Drush Fast Castle → Crossbow
LiereyyKeep the three Militia and starting Scout together. Their job is to disturb the opponent, reveal the response and buy enough time to finish the walls—not to win the game in Dark Age.
If Scouts, Men-at-Arms or forward ranges can enter your economy, delay the Castle click and spend the bank on the minimum defence required. A later healthy Castle Age is stronger than a nominal 16-minute timing with dead villagers.
Produce Archers during the Castle transition, add the second range, and preserve the gold required for Crossbowman and Bodkin Arrow. The opening succeeds through one compact Castle-Age timing.
Build timeline
The first row shows new villagers, transfers and task assignments; the figures below are the totals after the step.
Dark Age
1Send 6 villagers to sheep
6
06
0
0
2Send 4 villagers to wood
104600
3Send 1 villager to boar
114700
4Send 1 vil to make 2 houses then barracks. NOTE: After making the barracks, continue walling your map with palisades and 1-2 houses (don't get housed)
5Send 1 vil to get 10 gold, then go back to boar
134800
6Make 3 militias and send them forward to harass opponent
7Send 1 vil to get second boar
144900
8Send next 5 vils to berries and build a mill
19414009Send next 4 vils to wood on 1 lumber camp
2381400
10Research loom (you don't want to delay loom too much so you don't lose vils to a Feudal Age scout)
11Send 4 villagers to gold
278144012Research Feudal Age (perfect landing time: 12:35)
2781440Feudal Age13Finish walling your map using any villager that's available. Once finished walling, they can go on any resource you deem necessary
14Continue harassing opponent with your militia and scout
15Send 2 villagers to gold
2981460
16Make a range with 2 vils + blacksmith with 1
17NOTE: If you get attacked or things go wrong, feel free to spend more time in Feudal Age, and even abandon the FC plan if necessary
18Research Castle Age (perfect landing time: 16:05)
Castle Age
19Start massing archers from 1 range
20Research double bit axe
21Research horse collar
22Research fletching
23When berries run out, send the vils to whatver you think is best for your follow-up
Feudal Age24Add the second Archery Range during the Castle transition and preserve the Archer mass
Castle Age25On reaching Castle Age, research Crossbowman and Bodkin Arrow immediately, then move out as one group
26Add a Siege Workshop against compact ranged defence or Town Centers; otherwise keep both ranges producing and grow the farm economy
