Mining Camp
Economic - DarkBase values, before building technologies. Masonry and then Architecture each give buildings "+10% HP, +1/+1 Armor": late in a game, the real numbers are higher.
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Try it freeDescription
"Drop-off point for gold and stone. Also researches mining technologies that improve gathering speed."
Strategic Analysis
Strategic Role
The Mining Camp enables gold and stone collection. Gold is essential for powerful units, and stone is needed for Castles and Town Centers.
Key Tactics
Gold Priority
Place your Mining Camp on gold first. Gold enables Knights, unique units, and most powerful technologies.
Stone Timing
Mine stone when planning Castles or additional Town Centers. 650 stone for a Castle takes 7-8 villagers working for 3-4 minutes.
Upgrade Timing
Gold Mining should be researched in late Feudal or early Castle Age when you have significant gold income.
Warning
Gold mines are prime raid targets. Consider walling or placing defensive buildings near exposed gold.
Stats Analysis
The Mining Camp is your gateway to gold and stone. Place it touching the resource pile for maximum efficiency.
Hit Points
600 HP
Low health like other drop-off buildings. Losing your Mining Camp on gold can be devastating.
Mining Techs
4 Upgrades
Two gold and two stone upgrades. Each provides +15% gathering speed.
Wood Cost
100 Wood
Same cost as Mill and Lumber Camp. Essential investment for gold-heavy strategies.
Technologies
Placement Tip
Place Mining Camps touching the gold/stone pile. One tile away is acceptable but slightly less efficient.
Timing Tip
Build on gold around 12-14 population for Scout/Archer strategies. Research Gold Mining when you have 5+ villagers on gold.
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Other Buildings
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
The Mining Camp is a Dark Age economic building costing 100 wood, with 600 HP, 0 melee armor, 7 pierce armor, line of sight 5, and a 35-second build time. The official help says it deposits stone and gold and researches mining technologies, and should be placed near those mines for faster gathering. The building data lists Gold Mining, Gold Shaft Mining, Stone Mining, and Stone Shaft Mining. It produces no units and has no combat identity; its strategic value is the safe, short collection route that turns concentrated resources into Castles, defenses, upgrades, and gold-heavy armies.
History & balance
The Mining Camp is where an economic plan becomes visible on the map. One hundred wood and 35 seconds create access to two high-value resources, but the 600 HP building is only useful while Villagers can reach it and return safely. The official technology list gives the Camp a long life: Gold Mining and Stone Mining begin the path, while the Shaft Mining upgrades extend it later. That makes location and vision part of the building history. A protected Camp can support a Castle or gold-heavy army; a forward Camp that is denied can delay the entire plan because both the resource and its research access disappear together.
In pro play
Place the Mining Camp so the same 100 wood investment serves the first gold or stone timing and the technologies that follow. Keep the 35-second construction away from the opponent attack path, add vision around the deposit, and shorten the Villager walk before paying for a gathering upgrade. Decide whether the next milestone is gold, stone, or both; moving miners without a plan wastes the value of the Camp. Protect the 600 HP structure with walls or a response force because a raid on the Camp also attacks the research access. Good placement lets the economy change resource emphasis without rebuilding the base.
How to counter it
The Mining Camp has no combat Weak vs. list; the classic mistake is to fight the army while ignoring the gold or stone line that funds it. Neutralize what the building provides: deny the deposit, raid the mining Villagers, and interrupt the listed technologies before they compound. Because the Camp has 600 HP but no attack or garrison, a small force can create idle time while the main army stays elsewhere. Do not destroy it at any cost if pulling the miners off the resource already breaks the plan. If you keep losing to a resource timing without knowing what to pressure or when, AoE Coach reads your match-up and gives you the economy plan and timing.