FoE The Most Asked Qustion - To Age or Not to Age Up - When Why and How. Plus High Era Gotchas

In this video there's no holding back on this Everlong topic if you are in earlier era's of Forge of Empires. This video is long, but so is your gameplay commitment. We discuss early-era camping, aging up, hyper-aging, and which eras just totally suck IMHO. Targeting FE and beyond. If you can get all the way through this not-short video, you'll be rewarded with some really decent info. Please comment for clarifications. Really important stuff at 31:40 and beyond (like at 41:00), but there are some tasty nuggets all through the vid. If you want to go Elite and get to higher levels watch this video. @45:25 it should say 80 Nickel related to supply production costs for SAAB goods. @47:34 never delete your LoA if you are going to step up to higher eras.

[@w0521501]

Very informative. First time I heard about the supply issue. I'm planning to move up so you info is very useful. Keep trucking!

[@foeadvance7024]

Glad that helped. I harp on the supply thing a lot. I've noticed recently that a number of Confectionary's have been showing up in the AD. I love those for certain eras as a production building because they have a good output per square, they are pretty cheap, and they don't need 2 lane roads. I have 2.5G supplies on hand waiting for the era to open and I'll probably need most of that to move through research without spending diamonds. The best use of supplies IMHO is getting your CF way up and to continuously rotate the Unbirthday Recurring Quest.

[@dianakrause9217]

Enjoyed your video and learned a lot. Loved the practical approach towards enjoying the journey.

[@foeadvance7024]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@xyBano]

Thank you for the talk! Learned a lot

[@smc5910]

Enjoyed the video and learned a great deal. Thank you.

[@Jasper949ak]

First time watching your video. Got some great tips thankyou.

[@Flashback2020]

Thanks for the video. One thing that stood out to me was your comments on the Cape. You are the second or third KZbinr I've heard say that the Cape is not worth it early, and that the ROI takes so long, and that too many people build it before getting their Arc, Traz, Chateau and ToR up and running. I've recently started some new cities and will be using this advice to avoid the mistakes I made in my first two cities.

[@foeadvance7024]

Yeah I made these mistakes as well when I started the game years ago. When starting new accounts in other worlds I try to follow my hard learned experiences.

[@ctrlaltdel877]

Been playing 2 years, got FoEHelper first day. Helped me lvl through the ages no problem. Didn't even know the other lvling tab was there. Good video full of info and you have a great voice.

[@foeadvance7024]

Yes FoE Helper was/is a good plugin. I did the big learning curve on Forge Commander and haven't gone back.

[@xy5392]

The video gives an impression of a little bit chaotic, unstructured and out of scope but is very useful when watched as a whole; touches on a few important but neglected issues and....brings some hope that the main building of the current event is not entirely meh;) Thanks!

[@foeadvance7024]

Noted!

[@CasaMaryParadise]

Very diplomatic comment 👍

[@xoca7171]

Hey! Thanks for the video, and so quick too. I'm currently in HMA at the top of my neighbourhood and have been wondering when to level up. I just got my Arc to level 80 and I am now working on leveling up my fighting buildings to 10 and Traz to arround 25. I think that will give me a solid fundation to jump strait to CE or PE, like you suggested. In the mean time, I'm also collecting event buildings so I can place them when I get the space for them. Thanks again, this was very helpful.

[@foeadvance7024]

This is such a big topic, glad it was able to help out!

[@foeadvance7024]

Also it sounds to me like you’d be ok to even hit PE if you have some battle strength. I liked PE a lot but everyone has their opinions. I know players doing just fine in FE with level 80 Arcs, mid level Traz, and they are at 250/250 on battle boosts and no problems.

[@xyBano]

Keep up the great work

[@selwynparker5793]

As a 2 week newbie this is a Great vid, but I did get lost with some of your jargon .

[@brennencox516]

13:35 FoEtool, or w/e, is much better, as it adds up the goods needed for multiple ages, while the in-game tool only gives you info for each age individually (ignoring requirements for the age(s) before it. FoEtool also takes your banked FPs into account.

[@khairokhan671]

The top 5 ages/eras for camping other than FE are: 1) PME/CE: Both ages have ranged units w/the Contact ability, making it one of the easiest ages to fight same age units either in GBG or GE4. Plus, there is a way to get FE units in PME & even OF units at CE. 2) CA: Like HMA with the ability to spam the 24 Hr Production recurring quests, but with 2 recurring quest slots instead of only 1. Ability to get PE units. 3) LMA: 2nd most efficient age for Unbirthday questing after IA requiring only a lvl 100 CF to reach perpetual motion w/2 recurring quest slots. This number can be much lower with a decently leveled LOA & SMB combined with enough 24 Hr Production & Collect X Coins recurring quests. Ability to get CA units upon completing the Bonus Quests of that age. 4) HMA: Small production buildings allows players to spam more 24 Hr Production recurring quests than any other age other than CA. Unbirthday quests are not as lucrative as in IA or LMA, but still feasible with a high enough CF & a decently leveled LoA + SMB. 5) IA: Most efficient age for Unbirthday questing requiring only a lvl 72 CF to reach perpetual motion. Ability to get EMA units upon completing the Bonus Quests of that age. Small footprint of the Archery Range & quick troop training makes it the only age where Traz is not essential depending on the player's troop composition. This makes IA one of the best early ages for fighting GE & GBG.

[@foeadvance7024]

Awesome comment, thanks for posting. I especially like your thoughts on #3 about the level 100 CF with the UBQ and the possible perpetual motion opportunity

[@joseacevedo3586]

I been in IA for about 160 days I have no complaint

[@kylewhitt9608]

CE fighting is dog-eat-dog and therefore really slow because you always have to be swapping units. I liked PME & TE much more.

[@razielnecrolektrik3588]

With this new Iron Age ARCs to 80-100, CF to 80, Traz 60, but I don't get it as when I was early ages the majority of hood would have no GBs, or the Delphi and if they did it'd be such low level and they wouldn't be adding to it! So it wasn't for a while till I started finding good snipe profit! I play in two worlds, with 1 that is CE, the other is my main city and I reached VF pretty recently. But I'm not understanding the coins rewards and supply rewards! But there's no videos on GE 4 for VF! I didn't understand why OF didn't have any diamonds on the map! But yeah OF was long! I hated AF, but this is a great video thank you for it!

[@kozmynv3182]

Dude ...i am in the future era...and i have been playing for over 6 years...I finished the MAP already...to be fair the only reason I am going to start advancing is because of GBG...the game changed..everybody ditched defense and started getting attack...so basically i am losing points do to my low era...what was once an advantage..being the best...now has become redundant ...Awesome video !!!

[@foeadvance7024]

Been a while since this post. What era are you in now?

[@thegreenviking1422]

Glad I found your channel. Subbed and liked. :)

[@foeadvance7024]

Sweet, what world(s) do you play in?

[@thegreenviking1422]

@@foeadvance7024 i play on 11 servers but mainly focus on B,T and U worlds. :)

[@andrewwills8516]

Im one of the ones that had a city or two going that disappeared all of a sudden ... I'd learned as i played, can't wait to start a new city.

[@williamdietz1852]

I personally don’t like to rush through multiple eras, because I want to experience every one at least a bit. It isn’t a very strategical argument for staying in an era, but every era is full of individual buildings, units etc. and just ignoring it feels like wasting parts of the game for me.

[@foeadvance7024]

I totally appreciate and understand that. I encourage players to navigate the game the way they want to!

[@williamdietz1852]

@@foeadvance7024 Thanks for the helpful tips though, I appreciate your videos! :)

[@phillycatlady]

I’m the same way. I want to get as much from each era as possible. I don’t want to be a bad ass player in the neighborhood, but I want my game life to be reasonably easy….enough goods, fps, and troops to do anything I need, in gbg, ge, settlements, events, etc. I’m in Pe and it’s fantastic!

[@bl8388]

I have found being the top 30% in my neighborhood means I have been pillaged maybe 50x in over 10 years. One reason I would camp a while is to build my stats some. The lower half in a neighborhood are more likely to be speed farmed. (Defense and Galata help, too)

[@mick58kc72]

I've been camping in Progressive 6 months. Been playing 2 years over all. Was waiting on 900 attack, 110 arc, 80 Obs & 80 Chat to era up. Just accomplished all of that. Thinking your advice on contemporary being good, think I'll jump to that when I make the jump.

[@foeadvance7024]

Good to have a plan, sounds like your patience is paying off.

[@seiko227]

it has been a while since this vid is out. have you thought about making another one in terms of how the current dynamic of the game is changing into...? and the event building revamps...and all the differences compare to where you were with this vid at the time. i believe alot of newbies would like to hear from your pov about all the things you mentioned but in the current time. thanks Bon

[@foeadvance7024]

I've been thinking on this. Thanks for the question. I'll listen to this thing and see how offended I get with current gaps on my own ramblings lol.

[@jadespade1734]

​@foeadvance7024 I'm also curious and would love an updated video!

[@anonymos.9670]

Damn...Been playing FOE for over a year now and I did not know about the Research cost option...Now I can preplan how I want to level up an era...Thanks a ton, bud...

[@foeadvance7024]

So glad you saw this. The research button is totally overlooked and its a game changer if you plan to grow. This channel isn’t monetized as of yet so that kind of feedback helps encourage me to keep going.

[@thomasadams6968]

That alone was worth the price of admission. Great advice video.

[@razielnecrolektrik3588]

I had another question as I'm in SAM, what's been odd is starting the last hood season was there are almost more SAAB than SAM and always 1 Venus idk why the 1 Venus either! But from what I've heard sniping profit once in SAAB/SAV is almost non existent without an extremely high level ARC! Also those who I spoke to about the space ages said they loved SAM the most! But I almost have enough ORE plenty of Goods and my AA boost is 953/589 but I was curious if it's worth it as I'm not getting a ton of profit but I am getting some I have CF at 79, ARC 83, AO 85, K 70; Z, Aachen, and CdM 70, Cape 64, HC 88, SC 64, But I do want to get up more and I was thinking that if I move up I'll lose snipe profiting and I'd hate that but I hope everything is well and would appreciate input thank you

[@foeadvance7024]

It's a great question/concern to have. Based on how you are doing in SAM I'd personally stay put a while and build up that Arc. While what you are hearing isn't wrong, I can't confirm either way because I have a 130 Arc and I do benefit from a lot of sniping. It's rare though that I come across snipers that are at 80 and open to a higher arc snipe. After having gone up to SAV the only major benefit was getting a few more land tiles (which is a big plus), but also opening up all 3 RQ's again to exercise my CF. Looking back if I had 2 of the 3 RQ's in SAM I'd probably just stay put. SAV adds even more BS quests that you have to click through. If you loop you have to excuse 12 quests to flip back around. It SUCKS.

[@mikeerhardt3641]

Currently in LMA looking to lvl to Pe. I have 1 sector left on the CA map. Going to level right after the Archeology event. Should I hold off on the continent map until I am in PE then go back or press on. Also not sure if going forward on the map will trigger a quest in CA or IA that will hold me up?

[@foeadvance7024]

Really pertinent question. Totally depends on your gameplay plans and how long you want to be in each era. I always explored 1 to 2 eras ahead of where I was, which in some cases hurt the RQs, but I was ok with that at the time. I’d recommend searching for Trigger Quests and FoE, because I don’t have this particular scenario memorized....been sooo long. The fact are asking the question is a good sign. Get that CF up high!

[@mustafamarghoob934]

I'm in LMA, been there for almost 3 months due to dumping all my FPs in Arc Swaps and Fighting GBs. What's the advantage of aging up since I am going to have to demolish tons of buildings PLUS rebuild all army buildings ?

[@foeadvance7024]

What level is your Arc at now? The main advantage to aging up is more land tile unlocks, which can help make space for more key GBs, and all these newer event buildings that keep coming out to buff your attack/fp production. You'll also need to keep and eye on reno kits/one up kits to age up special buildings in order for them to produce higher era goods as you go up. There's no issue with camping as long as you want in an era..just depends on your personal style. If you are a farmer/trader or a fighter/sniper you can grow in different ways, or try to do it all depending on your time available for the game.

[@jkfun5032]

So AO won’t work if you use leftover previous age troops in your new age? 😩 I have so many leftovers ..😣

[@foeadvance7024]

Correct. AO only works with same age troops. When it comes to leftovers if you don’t need them for GvG early era strategies then I recommend deleting all your light troops from past eras so its very fast to select your Rogues when you are fast-racking for GbG etc. In SAAB the light troop is so lame I just delete them because they are in the way of just fast selecting the Rogues.

[@trajandeitrich]

What's your thoughts on city defense and attack with the release of PvP arena? Asander

[@foeadvance7024]

Up until now I've not put any effort or energy into city defense. On the last announcement a number of my peers built SBC's and started prepping. I decided to actually wait until Inno did whatever they were going to do regarding the PvP stuff and I'm glad I waited since they delayed it. Right now I'm still going to wait to see if they nerf the arena concept or make it attractive. If so then I'll quickly add more city defense.

[@JohnWick-zl5oc]

I did the AF-OF during the "Old days" when there was no Space Carrier, took FOREVER, months and months anyone think its slow now try doing it without having a space carrier in AF or spending a colossal amount of diamonds.

[@foeadvance7024]

Yeah having that carrier flip option helped speed up the OF grind for Orich by I think 30% for me. Which still puts any player in OF for at least a few months.

[@Boi-dj3eo]

Ok, this convinced me to get the space carrier. I stopped playing almost 6 years ago in oceanic future, now I started again in late April still in OF and it's even bigger now.

[@jamesedwards.1069]

I'm currently in ME and in a hurry to get to FE but I find my greatest hindrance is a shortage of 1-up and Reno kits. I want to make sure I can upgrade enough of my buildings when I reach FE so that I can function adequately, with goods and also the increased military boosts. I mainly want to be able to get FoE rich selling Arc goods on the black market.

[@foeadvance7024]

Yeah reno and one-ups can be a big constraint. I've found that if I only have a small number I just don't use any until I got to the era I was going to camp in. Then I'd use them. It can be a pain to keep special buildings back in Coloniel and not reno anything until you hit FE, but its doable. The key is to have a higher level trading partner that will give you those higher era goods you need for quick research at a low or now cost with unfair trades. Usually stronger players in a good helpful guild will help you if you ask and tell them what you are up to. Just look ahead in the era you will be power leveling through and make a list of everything you need in goods and offer the trades to one or more trading partners (unfair is best). Another hack is that if you have any upgrades for special buildings (such as a going from a level 3 to level 4 Crow's nest, Abandoned Asylym, etc), store the last upgrade you have until you hit the camp era you want to stay in. Then that building will reno to the current era (same with SOH's by the way).

[@tamlynvibanco1932]

@@foeadvance7024 That's very interesting, I should have been holding off on upgrading all my event buildings instead of rushing to top them off.

[@chloebeaudoin2257]

I plan to stay in fe for 6 months. is this too short? I have the resources to advance but my guild tells me to stay there for a year at least. and Im not a small player.

[@foeadvance7024]

If you have the resources I'd say go as fast as you want. If your guild can't provide some extremely compelling reasons for you to camp in any era for a year, they are likely just going off of old school narratives relating to era camping.

[@phillycatlady]

Any recommendations on how many next era goods one should have before aging up?

[@foeadvance7024]

Yes, definitely. Make sure to use the resource planning tool to look ahead in the research area before you move in. (It's the little tiny square icon that looks like a bar graph on the top left corner when you open up the research tree).

[@phillycatlady]

@@foeadvance7024 that’s just the number needed for the research tree. Beyond that how much should you have to get started in the new era?

[@Zektor101]

Aging up isn't what it used to be. I'm in the Iron Age, played the game for 96 days today, have a level 70 Arc, 212% Attack / 209% Defense, 114 Forge Point daily collection and I still have 13 medal expansions left to unlock. I'm not running out of space any time soon. I also use Early Middle Age, Armored Infantry, to push past my attrition cap in guild battlegrounds. The real benefits to aging up, you really don't need extra space, are the following. The Antiques Dealer, camping in the Early Middle Ages gives you access to it, but that is a terrible age to camp. Now you aren't going to be buying loads of good stuff, but you can make a start buying crappy stuff and selling it back to the Antiques Dealer in order to build up Gemstones. PvP Arena, this gives you some free forge points every day, not that many though. Aztec Settlement, this is the best reason to age up. Once you finish Vikings and then Egypt you will hamper your progress if you don't do Aztec next. Next Era Units, Armored Infantry in the Iron Age is a nice little boost, but it's nothing amazing. Having Hover Tanks in the progressive era, an era with no stealth detection is what makes it worth aging up that far.

[@jimbond7992]

I stay in an era and don't advance because it's beneficial for our guild for mats. I'll advance if there is another person parking in the same era and we need mats from the next one

[@saqib722wr6]

I am in FE. Planning for Age Up. At which age do I stop, and please inform me about minimum GB's Levels before Age Up. Thanks

[@foeadvance7024]

Thanks for the comment. I stayed in FE for almost a year. The reason was to get prepared for the following eras that add another special good (such as having to mine promethium in Arctic Future after FE). It's slow to move through the research techs after FE (like really slow). My mindset was that after leaving FE I was going to just continue on all the way up to the top era which I'm in now. That journey from FE could take a year or more depending on your gameplay. With so many event reward buildings now available that increase your attack/def percentages I'm not rigid about recommending that the Zeus/CoA/CdM all be at 80 before aging up more. Your Arc should be of course 80+. It's the most important GB in the game if you use it right. Personally I'd want the attack/defense numbers to be as high as possible before moving up (perhaps around 650% Atk and 750%) if you can get there. There's no rule about where you should be, but these numbers are attainable with focus and effort. Also if you do age up from FE, you'll need to commit a bit more time to the game due to extra steps to maintain your city in higher eras. I like FE more than any other era because it was very easy to fight, and you have all 3 recurring quest slots unlocked. Its hard to ever get that back until you hit the end of SAJM. Do you play competitively in GvG? One big reason to at least get up to SAM would be if you want to play in AA/GvG. Hope this helps.

[@saqib722wr6]

@@foeadvance7024 Thanks For Detailed Answer. I do GvG and GbG. Arc 95. Attack 680/ Def 590 So I need to stay a bit more here to prepare for it :)

[@Aurora07]

I'm in progressive age but I have troops from modern and post modern age which is a huge bonus so if I age up I'll remove my advantage. If I age up I'd want to keep that advantage.

[@foeadvance7024]

Yeah if you want to keep that specific advantage I've heard of other players doing that same strategy for a long time. There's also a way to acquire a Hover Tank or two prior to FE, but I haven't done that before. Might be something to research if you did age up and want a similar advantage in a higher era (with the benefit of more land tile unlocks).

[@simon7093]

I got from colonial to future in 2 weeks, it was really cool to fight modern Era units with hover tanks in gbg.

[@janisveigelts5563]

Im sitting IA about 6 moths in now and there is no reason to lvl up tiles is not a problem anymore thanks to 1.9 threads u are getting loads of medals with which u can expand your city very easy. I literally don't have what to put in my city and i have available tiles unused waiting for next event buildings. And my city is not empty and striped down. I built first the holy trinity to lvl10 then arc to 80 TR lvl3, Babel lvl6 in about 5 months time now Traz in progress about lvl 24. I have put in my city every available event building 20+ army buildings and im producing about 150Fp's from city per day but thats not my main income thanks gbg and high lvl guild that im in im getting about 200-300 fp's per day from there. Pluss GE depending on luck but still anywhere from 100-200fps per week. The reason im not leveling up is cuz it takes a lot of FP's which can be used in your GB's like for me to go to Colonial it would take about 4k fps i better put them in my traz for nice extra 10lvl's. The only reson to lvl up is to get more tiles and as long as i have those medal tiles i have no reason to change lvl and i still have 12 expansions left plus some from continental map where i have pushed with my IA units to LMA region cuz i have about 300% att from those event buildings and GBs

[@foeadvance7024]

Glad to hear about your progress. This game rewards patience, it just depends on where you want to put the focus. Personally I enjoy the higher level eras based on aesthetic and fighting units but that is just my preference. If you are able to explore ahead on the world map you can get even more land tiles but it could put your recurring quests at risk of going away.

[@richardsracingmad]

@@foeadvance7024 Janis, in IA you are safe on the Map to do Colonial .. then hop on other Map and do first Expansion, Desperation. That will give you in total another 3 expansions

[@swyman10]

I’m in PE..My boosts are all around 2K each, I have 45K fp’s, Arc lvl 115…I’m my Guild’s GBG Cmdr & GE lvl 5 always. I want to hyper age up to FE & I have enough goods (10Kea good for PME, CE on to FE), Dimes for expansions & reno’s too. I am thinking of doing it in one day too…Thoughts go or no go?

[@foeadvance7024]

That is doable if you have the goods and FP lined up (as you do). Once you pass FE your pacing stops become special goods production from AF onward which WAAAY slows things down. I think a hyper jump is a great idea since FE is great. HOWEVER what's your map situation? Have you been able to move ahead on the map? I've always found it easier to explore ahead of my eras, then be done with the map of the era I'm landing on, but that has been personal pref. You can do it either way and just ignore the story and special quests+hammer through them as you age up.

[@davemeehan5755]

I'm camping in CA till I get my arc to 20 and traz started

[@foeadvance7024]

Nothing wrong with that. I always used to set goals before moving up an era. It's one thing to camp for no particular reason but another to have your own benchmarks based on your gameplay.

[@scoobydoo316us]

Since we trade to get Buildings way before our era. What is the real point of waiting anymore. Get to Progressive once you get HC, Truce arc, fighting 3, traz and a couple others will take care of anything you need. I have used 2 worlds to go from progressive to future in a week. Then used UPs to get the goods buildings that give a lot up to Future too. Truce can be used to trade down for goods. have to advance for space anyway. The events have gotten to where they try to make you buy diamonds to complete the building to it's full. Played for years but the last few I finish but Don't always get it leveled all the way up. Then they mix in fragments. Map is bad enough that it just makes us drag the game on. Map is the ONLY issue with going up quick once you get to space eras.

[@scoobydoo316us]

in space aged venus now. I am not pausing in leveling except to get enough mining goods for the next era's. Then going up asap. They have it set up to waste our time mining. Just to drag the game out longer. it get's like a hamster wheel. You just get on to mine and do the things you have to. But they pretend they want to keep it interesting. DON'T waste time sitting and building. Maybe you wont get thru all GE ever time by just fighting. But can still use goods if you want. If they are going to make you drag out the research time anyway. Might as well get leveling thru era's asap. wanted to give a sorta update. I am down to 8 researches in Space age venus. Mining here gives VERY little each time. So makes you get on a LOT. but do it quick and get out of game if nothing else. Wish I would have said exactly where I was 5 months ago when first posted.

[@danielbrown8812]

When? When you want to. Why? Because you want to. How? By using forge points for research. Don't be afraid to figure things out for yourself. There is absolutely no sense of accomplishment from just doing whatever someone else says is the best.

[@foeadvance7024]

Agreed. Not sure who the someone is but its not me. If you watch my vids I explain what path I took but there is no certain path which is what makes the game so dynamic.

[@kamvans]

SAM here

[@foeadvance7024]

Be sure to have enough premethium on hand to cover all your research needs before you move up to SAAB.

[@kamvans]

@@foeadvance7024 how much approx?

[@kylewhitt9608]

You can trade Iron Age or EMA for anything to guilds who can't put up siege camps. I've done it now in two worlds to get high age Goods easily. Yell, on global chat and wait 10 minutes. I get flooded with offers.

[@robinholdensr4418]

To dang advanced for a 2 yr player!