18 Pop Scouts into Archers
Steps 11 · 6 → 18 pop · ~14 min
Source: Hera
Recommended Civilizations
Open with Scout Cavalry pressure off an 18-pop Feudal landing, then surprise the opponent with an Archer switch once the harass has them committed to anti-cavalry play.
Step Timeline
Follow the villager rail and resource-split columns while you play.
Opening
6 steps · pop 6–12- 6
6 → sheep under the Town Center - 8
+2 → wood, drop a lumber camp - 9 +1 → lure and eat the first boar
- 10 +1 → hunt under the Town Center
- 11
+1 → build a house, then a mill on berries - 12 +1 → lure the second boar
↳ Lure deer with your scout to stretch the food
Feudal
5 steps · pop 18 8:50- 18
+6 → hunt under the Town Center; research Loom and click up 8:50 ↳ Feudal landing ~8:50 on 2 wood / 16 food
- 18 Reslot the hunt: 6 → wood (8 total, on one or two lumber camps), 4 → berries, 2 → build a Barracks and a House
- 18
Build a Stable and start Scout Cavalry; add 1+ Spearman, research Double-Bit Axe (Horse Collar optional) - 18
Seed roughly 8 farms as hunt food winds down, then move 8 Town Center villagers → gold and build a Mining Camp - 18
Build 2 Archery Ranges and switch into Archers, then add a Blacksmith and research Fletching
Strategy Notes
- The plan baits an over-reaction: early Scouts push the enemy toward Spearmen and walls, and the moment they over-invest in anti-cavalry you flip to Archers from two Ranges, which their Spears cannot answer.
- Keep at least one Spearman of your own in production to screen against mirror Scout play while your economy reslots onto wood and gold for the Archer phase.
- Time the gold move carefully: pull the 8 Town Center villagers onto gold and a Mining Camp only once farms and berries cover food, so Archer production never stalls.
- Blacksmith into Fletching is the key Archer power-spike here; prioritize it over extra eco upgrades once arrows start flying.
- Chinese, Huns, Malians, and Portuguese all suit this build: Chinese for the extra starting villagers, Huns for skipping houses, Malians for cheaper farm upgrades, and Portuguese for cheaper gold-cost units.
- From here you can all-in Feudal with a second Stable plus Bloodlines, or stabilize the economy and carry the Archer mass into a strong Castle Age Crossbow timing.