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  • Author: AoL_Dexter
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Guide

Introduction

This guide is divided into 7 sections, each containing a different Odin strategy. Written by a former top 20-30 Odin player who focused on creative, unique strategies. Originally written for AoM (vanilla) players.

I. The 4:15 Rush

Use on: High hunt maps vs any Norse, Greeks (except Hades), and Ra only.

Goal: Hastily cripple your opponent's economy relative to your own and/or take their first gold mine ASAP.

Build Order

  1. 2 starting gatherers to hunt + Great Hunt + Hunting Dogs
  2. 1 gatherer to hunt
  3. 1 gatherer to gold
  4. Ox to gold
  5. 1 gatherer to gold
  6. 1 gatherer to wood (straggler near ox)
  7. 1 dwarf to gold
  8. 1 gatherer to wood
  9. 1 dwarf to gold
  10. 3 more hunters to food (get a house up first! Temple by 2:35 latest)
  11. 1 dwarf to gold
  12. 1 dwarf to gold / 1 ox to wood (interchangeable)
  13. Switch your 2 gatherers from gold to wood

Advance: ~3:12-3:15. Go Heimdall (unless vs Greek where you want a myth unit that doesn't die to ranged hero + Forest Fire for wood strangle). Skip eco upgrades unless going passive. Make at least 1 Hersir during transition.

Classical Age Strategy

  • Start with a few dwarves, then pump gatherers onto sheep (later wood) + dwarves on gold
  • Make 2 barracks and harass enemy economy with everything
  • Some TC fire is OK, but don't linger in it too long
  • Go after food and gold — knock down towers if they might get upgraded
  • If you get a big military advantage, cut their gold with TA range attacks + cavalry
  • Even if you can't break in, maintain superior economy through constant villager production

Tips

  • Ox micro in Archaic is huge — reduce walking distance constantly
  • Use ravens to scout enemy base, food gatherers, and gold mine location
  • If expecting a counter-rush, build 1 barracks first and pump Ulfsarks to help build the 2nd barracks faster
  • Don't build forward buildings next to forests vs Thor or Odin
  • Set up your temple and forward base near the side of their base where gold is located
  • Picking off the occasional villager while maintaining your own eco creates a winning snowball

II. The 4:10 Mediterranean (6 Ships + Hand Axe)

Use on: Mediterranean vs any god.

Goal: Quick sea control with good eco. Take the water with arrow ships.

Build Order

  1. Ulfsark builds dock, then a house
  2. 2 starting villagers + ox to straggler tree
  3. Great Hunt on pigs
  4. 1 gatherer to wood
  5. 2 gatherers to food (pigs)
  6. 1 gatherer to wood (next straggler tree)
  7. 1 gatherer to food
  8. 1 dwarf to gold → ox to gold → 1 dwarf to gold
  9. 5 villagers to food
  10. 1 dwarf to gold
  11. When 6 fishing ships are made and you have 80 wood, switch straggler wood cutters to berries/chicken/hunt
  12. Keep making fishing ships until 6 total

Advance: ~4:05-4:15. Go Freyja for Forest Fire. Combine all 11 gatherers to chop wood. Build 2nd dock ASAP, get Hand Axe.

Classical Age

Start making ships — get some villagers on gold before adding more to wood. Forest Fire their woodcutters immediately, especially vs Greek. Good eco management + steady ship production = ~11 ships by 6:00 (12 is great, 10 is OK).

Tips

  • vs Set: Build your first house bordering the sea, then trap your Ulfsark between house and dock to stop animal harassment
  • Use pigs wisely — eat one at a time so others fatten. Need ~6 pigs minimum
  • Scout shallowly on each side for 2 pigs per side
  • Build temple halfway down the map so ravens reach enemy wood faster
  • Micro woodcutters to use ox cart surface area efficiently (reduce bumping)
  • "Force drop" villagers and fishing ships when you need exactly 400 food to advance

III. The 3:52 Rush

Use on: High hunt maps vs Norse and possibly Ra.

Goal: Blazing speed. Knock opponent off hunt and/or hit their gold ASAP.

Requirements: Gold mine close to a forest (for 1 ox on both), and hunt in immediate vicinity of starting villagers.

Build Order

  1. 2 starting gatherers to hunt + Great Hunt + Hunting Dogs
  2. 1 gatherer to gold → ox to gold → 1 gatherer to gold
  3. 1 gatherer to wood (straggler near ox)
  4. 1 dwarf to gold → 1 gatherer to wood → 1 dwarf to gold
  5. 3 hunters to food (house before this! Temple by 2:15 latest)
  6. At 80 wood: send 2 wood gatherers to herdables
  7. 1 dwarf to gold → 1 dwarf to gold
  8. After paying for last dwarf: switch all gold workers to herdables
  9. Then: 4 gatherers from herdables → wood, 4 dwarves from herdables → gold

Advance: ~2:50-2:55. Go Heimdall. Skip eco upgrades entirely. Make as many Hersirs as possible during transition.

Classical Age

Keep villager flow constant (some idle TC time is OK). Build 1 barracks first, then blitz their food and gold. Add 2nd barracks eventually. If executed correctly, this is one of the most devastating strategies in the game.

IV. The 6:45 Anatolia WW Fast Heroic

Use on: Anatolia, strictly vs Egyptian.

Goal: Advance to Heroic ASAP for Njord's Walking Woods, then cripple their eco.

Build Order

  1. Ulfsark builds dock (any side), then house
  2. 2 starting villagers + ox to straggler tree
  3. Great Hunt on sheep
  4. 1 gatherer wood → 2 gatherers food → 1 gatherer wood (forest) → 1 gatherer food
  5. 1 dwarf gold → ox gold → 1 dwarf gold
  6. From here: make dwarves when possible, ensure enough gold for temple by 4:35
  7. Keep making fishing ships until 9 total
  8. Make a 3rd ox cart for sheep/boar gatherers before advancing

Target eco: 8-10 food / 4-5 wood / 5-6 gold (not counting fishing ships).

Advance: ~5:00-5:15. Go Heimdall (unless vs Isis Monuments). Skip eco upgrades initially.

Classical Age

Queue a couple villagers/dwarves to wood. Build armory with Ulfsark immediately. When resources allow, start making Hersirs and eco upgrades, but advancing to Heroic is the priority.

Heroic Age

Build barracks with Ulfsarks and Hersirs, pump Raiding Cavalry. Gather army, pick a spot for Walking Woods, and attack.

  • Key: Micro cavalry to kill priests and Pharaoh first — without them, enemies are defenseless against your trees
  • Gold block if possible to prevent more priests
  • Build Hill Fort near their 2nd/3rd gold or 2nd TC
  • Get your own 2nd TC to catch up on eco
  • Keep trees alive by killing heroes

Tips

  • Don't let the opponent lure your trees away — this kills the strategy
  • Consider waiting an extra minute to gather more Raiders/Huskarls for hero-killing, but don't lose the surprise factor

V. The Midgard Rush

Use on: Midgard, mainly vs Norse but adaptable.

Goal: Advance before 5:00, go all land, spam Ulfsarks, and nail their gold mine. End the game ASAP.

Tactic: Build buildings next to their TC to force the TC to auto-attack buildings instead of your units. Extremely disruptive.

VI. The GH-on-Sheep Classic Boom

Use on: Any low hunt map vs any civilization.

Goal: Maintain excellent TC production, get all eco upgrades, Great Hunt your sheep for maximum food, and dominate economically from mid-late Classical.

  • Get Husbandry ASAP (not Hunting Dogs)
  • Consider making 2 Ulfsarks to scout for more sheep
  • Play defensive raiding style — protect your eco above all else
  • Walking Woods can end the game once you have the eco advantage

VII. The Ulfsark Raid

Use on: Any map, strictly vs Poseidon.

Goal: Play a normal raiding game but make 2 barracks for Ulfsark spamming (they train fast). Research Odin's special upgrade to make Ulfsarks nearly as fast as Poseidon's Hippikons. Target their 2nd gold mine.

— AoL_Dexter