Counters
What beats what: bonus damage per class, per age and per unit.
Generated from the game data
A counter deals extra damage to a class. The bonus is a multiplier: ×2 is twice the damage, not three times. In a fight that nearly always matters more than a difference in hit points. Pick a civilization to see which units that people actually has.
By class#
| Attacker | workers | infantry | ranged | cavalry | siege | buildings | fortifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infantry | · | · | · | ×2–2.4 | · | · | · |
| Ranged | · | ×2 | · | · | · | · | · |
| Cavalry | ×2–5.1 (8/9) | · | ×2–5.1 | ×2 (1/9) | ×2–5.1 | · | · |
| Siege | · | · | · | · | · | ×3–6 | ×3–6 |
Row attacks column. ×2 is twice the damage it would do to another class. A number in brackets: that many units in the row have the bonus, the rest do not.
- Cavalry → workers: onlyScout Chariot Cataphract Knight Cuirassier Dragoon Lancer Paladin
- Cavalry → cavalry: onlyCamel rider
In short#
- Infantry deal ×2–2.4 damage to cavalry
- Ranged deal ×2 damage to infantry
- Cavalry deal ×2–5.1 damage to ranged, workers and siege
- Camel rider deals ×2 damage to cavalry, ranged and siege
- Siege deal ×3–6 damage to buildings and fortifications
- Horse archer: mounted, but counts as ranged
Strong and weak against the units that arrive in the same age. Older units are listed under their own age; their bonus stays the same.
Stone Age#
| Unit | Strong against | Weak against |
|---|---|---|
 WorkerWorkers · melee | no bonus | Scout ×2 |
 SpearmanInfantry · melee | cavalry ×2.2Scout | Archer ×2 |
 ArcherRanged · 4.1 tiles | infantry ×2Spearman | Scout ×2 |
 ScoutCavalry · melee | ranged, workers, siege ×2Worker Archer | Spearman ×2.2 |
Bronze Age#
| Unit | Strong against | Weak against |
|---|---|---|
 SwordsmanInfantry · meleenot for Greeksnot available | cavalry ×2Chariot | Composite archer ×2 |
 Composite archerRanged · 4.7 tiles | infantry ×2Swordsman Hoplite | Chariot ×2 |
 ChariotCavalry · melee | ranged, workers, siege ×2Composite archer Battering ram | Swordsman ×2 Hoplite ×2 |
 Battering ramSiege · melee | buildings, fortifications ×6 | Chariot ×2 |
 HopliteInfantry · meleeGreeks | cavalry ×2Chariot | Composite archer ×2 |
Iron Age#
| Unit | Strong against | Weak against |
|---|---|---|
 LegionaryInfantry · meleenot for Norsenot available | cavalry ×2Cataphract Camel rider | Crossbowman ×2 Horse archer ×2 |
 CrossbowmanRanged · 4.9 tilesnot for Mongolsnot available | infantry ×2Legionary Berserker | Cataphract ×2 Camel rider ×2 |
 CataphractCavalry · meleenot for Arabsnot available | ranged, workers, siege ×2Crossbowman Catapult Horse archer | Legionary ×2 Berserker ×2 Camel rider ×2 |
 CatapultSiege · 8 tiles | buildings, fortifications ×3 | Cataphract ×2 Camel rider ×2 |
 BerserkerInfantry · meleeNorse | cavalry ×2Cataphract Camel rider | Crossbowman ×2 Horse archer ×2 |
 Horse archerRanged · 4.7 tilesMongols | infantry ×2Legionary Berserker | Cataphract ×2 Camel rider ×2 |
 Camel riderCavalry · meleeArabs | cavalry, ranged, siege ×2Crossbowman Cataphract Catapult Horse archer | Legionary ×2 Berserker ×2 |
Middle Ages#
| Unit | Strong against | Weak against |
|---|---|---|
 PikemanInfantry · melee | cavalry ×2.4Knight Paladin | Longbowman ×2 Chu-ko-nu ×2 |
 LongbowmanRanged · 5.5 tilesnot for Chinesenot available | infantry ×2Pikeman | Knight ×3 Paladin ×2.5 |
 KnightCavalry · meleenot for Franks, Chinesenot available | ranged, workers, siege ×3Longbowman Trebuchet Chu-ko-nu | Pikeman ×2.4 |
 TrebuchetSiege · 9.5 tiles | buildings, fortifications ×3 | Knight ×3 Paladin ×2.5 |
 Chu-ko-nuRanged · 5.5 tilesChinese | infantry ×2Pikeman | Knight ×3 Paladin ×2.5 |
 PaladinCavalry · meleeFranks | ranged, workers, siege ×2.5Longbowman Trebuchet Chu-ko-nu | Pikeman ×2.4 |
Renaissance#
| Unit | Strong against | Weak against |
|---|---|---|
 HalberdierInfantry · meleenot for Arabsnot available | cavalry ×2.4Cuirassier | Musketeer ×2 |
 MusketeerRanged · 5.9 tilesnot for Franksnot available | infantry ×2Halberdier | Cuirassier ×5.1 |
 CuirassierCavalry · meleenot for Greeks, Chinesenot available | ranged, workers, siege ×5.1Musketeer Cannon | Halberdier ×2.4 |
 CannonSiege · 10 tiles | buildings, fortifications ×3 | Cuirassier ×5.1 |
Imperial Age#
| Unit | Strong against | Weak against |
|---|---|---|
 GrenadierInfantry · meleenot for Arabsnot available | cavalry ×2.4Dragoon | Line infantry ×2 |
 Line infantryRanged · 6.2 tilesnot for Franksnot available | infantry ×2Grenadier | Dragoon ×4.8 |
 DragoonCavalry · meleenot for Greeks, Chinesenot available | ranged, workers, siege ×4.8Line infantry Howitzer | Grenadier ×2.4 |
 HowitzerSiege · 10.5 tiles | buildings, fortifications ×3 | Dragoon ×4.8 |
Industrial Age#
| Unit | Strong against | Weak against |
|---|---|---|
 FusilierInfantry · meleenot for Arabsnot available | cavalry ×2.4Lancer | Rifleman ×2 |
 RiflemanRanged · 6.8 tilesnot for Franksnot available | infantry ×2Fusilier | Lancer ×4.6 |
 LancerCavalry · meleenot for Greeks, Chinesenot available | ranged, workers, siege ×4.6Rifleman Field gun | Fusilier ×2.4 |
 Field gunSiege · 11 tiles | buildings, fortifications ×3 | Lancer ×4.6 |