Here are some helpful hints and tips for people just starting to play the game (and some of those people that have not been shown the basics before)

1. Hot Keys:- Get used to the in game keys, this will speed up your game a lot (not when you first try learning them, but when you get used to the keys you will thank ME.) for example pressing keys  H,C,C,C,C at start of the game builds 4 villagers at your TC. (Also please note that you can access the same menu options using the B key or the V key to build buildings i.e. B+E= builds house V+E= builds house

2. Keep Town Center (TC) Busy:- The TC must be kept busy at all times until at least half way through Castle age.... Do this by creating a constant flow of villagers or researching technology at your TC such as loom , to be able to do this you need a constant supply of food coming into your TC so place at least the first 10 villagers created on gathering food, now carry on building villagers constantly until you run short of food or until you want to fetch a boar back to you TC at which time you should research loom (unless you can lure the boar back with out loom). I  get a constant flow of food, in my TC to create villagers, by putting the first 6 villagers onto sheep and eventually boars, and 4 villagers on to berries..

3. Scouting:- Scout your base and rest of the map well. Start by scouting your base in a circular motion by using way points (to set way points hold down the SHIFT key and move normally, you will see a flag placed there instead of the scout moving to that point, then for the last point you want your scout to move to, let go of the shift key and move normally) the scout will then follow the way points you set, freeing up time for you do concentrate on more important things that you need to do For an example please click here.. When traveling long distances you can move using the mini map in bottom right corner so you don't need to lots of scrolling.

4. Assign numbers:- You will find it very useful to group units and even buildings under different numbers for easy reference (use the CTRL key + a number from 1-9 to assign them to a number,, then press that number once to highlight that unit/building's) press it twice and it centers on the unit/building, or press space bar)... At the start of the game I  place my scout under the No.1 key, my TC under No.2 and my Sheep/Boar eaters under No.3 and if I have any forward builders they are under No.9. this means if I am doing anything near the enemy (or anywhere else) I can carry on building Villagers easily with out having to scroll back and forwards across the map. Then later in the game (when I start building units) I place my biggest hitting units such as champion/knights etc under No.1, my counter units such as pikemen under No.2, my long ranged units like  archers/cannoneers etc under No3, my monks under No.4 and  Trebs under No.5.. But use what every suits you the best.

5. Idle Villagers:-Use the idle villager key (.) at ALL times, probably one of the most important and most commonly forgot about function in the game. If a villager is idle for a period pf time then it's not gathering resources in, and at the start of a game a few seconds wasted turn into minutes later on in the game (I have moved my idle villager key from (.) to (TAB) key on the left side, as this is where my hand rests and is easy to press.

6. Keep playing:-Even if you are getting a good beating in a game don't quit carry on trying to fight back, just watch the replay of full game afterwards and see what they did right or what you did wrong.

7. Drop of recourses:-When changing villagers over to another recourse, drop of what they are carrying first, other wise you will lose what they had. The most common mistake people make like this, is when they are eating the sheep at there TC and then they shoot the boar, losing all the sheep meat they had in hands,,,,, Also another 1 is when you move your villager to build a gold mine, lumber camp etc and when they finish they drop what they were carrying and start on new resource.

8. Sound:-Turn the sound effects volume to the MAX and the Music OFF... Then learn the different Sounds, as there are very important part of the game, from loom being researched (this lets you know that you can now build more villagers), buildings have finished being built, to you are under attack!!! All are important.

9. Relics:-Soon as you can you should collect the relics by returning they back to the monastery with a monk you get 45 gold per minute per relic you have collected, but be careful as your monk cant heal or convert units while he is carrying a relic.

10. Starting Resources:-On most maps you start the game with the same resources but in different places they are:-
    8x Sheep at start (in groups of 4,2,2)
    2x Boars
    1x group of 4 deers (some times you will be lucky and get 2 groups)
    1x patch of 6 berries
    2x Piles of gold
    2x Piles of stone

11. Collecting Gold:-
    • Relics:- Soon as you can you should collect the relics by returning they back to the monastery with a monk you get 45 gold per minute per relic you have collected, but be careful as your monk cant heal or convert units while he is carrying a relic.
    • Trade:- If you send a trade cart from your market to an allies or ENEMYS (not advisable J) market you will receive gold when it returns, the further away the market is the more gold you get (it is better to place markets as far apart as possible, you get more gold in the long run this way)
    • Selling:- Another way is to sell any excess resources of food and wood you have, but try to sell them before your enemys do, because as you sell the price drops and you get less gold in return.