Ranged units? Duh. They’re the Infantry counter, plain and simple. Lower base defense? Who cares? Their damage output against squishy meatshields more than compensates. Yeah, they’re slow as molasses sometimes, but positioning is key. Get them on high ground, funnel the enemy, and watch those health bars melt.
Don’t underestimate the gear advantage. The right gear can turn a mediocre archer into a legion-slaying god. Focus on things that boost attack speed, range, and pierce armor – those are your best friends against massed infantry. Forget about defense boosts, you’ll be too busy picking off targets from afar to worry about getting hit.
Here’s the breakdown for optimal ranged unit effectiveness:
- Strategic Positioning: Elevation is your best friend. Use cover effectively, too.
- Unit Composition: Mix ranged units with some melee support to handle flanking units. Don’t just spam archers. Think synergy.
- Gear Optimization: Prioritize attack speed, range, and piercing damage over defense. Experiment!
Pro Tip: Certain ranged unit types excel against specific infantry. Experiment with different unit compositions to find what works best against your enemies. Don’t be afraid to exploit weaknesses.
Advanced Tactics: Consider using units with area-of-effect attacks to decimate large groups of infantry. Micro-management is your best friend here; focus fire on high-value targets.
Does Thumb Ring work on skirmishers?
Thumb Ring’s effect on skirmishers is complex and highly unit-specific. It doesn’t simply apply a blanket bonus. The advertised firing rate increase is significantly impacted, effectively negated for some units. Specifically, Skirmishers, Genitours, and Slingers experience a massive +17.6% reload time penalty, completely canceling out any benefit. This makes the Thumb Ring a terrible choice for these units. Consider it a hard counter, actually. You’ll be significantly better off equipping them with something else entirely.
Cavalry Archers and War Wagons fare slightly better, receiving only a +5.9% reload penalty. This results in a net firing rate increase of +11.1%, or equivalently, a -10% reload time reduction. Even then, the comparatively small benefit relative to other units makes the Thumb Ring a suboptimal choice for these lines. The return on investment just isn’t worth it. There are far superior technology options to enhance these units’ effectiveness in skirmishes.
In short: Avoid Thumb Ring on skirmishers unless you actively want to hinder their performance. It’s a trap.
How to counter an elephant archer?
Elephant Archers, while formidable, possess key weaknesses exploitable by shrewd players. Their high cost and relatively slow speed make them susceptible to strategic counter-measures.
Primary Counters:
- Pikemen: The classic counter. Pikemen’s anti-armor capabilities significantly reduce the impact of Elephant Archers’ attacks, allowing them to whittle down the heavily armored units relatively easily. Consider upgrading to stronger Pike variations for increased effectiveness. Their superior cost-efficiency also makes them a favorable option.
- Monks: Monks, particularly in large numbers, can quickly convert Elephant Archers, effectively removing a significant threat from the battlefield. The conversion rate can significantly impact the game’s momentum, and is especially potent against slower units.
- Elite Skirmishers: Their high pierce armor and ability to kite allows them to effectively chip away at the health of Elephant Archers, while minimizing their own losses due to the Elephant Archer’s slow movement and attack speed. This is a strong counter particularly effective when combined with other units.
Strategic Considerations:
- Micro-management: Effective use of kiting and flanking maneuvers is crucial when engaging Elephant Archers. Avoid direct confrontation, instead utilizing the strengths of your counter units to their fullest extent.
- Combined Arms: Employing a combination of counter units often proves highly effective. For instance, combining Pikemen to absorb the brunt of the Elephant Archers’ attacks while Skirmishers harass them from a distance can lead to significant advantage. This synergized approach minimizes losses and maximizes the impact of your counter strategy.
- Terrain Utilization: Utilize chokepoints and rough terrain to slow down the Elephant Archers, allowing your counter units to engage more effectively. This can significantly hinder their mobility and effectiveness.
Further Considerations: The effectiveness of any counter is highly dependent on the game’s context, including the number of units involved, their upgrades, and the surrounding battlefield environment. Adaptability and strategic thinking remain paramount to success.
Which type of unit is strong against archers?
Archers, while effective ranged units, possess a significant weakness: their vulnerability to close-quarters combat. Two unit types excel at exploiting this: Cavalry and Skirmishers.
Cavalry offers a potent counter due to its high speed and pierce armor. The rapid closing of the distance negates the archer’s range advantage. However, cavalry is generally more expensive and less easily massed than skirmishers, making them a strategic choice rather than a readily available solution. Consider using cavalry against high-value archer units or when a swift, decisive assault is required. Their effectiveness also depends on the specific cavalry type; some are more resilient to ranged attacks than others.
Skirmishers represent the quintessential archer counter. Their low cost and ease of mass production makes them exceptionally efficient. Their inherent resistance to ranged attacks, coupled with bonus damage against archers, renders them highly effective at dismantling even large archer formations. The key to using skirmishers effectively lies in micro-management – using their mobility to harass and kite archer units, preventing them from effectively returning fire while maximizing their damage output. Remember that skirmishers are typically fragile against melee units, so proper positioning and support are vital.
Ultimately, the best counter depends on your overall strategy, resource availability, and the specific context of the battle. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of both cavalry and skirmishers allows for strategic flexibility in countering archer units effectively.
Which unit does Archer counter and counters Archer respectively?
Archer counters: Monks (due to their low armor and reliance on close-range attacks), Infantry (especially spearmen and pikemen, provided they can close the distance), Cavalry (heavily armored cavalry can withstand archer volleys and counter-attack effectively, particularly Siege Cavalry). However, Archer effectiveness against Cavalry heavily depends on Archer type and upgrades. Fast-firing archers can kite cavalry efficiently, but slow-firing archers can be overrun.
Archer is countered by: Infantry (especially those with high pierce armor), Siege units (can withstand arrow fire and deal significant damage), Cavalry (especially fast cavalry that can swiftly close the distance and overwhelm archers), and Skirmishers (skilled skirmishers can outmaneuver and out-range some archer types).
Important Considerations: Unit upgrades significantly impact these matchups. For instance, upgraded archers with increased range or damage can drastically change the outcome against units they’d normally counter poorly. Terrain also plays a crucial role; archers are more vulnerable on open terrain but stronger when positioned on high ground or behind defensive structures. Finally, micro-management is key; effectively kiting (maintaining distance) and using cover are vital for archer survival and success.
What is the best unit against cavalry archers?
Cavalry archers? Child’s play. Elite Skirmishers are your go-to. Forget those fancy counters your noob friends are spouting. Elite Skirmishers are absurdly cost-effective. Their range advantage is key – Cav Archers *cannot* consistently touch them. They’ll melt under the Skirmishers’ superior damage output, especially with that juicy bonus damage against ranged units. The key is micro. Keep ’em moving, kite those cavalry, and watch those archers evaporate. Don’t bunch them up, though; that’s a guaranteed massacre. Proper positioning and kiting is the difference between a clean sweep and a costly defeat. Remember, Skirmishers are your first line of defense against ranged cavalry; don’t waste your precious resources on inferior counter units. Focus fire, maximize their range advantage, and you’ll be laughing all the way to victory.
Pro-tip: Consider terrain. Hills and chokepoints dramatically increase your Skirmisher’s effectiveness. Use the environment to your advantage.
What counters leitis?
Leitis, while potent cavalry, are vulnerable to the standard anti-cavalry fare. Halberdiers remain a cost-effective option, though their effectiveness diminishes significantly against Elite Leitis. Two Relics on Elite Leitis drastically reduce the number of hits needed to eliminate Halberdiers – rendering them less than ideal unless overwhelming numbers are used.
Consider pike-and-shot compositions for a more robust counter. The combination of ranged fire and anti-cavalry capabilities mitigates the Leitis’ charge, weakening them before they reach melee range. The exact unit composition will depend on the specific game and map, but consider units with strong ranged attacks and the ability to hold a line against cavalry charges.
Skirmisher units, particularly those with high mobility, can harass Leitis effectively, chipping away at their health before they can engage in melee combat. This tactic forces the Leitis player to either engage prematurely, sacrificing their charge bonus, or leaving them exposed to further attrition.
Finally, remember terrain. Utilizing choke points and forcing the Leitis into unfavorable terrain can severely limit their maneuverability and effectiveness, giving your other units a significant advantage.
In short: No single counter reigns supreme. A combined arms approach employing ranged attacks, anti-cavalry units, and tactical positioning is key to consistently defeating Leitis, especially the elite variant.
What is the best unit against the elephant archer?
Elephant Archers? Yeah, they’re a pain, but easily countered. The classic answer is Pikemen – their high pierce armor shreds those elephants. Monks are also great, especially if you can get a conversion going – free units are always nice! But here’s the pro tip: Don’t forget Elite Skirmishers. Their bonus against mounted units absolutely wrecks Elephant Archers. They’re faster, hit harder, and the bonus damage is significant. Think about the map too – open maps favor Skirmishers for kiting, while tighter maps might give Pikemen the edge.
Consider their weaknesses – low armor against pierce damage and their relatively slow speed compared to skirmishers. Use that to your advantage. Micro is key here; don’t just blob your units, use them strategically to exploit those weaknesses. If you’re going for a more aggressive approach, a mix of Elite Skirmishers and a few siege units can quickly dismantle an Elephant Archer army. Remember, flanking is your friend! A well-timed flank with Skirmishers can decimate them before they even realize what hit them.
What unit is good against elephant archer?
Elephant Archers, while formidable, share the weaknesses of other elephant units. Pikemen are your bread and butter counter; their high pierce armor and ability to group effectively shreds Elephant Archers. Monks, particularly with a strong supporting force, can quickly convert them, denying the enemy a powerful unit and gaining a valuable asset in return. Don’t forget about Elite Skirmishers; their superior range and attack against mounted units makes them a surprisingly effective counter, especially if micro-managed to kite effectively. Consider using a combination of these units for maximum effectiveness; a flanking maneuver with Skirmishers while Pikemen engage directly is often devastating. Finally, remember that terrain plays a crucial role. Funneling Elephant Archers into choke points greatly enhances the effectiveness of your counter units.
Are Spearmen good against cavalry?
Spearmen? Against cavalry? It’s complicated. The short answer is: yes, but with caveats. They’re dirt cheap, incredibly easy to mass, and that sheer number can absolutely swamp early-game cavalry like Scouts. Think of them as your base defense MVP against those pesky early-game raids. A wall of spears can really ruin a scout’s day.
However, let’s be realistic. Once you hit the Castle Age, things change dramatically. Knights? Camel Riders? Spearmen are going to get absolutely *wrecked*. Their armor is just not up to snuff against those upgraded units. You’re going to be losing a lot more spears than you’ll be taking down cavalry.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Early Game: Fantastic anti-cavalry. Use them liberally to protect your villagers and key buildings.
- Mid/Late Game: Forget about it. They’re essentially cannon fodder against upgraded cavalry. Don’t waste your resources.
Pro-tip: Combine your spearmen with other units for better results. Archers, for example, can really help to soften up the cavalry before they reach your spear wall. Thinking strategically about unit composition is crucial in Age of Empires.
Another pro-tip: Terrain matters. Use chokepoints to funnel the cavalry into your spearmen. This significantly improves their effectiveness.
- Mass spearmen early.
- Utilize terrain effectively.
- Combine with ranged units for maximum effect.
- Upgrade your spears when possible, even small upgrades help.
- Don’t rely on them against Castle Age cavalry.
What is the difference between elite skirmisher and imperial skirmisher?
The Imperial Skirmisher is a significant upgrade over the Elite Skirmisher, essentially a hard counter to archers. Think of it as a late-game powerhouse. Its superior stats make it devastating in team fights and crucial for securing map control against archer-heavy compositions.
However, the real kicker is its unique status as a shared unit, a team bonus for the Vietnamese. This means any civ allied with the Vietnamese (barring the Turks, who can’t even access Elite Skirmishers) gets access to this beast. This dramatically shifts team composition strategies, allowing for flexible builds and synergistic playstyles that leverage the Imperial Skirmisher’s strengths.
Pro-tip: Mastering the Imperial Skirmisher’s micro is key. Their range and attack speed make them vulnerable to flanking, but skilled players can use terrain and kiting to maximize their damage output and survivability. Their presence often dictates late-game engagements, making them a must-have for any serious Vietnamese or Vietnamese-allied team.
What counters obuchs?
Obuchs, while boasting impressive melee capabilities, suffer from critical weaknesses that experienced players readily exploit. Their core vulnerability stems from the classic infantry problem: a lack of ranged capabilities coupled with slow movement speed. This renders them highly susceptible to various counter strategies.
Key Counters:
- Ranged Units: Archers of all types are exceptionally effective. Their ability to deal consistent damage from a safe distance negates the Obuch’s melee advantage. The range and damage output can quickly overwhelm Obuchs before they can close the distance.
- Siege Weapons: Siege weaponry, such as catapults and ballistae, provides devastating area-of-effect damage, decimating massed Obuch formations. Their high damage output and splash damage make them particularly potent.
- Units with Anti-Infantry Bonuses: Specific unit types possess inherent advantages against infantry, further exacerbating the Obuch’s weaknesses. Examples include Cataphracts, Jaguar Warriors, and Samurai, whose bonuses significantly amplify their damage output against Obuchs.
Strategic Considerations:
- Terrain Utilization: Utilizing chokepoints and terrain features can mitigate the Obuch’s slow movement speed, buying precious time for your ranged units to inflict damage.
- Combined Arms Approach: Employing a mixed-unit army featuring both ranged and melee units allows for a synergistic approach. Ranged units can weaken the Obuch formation before your melee units engage, greatly increasing their effectiveness and survivability.
- Micro-Management: Effective micro-management is crucial to maximizing the effectiveness of your counter units. Positioning ranged units strategically to avoid enemy melee retaliation and skillfully utilizing your anti-infantry units to exploit Obuch weaknesses are pivotal for success.
In essence, exploiting the Obuch’s inherent lack of range and mobility is key to a successful counter-strategy. Understanding these vulnerabilities and implementing the appropriate counter-units and tactics will allow for consistent victory against armies heavily reliant on Obuchs.
What counters Turks?
The Turk Janissary’s high damage output, particularly when massed, is a fearsome prospect, but their effectiveness hinges on a crucial weakness: vulnerability to siege weaponry. While their melee prowess can overwhelm many unit types, well-placed siege units effectively neutralize this advantage. Siege Onagers, with their devastating ranged attacks, are particularly effective at picking them off before they close the distance. Massing Scorpions, leveraging their high rate of fire and pierce armor, provides another excellent counter, chipping away at Janissary health even amidst a fierce melee engagement. Bombard Cannons, offering superior range and area-of-effect damage, are ideal for devastating massed Janissary formations, forcing the Turks to spread their units and lose the advantage of their combined strength. Consequently, civilizations boasting strong siege capabilities, such as those with access to powerful bombard cannons or numerous high-damage siege onagers, possess a significant strategic edge against the Turkish army. The key is anticipating the Janissary advance and establishing a well-defended siege line before they can reach your vulnerable units. Remember, micro-management is paramount; effectively targeting high-value units amongst the Janissaries with your siege weapons, while maintaining their own protection, will significantly hamper their offensive potential.
Moreover, consider terrain. Open fields favor the Janissary advance, while choke points and hilly terrain create opportunities for your siege units to effectively control the battlefield and negate the Janissaries’ numerical advantage. Understanding the limitations of Janissaries – their relative fragility against ranged units and slow movement speed – is crucial for devising a successful counter-strategy. Don’t let their fearsome reputation intimidate you; strategic planning and well-executed siege tactics render them very manageable.
Does thumb ring affect elephant archers?
The Thumb Ring’s impact on elephant archers is nuanced. While it provides a firing speed bonus, its effectiveness varies depending on the civilization. Dravidian Elephant Archers and Mongol Mangudai already boast significant inherent firing speed advantages due to their respective civilization bonuses – a 25% increase in both cases. This means the Thumb Ring provides diminishing returns for these units. For the Dravidians, the combination results in the game’s fastest-firing mounted archer unit. The Mangudai, despite the Thumb Ring, retain their position as the second-fastest, showcasing the power of their innate bonus. Therefore, while the Thumb Ring offers a universal benefit, its impact is most significant for civilizations lacking such inherent advantages, boosting the already strong Dravidian and Mongol archers even further.
Consider this strategic implication: investing in Thumb Ring technology for Dravidians or Mongols might be less impactful than focusing on other upgrades that enhance their already superior firepower, such as armor upgrades or attack bonuses. The marginal gains from Thumb Ring might not justify the resource cost when compared to other technological advancements that provide more impactful advantages. It’s all about maximizing your army’s efficiency and understanding where that efficiency gains the greatest impact.
Furthermore, remember that unit composition and battlefield strategies must synergize with your technological choices. Even the fastest-firing archer is ineffective against the correct counter. Using the Dravidian or Mongol archer units effectively means understanding the strengths and weaknesses of these units in the context of the wider battlefield.
Is Brazil a good Civ?
Brazil? Top-tier. Forget the casual “good,” this Civ’s a powerhouse. The versatility is insane; any victory condition is realistically achievable. While Culture is their strongest suit, thanks to Carnival essentially rendering Theater Square Performances irrelevant and the Amazon’s insane adjacency bonus potential, don’t sleep on other paths.
Domination? The Amazon’s early game strength, boosted by strong faith generation (allowing for early religious pressure and potentially faith-buying units), lets you snowball early and secure a strong military foothold. Science? Exploit the Amazon adjacency bonuses for early science campuses, building a powerful early science engine. Religious? High faith generation supports rapid religious expansion and holy sites. Diplomatic? Strong culture naturally leads to increased tourism, while strategic alliances can be forged through faith or military power.
The key is adapting your strategy. The early game is all about leveraging the Amazon’s unique ability to rapidly expand your empire and secure key strategic locations. Don’t just focus on Culture – think strategically about how Brazil’s strengths can be applied to any chosen victory path. It’s all about maximizing those adjacency bonuses and exploiting the Carnival buff – that’s the hallmark of a high-level Brazil game.
Do Turks get Imperial Skirmisher?
So, you’re asking about Imperial Skirmishers and the Turks? Tough luck, my dudes. The Turks don’t get them. It’s a straight upgrade from the Elite Skirmisher, and the Turks? They skip that entire tech tree line. No Elite Skirmisher means no Imperial Skirmisher. It’s a hard counter to a lot of strategies, so it’s a pretty big deal. This is a fundamental difference in their civ bonus, focusing them more on heavy cavalry and siege. Remember, civ bonuses are key. They completely shape your gameplay. This means Turks will have to rely on different counter strategies against units that the Imperial Skirmisher would normally excel against.
Think of it this way: the Turks are all about that aggressive, cavalry-heavy rush. They’re not designed for a long, drawn-out skirmisher-based game. Their strength lies elsewhere. You gotta play to their strengths, you know? Learn to adapt and you’ll be dominating in no time.
What is the best civ against the Turks?
The Turks? Let’s talk counters. While their powerful early game and siege can be intimidating, several civilizations excel against them. The Celts, for example, boast a fantastic early game and strong Halberdiers, perfectly countering the Turks’ early aggression. Their powerful infantry line holds up well against Turkish cavalry until you can transition to your own stronger units.
But my personal favorite counter? The Cumans. Their unique technology, Cuman Mercenaries, is a game-changer. Five free Elite Kipchaks per castle for your allies? That’s insane map control and a significant advantage. Imagine the pressure that puts on your opponent, especially considering how powerful Elite Kipchaks are. And let’s not forget their Paladins; they are absolute beasts late game, shredding through Turkish armies.
Think about the strategic implications: The Cuman’s fast castle time allows you to leverage the mercenary technology before the Turks can truly establish their dominance. This gives you a critical window to establish a strong economy and a powerful army that directly counters their strengths.
The key here is aggressive early game expansion and leveraging your unique advantages to outmaneuver the Turks before they can fully utilize their siege and cavalry. So, Celts for a solid all-around counter, but Cumans for that overwhelming strategic edge.
Why are Turks good warriors?
The Turkic peoples weren’t just “good warriors,” they were masters of combined arms warfare. Their effectiveness stemmed from a potent blend of superior equipment and highly disciplined tactics. Superior Weaponry: Forget simplistic notions. Their iconic composite recurved bows weren’t just powerful; they were incredibly durable and accurate, boasting a significantly higher rate of fire than many contemporary weapons. Carrying multiple bows allowed for immediate replacement in the heat of battle, maintaining a relentless barrage of arrows. This wasn’t their only strength, however. They were equally proficient with spears, providing excellent anti-cavalry capabilities, supplemented by deadly swords and maces for close-quarters combat. This versatility ensured effectiveness across diverse battlefield situations.
Tactical Prowess: The equipment was only part of the equation. Turkic armies frequently employed sophisticated tactics, including highly mobile cavalry formations that could rapidly shift between flanking maneuvers and devastating charges. Their archery skills weren’t just about individual prowess; they were integrated into coordinated volleys that could cripple enemy formations before close-combat even began. Think of it as a layered approach: a hail of arrows weakening the enemy, followed by a coordinated cavalry assault exploiting any breaches in their defenses.
The Composite Bow: A Closer Look: The composite bow itself deserves special mention. Made from layers of wood, horn, and sinew, it offered superior power and range compared to European longbows or Asian self bows. Its design allowed for a more compact and powerful weapon, perfect for mounted archers. The meticulous craftsmanship involved was also a testament to their dedication to military technology.
Beyond Equipment: Discipline and Training: Finally, let’s not forget the dedication to training and discipline. Years of rigorous practice were necessary to master the composite bow and other weapons. This dedication to military proficiency, coupled with their strategic adaptability, is what truly made Turkic warriors legendary.
How do you counter cavalry archers?
Cavalry archers, while potent, suffer from a critical weakness: their relatively low armor and vulnerability to units with superior range or anti-cavalry bonuses. Elite Skirmishers exemplify this perfectly. Their superior range allows them to effectively kite cavalry archers, preventing them from closing the distance and achieving effective attacks. This range advantage is crucial, as it allows the Skirmishers to consistently deal damage while minimizing incoming fire. Furthermore, the bonus damage that Elite Skirmishers inflict against cavalry units significantly amplifies their effectiveness, leading to a disproportionately high kill-to-loss ratio. The cost-effectiveness of this counter is remarkable; the gold investment in Skirmishers quickly pays off due to their ability to efficiently dismantle cavalry archer units, especially when micro-managed to utilize their range advantage. Consider utilizing terrain and chokepoints to further enhance the effectiveness of your Skirmisher line against these mobile threats.
Key takeaways: Range advantage is paramount. Elite Skirmishers’ bonus damage against cavalry is a game-changer. Micro-management significantly improves their effectiveness. Consider terrain and chokepoints for tactical advantage.
What beats skirmishers in AoE2?
Skirmishers, those nimble light infantry, are a staple in many early-game compositions, but their effectiveness is heavily reliant on the opponent’s army composition. Their low pierce armor and weak attack make them incredibly vulnerable. While they excel against lightly armored units like other skirmishers in a micro-intensive battle, they’re brutally countered by almost everything else.
Forget engaging heavily armored units – your skirmishers will tickle them at best. Their low damage output means even a small group of spearmen or swordsmen will quickly overwhelm them. Cavalry units, with their high movement speed and strong attacks, will decimate them before they can even react. The minimum range is a significant disadvantage, frequently putting your skirmishers within easy striking distance of their foes.
Archers and hand cannoneers, however, represent their primary weakness. Their ranged attacks bypass the skirmishers’ melee advantage, allowing them to inflict heavy casualties from a safe distance. Even worse, the slow attack speed and relatively short range of skirmishers mean that they are extremely ineffective at defending against massed ranged attacks.
Therefore, to effectively utilize skirmishers, careful consideration of your opponent’s army composition and strategic positioning are paramount. Don’t expect miracles against anything with substantial armor or mobility; concentrate on using their speed and early-game power to harass and scout, setting up favorable engagements before the enemy can counter effectively. Remember, smart micro and tactical awareness can make up for their inherent limitations.
