AOE2 Archer Rush Build Orders

What Is An Archer Rush?

An Archer rush in AOE2 is where you build your economy in order to advance to the Feudal Age and then attack quickly with archers. Usually an archer rush build order is completed at 22 or 23 population in AOE2. Your main goal should be to damage the enemy economy by killing their villagers. Target the places that they are collecting resources from such as gold piles, woodlines and berries. An archer rush is one of the best strategies to use at lower levels, before advancing to a Man-at-arms rush. The main counter unit to archers is the skirmisher as they inflict bonus damage to archers. Scouts can be a problem in larger numbers but 6 archers with fletching should defeat 3 scouts.

Best Archer Rush Civilizations

Here are the best civilizations to complete an archer rush with:-

Ethiopians – The Ethiopians have a civilization bonus where their archers fire their arrows 18% faster than other civilizations, causing more damage.
Britions – Have a team bonus that effects them where their archery ranges work 20% faster. This allows you to mass an army more quickly. In the castle age they gain +1 range and in the Imperial age they gain another +1 range. they also have an Imperial age technology that grants them another +1 range.
Vietnamese – Archery range units have +20%HP making their archers really tanky. Their eco upgrades do not cost wood which also helps with archer production.
Japanese – Whilst the Japanese strength lies with their infantry units, their economic buildings cost 50% less wood which means that you can complete an archer rush more quickly than a generic archer rush build order.
Khmer – Khmer can pretty much do any rush more quickly as they can advance without the building requirements. This is a massive wood saving which means that they can afford to advance with less villagers. The Khmer can do a 2 range archer rush at 20 population meaning that you can attack the enemy much sooner.
Mayans – The cost of foot archers is 10% less in the feudal age.
Aztecs – Military units are created 11% faster which means that you can mass an army more quickly. Normally though, you’d want to be using a drush or man at arms strategy with Aztecs.