During the “second village rush”, players aim to secure their future capital as quickly as possible — before the best spots are taken. Choosing the right type of capital early can have a lasting impact on your success.
Choosing Where to Settle
Once your settlers are ready, you have enough culture points, and 750 of each resource, it’s time to decide where to settle.
In most cases, your second village becomes your capital, so this is an important decision. If you are in an alliance, coordinate with your leaders. Many alliances follow specific settling strategies to optimize resource control and defense.
If you play solo, you can use the Crop Finder (available in Gold Club) or simply hover over the map to check tile types and oasis bonuses.
Capital Options Overview
| Future Capital | Description and Recommendations |
|---|---|
| 15-Cropper with 125–150% Oases | Very rare and highly competitive. Expect strong competition both at settling and later stages. Ideal for very active players who invest gold and focus on rapid growth. |
| 15-Cropper with 75–100% Oases | More common and less competitive. Still requires gold for NPC conversions due to high crop output. Prefer those with at least one 50% oasis for faster crop production without needing an early Hero’s Mansion. Best for active players planning to train large armies later. |
| 15-Cropper with 25–50% or No Oases | Not the best capital choice. If these are the only options left, consider a 9-cropper or 7-cropper instead. |
| 9-Cropper with 100–150% Oases | A balanced and flexible option. Produces a good mix of all resources while offering strong crop production for feeding armies. Great for players who want decent efficiency without heavy gold use for resource conversion. |
| 7-Cropper with 150% Oases | Cannot be located with the Crop Finder, but easy to find by exploring nearby oases. A solid and reliable choice — slightly better crop output than a 9-cropper +100% or 15-cropper +50%. Ensure nearby oases aren’t shared with larger croppers to avoid conflicts. Suitable for all player types. |
Developing Your Capital
Developing your capital is similar to building any other village — but with long-term planning in mind.
Step-by-Step Development Guide:
Main Building → Level 20
All resource fields → Level 8
One field of each type → Level 10
Build resource-related buildings
For 15-croppers, focus only on Grain Mill and Bakery.
Skip Sawmill, Brickyard, or Iron Foundry (these are not needed).
Continue upgrading crop fields above level 10.
Add Warehouses and Granaries as needed.
Don’t forget the Stonemason’s Lodge to improve building durability.
Capital Building Focus
The type of capital you want determines which buildings you prioritize inside it:
If your capital is a resource base:
Build mainly Warehouses and Granaries for resource storage.
Add Marketplace (20) and Trade Office (10–15) for efficient trade routes.
Academy (20) for culture points.
Townhall (10+) for Great Celebrations.
Upgrade fields and store enough crop to support future growth.
Later, replace standard storage buildings with Great Warehouses and Great Granaries if your alliance unlocks the required artifact.
If your capital is a military base:
Build Barracks, Stables, and Smithy (for troop upgrades).
Include a Workshop if you train catapults or rams.
Hospital and Tournament Square are key for sustaining large defensive or offensive forces.
Once troop upgrades are finished, you can demolish the Smithy — the upgrades remain active.
Summary
Your capital determines your account’s long-term focus — whether it becomes a resource powerhouse or a military hub.
When deciding:
Choose based on activity level, resource availability, and alliance strategy.
15-croppers are ideal for highly active and gold-using players.
9- and 7-croppers provide balanced options for most playstyles.
Develop gradually, prioritizing economy first, then military.
A well-chosen and efficiently developed capital will fuel your growth throughout the entire game round.