Turks/Strategy

The Turks are primarily an offensive civilization focusing on Gunpowder Units and powerful Siege Units on the battlefield. Military bonuses provide the Turks with a powerful advantage over defensive civilizations at long range. This civilization is among the best in the Imperial Age, and is flexible on both land and water. However, they are less effective if played defensively for the most part of the game, especially in early games.

Strengths
They obtain Chemistry for free, gunpowder technologies are cheaper, and their gunpowder units gain a bonus 25% hitpoints. They also gain the Light Cavalry and Hussar upgrades for free. This coupled with their ability to gather gold faster than other civilizations allows them to create military units quickly. They can create all cavalry units with the exception of the Paladin and can research all cavalry technologies. They have access to all gunpowder units and these will likely form the core of a Turkish army. Their unique unit is the Janissary, a Hand Cannoneer with increased attack, range, and accuracy. In groups they can release a devastating volley that will level most formations. They can also build Bombard Towers to form a formidable defense. Their unique technology increases the range of their Bombard Towers, allowing them to return fire on almost any unit, including Bombard Cannons. Their Cannon Galleons also benefit and have the longest range in the game.

Weaknesses
Most of their non-gunpowder siege weapons are weak compared to other civilizations as they cannot upgrade their Mangonels. They become significantly weaker than other civilizations in a late game low gold situation because they cannot upgrade their Spearmen or Skirmishers. They are also missing a few important technologies which include: Illumination, Block Printing, Stone Shaft Mining, Siege Engineers and Crop Rotation.

Strategy
Turks are mostly considered a Boom civilization because most of their bonuses are Imperial Age bonuses. They gain an economic edge in early game with their gold gathering bonus, but for the most part they must focus on reaching Imperial Age as soon as reasonably possible. Turks in middle game can attempt to make a Castle Age scout rush, since scout cavalry automatically upgrades into light cavalry. Apart from their gold mining bonus, Turks have no early game bonuses and because of this, Turks are very vulnerable in early game. When playing in 1 vs 1 games or in a free for all game they must try to wall themselves in to avoid a rush and focusing on aging up.

Once in Castle Age is when Turks start to really become a fearsome power in the game. Their janissaries are one of the two land gunpowder units that can be created in Castle Age ( the other is the Spanish Conquistador), thus this gives them a heavy advantage against infantry and buildings. A Turkish army must consist at this point mostly of light cavalry (which upgrades for free), cavalry archers, janissaries and some siege units.

There is no doubt that the Turks are one of the most powerful civilizations in the early Imperial Age, before gold economy starts to drag down. Once they reach Imperial Age, Turks must focus on creating gunpowder units. Their Bombard Cannons, for example, have more range with their Artillery technology than regular ones, allowing them to destroy enemy towns from longer distances. It is important for Turkish players hoping to last long in the Imperial Age to establish proper trade in team games, or at least gather Relics in free-for-alls and 1v1s, as once their gold cuts out they are forced to rely on Hussars. If possible Turks must always secure enemy markets and leave them there for trading, if their opponents forget to delete their markets or are defeated.

In maps with water it goes mostly the same as in land. Turks does not get any relevant buffs to their navy until they reach the Imperial Age and get Cannon Galleons. In early game, Turks must try to not engage in water unless they need the food provided by the fishing ships, and in the late game they must create several docks to spawn their formidable Cannon Galleons.

Strategy changes in The Forgotten
Turkish new tech Sipahi gives to their Cavalry Archers more hit points, making them better at raidings and increasing their durability in battle. Elite Janissaries are now affected by their own team bonus so is more easy to make a large number of them in late game.

Alliances
As mentioned previously, Turks are very vulnerable in early game. As such, when playing in team games, they should get the pocket position, as their allies can defend them until they get to Imperial Age. Turks in team games usually play as Springs in Springboard tactics, so having allies with good economic bonuses is very advantageous.

Turkish team bonus is higly valuable to any civ that can access to all gunpowder units.

The Turks and The Spanish can make an excellent team, as the 33% trade bonus generates extra gold for the powerful Turkish units (Cavalry Archers, Janissaries, Bombard Cannons, and Cannon Galleons). The gold can also be used for Bombard Towers, Swordsmen, Camels, Rams and Scorpions. The 20% creation speed for gunpowder units lets the Spanish player make Conquistadors, Hand Cannoneers, Bombard Cannons and their deadly Cannon Galleons faster. It makes early Castle age Conquistador rushes easier and full late Imperial age war easier.

Other team bonuses that helps greatly the turks are:
 * Aztec team bonus, as this allows them to generate more relic gold, which is useful to sustain the gunpowder army. Aztecs also may serve as boards in springboard tactics.
 * Mongol team bonus (more line of sight for light cavalry units)
 * Britons team bonus (train Cavalry Archers and Hand Cannoneers faster at the archery range)
 * Huns team bonus (train cavalry faster)