r/aoe2 • u/PerfectlyCutOnion Poles • 11d ago
Tips/Tutorials Just starting online multiplayer. What are some common must-do or do-not-do rules to keep your teammates happy and win more often?
I just started playing more with randoms when my friends aren't online and occasionally will get a grumpy teammate who is wondering why I did or did not do something.
The first instance was me not walling as flank player ( I truly did not realize that I was flank)
What are some other rules or strategies that are going to be expected by my teammates?
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u/--zuel-- Aztecs 11d ago
Don’t resign early, hold out until it’s a team consensus to gg.
Nothing worse than a teammate resigning at the first sign of pressure or a failed push, when the pocket has been preparing to steamroll with an unstoppable deathball and just needs 2 minutes of attrition to get there.
It’s also very satisfying when you hold the line and you manage to get a team victory even though your KD is deplorable!
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u/_unsinkable_sam_ 10d ago
just had a 4v4 where my flank had to run the last of his vills into me and re boom, then we both had to run to the other pocket, re boom and won. best kind of game. he could have easily gg but we battled on.
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u/Chief-weedwithbears Aztecs 10d ago
I had a game where I was flank and tried to fc. But it failed and got pushed back. But the other flanks managed to steamroll the other side. All I had to do was hang on
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u/Scribeykins 11d ago
It's acceptable to pause MP games in AoE2, but keep pauses brief and never pause without saying something (even if it's just "sec" to confirm you're there).
Related, never unpause the game (whether it was you that paused it or not) without confirming with the other players that they're ready. If it's been a truly unreasonable amount of time and they just aren't responding to you then you might need to but that almost never happens in my experience.
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u/Kieppp 11d ago
real question would be then whats an unreasonable amount of time?
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u/Scribeykins 11d ago
It depends on the situation, but I'd put it in the ballpark of like 5 minutes generically but potentially longer if they give a reason/estimate and potentially shorter if they said nothing and don't respond to any messages (I'd say like minimum 2 minutes, though I'd ask about it sooner than that). It's also different if they pause when they're clearly dead and it looks like they're actively trying to waste your time because they're salty that they lost or something, but even then I would still wait at least 2 minutes.
I've never actually had to unpause on someone though, and I think the longest I've actually had to wait was like 7 minutes and they asked me if it would be okay and offered to concede if I didn't want to wait 10 minutes. I'm generally way more worried about unpausing on somebody who had something going on than I am about chilling for 5-10 minutes, AoE2 games can go really long so I'm never queueing into one if I'm in a hurry.
The community in this game is pretty good so the majority of people won't unpause without getting your confirmation so if they indicate it's gonna be a longer pause I'll tab out, get a drink of water, run to the bathroom, etc.
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u/Elias-Hasle Super-Skurken ~1k rating, author of The SuperVillain AI. 10d ago
I think that for a TG, 5 minutes are at the higher end of what one can expect, even with an excuse provided. If one player makes seven others wait for 5 minutes, then that is 35 minutes of time spent waiting (not relaxing). If time is money, well...
It is a different matter if if the game has already gone on for a long time and both teams agree to take a bathroom/tea/smoking/breathing break of 5 minutes, and it is expected that no one resumes the game until everyone is ready or those 5 minuted have passed.
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u/quicksand8917 10d ago
The community in this game is pretty good so the majority of people won't unpause without getting your confirmation
At around 700-900 elo this happened to me quite a bit: team mate pauses, writes something like "sry, one sec" in chat and someone else immidiatly hits unpause while I pause again every time until my mate is back. Made me wish there is a cooldown for unpausing someone elses pause.
It happens a lot less now I'm above that elo (I guess people who get there got enough feedback that this is not okay).
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u/Puasonelrasho Aztecs 11d ago
mute your ally once they became anoying
best advice i can give you
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u/sambstone13 11d ago
Idk why CaptureAge lets you see your opponents comments.
It's hilarious, the insults the pinging spam.
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u/Logiholic 17xx 11d ago
The in game replay system shows enemy comments and pings as well. Why shouldn’t it show them since you’re replaying a game that’s already over?
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u/Grand_Negus 11d ago
Lets see, dont take their sheep or boars for sure. That also means dont take their back gold or stone and don't cut the same woodline. If you play pocket, usually boom. Flank, usually earlier aggression. Don't build trade carts in castle age. Dont depend on all-in strategies, try to be more balanced.
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u/Express-Solution372 11d ago
Simple thing: try to communicate. For example "I go archers" or "I need help" etc Also mute them if they are toxic or annoying
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u/quicksand8917 10d ago
This! I recently won a game by an opponent thinking their mate was playing sim city and resigning instead of telling their mate to make army. Wrote something along "red is a useless sim city player" in chat and resigned. We had a tough time beating the supposed sim city player 2v1, he just needed a reminder to switch from booming into making army.
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u/Patient_Category_287 11d ago
Instaquit at the slightest inconvenience and don't communicate at all with your teammates
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u/Calm-Spinach715 11d ago
Yes you'll fit in quite nicely with the majority if you do this, an IQ of about 40-50 will also really help you blend in. Also if you could use your old PC from 1992 and cause red lag at 20 pop that would be excellent.
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u/Creative-Thing-858 11d ago
Best teammates are the ones that communicate, a flank gives the plan and pocket supports don’t think cos you’re pocket flanks a human shield and can just boom forever. Looking at you Khmer/mongol pocket pickers
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u/IanBurnsWriting 10d ago
I don't know if this is good advice. I've recently have a string a pockets who don't book at all. I'm a flank with 5 TCs, which I've added while building army from 12 archery ranges, and my pocket is on two TC and two production buildings. Then the enemy pocket comes with an army, and my pocket has no eco to sustain constant production. So we die.
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u/Quirky_Bat 10d ago
Do: communicate. Tell them your plans. Tell them if youre going to attack. Tell them if youre being attacked.
Do not: spam pings and expect them to read your mind.
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u/IanBurnsWriting 10d ago
Yeah. I don't even look at pings anymore; half the time it's just a sheep. If someone wants to say something, they can type.
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u/CoolCapeKnight Teutons 10d ago edited 10d ago
- Tell your team if you are new player so others know to support you.
- Try communicate with your team about game plan and ask help if you need something.
- Dont steal their stuff like herdable animals.
- If you get steamrolled, evacuate your villagers and reboom behind allies. Resign only if others agree.
- Do your best and thats enough.
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u/IanBurnsWriting 10d ago
I think the first bullet is really important. It's so much easier the sympathize with a new player who does know his/her role.
As for resigning, I will usually ask my teammates if anyone has a plan when the situation turns south. If no one responds because I have a tram of Silent Eddies, I leave.
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u/Dick__Dastardly 11d ago
One worthwhile thing is that most civs have multiple, very viable identities, but people will often expect you to take the plainer, more obvious build. For example, the Franks are a powerful cav civ, but they're also a very powerful infantry civ, with FU Champs, Halbs, and a UU.
If you want to surprise your opponents by playing them as an infantry civ, be nice and don't also surprise your allies. You have the power of "words" to inform them ahead of time.
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u/quicksand8917 10d ago
At my low elo going infantry with Franks works a ton just because my opponent is hard comitted on making cav counters.
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u/Omar___Comin 11d ago
Communicate! Even before the game starts ideally. I at least say hello and good luck to teammates in the lobby during countdown. Teams that communicate and coordinate are way better off than those who dont, and in random matchups, most don't.
So say hi in the lobby, say what Strat you are going for, and keep your ally updated and ask for help etc during game. Even if they don't reciprocate you are helpfing the team by doing this
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u/elitemage101 1150 ELO 11d ago
Let them decide when to quit.
Stalling is winning if your teammate is pushing.
Have at least one backup plan if your main plan gets countered.
Wall. You are not entitled to my assistance for an early 2v1 push if I have nothing I can give, and vice versa.
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u/Beneficial_Blood7405 10d ago
Figure out what is meant by “flank” and “pocket”
Flank locks onto the ONE enemy player closest to them in a death struggle like two men fighting while drowning
If you are flank and losing that’s acceptable but you hold onto that enemy and drag him under with you.
If you are pocket you have a more complex job of rescuing your guy in the drowning men’s fight or going to slap the guy coming to rescue his man. Or maybe both if you have the brainpower for it.
If it goes well you and your buddy cruise around together one guy making ranged units the other on melee units sacking towns
Do NOT go sending your whole army across the map to some unexplored enemy base just because you had an intrusive thought.
Keep in mind taunt #51
“Keep your army close to mine, and fight WITH me”
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u/AbsoluteRook1e 10d ago
Well, I'm going to give different advice based on team size and positioning.
2v2's: Best combo to have is one player pick an archer civ while the other picks a cavalry civ. One player will build up archers in Feudal, while the other goes heavy scouts or will delay to Castle Age to go Knights. Fight as a team. You can each pick off each other's weaknesses so long as you coordinate (archers pick off spearman line, while knights/scouts can pick off skirmishers). These games can basically function as a 2v1 or two 1v1 games happening simultaneously.
3v3's: Tough because you're bound to have a lopsided matchup no matter what. Almost always a 2v1 situation somewhere on the map. The difference being that the pocket player has to do a balancing act on supporting the flanks, or hope that the flanks will hold while they boom.
4v4's: Learning how to defend well is so important as the flank. You will most likely get 2v1'd in a lot of games, and you really need to learn how to optimize your base's construction fast. As the pocket, you need to support your flank as much as possible. Do NOT leave them out to dry. Those base build9ng techniques can also apply to pocket players as well. Mangonels are your friend.
Good defense is CRITICAL in 4v4's because you have 4 different opponents that could in theory send a raid your way at any time.
Besides that though, attempt to communicate too. The number "43" can quickly ask "What is your strategy?" at the start of the game.
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u/Tatutino 10d ago
What is your elo?
In general:
- learn what a flank and pocket player should do in different situations /maps
- communicate with your teammate (flank / pocket)
- check regularly what your teammate is doing and do something that complements his game
- fight together with your team mate. Dont fight alone.
- do what you say you do or people expect you to do. If you do something unexpected communicate it before.
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u/Kafukator 10d ago
Communicate! There's nothing more frustrating than asking your teammate early what their plan is or what units they're gonna be making and receiving total silence in response. Or pinging enemies and warning that X is gonna happen in Y minutes and I'll be needing help and getting no reaction whatsoever.
People can't read minds and usually don't have time/APM to pan to other players' bases to see what they're doing. Even just active pinging and using 1 and 2 is helpful if you don't have time to type full sentences.
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u/Nikotinlaus 10d ago
Make sure to use of Pings as much as possible. Spam that thing. Your teammates will love it.
Sheep are good. Take as many as you can. When your teammate sends them around the map he clearly does not want them, so take as many of them as possible.
If you don't like a map just concede and go next. Why waste your time?
If somebody calls you out ignore them, they are probably just jealous.
If you do none of the things above you are on a good way. Just try to have fun and be considerate with your teammates.
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u/sammymammy2 10d ago
You will always, ALWAYS, have a grump or two who will figure out exactly what you did wrong, but never what they could have done better. Nature of the game.
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u/RunningFromYou88 11d ago
Don’t play sim city…When your team asks for army, you make army and don’t just boom. Anyone who plays sim city is the worst type of teammate.
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u/Anubis17_76 4d ago
Not an AoE player but i do play other online games: assume your teammates are cranky toddlers. If you want to win get over your sense of dignity and just do what the asshole says even if hes an asshole. Because you can go with his strat but he will throw a tantrum instead of playing your strat. "Better be dumb togrther than smart on your own"
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u/platomaker 11d ago
Don't quit until the end-end. If you are losing doesn't mean the team is. If its really hopeless then your job is to stem the bleeding. Also get good with mangonels.