Success in Evony hinges on a robust and strategically diverse army. For new players, understanding the fundamentals of troop training is not merely an option, but a prerequisite for effective defense, resource acquisition, and competitive play. Neglecting this core mechanic leads to vulnerability, stalled progression, and an inability to participate meaningfully in alliance activities or server events. This guide outlines the essential steps and considerations for efficiently building your military strength from the outset, ensuring your keep remains secure and your influence expands.
Establishing Your Training Infrastructure
The foundation of any formidable army in Evony begins with the appropriate buildings. New players must prioritize the construction and continuous upgrading of specific structures to unlock higher troop tiers, increase training speed, and expand capacity. Prioritizing the construction of buildings that unlock different troop tiers is key for early progress.
- Barracks: This building is the primary training ground for Ground, Ranged, and Mounted troops. Upgrading the Barracks increases the maximum number of troops you can train simultaneously and unlocks higher-tier versions of these three troop types. Higher tiers offer significantly improved combat statistics, making them crucial for mid to late-game engagements.
- Workshop: Dedicated to Siege Machine training, the Workshop functions similarly to the Barracks. Upgrading it allows access to more powerful siege units, which are indispensable for attacking enemy keeps and resource structures. Siege machines typically have high attack against walls and traps but are slow and vulnerable in open-field combat.
Focus on keeping these buildings at the highest possible level your Keep allows. The benefits of unlocking superior troop tiers and accelerating training far outweigh the resource investment.
Resource Management for Sustained Production
Troop training is a continuous process that demands significant resource input. Food is the most critical resource for troop upkeep and training, particularly for lower-tier units. Higher-tier troops also require Wood, Stone, and Ore. Effective resource management is paramount to avoid training bottlenecks and ensure your army grows steadily.
Key strategies for resource acquisition:
- Resource Production Buildings: Construct and upgrade Farms, Sawmills, Quarries, and Mines within your city. While these provide a baseline income, they are often insufficient for large-scale training.
- Resource Tiles: Sending generals and troops to gather resources from tiles on the world map is the most consistent method for acquiring large quantities of materials. Prioritize gathering Food, especially in the early game.
- Alliance Gifts and Store: Active participation in an alliance can provide significant resource boosts through gifts from alliance members and purchases from the Alliance Store using alliance points.
- Monster Hunting: Defeating world map monsters often yields resource packages and speed-ups, which can be invaluable for accelerating training.
- Event Rewards: Many in-game events offer substantial resource rewards and training speed-ups. Consistently participating in these events is crucial.
Maintain a healthy balance between resource production and consumption. Training too many troops without sufficient food production can lead to starvation, severely impacting your army's power and morale.
General Selection and Specialization for Training
Generals play a pivotal role in optimizing troop training. Certain generals possess "Training Speed" or "Training Capacity" buffs that directly impact how quickly and how many troops you can produce. Assigning these specialized generals to your Barracks or Workshop can significantly reduce training times and costs.
Training Generals: Look for generals with skills or specialties that specifically boost troop training. Examples include Baibars, Washington, or Elektra, among others. These generals are best stationed in your training buildings. As you progress, you might also encounter generals who reduce resource consumption during training.
Combat Generals: While not directly involved in training, combat generals (e.g., Subutai, Roland, Elise) are essential for leading your troops in battle. Their attributes and specialties directly influence the attack, defense, and HP of specific troop types. Develop a few strong combat generals early on, focusing on one or two troop types to maximize their effectiveness.
The distinction is critical: a general excelling at training speed will not perform well in combat, and vice-versa. Assign generals based on their primary strengths to optimize both production and battlefield performance.
Military Research at the Academy
The Academy is where you unlock and enhance crucial military technologies that directly improve your troops and training efficiency. For new players, prioritizing specific research paths can provide a significant early-game advantage. Investing time in the Academy to research specific military technologies offers a substantial early-game advantage.
Recommended Research Paths:
- Military Tree: Focus on technologies that increase troop attack, defense, and HP for your primary troop types (Ground, Ranged, Mounted, Siege). "March Size" is also vital for sending larger armies to gather resources or attack enemies.
- Defense Tree: While primarily focused on city defense, some technologies here can indirectly benefit your overall military strategy by making your keep more resilient, allowing you to sustain training without constant fear of being zeroed.
- Advancement Tree: Look for "Training Speed" and "Training Cost Reduction" technologies within this tree. These directly impact your ability to produce troops more efficiently.
Consistent research is a long-term investment. Always have a research project active in your Academy, prioritizing military and training-related technologies that align with your current goals.
Pro Tip: Always keep your training queues full, even if it means training lower-tier troops. This continuous production maximizes your resource conversion into power, ensures you're constantly growing, and allows you to meet event requirements more easily. Utilize training speed-ups strategically for high-tier troops or during "Power Sprint" events.
Strategic Troop Training for Early Game Progression
New players often wonder which troops to train first. A balanced approach is generally recommended, but some early-game considerations can optimize your growth.
- Tier 1 Troops: These are cheap and fast to train. While weak in combat, they are excellent for farming resource tiles, meeting event requirements (like "Train Troops" events), and acting as a buffer for higher-tier units. Maintain a substantial number of T1s.
- Balanced Army Composition: Avoid exclusively training one troop type. A mix of Ground, Ranged, and Mounted troops provides versatility for both offense and defense, allowing you to counter various enemy compositions. Siege machines are crucial for city attacks but should not be the sole focus for open-field combat.
- Prioritize Higher Tiers: As soon as you unlock a new troop tier, begin training those units. T4 troops are often considered the first viable combat tier for early PvP, with T6 and higher becoming dominant later. Gradually phase out lower-tier combat units as you accumulate higher-tier forces.
- Event Synchronization: Time your major training pushes with in-game events that reward troop training. This allows you to gain extra resources, speed-ups, or other valuable items while building your army.
Sustaining Your Military Growth
Building a strong army in Evony is an ongoing endeavor, not a one-time task. Consistent attention to resource management, general development, research, and strategic training will ensure your keep remains a formidable presence. Regularly assess your army composition, identify weaknesses, and adjust your training priorities accordingly. A well-trained and diverse army is your primary asset for both defense and aggressive expansion in Evony.
Frequently Asked Questions About Evony Troop Training
What are the best troops to train first as a new player?
Begin by training a balanced mix of Tier 1 troops for gathering and event participation. As your Keep level rises, prioritize unlocking and training Tier 4 Ground, Ranged, and Mounted troops, as these are your first effective combat units for early player-versus-player engagements.
How can I get more training speed-ups?
Training speed-ups are acquired through various in-game activities: defeating world map monsters, completing daily and alliance quests, participating in events (especially "Power Sprint" or "Training Troops" events), purchasing from the Alliance Store, and sometimes from daily login rewards or special packages.
Should I train all troop types equally, or specialize?
Initially, aim for a balanced army to handle diverse situations. As you develop specialized generals (e.g., a strong mounted general), you might lean towards training more of their favored troop type to maximize their combat effectiveness. However, always maintain a core of other troop types for versatility.
Which resources are most critical for troop training?
Food is the most critical resource, as all troops consume it for upkeep and training. For higher-tier troops, Wood, Stone, and Ore also become significant requirements. Ensure a steady supply of all four resources through production buildings, gathering, and event rewards.
