R i g h t a r d i a: Rise of Nations: One of the better RTS games

Rise of Nations is one of the better real-time strategy (RTS) games. The game interface is easy to pick-up but it takes a lot of trial and error to learn how to consistently win. This article looks at playing the game against your PC. There is an Internet game option as well.

According to Wikipedia, Rise of Nations (RON) was developed by Big Huge Games and published by Microsoft on May 20, 2003.

The program was last updated in 2009 and there are many maps, mods and hacks you can download from the Internet. The version Rightardia installed is RON: Thrones and Patriots which has more nations, maps and some extra characters.

The development of the game was led by Brian Reynolds, of Civilization II and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.

The games includes territories and attrition warfare. Rise of Nations features 18 civilizations, playable through 8 ages of world history.

Now for the good stuff. How to pay the game. The game opens with a basic town, a woodcutter's camp and a couple of farms. You need to build a temple, a market, a university , a mine, a granary, a saw mill and a smelter in the city. One government center or capital is also needed.

A modern RON city

As the games progresses, you can add defensive features and an oil refinery. You must add add scholars to your universities to progress through the 8 ages. Knowledge is essential to winning this game.

You may be able to win with two cities, but you will have more resources if you build three of four cites.

Early in the game is is wise to place a tower and lookout in each town for defense. if you have the resources, build castles in the towns that are close to the border of the two counties. The lookouts are important because they turn into surface to air missile sites once you progress into the modern age. Place one lookout in each town as you add cities.

It is important that you add all of options to each city

five farms
one or two woodcutter camps.
at least one mine
temple or church
university
granary
sawmill
smelter
refinery, once you reach the modern age
capital--one of you cities must have a government building.
defensive facilities, fort or tower and a lookout

Without a robust infrastructure,you will not be able to create enough soldiers, artillery and cavalry to win. As you progress though the ages, the catapults turn into artillery and eventually into mobile racket launchers. The cavalry turns into tanks and armored vehicles, You can also build ports, airplane hangars and offensive missile systems.

The sea ports are dual purpose. In the early ages, you use them to build a fishing fleet, but eventually you will be able to build warships and an even an aircraft carrier. Sea power does not work on all the of RON maps, but fishing boats make sense in any RON scenario that has lakes. You can also build a few warships to guard approaches to your cities

Playing the game. After you create the second or third city, you must build an army of soldiers, mounted cavalry and artillery. The better your infrastructure, the bigger the army you will be able to build. In a sea scenario, the navy can became crucial in the latter stages of the game as you are able to build battleships and aircraft carriers.

You can also build airfields and missile silos in the latter stages of the game. However, if you are at stage 7 or 8 into the game and are not defeating your enemy, you are looking at a stalemate, particularly if artificial intelligence kicks in which immediately creates new offensive units.

It's best to start your attack in the gunpowder era and maintain a technological lead over the enemy so you can finish him off before he can catch up. The player who controls the most territory and mountains that provide metal from mines usually wins.

Special units: Wonders provides special powers to your nation. The Major prefers the Colossus and the Hanging Gardens. He also like the Terra Cotta army which he uses to build a reserve of forces that can be employed in the critical stages of a battle.

Take your army into battle with one or more generals, spies and supply wagons. Wagons neutralize the attrition in enemy held areas. Your army will fall apart quickly in enemy territory without wagons.

Modern armed forces camp with infantry, armored cavalry and artillery facilities and defensive fort

As you attack an enemy city. move your forces up to the border and try to take take out turrets, forts and enemy facilities with artillery, Keep the artillery and wagons behind the cavalry and infantry. The infantry will hold its position but the cavalry will move forward to attack the enemy infantry and civilians. Move the wagons and artillery forward in as you eliminate the enemy forces and receive reinforcements.

Once you have reduced a cities defenses, your forces can move in. It takes about 2 minutes to assimilate a captured city into your nation. It is a good idea to move some of you villagers into the city to repair the city during the transition period. You will see and icon that looks like a wrench when you click on the villager. Use it to repair the city.

Most of the enemy defensive facilities will be located in the center of the nation. Once you capture an enemy city or two, you may run into a concentration of enemy infantry, armor and artillery facilities. Build a scrimmage line with infantry, cavalry and wagons. Then bring in artillery to destroy the facilities and defensive forts and towers.

If you bog down, play defense in your captured city, build a new army and attack the enemy from a second direction. Sometimes splitting your army will do the trick if you have a strong defensive position is a captured city,