AOE2 Guide
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Intermediate Castle target ~18min

18 Pop Scouts into Cavalry Archers

Steps 12 · 6 → 18 pop · ~18 min

Source: Hera

Recommended Civilizations

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Open with Scouts for map control, wall up safely behind them, then hide a Cavalry Archer mass behind your walls in Castle Age.

Step Timeline

Follow the villager rail and resource-split columns while you play.

0/0 done 0:00
Checkpoints Feudal 18 vils 8:50 Food 14 Wood 4 Castle 18 vils Food 15 Wood 12 Gold 8
vils

Opening

5 steps · pop 6–16
FoodWoodGoldBld
  1. 6

    FoodTown Center 6 → sheep under TC

    6000
  2. 8

    WoodLumber Camp +2 → wood, build Lumber Camp

    6200
  3. 9

    Food +1 → lure the first boar

    7200
  4. 10

    HouseMillFood +1 → build House, then Mill on berries

    8200
  5. 16

    Food +6 → hunt (lure 2nd boar); push deer to the TC with the Scout

    14200
vils

Feudal

5 steps · pop 18 8:50
FoodWoodGoldBld
  1. 18

    WoodLoom +2 → wood (4 lumberjacks); research Loom; click Feudal 8:50

    ↳ Perfect Feudal landing around 8:50

    14400
  2. 18

    WoodLumber Camp Feudal: 5 hunt vils → wood, build 2nd Lumber Camp (9 on wood)

    9900
  3. 18

    FoodBarracksStable 5 hunt vils → berries; 1 builds Barracks; 2 build Stable

    6903
  4. 18

    Scout CavalryDouble Bit AxeFarm Make Scout Cavalry; Double-Bit Axe; wall with the Stable builders; seed Farms toward ~15

    ↳ Horse Collar always on closed maps; optional 1-4 Spearmen vs Scouts

    7902
  5. 18

    GoldMining CampBlacksmith +5 → gold, build Mining Camp; build Blacksmith; finish walling

    9950
vils

Castle

2 steps
FoodWoodGoldBld
  1. 18

    Archery Range Click Castle Age; redistribute eco, add gold; build 2 Archery Ranges

    ↳ Research Fletching + Bloodlines first

    151280
  2. 18

    Pump Cavalry Archers from both Ranges; research Bow Saw, Bodkin Arrow, Husbandry

    151280

Strategy Notes

  • The Scouts in Feudal are a screen, not the win condition — they buy time and map control while you wall completely and tech toward the real payoff.
  • Walling is non-negotiable: a sealed base lets you transition greedily into Cavalry Archers without dying to a counterattack.
  • In Castle Age redistribute your economy, add gold and a second Range, and research Gold Mining, Bow Saw, Bodkin Arrow, and Husbandry so the Cavalry Archers hit hard and ride fast.
  • Strong against static, defensive opponents and slow armies that cannot chase mobile ranged units; weak against a heavy Skirmisher response, so keep some Spearmen and never overcommit Scouts.
  • Late game, fold into Cavalry Archers plus Hussars or Cavalry Archers plus Halberdiers, backed by Siege, for a flexible mid- and post-imperial composition.