Guide for every unit counter?

[dustin]

Hi,

I'm relatively new to the game and have yet to find a guide on every single unit counter. For example, when getting rushed with archers and spearmen (or their upgrades), I'm unsure what to even begin creating to handle the situation. It's like this every time i get attacked by any enemy. I was fustrated to not find a detailed document describing counters - just some general videos that give some examples.

Would want a list in the following format, that addresses every unit:

Unit - Counter
Knights - Spearman

etc.

An in-depth guide with video examples on every counter would be a huge plus.

And I assume that upgraded units still have the same upgraded counters?

Thanks in advance!

[WhiteMagick]

Guide to UU and how to counter them
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=179158211

General AOE2 info:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=548698803

In game mod:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=649570924

I hope this has been useful!

[IamJeo]

Any criteria on which unit (composition) to go for, are game dependent and can vastly vary. Scouting enemy choices and going for direct counter-units, or soft counters if your civ has some bonus or eco setup attuned to them, is a good option. (a full counter list is available on aoczone [here](http://www.aoczone.net/viewtopic.php?f=186&t=30587), which also includes soft-counters)

[Mouttie]

see zeroempires videos they are good for beginners (intermediate too)

good luck mate

[dustin]

@ jeowaypoint Thanks for the link! I was able to register for an account and DL the PDF file of direct counters. If anyone else wants it here's a difect link (so you don't have to register to DL this one file):

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzZImAIcVa-naVlDeWxmbGdKMFk

[IamJeo]

Aoczone is The place to download recs and follow tournaments and community events anyhow, so registering is a good idea.

[un adelantado]

Format: unit-counter

Infantry - archers
Infantry - slingers (Incas)
Infantry - cav archers
Infantry - onagers (behind a wall or building)
Infantry - scorpions (not properly a counter, but effective as a support unit against them)
Infantry - bombard cannons (same as scorpions and behind a wall)
Infantry - hand cannoneers (except Condottieri)
Infantry - jaguar warriors (Aztecs)
Infantry - cataphracts (Byzantines)
Infantry - gbetos (Malians)
Infantry - teutonic knights (Teutons)
Infantry - jannisaries (Turks)
Infantry - organ guns (Portuguese)
Infantry - war galleys if are at range
Infantry - demolition ships (very effective indeed for packed groups of soldiers)
Infantry - fire ships if are at range
Infantry - longboats (Vikings)
Infantry - caravels (Portuguese)
Infantry - cannon galleons if are at range
Infantry - turtle ships (Koreans) if are at range

Swordsman - knights
Swordsman - battle elephants
Swordsman - war elephants (Persians)
Swordsman - elephant archers (Indians)
Swordsman - ballista elephants (Khmer)
Swordsman - conquistadores (Spanish)
Swordsman - arambai (Burmese)
Swordsman - boyars (Slavs)
Swordsman - mamelukes (Saracens)
Swordsman - war wagons (Koreans)

Pikemen - all heavy infantry
Pikemen - throwing axeman (Franks)
Pikemen - shotel warriors (Ethiopians)
Pikemen - karambit warriors (Malay)

Eagle warriors - boyars (Slavs)
Eagle warriors - heavy infantry
Eagle warriors - karambit warriors (Malay)

Archers - skirmishers
Archers - genitours (Berbers)
Archers - all cavalry
Archers - onagers
Archers - bombard cannons as a support unit against them
Archers - scorpions
Archers - huskarls (Goths)
Archers - eagle warriors
Archers - plumed archers (Mayans)
Archers - rattan archers (Vietnamese)
Archers - elephant archers (Indians)
Archers - longbowmen (Britons)
Archers - war wagons (Koreans)
Archers - caravels (Portuguese)
Archers - war galleys
Archers - turtle ships (Koreans)
Archers - cannon galleons
Archers - longboats (Vikings)

Skirmishers - all cavalry
Skirmishers - camelry
Skirmishers - siege units except rams
Skirmishers - heavy infantry
Skirmishers - eagle warriors
Skirmishers - karambit warriors (Malay)
Skirmishers - all warships if are at range, except demolition ships

Cavalry archers - camelry
Cavalry archers - knights
Cavalry archers - skirmishers
Cavalry archers - war wagons (Koreans)
Cavalry archers - camel archers (Berbers)
Cavalry archers - onagers (except for Mangudai)
Cavalry archers - scorpions (except for Mangudai)
Cavalry archers - mamelukes (Saracens)
Cavalry archers - huskarls (Goths)
Cavalry archers - eagle warriors
Cavalry archers - all warships if are at range, except demolition ships and fire ships

Cavalry - camelry
Cavalry - mamelukes (Saracens)
Cavalry - pikemen
Cavalry - kamayuk (Incas)
Cavalry - battle elephants
Cavalry - war elephants (Persians)
Cavalry - genoese crossbowmen (Italians)
Cavalry - berserks (Vikings)
Cavalry - teutonic knights (Teutons)
Cavalry - boyars (Slavs)
Cavalry - all warships if are at range

Light cavalry - heavy cavalry
Light cavalry - heavy infantry
Light cavalry - not archer UU

Heavy cavalry - monks

Camelry - foot archers
Camelry - infantry
Camelry - all warships

Battle elephants - pikemen
Battle elephants - kamayuk (Incas)
Battle elephants - monks
Battle elephants - camelry
Battle elephants - scorpions (not counter but effective as a support unit against them)
Battle elephants - war elephants (Persians)

Monks - light cavalry
Monks - archers
Monks - siege units except rams
Monks - eagle warriors
Monks - longboats (Vikings)
Monks - cannon galleons
Monks - caravels (Portuguese)
Monks - war galleys

Gunpowder units - heavy cavalry
Gunpowder units - heavy camelry
Gunpowder units - condottieri (Italians)

Hand cannoneer - archers
Hand cannoneer - skirmishers
Hand cannoneer - war wagons (Koreans)
Hand cannoneer - elephant archers (Indians)
Hand cannoneer - siege units except rams
Hand cannoneer - war galleys
Hand cannoneer - caravels (Portuguese)
Hand cannoneer - turtle ships (Koreans)
Hand cannoneer - longboats (Vikings)
Hand cannoneer - cannon galleons

Siege units - cavalry
Siege units - camelry
Siege units - eagle warriors
Siege units - woad raiders (Celts)
Siege units - mangudai (Mongols)

Scorpions - bombard cannons
Scorpions - onagers
Scorpions - huskarls (Goths)
Scorpions - condottieri (Italians)
Scorpions - longbowmen (Britons)
Scorpions - war galleys
Scorpions - longboats (Vikings)
Scorpions - cannon galleons
Scorpions - turtle ships (Koreans)
Scorpions - caravels (Portuguese)

Onagers - bombard cannons
Onagers - condottieri (Italians)
Onagers - battle elephants
Onagers - war elephants (Persians)
Onagers - cannon galleons

Bombard cannons - battle elephants
Bombard cannons - war elephants (Persians)
Bomard cannons - elephant archer (Indians)
Bombard cannons - condottieri (Italians)
Bombard cannons - longbowmen (Britons)

Trebuchets - bombard cannons

Rams - all melee units
Rams - onagers
Rams - Rams (many not know this)
Rams - bombard cannons

Demolition ships - war galleys
Demolition ships - turtle ships (Koreans)
Demolition ships - caravels (Portuguese)
Demolition ships - longboats (Vikings)
Demolition ships - archers
Demolition ships - skirmishers
Demolition ships - siege ranged units
Demolition ships - hand cannoneers
Demolitions ships - monks

War galleys - fire ships
War galleys - turtle ships (Koreans)
War galleys - caravels (Portuguese)
War galleys - cannon galleons (depends of players mm)
War galleys - bombard cannons
War galleys - onagers
War galleys - ballista elephants (Khmer)
War galleys - longboats (Vikings)

Fire ships - turtle ships (Koreans)
Fire ships - demolition ships
Fire ships - longboats (Vikings)
Fire ships - caravels (Portuguese)
Fire ships - fire ships
Fire ships - scorpions
Fire ships - archers
Fire ships - ballista elephants (Khmer)
Fire ships - onagers
Fire ships- bombard cannons
Fire ships - monks
Fire ships - hand cannoneers

Cannon galleons - war galleys
Cannon galleons - fire ships
Cannon galleons - turtle ships (Koreans)
Cannon galleons - caravels (Portuguese)
Cannon galleons - longboats (Vikings)

[un adelantado]

Now the not conventional UU's (for example, the jaguar warrior is a conventional infantry unit, so his counters are archers, cavalry archers, elephants... same as for generic heavy infantry).

Cataphracts are heavy cavalry, with +12 armour vs special dmg vs cavalry, and +9 attack bonus vs infantry.
Cataphracts - battle elephants
Cataphracts - war elephants (Persians)
Cataphracts - paladins (cavaliers will lose due cataphracts trample damage with Logistica)
Cataphracts - boyars (Slavs)
Cataphracts - archers, since pierce armor of cataphracts is poor. (Geonese archer must be avoided, since his +5 extra dmg vs cav is ignored by cataphract. Crossbowmen is a best cost effective option).
Cataphracts - cavalry archers
Cataphracts - elephant archers (Indians) are some effective
Cataphracts - scorpions as support unit against them
Cataphracts - skirmishers are some effective
Cataphracts - halberdiers are some effective in a mix group standing vs cataphracts.
Cataphracts - war wagons (Koreans)
Cataphracts - longboats (Vikings)
Cataphracts - galleons
Cataphracts - caravels (Portuguese)
Cataphracts - cannon galleons

Huskarls are heavy infantry with +6 pierce armour and +6 attack bonus vs archers.
Huskarls - knights
Huskarls - battle elephants
Huskarls - war elephants (Persians)
Huskarls - boyars (Slavs)
Huskarls - swordsmen
Huskarls - samurais (Japanese)
Huskarls - teutonic knights (Teutons)
Huskarls - throwing axeman (Franks)
Huskarls - gbeto (Malians)
Huskarls - mamelukes (Saracens)
Huskarls - onagers
Huskarls - organ guns (Portuguese)
Huskarls - hand cannoners are some effective
Huskarls - bombard cannons
Huskarls - cannons galleons

War wagons are cavalry archers with the best base attack of all cav archers (9 pierce), high HP points (150) and good pierce armor (3).
War wagons - camelry
War wagons - knights
War wagons - samurais (Japanese)
War wagons - genoese crossbowmen (Italians)
War wagons - mamelukes (Saracens)
War wagons - huskarls (Goths)
War wagons - eagle warriors
War wagons- onagers

[dustin]

Huge thanks blancchevalier :)

[un adelantado]

Originally posted by dustin:

Huge thanks blancchevalier :)

You're welcome. Hope it help. Remember that the basic principle is like the "rock-paper-scissors" game. Infantry beats cavalry, cavalry beats archery, and archery beats infantry. Along this, there are counter-infantry infantry (swordsman beats pikemen), counter-cavalry cavalry (camels) and counter-archery archers (skirmishers).

[talgaby]

You forgot that the skirmishers are a counter for the spear line (they have bonus damage against them). In other words, the situation OP originally described could be mopped up with a bunch of (elite) skirmishers only.

[Expert Bateman]

i agree to you guys

[Pepe]

i agree to you guys