banks+ 15-20 boats is around 120-130 vils. Best part about it? You still only are using about 70 vil slots.

Fluyts are a unique unit to the Dutch, same as Galleons.

Useful Mercaneries:

All civs have vast amounts of mercs, but most many deem as pretty useless, especially considering that they cost so much, and use a shipment. There are a few good ones I use that will be listed.

-Stadhounder: A guard Musketeer from the Advanced Church. You get about 20~ for 2000 gold, which is the regular cost of a musket, give or take the VS mind you [for the critics]. Not to mention they are guard.

-Waargelders: Not as much used personally, but they are basically Hussar-like Mercs. You get 5 for 1000g. From the advanced church once again.

-Hackapells have some awesome hand damage, they 2 hit vils, as well as most infantry units. The only shipped merc I use. Cost 1000g.

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Decks:
Decks are a big part of how you play. Having some resource cards can allow you to get banks quickly, or unit shipments to power an FF.

I use 2 main kinds of decks. An FF deck, and a Defensive Colonial deck. Many players have water decks, and you should, but personally , I simply choose not to play on water.

Useful Cards:
-3 Vils. Duh. Should always be your first shipment on a land map.
-700f and 700w are very good cards to have for both an FF and a rush. They are going to likely be used to make banks. I typically ship wood in age 2, it is simply much faster. Food isn't as big of a deal.
-8 pikes and 3 hussars are good to get a suprise attack in on the opponent. Dutch are pretty difficult to rush with, but these are your first cards in colonial if you rush.
-Ruyter and Skirm shipments in age 3. They really keep you going, as it takes a bit to get the economy to fund for a large army, these can be a boost in either FFs or rushes.
-Adv church, simply because it gives you 2 more banks. 2 banks= 9 vils
-Both bank cards, again, basically 9 vils, and you need these.
-Factories. Basically just the late game boost
-Fort should be used defensively in FFs typically


Generic FF Deck:
Age 1: 3 Vils: Both Extra Bank Cards
Age 2: 700f: 700w: 700g: 8 Pikes: 2 Hussar; Adv Church
Age 3: Ruyter and Skirm shipments: Fort: Mercs: 1000w
Age 4: Factories: Tulip

Some more cards will fill the final slots. Refridgeration, Royal Mint, Improved army cards, etc

Generic Rush Deck:
Age 1: 3 vils: Rotterdam:Amsterdam
Age 2: 700+600 food and wood: 3 hussars: 8 pikes: adv church: infantry hp: infatry attack
Age 3: Fort: Ruyter+skirm shipments: cavalry combat: hackapells: Refridgeration
Age 4: 2 factories

Add/take out any cards you see more or less useful. Some other cards possibly:

-Tulip, if you expect a long game
-Water cards for water maps
-2 outposts
-4 vils
-1000w

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Base Construction
-Typically, I don't build forward, as many people play Russ and Ottos, which are a fast aging rush civ. But you still need map control, as you will be pretty gold heavy in fortress. Every unit of the Dutch player's cost more gold than food in age 3(besides hussars).
-If you are FFing, keep everything within firing range of your TC. You don't want to lose any houses because they were misplaced.
-When against civs who need map control, like Brits, due to need of space for manor booming, typically I build a FB to take an extra mine, and herd towards the mine.
-When you do get to fortress, FF or not, begin to explode onto the map. Fortress is Dutch shining time. Gain map control however you can. You need lots of gold for ruyters/falcs/skirms/mercs.
-Secure a good batch of trees early on so you can always have access to wood for banks. However, I typically ship wood in age 2, its really slow to gather, and you need vils on gold/food for an army.
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Yay Strats!

You will notice that most of this is the same, however I have added or wish to add the following:
1) 2 Bank Colonial
2) Water Booms
3) TR+DM guidelines


Generic Starts:
These aren't so much of stratigies, as basic ways to begin your game, to save the repetition of a long Age 1 BO.
These won't go through a whole game, go to the specific strategies for those.

1 Bank Colonial Start

Age 1:
-Send 2 vils to a nearby gold mine
-Send 1 vil to herd
-Rest of vils go to crates: Gold>Food>Wood
-Smash your vil button!
-Once you have all the crates gathered, you should have a 3/0/4 vil split. New vils go to food
-Get the easy gold treasures with your explorer, then look for some bigger ones. All are important: Food= faster age; Wood= less gathered for a bank; Gold= faster vils+age
-Envoy scouts for herd/treasure
-Send 3 vils as your first card
-Once 13 vils are queued all vils: --> food
-Begin to herd as much as you can, but no more than 1-2 vils should be out herding, you still want to age quickly
-Age with the Quartermaster(400w) and 16 vils

Age 1-2:
-There is no exact split, due to treasures and walking distance, but you need 350f, 350w, and 100g once you have aged
-Prioritize Wood>Gold>Food>Exp treasures
-Build a bank once you have the resources; then move your vils to ~6/0/10; Based on treasures. 10 is The most you ever need/want
-Queue a vil once you can

Note: From here on out, refer to here for how to do the 'same 16vil+400w' age I refrence. Besides MrMilo's 3 Bank FF, all colonial starts that say anything about the typical age up refers to this.




2 Bank Colonial Start:
Note: I saw this in a recording of an expert, I don't take credit.


Age 1:
-Same age as before

Age 1-2:
-7/8/1 split of vils. Try to get coin treasures to get a vil cued once you age up.
-Make a bank once you can, then send most vils to what you need for the unit[or units] you will be making. Keep 350f gathered to make a second bank quickly.

Age 2:
-Send 700w, and half of it goes to your second bank.

Colonial Starts:
I call these Colonial Starts because you really won't be 'rushing'. Simply making a defensive army, then trying to get to Fortress.

Skirm/ Pike Colonial:
This combo works well against opponents low in Ranged infantry, you will have to scout to determine what to do. Fortunately, most Dutch rushes start very similar until you have aged:

Age 1:
-Same age as before.

Age 1-2:
-Make a bank.

Age 2(as fast as 4:00 for me):
-Send 8 pikes as your second card
-Gather the wood asap and get a house up before your pikes come in. You don't want to be housed. The other wood turns into a rax and a second house
-Begin queueing skirms at your rax
-New vils should go mostly to gold; otherwise send them to food
-Once you have 10 skirms and 8 pikes, you can go pressure your opponent. Or if you expect them to rush you, you can stay back, defend, and get more skirms.
-Keep scouting and be ready to change up your vils if you need to change units
-Send700w once you can
-With the wood make 2 houses; then you can use the remaining 500w to:
1)Change many of your vils to food and get a second bank if your opponent isn't being aggresive
2)Make some more pikes if they are heavy on cav
3)Throw up a stable if you see lots of Ranged Inf
4)Make a market and get placer mines if you need more gold income
-At any time, if you get a break from all the fighting, trying to get banks up. Once you have about 3 or so you can usually move more of your vils to food/wood for awhile, since 3 banks=13.5 vils on gold.
-Other nice cards for after: 600w, 700g, 3 hussars
-Avoid using this on opponents with lots of Ranged inf, as lbows, abus, and mass strelets beat skirm/pike
-Typically, instead of trying to outspam them in colonial with 2 raxes, go fortress then go skim/falc/ruyter


Skirm/Hussar Colonial(more eco)
This is the Dutch's best combo in age 2, but skirms+vils+hussars make for an expensive combo. Typically you can just start of with the skirm/pike strat, then throw up a stable and add hussars once you have the eco.

Age 1:
-Same start as previous, 16 vils+400w age up. And remember vils are coin.

Age 1-2:
-Still the same, you need to get up a bank, and queue a vil
-Afterwards, put close to a 6/0/10 split of vils

Age 2:
-Send 3 hussars as your second card. Raid as you can. But don't let them die
-Get up your house quickly, and the rax+2nd house after
-New vils to gold
-Queue up the skirms
-Send 700w as your next card
-Make a stable, and a a few more houses.
-Queue any hussars possible. You likely won't get many since skirms+vils will keep you tied down. If needed, you can stop making skirms once you have a good amount and make cav if you lost the others
-Once you have a shipment ready, send 700f
-A market is optional, I recommend it for more eco, it's hard to pull this off strat with a large army while still keeping up with eco.
-Once you have the 700f in, stop making skirms if you didn't before, and make 5 hussars. Keep villies coming.
-You can gather wood from treasures/with vils to get 350 for a second bank if you need.


Variation of Skirm/Hussar with less eco, more army
This strat is basically the same, but it allows you to spam more Hussars at the start, and you can easily add in skirms soon after

Age 1:
-Still the same 16 vil/400w age

Age 1-2:
-Instead of 350f and 350w for a bank, gather about 325w for 3 houses+25 extra. Wood treasures are your best friends. After, send most of your vils to gold, close to a 4/0/12 split
-Queue up a vil or two

Age 2:
-Send 700f as your second card
-400w: --> stable and 1 market + food and gold upgrade (thats why you gathered 325 wood )
-once your stable is up queue 1 hussar. After your 700f is in, you can queue the rest up. Try to get 5 out, and then get a second batch ready. to help you keep up.
-Raid them crazy to help keep their eco in check with yours, as you have no banks yet
-120f*5=600f +120 for a second batch, you will only need to gather 20f to get it going, but will also need 75 more for placer mines
-Send 600f or 700w
-600f= another set of hussars
-700w= houses, a bank, you will want to put many vils on food, leave at least 5-6 on gold, and a rax for skirms if needed
-I like to go with 700w, as you will already have 7-8 hussars, and you can ship 3 hussars or 8 pikes to support this after, and you need ranged infantry, they will have plenty of Hand inf when they see a stable
-You will likely suprise your opponent with hussars if they don't see a stable, if you raid in multiple groups you can really keep them out of your way. Your fast age can also help you with that, only Ottos can age by 4:10, Russia's 14 age up can have a BH by 4:30, but you typically want to avoid Russians

Grenadier Rush
*Thanks to Ha_Luke for this strat*
This strat is based on surprise. If someone sees it coming, he can counter it. But if you surprise him he will have an hard time beating it.

Age 1:
-Still the same 16 vil/400w age

Age 1-2:
-You have to gather 300 wood for an artillery foundry; a 4/8/3 split should suffice
-Afterward, once you have 300 wood, close to a 9/07 split, depending on treasures
-Send two vills forward. Let them walk to the side to a spot the opponent won't see. He cannot know that you are building an artillery foundry.
-Don't queue vills.

Age 2:
-Build artillery foundry ASAP and start queueing grens.
-Use the 400 wood from age up to build 4 houses.
-Don't build vills
-Send 8 pikes ASAP. These guys are the key to the strat. It's your only anti-cav you are going to have, so keep them safe. Don't siege with them, let them stay out of TC/tower fire. Only use them when enemy units start meleeing your grens, but try to keep them alive!
-When your 8 pikes arrive send them to the artillery foundry, 5 grens should arrive at the same time as the pikes.
-Attack now. This should be around 5:30.
-Kill military units first. Then go for stable/barracks, then for tower and then for TC.
-Ship 3 hussars. This will help against LI or hussars and can go hunt for vills once the military units are dead.
-Watch out for MM. They kill grens pretty hard in melee. So walk away and wait a bit. Then return and kill them off.
-Use the splash damage for that, acually use it against all infantry. Don't take all your grens and attack a single unit. Spread them out a bit and infantry is going to die fast.

Tips for rushing:
-Grens can take a lot of ranged damage. They have 200 hp, but 50% RR. So if there is LI bugging you by hit and running, continue sieging they can take some fire. Send in the 3 hussars so he can't hit and run anymore and than attack with the grens.
-Grens do great siege damage, you'll be surprised how quick they can take down buildings.
-It's best to use this aggressively. The best part of the gren is siege, which won't help against a rush.
-After the 3 hussar shipment I usually go for resource shipments.
-Don't build villagers until you have send 700 gold.


Semi-FF and FF Strats:
-These are ideal to get you quickly to Fortress, some provide for all economy, some mix in military.

3 Bank FF
Age 1:
-Suprisingly, it's the same as before!
-16 vils+ 400w age

Age 1-2:
-Gather 300 wood and about 200g for 2 vils
-Afterward you want about an 11/0/5 split

Age 2:
-Gather that 400w and make 2 banks; 300 gathered+400 aged=700w, and you can easily gather 700f while aging
-Send [B/ 700w
-New vils go to crates or gold
-700w: --> market+ placer mines, a 3rd bank, and rest is houses
-Third card is 700f . IMO, it's just easier to gather the coin since it is usually closer and not risky to get
-Put most of your vils to gold, you need 500f since you are shipping 700
-Age with the fast poitician, 3 banks, and about 21 vils

Age 2-3:
-If they are rushing, they will be at your base by now, use Minutemen and TC fire to push off small rushes
-If you need help, send 3 hussars or 8 pikes to counter them away
-Trade Coin for Wood at the market. Make a rax/stable/ and some houses
-Queue some vils up

Age 3:
-Use your TC to fight any final attacks away
-Send what you need, 8 skirms or 9 ruyters is best
-Queue a second unit to compliment your shipment at a rax/stable
-You can do what you need from here, you have a better eco (unless they are brits or ports), and an age advantage. Push as much as you can.
-Ruyter/Skirm/Falc Pwns.

5 Hussar Semi-FF
<Interchangables in these>

Age 1:
-Your still aging with 16 vils and 400w, get used to it =]
-Collect treasures, all are of use.

Age 1-2:
-Build a bank
-Gather 120f and 180g for a vil+ hussar
-Getting a market is only worthwhile if you can gather 125 wood after having a market to get the food/ coin upgrades.
-Without good treasures, this is basically impossible all during transition

Age 2:
-400w becomes a stable and 2 houses
-Cue a hussar once that stable is up
-Vils to food <Or Gold>
-Send 700g <Or 700f, if you went mostly on gold>
-Use gold to spam vils, and finish up the Hussar batch.
-Raid, harrass, etc with Hussars, but keep them alive.
-Send 700f <Or 700g, if you send 700f before>
-Age with Quick aging politcian

Age 2-3:
-ship hussars or pikes as needed.
-Trade coin for wood to make a rax, and some houses
-Get the first set of market upgrades

Age 3:
-Ship the counter to what your opponent is rushing with
-If they aren't rushing, you can send a fort, and use it to cover a mine.
-It is wise to throw up a foundry and make at least 2 falcs
-Spam Ruyters from your stable
-Use your superior army to gain as much map control as possible, and the game should be yours

1 Bank+10 Skirm Semi-FF

Age 1:
-16 vils+ 400w age

Age 1-2:
-Put up a bank, roughly a 6/10/0 gets you the food and wood at the same time [Treasures change this]
-Most vils to coin after; you need 50f and 100+65g.

Age 2:
-400w becomes rax and 2 houses
-Ship 700f NOTE: Haven't 100% confirmed this is the best card for right away, but it gest the job done
-Rax queues a skirm ASAP
-New vils mostly to food after 650g is gathered; perhaps a 13/0/5, you may have more or less vils
-Add the rest of your skirms, and start the second group
-Ship 700g; you can now shift all of your vils to food, with maybe a few to wood, but too many will slow down your Fortress.The bank will get the remainer of gold for you.
-Fast Aging poitician

Age 2-3:
-Collect 150f and 150g ASAP for MM if needed
-You can send 8 pikes if they are heavy on cav
-Get a market up and research all the tier 1 upgrades. You can trade gold for wood up to 132g[close to this] for 100w, and save time.
-You will only be in transition for 40 seconds. Only send the pikes if it will save you, if it is losing your rax, you will live. Save the shipment unless you will die without it.

Age 3:
-Send what you need. 8 skirms or 9 ruyters is best, or a fort to claim another mine/herd.
-Eventually sending 100w allows you to get another banks and a TC.
-Throw up an arty to maximize your advantage. Spam masses of ruyters, and a few halbs. When you go to attack a base, put the ruyters in defensive mode so they make a square around your falcs. Halbs can siege, or protect additionaly as needed.
-Keep your advantage with frequent attacks
-Maximizing banks will help spam Ruyters

1 Bank Skirm/Pike Semi-FF

Age 1:
-Basic Age up, 16 vils and 400w

Age 1-2:
-Make a bank, then gather 50f and100g+65g
-Roughly a 8/0/8 after

Age 2:
-Ship 8 Pikes
-Make a rax and 2 houses
-Make a total of 10 skirms
-Ship 700f or 700w
-If you sent 700f, it will help you age faster
-If you send 700w, make a few more houses, a market, TP, or whatever else you need: Stable, Outpost etc.
-Harrass the enemy as needed, distract them as you age
-Fast again politician

Age 2-3:
-Trade coin for wood and make 2-3 more houses, and a stable if you didn't yet
-If needed, call for MM, and you have 3 hussars to help with lots of LI, but only send this if desperate

Age 3:
-As always, ship the counter to the enemy
-A foundry is a big help
-Use your advantage to explode on the map

2 Bank Skirm/Pike Semi-FF
Working this out, coming soon.

Other
-Other tips for DM, and treaty are listed here. Water booms will be as well, if I can get one.

Double Dock Schooners Boom
Still rough, but it's a newer strategy, more elaboration coming soon!

Cards you MUST have to perform:
-Schooners
-700w and 600w
-2 Caravels
-3 Hussars helps, not 100% necessary, but it can save your need for a stable for a bit
Notes:
-This BO assumes that there all whales on your map
-To do this in a Treaty game, simply ignore all military aspects, and replace them for market upgrades, etc.
Age 1:
-16+400w age

Age 1-2:
-About a 4/8/4 split does the job here:
-Make a market, and upgrade Gang Saws
-Build a dock
-Send schooners once you can, then begin to pump fishing boats. Boats go to whales if they are on the map
-Queue up a vil
-Shift to a 6/0/10 split after

Age 2:
-Make a rax and 2 houses with your wood
-Send 700w once you get it, it will be a bit since you sent schooners
-Begin to queue roughly 10-15 skirms, you will need some defense. If you scout lots of LI or Cav on the way, I recommend you abandon after 10, and switch to pikes or cav. Since you can't always immediately get a stable without sacricificing a few seconds at your docks, I like 3 Hussars for this. 8 Pikes helps too, but you can easily make these.
-Once your 700w has arrived, build a second dock, an outpost in a defensive location [COVER LOTS OF TREES!], and 2 more houses. Gathering 50w more is option to make a third house.
-Reasearch both dock gathering upgrades as you can, once you have, and you have at least 3 fishing boats [you can have much much more by this point], shift ALL your vils off gold, and onto wood.
-When you get another shipment, send a Military shipment if you need support, or 600w to further your boom.

MORE COMING SOON!




Treaty Tips
-When making a deck, think of which cards give the longest term advantage, for example: refridgeration over 700f, you will gather over 700f during a treaty, so it is not worthwhile
-50 vils is your cap, use water any chance you can
-Even though it is of epic proportions, it's still a battle. Scout, then make your initial army.
-I don't play Treaty, but usually as Dutch you should be careful of using too many resources, since you have 150 army slots, most civs have 100.
-Max the vils ASAP!

Deathmatch Guidelines
-I'm going to take this out if it gets no response, I personally don't even know of any strategies for DM.
-You still should make an eco, you will eventually run out of resources. Coin especially.

Partially done/ In progress/ Need assistance:

-
-Working on a pike/skirm semi
-Water Strategies
-Treaty and DM guidelines possibly

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Now that I've covered most of the older stuff, this is where we add some new stuff.

Basic Tips:

This is going to be a bit messy for a little bit, bear with me 'til I figure an organization method.

-Use your Fort in a defensive manner on FFs, I have nearly lost several games because I didn't have protection along the backside of my base.
-When you are FFing. Trading gold to get wood saves time, and is more effecient due to the Dutch coin gather bonus. not sure of the exact number, but it might be up until 132 coin for 100 wood
-Protect your vils! You can only have 50 of them, and they cost more VS to make than other civs. Also, in general, place factories, banks, and economic buildings somewhat hidden or at least defensively. Especially factories, as they are irreplaceable
-You are typically going to be out ecoed until you have 1-2 banks up, then you can start to control the map and the game.
-While BOs are handy and always nice to see if written out, playing Dutch requires reaction and scouting. While you can follow a BO, against another good player, you will in the end usually need to make a combo of more than 2 simple units.
-As always, anyone is welcome to add.
-Maximize your age 3 advantage when you have it. Make falcs, and spam ruyters from your HC and Stable. Skirms are also good, as they are upgraded for free.
-3 TC's typically is a waste, by the time you hit age 3, you generally have 25~ vils, you are spending 600w to make about 7-8 more, not worth it in my opinion
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Specific Civ Matchups

This section is all about how to beat x civ while playing Dutch. While I haven't been playing AOE again for too long, I will continue to add onto this as I play more.

British: I find this somewhat of a hard matchup. Manor Boomers love to take advantage of your slower start, and if you don't get agressive, they will end up with the whole map. I like to harass constantly, but avoid major battles until you see an upperhand on your side, such as hitting fortress, as he usually will stay in colonial until he has finished manor booming.

Spain: Spain has lots of Hand Inf units, and it makes this difficult to go cav against. Most Spain users FF, which leaves you open to FF as well. I rarely see Spain users, but if you were to contest an FF, make plenty of Ruyters for his lancers, and culverins should be at the ready. Make skirms from 1-2 raxes for the HI.

France: In general, France is an all around civ. I don't have any firsthand advice to really getting around France. They have a strong eco, you need to raid, get the banks up, and try to get off to Fortress. Making TONS of Ruyters counteracts Cuirs

Germany: Germany is a prety agressive civ, you usually can let them come to you. Just watch for a doppel rush, they might try to knock down a bank. Typically I go with made skirms right away, and ship 8 pikes. Free uhlans begin right as they hit age 2, and most Germans utilize the 9 xbow card early on in Colonial.

Russia: Typically you want to avoid Russia. Strelets beat skirms and your pikes,and cossacks are 1 pop cav that are going to really hurt the skirms. Even though Russia is generally weak to cav, muskets are still going to counter your Hussars. Best bet IMO would be a turtly FF, as Russia has poor seige. 3 Bank FF, sending 3 Hussars or 8 Pikes for support. 2 Towers is an option too

Ottomen: Jans, Abus, and Hussars are all Ottos can make in Age 2. Abus beat Colonial Skirms, as well as pikes. An IOR can stop you dead in your tracks, try to prevent from him from getting all the map, raid constantly, and utilize your superior eco.

Ports: These guys can really run away late game, take map control before he hits fortress, or you are in some trouble. Few people use Ports, not too sure beyond that.

Dutch: You shouldn't have too much to learn about the Dutch, just remember the weaknesses of your own civ, and play against them.

As always, for those who really know how to beat certain civs, feel free to elaborate.

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Good Links and Recorded Games

The Basics of AoE 3
Not a recording, but a good plcae for beginners to the game to learn some things, and for some more experienced players to refrence to =]


3 Bank FF by MrMilo
This is MrMilos 3 Bank FF, he does it VS a computer, but it still shows of the BO well. Also check out the early game guide for a faster age up

10 Skirm Semi-FF vs France cav rush
This is a recorded game of me doing the Semi-FF with 10 skirms. 1x1 is the other player, he does a cav start with some xbows after. He ends up winning, but the BO is shown well. A few pointers on mistakes I made:
-I didn't really get a foundry up
-Didn't take map control as I hit Fortress
-I could've shipped 8 pikes, but I didn't think I needed to, which gave me a Fortress shipment I very much needed.


Dutch Hussar/Skirm Colonial VS French Pike/Hussar Rush
This is me vs clevername on ESO, this illstrates a Hussar Start with a skirm addition later on. He goes Pike-Hussar, once I hit Fortress he needed to go, but after I would get up a foundry, swap most my vils to coin, and make falc/ruyter, shipping skirms+ruyters from the HC.


3 Bank FF VS Fred The Great
Not such a worthy opponent, I played Fred on a 20% handicap, and 3 Bank FF. This game shows a little bit of what to do after you age, and typically how I play. Minus the lack of protecting the cannons, as computers can't micro.


Dutch Mirror; Skirm+Pike+Hussar 'rush'
This is an unrated game against some random Dutch guy on ESO. I do a Skirm+Pike start, and soon add Hussars. I have quotes on the rush part, because I do go to fortress, and make a few falcs. While I'm sure he hadn't played Dutch too often, I played well nevertheless.


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Feedback appreciated, I'm not too sure about some of the unit stats, feel free to correct that or my grammar+spelling. I also need a list of what colors work for BBcoding. I think I'm out of colors. :/

For anyone who would like to play me so I can get some recorded games, I would appreciate it.


~Socr

[This message has been edited by socrstar (edited 03-19-2010 @ 05:24 PM).]