Rise of Kingdoms Beginner Guide: Civilizations, City Hall and Your First Commanders

Rise of Kingdoms is a long game. Decisions you make in the first week – your civilization, which commanders you level and how you spend speedups – echo for months. Here is how to start strong.

Choosing a civilization

Each civilization gives a starting commander and a small set of bonuses, usually tied to one troop type. Some popular beginner choices:

Civilization	Starting commander	Good for
Rome	Scipio Africanus	Infantry-focused players
China	Sun Tzu	Flexible early PvE and building speed
Britain	Boudica	Archer-focused play
France	Joan of Arc	Support and alliance play
Germany	Hermann	Fast barbarian clearing

Don’t overthink it: you can change civilization later. Pick the troop type you want to specialise in, because focusing on one type is cheaper than building three.

City Hall first

Your City Hall level limits every other building, so most early decisions should push it forward:

1. Follow the main quest line – it is tuned to give you exactly what each City Hall upgrade needs.
2. Unlock a second builder as early as you can.
3. Keep both builders busy at all times, even with short upgrades before you log off.
4. Upgrade Academy research for building speed and resource production along the way.

Commanders: focus, don’t spread

New players often level every commander they unlock. Instead:

• Pick one primary commander for field battles and one for gathering.
• Spend sculptures only on commanders you plan to use long-term.
• Use your starting commander and any easily obtained legendaries until something clearly better arrives.

Join an active alliance immediately

An alliance gives you help on building timers, territory bonuses, gift chests and – most importantly – protection. Look for one with active leaders and a clear set of rules.

Mistakes to avoid

• Using speedups on troops early. Speedups are far more valuable for City Hall and research.
• Leaving your city unshielded during kingdom events if you are a small player.
• Ignoring the daily Lyceum, barbarian hunts and events. They are a large part of free progression.
• Sending armies too far from your territory before you understand rallies.

Play steady, stay with your alliance, and your kingdom will grow faster than you expect.