If you download nothing else, get these three classics:
Before conquering specific maps, you must understand how they function. Unlike chaos-driven RTS games like StarCraft or Age of Empires, The Settlers IV operates on a strictly defined grid of squares, or sectors. Every Settlers IV map is composed of the following critical layers: settlers iv maps
Before diving into tactics, one must understand the components. A standard Settlers IV map is a grid-based isometric plane, but unlike later RTS games, it is defined by three critical layers: Height, Terrain, and Resource Nodes. If you download nothing else, get these three
The built-in Settlers IV Editor is surprisingly powerful. Here’s how to start: Test for AI: The computer AI is dumb on water
The game shipped with a robust set of official Settlers IV maps, divided into the Roman, Mayan, Viking, and the infamous "Dark Tribe" campaigns.