Ranking the University Techs (AoE2)

Analysis and ranking of the university techs in Age of Empires 2.

The full list: masonry, architecture, fortified walls ,chemistry, bombard tower, ballistics, siege engineers, guard tower, keep, heated shot, murder holes, treadmill crane, arrowslits.

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Game: Age of Empires II Definitive Edition

[JJBeauregard]

I would like to give "Heated Shot" an F for misleading me for years as a kid into thinking that it was the tech that made my Archers shoot cool fire arrows. >:(

[Magz]

Its crazy to think how crazy strong towers of all variations used to be compared to now. I have a feeling this list would've been a bit different a few years ago.

[YossarianVanDriver]

I just wanna say I love the little scene with the riverside university, the scholars discussing stuff and even the Ballistics "class" out back. Just a really pleasant bit of scenery to look at.

[shigerufan]

Left out that Spanish cannon galleons are affected by ballistics too, essentially making them a third unique unit that can down other ships with the increased projectile speed.

[injest]

To think, back in the medieval era archers had to take a degree to shoot ahead of their opponent

[Duke_of_Lorraine]

It's always been weird that it's chemistry, and not heated shots, that make arrows look flaming.

[alexus_aaaaa]

0:10 top left corner, how the archer misses perfectly so that the arrows land on the same 3 spots every single time. I looked at it for hours. It's beautiful!

[TechbotALPHA]

I THOUGHT something was up when, coming back to AoE2 years later, Bombard Towers weren't as good as they used to be. When they still struggled against rams I was like "Wait, what?" and it's taken until this video for it to make sense.

Great vid, and thank you for all the videos you make; every single on them is useful, helpful and/or fun in one way or another!

[Mangeol]

I manage a mod that I mostly play with friends. In the mod I made it so that heated shot gives you +1 vs siege for arrows. This actually makes heated shot a somewhat useful tech in certain scenarios.

[Lockieez]

So true about Murder Holes in the campaign. Definitely one of the first upgrades I get especially on harder difficulties where the AI throws loads of units at your castles.

[onrean]

Heated shot has an even bigger effect when the castle is filled with archers. Castles become chokepoints by which ships cannot pass. Transports will also die really fast and have not chance to drop units.

[bristleback]

the main purpose of heated shot is when the glowing iron ball landed on the enemy ship it'll slowly burning the ship while also making them harder to remove

[biegaliusz]

Once again AOE1 helped understand university techs, ballistics and chemistry have the same effect like in aoe2 and thanks to my familiarity i wasnt mislead by pictures

[Jovian]

I'd like to credit Heated Shot for its supremacy in those classic team games against the AI where you turned your team island into an impregnable fortress with a simple network of towers.

[techtitan]

Arrowslits is essential for Sicilians since they 1. Always fire a second arrow effectively doubling it's effect and 2. their Towers don't do as much damage per shot to begin with meaning the static damage increase is more essential to keep up with the more heavily armored units.

[saffral]

I appreciate how the hook on Treadmill Crane looks like it's holding up the 8, nice touch.

[hansoskar]

treadmill Crane is rarly researched in RM, mostly for Tower pushes. But having or not having it is an incredible diffrence in DM (if someone ever plays that)

Hoardings vs Masonry isnt a question bc Hoardings blocks Treb produciton time and Masonry doesnt.

[inductivegrunt]

Chemistry and Ballistics being number 2 and 1 is no surprise to me. They are always a must have for any civ who gets them.

And Siege Engineers will always be hilarious because Tatars get them alongside Timurid Siegecraft giving Trebs +3 range giving Trebs 19 total range, the highest of any non-hero unit in the game and behind the hero Treb "Warwolf" by only 2 range. It's always been something I found funny to me.

Great ranking video, and I hope to see more in the future.

[danielkunicki]

Heated shot should add bonus damage vs siege. That would spice things up. Also in your Chemistry affected crowd rattan archer is missing :)

[scespinosab]

Many players still underestimate the effect of Masonry; it's incredible the amout of castles I have saved for that single tech.