AOE2 Guide
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Map guide

Fortress

closed · 1,150,584 ranked games

Ranked · Win rate

Best civs on this map

Table view
  1. 1Burgundians56.53%11,572
  2. 2Romans56.49%5,882
  3. 3Bengalis56.32%3,519
  4. 4Italians55.98%7,460
  5. 5Slavs55.57%7,603
  6. 6Turks55.07%18,972
  7. 7Khmer54.31%13,344
  8. 8Bohemians53.94%10,175
  9. 9Goths53.83%12,946
  10. 10Georgians53.41%3,473
  11. 11Celts52.82%7,081
  12. 12Hindustanis52.8%8,017
  13. 13Portuguese52.48%12,555
  14. 14Malay52.33%5,146
  15. 15Poles51.89%8,238
  16. 16Cumans51.71%11,539
  17. 17Spanish51.62%15,342
  18. 18Khitans51.34%1,161
  19. 19Saracens51.24%5,951
  20. 20Dravidians50.98%2,091
  21. 21Teutons50.44%11,922
  22. 22Armenians50.44%2,252
  23. 23Jurchens50.36%699
  24. 24Bulgarians49.68%5,878
  25. 25Berbers49.57%4,692
  26. 26Vikings49.47%4,712
  27. 27Malians49.46%4,786
  28. 28Wei49.45%1,001
  29. 29Lithuanians49.16%9,655
  30. 30Japanese47.35%5,075
  31. 31Persians47.32%8,719
  32. 32Burmese47.16%3,416
  33. 33Mongols47.16%15,366
  34. 34Byzantines46.88%9,585
  35. 35Franks46.49%16,417
  36. 36Vietnamese46.42%6,251
  37. 37Sicilians46.33%4,358
  38. 38Incas45.74%4,355
  39. 39Aztecs45.72%4,980
  40. 40Britons45.67%14,023
  41. 41Chinese45.6%6,167
  42. 42Shu45.42%590
  43. 43Koreans44.55%4,323
  44. 44Ethiopians43.83%7,362
  45. 45Gurjaras43.51%2,843
  46. 46Mayans43.37%5,592
  47. 47Magyars42.51%5,724
  48. 48Wu42.23%753
  49. 49Tatars39.8%3,168
  50. 50Huns39.36%6,857

50 civs · Ranked by win rate · 50% = average. Source: aoestats.io ranked ladder archive (all-time)

Recommended Civilizations

Team Compositions

2v2

Flank

Flank Fast Castles and pushes with Knights or Battering Rams against the enemy fortification. Celts produce siege faster; Franks' Knights survive the long grind to break walls.

Pocket

Pocket booms behind the towers and masses unique units + gunpowder. Teutonic Knights and Bohemian Hand Cannoneers are devastating once the economy is safe.

4v4

Flank

Flanks coordinate siege pushes — Rams and Trebuchets to crack neighboring fortresses while Knights clean up villagers.

Pocket

Pocket goes deep boom into Imperial gunpowder. Turks fast-imp Janissaries and Bohemian Houfnice are nearly unstoppable behind a fortified position.

Fortress is a closed map similar to Arena but with pre-built towers along the stone wall ring — giving each player stronger starting defenses. The heavier fortification makes Fast Castle near-universal; players race to Castle Age, boom their economy, then assault with siege. Unique units, siege, and monk-and-siege armies dominate. Relics outside the walls are the first contested resource.

Opening

Standard opener is a 23-villager Fast Castle — identical to Arena. No Feudal military is produced since walls and towers protect against early aggression. Send the scout out the Fortress gate immediately to capture relics outside. First player to scout relics and send Monks wins the gold war. A 2nd Town Center is typically the first Castle Age build.

Mid game

Siege production is critical. Trebuchets and Rams are needed to breach enemy Fortress walls, which have higher HP than Arena's plain walls due to the towers. Unique units perform well — Teutonic Knights, Janissaries, Huskarls, and Coustilliers all excel. Monks + Siege is the go-to combination. Bohemians, Turks, and Spanish shine especially in Imperial Age with gunpowder.

Watch out for

  • Pre-built tower blind spots — starting towers create dead zones where enemies can sneak a Ram without entering tower range.
  • Forgetting Masonry + Architecture — walls and towers fall quickly without these upgrades; research them early in Castle Age.
  • False sense of security — a well-timed forward Castle near your wall can collapse the position even on Fortress.
  • Stone drain — Trebuchets and Castle drops consume stone rapidly; manage your stone economy carefully.