Age of Empires 4 Stealth Forests Explained

Age of Empires 4 stealth forests are new to the series and great ways to ambush rival nations. While AoE 4 stays true to the roots of the legendary RTS series while introducing a few new elements into the mix, the addition of stealth forests and its new ambush features add interesting layers to skirmishes and multiplayer matches.

By placing units in stealth forests, you can surprise units from other factions and get the edge in battle. Learning how to use stealth forests can be a bit confusing to understand at first, so here’s an explanation of how the new system works.

How Stealth Forests Work in Age of Empires 4

Stealth forests are always dotted around each map in Age of Empires 4, no matter which of the 17 you pick or which seeds they generate. The easy way to spot stealth forests is to look for the reddish-brown grass that grows in them, like in the image above.

You’ll also notice that the trees in these forests are more spread out; when units go into them, units will glow with a red and blue outline. 

When you put units in a stealth forest, they’re invisible to enemy players until they also enter the forest. Only Scouts can see into stealth forests, meaning they’re perfect for setting up and sniffing out ambushes. Unfortunately, there’s no auto scout function in AoE 4, so you’ll have to manually discover these ambush spots.

While units don’t get any kind of stat boosts in stealth forests, catching opponents unaware is where the real advantage lies. Keep in mind that units will auto-attack when they see enemies unless you change their orders to “Stand Ground”. 

By the same token, if you’re moving an army through a heavily forested area, make sure to have at least one Scout to watch for hidden enemy units. Another viable option is to simply place units in Stealth Forests to keep an eye on hidden parts of the map that you might not have a lot of units in.

No matter what civilization you’re playing as or the map you’re on, the key is to keep stealth forests in mind, as they can give you, and your opponent, a slight leg up. For even more tips, walkthroughs, and help, make sure to take a look at our Age of Empires 4 guide hub.