The Celts are an infantry civilization whose soldiers have a bonus to movement speed. Their siege weapons fire a little faster it's easier for them to find and keep sheep, which are an important early-game food source.
The Celts are straightforward to play, but more important than that, they're probably the first civilization that first-timers will encounter in the game, through the comprehensive William Wallace Learn to Play campaign. There's something to be said for familiarity. Here's a somewhat controversial take: I like the Huns for new players. This civilization can create awesome cavalry archers, and their unique Tarkan cavalry are great for hit-and-run attacks against enemy outposts, as Tarkans can demolish buildings with ease. Although the Huns start with a deficit of wood, the trade-off is more than worthwhile: You'll never need to build houses. You start with your population cap at maximum. Some players on Reddit and Steam argue that this builds "bad habits" for new players, and they're not wrong - but there are plenty of other skills to learn without focusing on population growth. The Byzantines are a fairly conventional choice for new players, and it's easy to see why. Their buildings are more durable right off the bat, and they get Town Watch, a technology that increases line-of-sight early on, for free. Skirmishers, spearmen and camels are cheaper, so it's easy to pump out units to specifically counter whatever kind of early-game rush you might face. I would argue that mastering the Byzantines is more about late-game performance, and the race's "jack-of-all-trades" approach can leave new players a little paralyzed with choice. But if survivability is a concern, the Byzantines are hard to beat. If you're tired of being harassed by Britons in the first two campaigns, give the race a try yourself. The Britons have one of the very best unique units in the game: the Longbowman. Fully upgraded, an army of Longbowmen can annihilate almost any kind of unit before it even gets close. Protect your base with these archers, and an enemy will have a tough time getting close attack a base with them, and enemy soldiers will fall just as soon as they appear. Of course, experienced players can rout a Longbowman battalion - but that's true of any army that leans too heavily on one particular unit. Other good choices include the Teutons, the Franks, the Ethiopians, the Japanese and the Persians. Here's a good rule of thumb: In the tech tree, just below each civilization's name, you'll see a descriptor of their general playstyle. Try anything that says "Infantry civilization," "Cavalry civilization" or "Archer civilization." If a civilization combines two aspects (the Vikings, for example, are an "Infantry and naval civilization,") save them for later. Or try them out diving into the deep end is also a perfectly good way to learn.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide) How to chooseĮxperienced players don't need me to tell them the best way to learn a new race: play random map games and select "random" when you choose a civilization.
Truthfully, the same core principles apply for most races it's just the units and technologies you'll want to emphasize that differ. You'll always need resources you'll always need buildings you'll always need a standing army of some kind.