Slinging (or Springboarding) refers to the strategy used in team games, typically in Age of Empires II, involving a player tributing most of their resources to a teammate. The player who acts as the slinger essentially launches the sling from the Feudal Age onwards through the Market exchanges and use of tributes supported by booming. It allows the slung player to reach the Imperial Age quickly and deploy vastly superior units against the other team while allowing both players to focus on upgrading to suit their role rather than having to upgrade both economic and combat upgrades. The main disadvantage is that the slinging player is extremely vulnerable military-wise and certain map dispositions may render the whole strategy useless such as too much distance or a large obstacle between teammates. Variations of slinging are rushing slinging, in which the slinger simultaneously coordinates a rush, the three person sling, which has the third player rush the opposing sling, and the dual spring, which has two slingers and two slingees.
If playing against opponents who are suspected of slinging, the player must look for the slinger and attempt to wipe that player off the face of the map with a particular focus on Villagers, Town Centers, and economic buildings. If there are two slingers, the player must coordinate with their teammates to defeat both, eventually starving the sling.
In most tournaments, slinging is banned or limited due to how powerful the strategy can be. Due to this, after Patch 5.8, the technologies Coinage and Banking have both had their cost increased and moved to a later age (Feudal/Castle Age → Castle/Imperial Age, respectively).
For a similar, but still different in practice, strategy in Age of Empires III, see Support.
The slingee[]
The person receiving the sling should be a strong Imperial Age civilization, possessing both cavalry and gunpowder. Elite Eagle Warriors (or Plumed Archers) are also commonly used. Upgrades and faction bonuses should also focus on combat units.
Civilizations that can be good as slingees include:
Aztecs
Byzantines
Bohemians- Burmese
- Franks
- Hindustanis
- Italians
- Khmer
- Maya (the Mayan team bonus makes walls cheaper which can be useful for the slinger)
- Persians
- Portuguese
- Saracens
- Spanish
- Turks
The slinger[]
The slinger should be playing a civilization with large economic advantages and bonuses. It does not matter if the slinger doesn't have cavalry or gunpowder. Defensive bonuses may also be of benefit.
Civilizations that can function as slingers include:
- Aztecs
- Burgundians (especially in late-game)
- Burmese
- Celts
- Chinese
- Hindustanis
- Inca
- Italians
- Japanese (on water maps)
- Koreans
- Malay (on water maps)
- Maya
- Persians
- Poles
- Portuguese (Certain maps/game modes make Feitorias extremely valuable in the late game)
- Slavs
- Teutons (Also good at Turtling)
- Vikings (mainly on water maps)
The counter-sling[]
Good counter-sling civilizations are those with good rushing capacity such as:
- Aztecs
- Cumans
- Franks
- Goths
- Hindustanis
- Huns
- Inca
- Malay (mainly on water maps)
- Magyars
- Mongols
- Sicilians (Donjon rush can badly hurt sling-based economies)
- Tatars
