Strategy and tips

Strategy in Otenos comes down to choices: the rules are the same for everyone, and what sets commanders apart is how they use them. This chapter isn't about the rules themselves but about ways to use them: what to do first, a daily rhythm, play styles and common mistakes. Treat it as a road map, not a recipe you have to follow.

Your first day

  1. Grow your resource buildings evenly. Upgrading the Sawmill, Quarry, Foundry and Farm together gives you a balanced flow that covers the cost of every building.
  2. Don't let the Storehouse fall behind. What you produce overnight has to fit in it (Storehouse).
  3. Build Barracks early. At the end of Founding the altars begin their rites; have the core of an army ready by then.
  4. Follow the Path quests. Each step leads you to the next door and rewards you for it (Quests).
  5. Put your starting balance to the test. Entering Instant lots that close during Founding with the minimum bid is the cheapest way to get to know the auction.

Founding week

Founding is the only stretch of the Age when holdings can't be raided. Spend it on:

  • upgrading your resource buildings, your Storehouse and your Palace,
  • reaching the levels where you choose your first specialization (Specializations),
  • getting to know your neighbors and joining an alliance (Alliances),
  • preparing an army for the first rites of Contest.

Your Wall also rises during Founding, and when Contest begins it becomes your holding's gate.

A daily rhythm

The map lives on while you're away: queues run, armies march, lots close. Here is one way to shape your day.

Morning:

  • Check the reports that came in overnight: raids, scouting, auction.
  • Fill your queues; put short jobs that finish during the day first.
  • Place your bids on the lots in the auction schedule that close in the next 12 hours.
  • Claim your quest rewards.
  • Look at the day's rite hours and send your army out in time.

Evening:

  • Queue your long builds so they run through the night.
  • Check how long until your Storehouse is full.
  • Place or update your bids on the night's lots.
  • Keep notifications on so you know when a raid sets out.

Play styles

Builder

The commander who grows the economy and takes their holding to the top levels.

  • Specializations: Cash crop at the Farm, and specializations that make trade pay.
  • Deeds: Waystation, Chancery.
  • Rhythm: never leave the queue empty, and found a second holding early (New holdings).

Raider

The commander who reaches into the neighbors' granaries and grows on loot.

  • Specializations: Light cavalry at the Stable, Supply wagons at the Barracks, Wainwright at the Sawmill.
  • Deeds: War Camp, Causeway, War Banner, Drill Yard.
  • Rhythm: scout first, raid second. A raid on a holding whose wall still stands only reaches the produce outside; a ram opens the wall (The Wall gate).

Altar hunter

The commander who follows the rite schedule, takes altars and holds them.

  • Deeds: Relay Post, Watchtower.
  • Rhythm: take the altar before the rite, strengthen the garrison with fortifications, and leave a scout at the altar (Altars).

Bidder

The commander who puts their balance into the most valuable lots.

  • Source: altar rites and the Mint.
  • Rhythm: read the schedule, bid not on every lot but on the one that fills a gap, and place a won deed right away (Mastering the auction).

Defender

The commander who keeps their border solid and sends raiders off to other gates.

  • Specializations: Thick stone or Lookout tower at the Wall, Armory at the Barracks, Armor forge at the Foundry.
  • Deeds: Bastion, Palisade, Citadel, Beacon.
  • Rhythm: keep the wall high and dig a trench in the response window (Defense).

Trader

The commander who turns abundance into value at the market.

  • Specializations: Cash crop at the Farm, Merchant fleet at the Shipyard, specializations that increase carrying capacity.
  • Deeds: Causeway.
  • Rhythm: trade your abundant resource for your scarce one at the player market, and keep your caravans out of sight of enemy holdings (Trade).

Contest

  • Talk to your alliance. Who bids on which lot, who holds which altar, who guards whose holding: that is where an alliance's strength lies.
  • Declare war ahead of time. A declaration takes effect after 4 hours; have it ready by the time your raiding army is.
  • Don't let your raid charges overflow. Charges build up to 6 at most; while the stock is full, no new charge is added, so use them before it fills.
  • Keep your scouting fresh. An old scouting report won't tell you today's garrison.

Reign

In the last 7 days, even a commander's last holding can be taken. During this phase:

  • Strengthen your main holding's wall and garrison; if your last holding falls, you withdraw from the Age.
  • Place any deeds you haven't placed yet; an unplaced deed doesn't count in the rankings.
  • Spend your balance before the Age ends; unspent Tender is gone when the Age ends.
  • Make a shared plan with your alliance for the final week.

Common mistakes

  • Leaving the queue empty: your holding doesn't grow while the build queue is empty.
  • Keeping the Storehouse small: a full storehouse means production going to waste.
  • Forgetting grain: a large army starves a holding whose Farm has fallen behind.
  • Raiding without scouting: an army that marches without knowing the garrison it faces is left to luck.
  • Not placing your deeds: a building you've won doesn't work while it waits in your inventory.
  • Leaving your bid to the last minute: your balance is locked 60 minutes before the close; if you have several bids closing around the same time, set your priorities.
  • Disappearing for a week: the holding of a commander who gives no orders for 7 days turns into a ruin.