POLL: Which one is better?

Age of Empires II: DE II - Discussion
1

CASTLE AGE

  • Knight
  • X-bow

0 voters

IMPERIAL AGE

  • Arbalest
  • Paladin

0 voters

2

Paladin are literally broken.
Decrease their reload time to 1.8 (buffed to like Cavalier), reduce their HP by 20 and decreases their upgrade cost to 1250f 650g (from 1300f 750g) and their research time to 150s (from 170) so they are viable in 1v1 - and less of a “must-have” for TG pocket civs

1 Like
3

The thing though, as with anything, it does depends on the situation. I would always prefer cavarly but not on closed maps like BF or Mongolia or something.

3 Likes
4

They’d still be a must have because they still tank a heck of a lot more shots then cavalier do

5

it depends…

but broadly speaking for the majority of players the cav line is better (as proven by stats)

they’re easier to use and more forgiving. xbow line relies heavily on micro and timing

also the arb paladin comparison is heavily flawed

more realistically it should be a heavy cav archer to paladin comparison if anything

6

Have you guys, seen rehaboam ais insane crossbow micro. The sky is the only limit.

For the average noob pleb knights any day thought

1 Like
7

I would go Crossbows for Castle

Crossbowmen
While they are vulnerable in the open, you tend to have a small army of them when you begin the Castle Age, and they are somewhat easy to mass. Crossbows remain solid throughout the Castle Age, but do require an attentive eye, as they are quite vulnerable.

8

I like the knight besides in castle age a player with decent micro often can win against them with xbows.
The key is that you can force the opponent to bigger balls and/or adding pikes, the optimal situation to add siege.
Against knights you only can make pikes or monks (camels) from which they can easily escape using their mobility.

Also defences are so strong against archers aswell, while knights can bring them down (except of castles of course).

It’s not that I think knights are winning the standoff, it’s that there are way less counterstrategies against knights and those who are available have big disadvantages. If you use your mobility, the opponent may have a better force, but can’t force the engagement he would like.
That’s the big difference.

9

This poll is weird, heavy cav are a strong counter to archers, while the easily massed halberdier is the main counter to cavalry. As a rule of thumb, archers should always be protected by some type of a meat shield.

It depends on the civ you’re using.

2 Likes
10

You forgot an option:
It depends

1 Like
11

cav is surely the best and here is why: crossbows are weak against them and if u keep constant production crossbows cant do much. If the xbow player makes pikes or monks he will become way too confident that he will take u on forgeting that pikes 1v1 cant hold their own against knights (they are cost efficent but in castle age it isnt that important ) so they will lose and than the game is won, this is how i got from 1200 to 1550 elo with only cav