Nov 15, 2019

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A complete guide to get you started with the Civs of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, their respective Tech Trees, and their individual counters.

Aztecs

Special Civilisation Bonuses:

Villagers carry capacity +5
All Military Units are created 15% faster
Monks gain 5 HP for every tech researched at the Monastery
Loom Tech free
No Gunpowder or Cavalry Units
Scout Cavalry is replaced by Eagle Warrior (or Eagle Scout depending on game version i.e Conquerors/Forgotten/African/Rajas)

Team Bonus: Relics generate +33% Gold
Unique Tech: Garland Wars - Increases Infantry attack by +4
Unique Unit: Jaguar Warrior (Anti-Infantry Unit)
Jaguar Warriors are one of the strongest infantry units in the game due to their improved attack bonus granted by Garland Wars. They are able to hold their own against every infantry unit in a 1v1 situation, including the Teutonic Knight, provided the Jaguar Warrior manages to make the first blow. Their main weakness is lack of pierce armor, making them vulnerable to archers and heavy cavalry.
Tips:
'Military units created 15% faster' It also concerns Monks, which are not considered like military units. In short this bonus concerns all units except Villagers, Fishing Ships and Trade Carts/Cogs. And the real figure is: 1/(1*0.85) = 1.176 17.6% faster.
Aztec fully upgraded Champions are, with Elite War Elephants and Elite Teutonic Knights, the only melee units which can kill villagers in two strikes...

Britons

Special Civilisation Bonuses:

Town Centers cost -50% Wood from the Castle Age
Foot archers (except Skirmishers) have +1 range in Castle Age, +1 in Imperial Age (+2 range total)
Shepherds work 25% faster

Team Bonus: Archery Ranges work 20% faster
Unique Tech: Yeomen - (+1) Range for Foot Archers, (+2) Attack for towers
Unique Unit: Longbowman (Long-range foot Archer)
The Longbowman boasts the greatest archer range in the entire game. Starting off at a base of 5, upgrades from the blacksmith, researching Elite Longbowman and Yeomen at the Castle will bring the Longbowman's max range up to 12, thus out-ranging Castles, Towers, Mangonels, and Scorpions including rival Unique Archer units from other civilisations. They also have a higher attack than normal archers.
Tips:
The best strategy for using Longbowmen is in a group of at least 15. Using them in base defence behind walls with locked gates is another useful tactic. When on the battlefield, protect your Longbowman contingents with a combination of Infantry and Cavalry. Being archer units, Longbowmen won't last long against as little as 5 knights .
'Yeomen: Foot archers have +1 range' It also concerns Skirmishers, which make them pretty good (though Aztecs ones and Incas with their unique tech are arguably a bit better): even without Thumb Ring, Skirmishers actually don't get a faster rate of fire from Thumb Ring, only an accuracy boost from 90% from 100% which is overshadowed by Briton's +1 range.
Warwolf give Trebuchets a very small Blast Radius of 0.5 (same splash area as Logistics or Druzhina), but also 100% accuracy (on immobile units/buildings) as a secondary effect.
Longbowmen have less accuracy than standard archer-line:

Archer: 80% accuracy
Crossbowman: 85% accuracy
Arbalest: 90% accuracy
Longbowman: 70% accuracy
Elite Longbowman: 80% accuracy

Byzantines

Special Civilisation Bonuses:

Buildings gain +10% HPs in Dark Age, +20% Feudal Age, +30% Castle Age, +40% Imperial Age
Camels, Skirmishers, Pikemen, Halberdiers are cost -25%
Fire Ships +20% Attack
Advance to Imp Age costs -33% (667 Food and 536 Gold instead of 1000 Food and 800 Gold)
Town Watch Tech free

Team Bonus: Monks heal 50% faster
Unique Tech: Logistica - Cataphracts do trample damage
Unique Unit: Cataphract (Anti-Infantry Cavalry)
The Cataphract is the unit with the fewest weaknesses. They have a bonus attack against infantry units, making them an ideal defence force. Despite having a disadvantage when it comes to facing Heavy Camels and Mamelukes, the Cataphracts are effective against all units, making them a force to be reckoned with. Still, keeping some infantry with them would be wise seeing as Halberdiers can still be a threat to Cataphracts.
The Persian War Elephant will be able to defeat Cataphracts with ease thanks to their high attack and HP. Just make sure not to attack with less than 10. A large force of cataphracts can take down 5 war elephants without much difficulty, especially if there are several castles and monks in the general vicinity. Archers, Hand Cannoneers and Scorpions also have a slight advantage thanks to a lower pierce armour on the Cataphracts part.
Tips:

'Logistica: Cataphracts cause trample damage' Also adds +6 to the Cataphract bonus against infantry (9 to 15 for non-elite/12 to 18 for elite); a fully upgraded Elite Cataphract kill a FU Gothic Halberdier in only two hits.
It is worth noting Cataphracts/Elite Cataphracts got 12/16 bonus defense against anti-cavalry/anti-unique units, making them immune against non-heavy Camels, Mamelukes, Samurais...and only taking small bonus damage from Heavy Camels and Pikemen.
Though it's not a good idea to face large groups of Halberdiers with FU Elite Cataphracts as they still suffer from 16 bonus damage from halbs, go with Archers/Skirms or Hand Cannoneers to deal with them.
'Elite Cataphract upgrade: Upgrades your Cataphracts and lets you create Elite Cataphracts, which are stronger and better armored' Both got exactly the same base armor: 2/1.

Berbers

Special Civilisation Bonuses:

Villagers move +10% faster
Stable units cost -20% (starting in castle age)
Ships move +10% faster

Team Bonus: Genitour availible at Archery Range
Unique Techs

Kasbah: Team castles work +25% faster
Maghrabi Camels: Camel troops regenerate

Unique Units

Camel Archer: Cavalry Archer with bonus against cavalry archers
Genitour: Mounted Skirmisher

Camel Archers - The Berbers have the Camel Archer for their unique castle unit. Being a camel unit, it has an advantage against cavalry, but only of the archer variety i.e. Mangudai and Cavalry Archers. The best strategy would be to use them in small, quick battalions alongside anti-pikemen units. However, I'd recommend a contingent of heavy cavalry to deal with any units with high pierce armor as well as pikemen to deal with camels.
Genitour - Like the Italians, Vikings, and Koreans, the Berbers have two units specific to their civ, the first being the Camel Archer. The second, the Genitour, is a mounted skirmisher, a unit that's effective against archers, mounted and cavalry. Best used in small battalions to utilize their speed, I'd suggest matching them with heavy cavalry to prevent problems with units possessing high pierce armor, or infantry and archers to deal with pikemen and your own pikemen to counter camels.
Tips:
The Berbers have one of the most powerful Castle Age Knight rushes in the game due to their 15% reduced cost. Their Camels and Hussar are also affected by this bonus and are backed up by full upgrades, giving a powerful advantage against other cavalry civilisations. Notably, the Berber Hussar line is cheaper than the Magyars, allowing the Berbers to go toe-to-toe effectively in 'trash unit' wars. This Stable discount eclipses those of other civs while also affecting more units, and is not to be underestimated. Genitours are also a great asset in Trash Wars.

Burmese

Special Civilisation Bonuses:

Free Lumber Camp Upgrades
Infantry +1 Attack per Age (Starting in Feudal Age)
Monastery techs 50% cheaper

Team Bonus: Relics are visible on the mini map
Unique Techs

Howdah (Castle Age): Battle Elephants get +1/+2 armor
Manipur Cavalry (Imperial Age): Cavalry and Arambai get +6 attack versus buildings

Age Of Empires 2 Definitive Edition Japanese