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In this video, I break down a recent 1v1 ranked match that I had vs a English player on the ranked ladder in Age of Empires IV. I’m currently a Gold III player at the time of this recording.
I was playing as the House of Lancaster during this game. The purpose of this video is to analyze my gameplay. Take a look at the pros, cons and ultimately evaluate ways to improve. Feel free to like, follow, share, subscribe and comment below!
After watching my gameplay, feel free to check out the detailed stats below!
This matchup felt weird from the very beginning.
On one side, you have the English—the original civilization everyone knows for Longbowmen, defensive play, and strong fundamentals.
On the other side, you have the House of Lancaster—basically a “remixed” version of English with a heavier focus on economy, Manors, and scaling.
So going into this ranked match, my first thought was:
“This is basically English vs English… right?”
Yeah… not exactly.
This was a House of Lancaster vs English 1v1 ranked game, and honestly, it taught me how different these civs actually feel once the pressure starts.
I’m not a top-ranked player. I’m still learning, still improving, and still trying to clean up my decision-making. But matches like this are valuable because they expose the difference between understanding a civilization… and actually playing it well.
Why This Matchup Feels So Familiar (But Also Completely Different)
The English civilization is one of the most beginner-friendly civs in Age of Empires IV because of:
- Longbow pressure
- Strong defensive options
- Reliable economy
- Straightforward game plans
Meanwhile, the House of Lancaster takes that same defensive foundation and adds:
- Manor-based economy scaling
- Stronger long-term resource generation
- Unique military options and defensive mechanics
So even though the civilizations are connected, the pacing feels completely different.
English wants to pressure you early.
Lancaster wants to survive, stabilize, and scale.
Early Game (0–8 Minutes) – Longbows Everywhere
Let’s be honest.
Whenever English is involved, the early game usually means one thing:
Longbowmen.
English can produce Longbowmen rapidly through the Council Hall landmark, which creates constant Feudal Age pressure.
And in this game?
That pressure immediately started affecting my decision-making.
What I Did Wrong
- Scouted too late
- Reacted emotionally to pressure
- Delayed my macro
- Overfocused on defending
Instead of calmly sticking to my game plan, I started panicking every time units crossed the map.
And honestly, that’s becoming a pattern in my ranked games.
The Biggest Thing I’m Learning About Ranked
I used to think:
“Better players just micro harder.”
But after games like this, I’m realizing something different.
A lot of improvement is just:
- Staying calm
- Spending resources efficiently
- Keeping production running
- Making fewer panic decisions
That’s it.
And this match exposed how difficult that still is for me under pressure.
Mid Game (8–16 Minutes) – The Match Became Messy
This is where the game started slipping away.
My Problems
- Floating resources
- Taking awkward fights
- No consistent unit composition
- Forgetting my own win condition
I wasn’t really playing strategically anymore.
I was just reacting to whatever the English player did next.
Meanwhile, my opponent kept applying pressure consistently.
Not flashy pressure.
Not all-ins.
Just steady pressure that forced mistakes.
Why House of Lancaster Feels Strong (When You Actually Use It Properly)
One thing I’m slowly starting to understand is that the House of Lancaster economy is incredibly powerful if managed correctly.
The civilization revolves heavily around:
- Manors generating passive value
- Defensive scaling
- Efficient transitions into late game
But there’s a catch:
If you panic under pressure, you never fully benefit from that scaling.
And that’s exactly what happened to me.
Instead of leveraging my economic advantage, I kept playing reactively.
The Difference Between “Original English” and “Remixed English”
After this game, this is honestly how the matchup feels to me:
English
- Faster pressure
- Simpler game plan
- Easier to execute aggressively
House of Lancaster
- Stronger scaling
- More macro-focused
- Punishes bad economy management harder
And as an average player trying to improve?
I’m realizing Lancaster requires more discipline than I originally thought.
The Hard Truth About This Match
I don’t think I lost because of civilization balance.
I lost because:
- My macro collapsed under pressure
- My scouting was inconsistent
- My decisions became emotional
That’s the frustrating part about improving in ranked.
Most losses aren’t one huge mistake.
They’re:
- Small inefficiencies
- Bad habits
- Panic reactions
Repeated over and over.
What I’m Trying to Improve Moving Forward
If you’re also an average player grinding ranked, here’s what I’m personally working on after this game:
1. Stop Panicking Against Early Pressure
Longbows don’t automatically mean the game is over.
2. Keep My Macro Running
Villager production and resource spending matter constantly.
3. Scout Earlier and More Often
Half my mistakes come from missing information.
4. Commit to One Strategy
Changing plans every two minutes creates chaos.
What This Match Actually Taught Me
This game reminded me that improvement isn’t about suddenly becoming amazing overnight.
It’s about:
- Staying calmer
- Making slightly cleaner decisions
- Recovering faster from mistakes
That’s it.
And honestly?
That makes improvement feel more realistic.
Final Thoughts: The “Remix” Might Actually Be Harder
At first, I thought House of Lancaster would just feel like upgraded English.
But after playing more games like this, I’m realizing:
Lancaster rewards discipline much more than aggression.
And right now, discipline is something I’m still trying to learn.
But that’s part of the process.
One ranked game at a time.
Overview
Timeline
Total Score
Military
Economy
Technology
Society
Age of Empires IV is a real-time strategy video game developed by Relic Entertainment in partnership with World’s Edge and published by Xbox Game Studios.
It is the fourth installment of the Age of Empires series, and the first installment not developed by Ensemble Studios. The game was released on October 28, 2021 for Windows, and on August 22, 2023 for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
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