Civilizations & Meta Overview
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition has more than 50 playable civilizations, each with its own bonuses, tech tree options, and a signature unique unit trained at the Castle. They group into cavalry, archer, infantry, and defensive or siege archetypes. Franks, Britons, and Byzantines are the three most beginner-friendly picks.
With 53 playable civilizations in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, plus six more in the standalone Chronicles campaigns, understanding faction specializations lets you match your playstyle to map conditions and opponent match-ups.
Civilization Archetypes
Civilizations feature unique bonuses, specialized tech tree options, and signature unique units trained at the Castle.
| Archetype | Key Characteristics | Famous Factions | Strategic Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cavalry | Extra hit points, reduced tech costs, faster mounted units | Franks, Huns, Lithuanians, Poles | Map mobility, heavy knight charges, raiding |
| Archer | Extended range, faster foot archer production, discounted archery tech | Britons, Mayans, Vietnamese, Tatars | Ranged ball-of-death, high DPS at choke points |
| Infantry | Discounted infantry, high building damage, swarm capabilities | Goths, Vikings, Japanese, Celts | Relentless swarms, anti-cavalry pikes, eco boosts |
| Defensive & Siege | Stronger walls, cheaper counter units, high-damage siege | Byzantines, Teutons, Ethiopians, Bohemians | Turtle tactics, Castle forward drops, siege pushes |
Top Three Beginner-Friendly Factions
If you are learning the game, start with these three accessible civilizations.
1. Franks (Cavalry Specialist)
- Core Bonus: Mounted units get +20% HP automatically starting in Feudal Age. Farm upgrades at the Mill are completely free upon advancing. Castles cost 15% less Stone in the Castle Age (553 Stone) and 25% less in the Imperial Age (488 Stone).
- Unique Unit: Axeman (Throwing Axeman), a ranged melee infantry unit that shreds opposing spearmen.
- Why Play Them: Free farm upgrades simplify food management, creating a large wood surplus that powers early knight charges and cheap forward Castles.
2. Britons (Archer Specialist)
- Core Bonus: Foot archers gain +1 attack range in Castle Age and an additional +1 in Imperial Age (+2 total). Town Centers cost 50% less Wood starting in Castle Age.
- Unique Unit: Longbowman, a foot archer with massive firing range that out-ranges enemy Castles when fully upgraded.
- Why Play Them: Extra archer range lets you pick off enemy workers and armies before they can touch your lines.
3. Byzantines (Defensive Counter Specialist)
- Core Bonus: Spearmen, Skirmishers, Pikemen, Halberdiers, and Camels cost 25% less resources. Building hit points increase by +10% in Dark Age, +20% in Feudal, +30% in Castle, and +40% in Imperial.
- Unique Unit: Cataphract, heavy cavalry with +12 Cavalry armor that resists bonus damage from opposing spearmen.
- Why Play Them: Cheaper counter units make it easy to defend against aggressive early pushes while building toward late-game.
Civilization Match-Up Matrix
Understanding how archetypes counter each other helps you draft strategies in lobby picks.
| Player Faction Type | Opponent Type | Tactical Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Cavalry Civ | vs Archer Civ | Build early Skirmishers or hit Feudal Scout Raids before their archer numbers snowball |
| Archer Civ | vs Cavalry Civ | Mass Archers early, add Spearmen inside your archer ball, and wall up base choke points |
| Infantry Civ | vs Archer Civ | Build Siege Rams or Mangonels to soak ranged arrow fire while infantry advances |
| Defensive Civ | vs Aggressive Civ | Secure home gold with Watch Towers, drop forward Castles, and win via late-game economy |
Modern DLC Civilizations and Expansion Meta
Expansions have introduced unique mechanics that break away from traditional building and economy models.
| Expansion | Key Civilizations | Mechanical Innovations |
|---|---|---|
| Dynasties of India | Hindustanis, Gurjaras, Bengalis, Dravidians | Shrivamsha Rider projectile dodging, Mill herdable garrisoning, 10% Market tax |
| Mountain Royals | Georgians, Armenians | Mule Carts (mobile drop-off points), Fortified Churches (the first Armenian one holds a free Relic) |
| Return of Rome | Romans | Villagers gather, build, and repair 5% faster, Legionary infantry line |
| Chronicles: Battle for Greece | Athenians, Spartans, Achaemenids | Antiquity-era mechanics with custom naval and siege systems |
| Chronicles: Alexander the Great | Macedonians, Thracians, Puru | Continues the antiquity ruleset from Battle for Greece |
Update 177723 added a More Content section to the Main Menu that lists every DLC, owned and unowned, so you can see at a glance which of the civilizations above your account actually has. Unowned DLC also appears on the Main Menu screen itself.
That update also ran a balance pass, and it left the three beginner picks above untouched. Update 177723 adjusted unit costs, training times, and civilization bonuses for the Armenians, Burgundians, Inca, Mapuche, Muisca, Tupi, and Wei, along with the Slinger, the Champi Warrior line, and the Xolotl Warrior. Franks, Britons, and Byzantines kept every number on this page. Naval defense moved too: Docks fire 0, 3, 4, and 5 arrows by Age in place of a flat 5, and anti-ship bonus damage fell on the Watch Tower line and the Sea Tower.
Unique Technologies and Imperial Power Spikes
Every civilization possesses two Unique Techs researched at the Castle: one in Castle Age and one in Imperial Age.
| Tier | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Castle Age Unique Tech | Sharpens the core bonus or the unique unit |
| Imperial Age Unique Tech | Unlocks stronger army abilities |
- Example - Goths (Perfusion): Increases Barracks creation speed by 100%. Combined with cheap infantry, Goths can replace an entire army in under 30 seconds.
- Example - Britons (Yeomen): Adds +1 range to foot archers and +2 attack to Watch Towers.
- Example - Franks (Chivalry): Makes Stables work 40% faster, letting you pump Paladins out continuously.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best civilization for beginners in Age of Empires II?
Franks, Britons, and Byzantines are the three most accessible starting picks. Franks get free farm upgrades and cheaper Castles, Britons get extra archer range, and Byzantines get 25% cheaper counter units.
What does the Franks civilization bonus do?
Mounted units gain +20% HP starting in the Feudal Age, Mill farm upgrades are free on advancing, and Castles cost 15% less Stone in the Castle Age (553 Stone) and 25% less in the Imperial Age (488 Stone). The free farm upgrades create a wood surplus that funds early knight charges and forward Castles.
How much extra range do Briton archers get?
Foot archers gain +1 attack range in the Castle Age and another +1 in the Imperial Age for +2 total. The Yeomen unique tech adds a further +1 range to foot archers plus +2 attack to Watch Towers.
How do you beat a cavalry civilization when you play an archer civilization?
Mass Archers early, mix Spearmen inside your archer ball, and wall up your base choke points.
How many unique technologies does each civilization have?
Every civilization has two Unique Techs researched at the Castle, one in the Castle Age and one in the Imperial Age. The Castle Age tech sharpens the core bonus or unique unit, and the Imperial Age tech unlocks stronger army abilities.
What to Read Next
- Unit Counters and Combat. Where each archetype sits in the counter triangle.
- Economy and Build Orders. Adapting the standard build to your civ bonus.
- Techs and Relic Economy. Unique techs and Imperial power spikes.
- Modes and Campaigns. Where civ picks matter most across game modes.