Principles of Mixed Maps:

A hybrid map is any map with a land connection to your opponent and at least some water where you can build fishing ships.

  • Land > Water:

    While controlling water can give you an advantage, it won’t necessarily force your opponent out of their comfort zone. In fact, it often makes them focus more on land, where they might make more mistakes in response to your aggression.

  • Villagers > Fishing Boats:

    Why? Fishing boats are less efficient over time and, more importantly, they are much easier to eliminate.

  • The longer your extra fishing ships before dying will work the more resources they will bring
  • Any fishing ship collecting more than 75 food is worth it (as it costed 75 resources to make)

The primary objective is to achieve an economic advantage. To do this effectively, it’s essential to balance both land and water, while prioritizing land economy as the foundation of your strategy.

 

How to Play Hybrid Maps?

Connected Water:

  • Close on Land, Far on Water:

    Play aggressively on land while being defensive on water. This means you don’t need to invest fully in water, so fire ships are more effective than galleys in this case.
    A strong strategy is to go for a Hybrid maa rush, creating chaos and forcing your opponent to adapt, disrupting their build order and taking them out of their comfort zone.

  • Far on Land, Close on Water:

    Play defensively on land while being aggressive on water with galleys or fire ships rush. Galleys excel in choke points, while fire ships dominate open water.
    Aim to eliminate the fishing boats early (or force your opponent to over-invest in water), then transition to securing land with an economic advantage.

  • Mixed Distances:

    Focus mainly on land, as land > water. Play aggressively on land while being defensive on water. This means you won’t invest fully in water, so fire ships are more useful than galleys.
    Again, a Hybrid maa rush is a strong option to create chaos, forcing your opponent to adjust and disrupting their build order.

Disconnected Water:

Play aggressively on land first, then build a dock in the opponent’s water during the late Feudal Age, focusing on fire ships. Deal damage on land, then secure your advantage by eliminating fishing boats (or forcing your opponent to over-invest in water).

Map Examples:

Connected Water:

    • Close on Land, Far on Water:
      Coastal Forest, The Passage, Northern Isles (Transport ships make it a hybrid map)…
    • Far on Land, Close on Water:
      Mediterranean, Shoals…

Disconnected Water:
Four Lakes, Scandinavia…