Skip to main content

Civilizations & Meta Overview

With over 40 playable civilizations in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, 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.

                  ┌───────────────────────────────┐
                  │    Civilization Archetypes    │
                  └───────────────┬───────────────┘
                                  │
      ┌─────────────────┬─────────┴───────┬─────────────────┐
      ▼                 ▼                 ▼                 ▼
┌───────────┐     ┌───────────┐     ┌───────────┐     ┌───────────┐
│ Cavalry   │     │ Archer    │     │ Infantry  │     │ Defensive │
│ (Franks,  │     │ (Britons, │     │ (Goths,   │     │ (Byzant.  │
│ Huns)     │     │ Mayans)   │     │ Vikings)  │     │ Teutons)  │
└───────────┘     └───────────┘     └───────────┘     └───────────┘

| 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 25% less Stone (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 TypeOpponent TypeTactical Approach
Cavalry Civvs Archer CivBuild early Skirmishers or hit Feudal Scout Raids before their archer numbers snowball
Archer Civvs Cavalry CivMass Archers early, add Spearmen inside your archer ball, and wall up base choke points
Infantry Civvs Archer CivBuild Siege Rams or Mangonels to soak ranged arrow fire while infantry advances
Defensive Civvs Aggressive CivSecure 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.

ExpansionKey CivilizationsMechanical Innovations
Dynasties of IndiaHindustanis, Gurjaras, Bengalis, DravidiansShrivamsha Rider projectile dodging, Mill herdable garrisoning, 10% Market tax
Mountain RoyalsGeorgians, ArmeniansMule Carts (mobile drop-off points), Fortified Churches with relic food generation
Return of RomeRomans+5% gather speed, heavy Legionary infantry line
Chronicles: Battle for GreeceAthenians, Spartans, MacedoniansAntiquity mechanics, Mercenary Peltasts, custom naval and siege systems

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.

Castle Age Unique Tech  ──> Enhances core bonus or unique unit utility
Imperial Age Unique Tech ──> Unlocks game-changing 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.