Royal guard power spike (land)

Denmark-Norway is the only European civ that cannot revolt. However, they are not short on all-in options. This build explores one such "all-in" : the shipment "Royal Guard". This shipment gives you an 80% discount on the guard upgrade of all your land military units, but increases the cost of said units by 50%.

This is one of the weirdest build order I ever wrote. Comments and criticisms are more than welcome.

Game plan :

Simple in theory, hard in practice. Your game plan is split in three steps

• Setting up a robust economy
• Preparing a skirmisher+dragoon+artillery power spike
• Tech switching to a new army is your power spike was not enough

Setting up your economy :

You want an enormous food and coin income. Danes have some options to greed in age 2 and 3. I will describe what I consider the ideal opening, but feel free to adapt if you spot aggression.

• You want to do a 12/10 opener. Build a TP focus on food treasures exclusively. Age up with the quartermaster.
• In transition you want to chop for a house, queue a villager and macro to get toll register as fast as possible. Then bank 150 coin in preparation for børsen. Shift all villagers back on food.
• In age 2 collect the wood crate. Ship confiscation. Build an extra house, a market, hunting dogs and research børsen. The tech must be completed before confiscation arrives.
• If there are no signs of aggression, ship 700c and age up. You do not have a fast age up as Denmark so get started early. The bishop (greed) and the scout (safe) are good options.
• In transition ship 700w. Get all your infrastructure up : barracks, stable, steel traps, placer mines and one more house.
• In age 3 boom by producing settlers and shipping eco upgrades.

While you boom, and before your power spike, send the following shipments :

• "Oldenburg kings" : Will amplify your boom and necessary to tech switch after the power spike
• "Kongeloven" : Will make your boom faster but pricier, and necessary to tech switch after the power spike

Do keep in mind that your enemy is probably doing his own build order and you will have to counter.

Setting up the power spike :

At some point you will want to age 4 (enemy aggression slows down or you have accumulated enough resources). Once you make the call follow these steps

1. Make sure you have an artillery foundry in base (need it to upgrade your artillery)
2. Click age 4 with the engineer
3. Keep training units and build you mass. Engage only to delay an offensive
4. Once you have reached age 4, send Royal guard
5. Once the shipment has arrived, stop training units immediately and research the relevant royal guard upgrades (do not forget Danish field guns, you got 2 falcs from the age up)
6. Once the upgrades are in push hard

Tech switch :

Your mainline units are not cost efficient anymore with the exception of Friskitters. However, you have all the tools to switch to a new army that is affordable and efficient.

• Your power unit will be the espingolen. Unlock them at the church.
• You will cover the espingolens against cavalry with northern musketeers and royal hunters (convert them to their non villager version)
  • Having access to a native TP with light infantry is also a big plus.
• You will use friskitter to deal with enemy artillery (culverins in particular)

You can still ship units from the home city ! They will still benefit from royal guard upgrades.