Map Expansions

The most valuable resource in Forge of Empires is space or land. Acquiring new expansions from research, the continent map, victory expansions, or using diamonds is one of the best ways to advance your city quickly. Careful thought should be given to where each additional expansion is placed or you may end up with a lopsided city that is starved for options as far as buildings and design.

Generally, keeping the city somewhat square is beneficial and will provide the most flexibility as you continue to progress through the ages and gain new great buildings and event buildings.

Some cities expand out in one direction all at once very early in the game, resulting in a narrow strip of land that can’t fit anything wider than three squares and a road connection. These cities will struggle to fit in any larger buildings at all.

If you have started out with a less-than-ideal expansion arrangement, attempt to optimize the shape of your city using the following strategies:

• Begin expanding toward the longest side, choosing to opt for either expanding the narrow stretch or expand the larger portion in the direction of the narrow stretch, but not both.

• Place smaller buildings along the narrow stretch of the city and reserve all of the larger square portion for buildings that cannot fit in the smaller part of the city.

• Acquire additional expansions as soon as you’re able to, without aging up too quickly or progressing on the continent map too fast. Unlock any past expansions in the technology tree or any remaining in your age, conquer sectors that offer victory expansions as rewards, contribute to others’ great buildings in order to gain medals that allow you to unlock victory expansions, or spend diamonds to unlock any available diamond expansions. Real money can be the quickest way to get diamonds, but the Guild Expedition can provide a significant amount of diamonds that will allow you to eventually unlock every diamond expansion in the game without spending any cash.