How to counter Arambai?

[Salmon Pie]

My friend and I like playing AoE2: HD a lot, and my favourite civ is the Burmese. Sometimes, when we do 1v1, I like to scout rush into a fast caslte, and make lots of Arambai.
Whenever I roll out the Arambai, my friend just instantly resigns because he can't defend against them, even if he rolls out hundreds of Elite Skirmishers. If he does that. I usually just kite them and go somewhere else to raid.
As such, I'm asking on behalf of my friend, what are the best strategies for countering Arambai, both in Castle Age and in Imperial Age with their Unique Tech. If you have Elite Skirms, how should you use them? Should you spread them out? Should you try to rush the Burmese and end the game before the Arambai start rolling out? What unique units are effective?
I would really like to know, because it isn't as fun when my buddy can't ever counter me, so it becomes a one-sided battle pretty quickly.

[mmmcheesywaffles]

Elephants supported by Monks

[Salmon Pie]

Can you elaborate, please?

[Salmon Pie]

Hmm, I see.
Also, may I ask how it's one dimensional? I find it's good at killing anything that isn't a ranged unit and/or has a ton of pierce armour.

[mmmcheesywaffles]

Messaggio originale di Spectre ThirTeen:

Can you elaborate, please?

War Elephants have lots of hit points and do trample damage to enemies. Use monks to keep them alive and convert as many Arambai as you can.

I'll leave the technical stuff to others as I never pay much attentioon to it. The Arumbai will tend to focus on a few of teh elephants and you ju8st need to pull back any badly wounded for your monks to heal. Ilioke to work with 3 Elephants per monk

[Salmon Pie]

Well, ok? In my opinion, War Elephants are way too slow to be effective, and monks have low HP, low enough to be killed in only 3 hits (after getting Sanctity). In Imperial Age, Burmese also get great Hussars and Faith at a 50% discount, so it's not a perfect counter. I appreciate the effort, though! :D

[mmmcheesywaffles]

Messaggio originale di Spectre ThirTeen:

Well, ok? In my opinion, War Elephants are way too slow to be effective, and monks have low HP, low enough to be killed in only 3 hits (after getting Sanctity). In Imperial Age, Burmese also get great Hussars and Faith at a 50% discount, so it's not a perfect counter. I appreciate the effort, though! :D

Try it. :)

[Shade-O]

Crossbow and skirmishers should do the job, prioritize ranged attack upgrades for extra range.
Add in mangonels/onagers if a critical mass is assembled.
In imperial age you can match the attack of those Arambais with gunpowder units which incidently are effective against Arambais as well.
As for unique units there's plenty, basicly all ranged units able to match the Arambai's rang is able to take them head-on although having higher range helps like the Janisarry, Rattan archer, Longbow and Gbeto.
Camels are also an option due to their somewhat higher speed and bonus damage against cav but the Burmese monk are excellent so beware of that.

As for using Arambai, it's pretty much a discounted conquistador. Hit-and-run, avoid thrash units and archers. The difference comes when a large number is assembled where the innaccuracey of the Arambais translates into mass AoE damage but the Arambai also has low range so beware of powerfull ranged units mentioned above. Don't put too many faith into the Manipur cavalry tech since a simple masonry research can negate the benefits of manipur cav on Arambais but you may sneak in a farm destruction 2 with that tech in the early-imperial can be somewhat of a nuisance.

Edit: I misread some of part of the post, oh well should still be insightful

[Salmon Pie]

Thanks Shade-O!
Although, I read that they changed Manipur cavalry so that even if you research Masonry AND Architecture, the bonus won't be negated, only reduced down to +3, instead of +6.

[Masasa]

Elite skirms/crossbow , but ballistics is must when fighting cav archers units.
Also stone walling..

[-tomandjerry-]

It depends, solely from positioning. This sounds like your friend has a "mental barrier" not a mechanical one. In such, I am no help but thats what it looks like from my reading. The barrier is just one of many things they will have to overcome to get better at aoe. Hope it helps.

[conqueror060]

I think massed arbalests is the best counter to Arambai. They have very fragile defence

[Salmon Pie]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate your help!

[grraf]

Mass xbows, camel archer , conquistador, mangudai... tho skirms armor is negated so they are much less eficient then u would expect

[Salmon Pie]

Well, my friend's problem with using Elite Skirms is that they're too slow. The Arambai can just run away to somewhere else to raid. How do you deal with that?

[Masasa]

Messaggio originale di Spectre ThirTeen:

Well, my friend's problem with using Elite Skirms is that they're too slow. The Arambai can just run away to somewhere else to raid. How do you deal with that?

That’s why ballistics is so important here , splitting them into groups is smart , you can mass them much easier then arambai , also walling , towers or defencive castle next to your gold can be nice.