Army Compositions
Units in Age of Empires II have counters. A detailed counters guide will live on a separate page at /counters. Start with one simple rule: 1 Gold Unit + 1 Trash Unit + Siege. Gold units are your main damage, trash units are cheap protection or counters, and siege adds pressure to break defenses and finish pushes.
Gold Unit
+ 
/ 
Trash Unit
+ Siege
+ / The Simple Rule
Recipe
1x Gold unit + 1x Trash unit + Siege support
- Avoid mixing too many gold units early.
- Focus upgrades on one main unit line first.
Classic Army Compositions
Playing as a Cavalry Civ
Franks 
Magyars 
Berbers 
Burgundians Default
Knights + Skirmishers + Siege
Gold
Trash
Siege
Strong all-around castle age cav composition.
Works well when: you are ahead in mobility and want to pressure ranges.
Be careful against: mass camels, monks, and heavy halberdier switches.
Upgrade priorities
- Scale Barding Armor first
- Bloodlines + Husbandry
- Elite Skirmisher + armor upgrades
Vs Mirror Cav
Knights + Pikes + Siege
Gold
Trash
Siege
Safer setup when both players commit to cavalry; you can add a few monks for extra value.
Works well when: enemy is adding lots of knights and diving your eco.
Be careful against: monk converts and camel-heavy switches.
Upgrade priorities
- Pikeman upgrade
- Cavalry armor line
- Siege Ram upgrade
Playing as an Archer Civ
Britons 
Mayans 
Bohemians 
Portuguese Default
Archers + Pikes + Siege
Gold
Trash
Siege
Reliable archer core with anti-cavalry cover.
Works well when: opponent opens stable units and you hold range fights.
Be careful against: onager timings and fast skirmisher floods.
Upgrade priorities
- Fletching + Bodkin Arrow
- Ballistics
- Pikeman upgrade
Mirror Arch
Archers + Skirmishers + Siege
Gold
Trash
Siege
Best for ranged mirror wars and map control trades.
Works well when: both players are on archers and fighting around hills.
Be careful against: knight switches if pike numbers are too low, and enemy siege micro.
Upgrade priorities
- Fletching to Bodkin Arrow to Bracer
- Skirmisher armor
- Ballistics
Playing as an Infantry Civ
Japanese 
Slavs 
Malians 
Romans Core Option
Militia Line + Skirmishers + Siege
Gold
Trash
Siege
Straightforward infantry push with ranged protection.
Works well when: you can sustain barracks spam and secure map space.
Be careful against: hand cannoneers, heavy cavalry, and mangonel shots.
Upgrade priorities
- Infantry armor line
- Squires + Supplies (if available)
- Elite Skirmisher upgrade
Playing as a Cavalry Archer Civ
Huns 
Tatars 
Turks 
Mongols Core Option
Cavalry Archers + Scout Line/Hussar + Siege
Gold
Trash
Siege
High mobility composition for raids and map control.
Works well when: you have space to kite and can raid multiple eco lines.
Be careful against: large skirmisher walls and tight choke-point fights.
Upgrade priorities
- Thumb Ring + Ballistics
- Light Cavalry to Hussar upgrades
- Chemistry + cavalry archer armor upgrades