Hey,
I don‘t see a way to survive the English longbow rush as HRE player, when it‘s really consequently performed. I know that it‘s coming, and I know the strategy - longbow spam (maybe with towers built close to my base), then rams, then over after a couple of ram assaults on my base.
I build towers, even upgraded, full of my own longbowmen, two or even three of them, and I focus the towers on the enemy longbows instead of the rams. But the rams will destroy the towers sooner or later, because the growing mass of longbows will kill any units trying to destroy the rams (even arrow-resistant HRE infantry units). At the same time I can‘t try to raid the enemy‘s base to weaken him, because all my resources go into defense. I also can‘t proceed to Castle Age to build mangonels out of the same reason.
I am not an unexperienced player, but against this strategy (on many maps) I almost always lose.
Avoid playing very open maps with HRE (Lipany, High View…). Age Up with Meinwerk to quickly get ranged resistance from units and start cav if you don’t see barracks and archers if you see barracks.
Well, can‘t avoid certain maps in random multiplayer games. But the Meinwerk palace is an idea! Thanks for that advice.
Meinwerk should be getting a boost in the Spring Update, so that will potentially boost your military. Do early MAA not counter Feudal longbow?
Maybe you should have an alternative civ for open maps.
Dont’t make archers against English longbows.
Make horseman instead.
Don’t interact with the longbows too early, but let your horseman pick of longbows which are crossing the map.
As soon you have produced enough horseman, (minimum a third of the amount of longbows, ideal halv the amount) rush down on them.
If they have spears mixed in, split your horseman into 2 or 3 groups to attack from different sides and let the spearman tun back and forth.
As soon you interact, let villagers burn the rams.
If the longbows pick of villagers, hide them quickly with hotkey.
This can become an intense minute using G and D while trying to torch the ram without losing villagers.
Most important… Don’t interact too early and loos all your horseman and too much villagers.
And last, but most important… don’t Castle while you are on attack by an rush / ram push until you cleaned it up!!!
(Golden tip to survive rushes: I always go berries from the start off, and leave all my sheep standing at my TC, just in case i get rushed.
In that matter you always have a safe food income while under attack)
Good luck. 
4 Likes
Very cool! Thanks a lot for the advices.
After a long time I returned to this game, playing HRE as my favourite civ. And I see that HRE vs. English only got worse. I am at a point where I force quit games whenever I am paired with English.
There is no other opponent civ where I know EXACTLY how they play, and still can’t counter it. A mediocre player playing English against me as HRE is unbeatable. I know I am not a great player; casual player also. But I’ve played at Platinum level at least.
It basically means I am forced to change civ, but I really #### #### ### 50% of all matches are versus English right now. I hate it, and it just leads to quitting AoE4 once again.
Sucks :(.
There are guides and videos to face English.
There are not 50% English players in Ranked at any level.
You probably comment on the thread to vent.
Perhaps it’s easier for some players to quit the game than it is to learn how to play better against a specific civ.
I am not venting. I am just writing what I experienced in many games. HRE has no real means to counter a well performed English long bow rush. And if you do, they return with rams and towers to overrun you later.